12 hour layover in Changi - which hotel to pick?

[SBD]

Hello,

I'll have 12 hours in Changi during a BNE-SIN-JFK journey in early June.

The flight from BNE (SQ 266) arrives 12:10am, connection (SQ24) departs at12:10pm, so I've got exactly 12 hours and want to sleep before the 18 hour flight to NY.

Which airside hotel should I pick? I think I depart Terminal 3 - should I pick the one in that terminal (Ambassador Transit Hotel)? Are there cheaper, more capsule-style options in the airport?

Grateful for ideas, advice, and suggestions (on this or related subjects).

Also, what lounge will I expect in Singapore, and what lounge in Brisbane? (VA Gold; the BNE-SIN-JFK itinerary is a Velocity reward in business).

Thank you,

SBD

 

[RooFlyer]

But even the rates that @RooFlyer quoted for the Crowne Plaza (SGD 260 for 6 hours) is crazy for me. I'd only pay that if I was very, very, very run down and in desperate need of a place away from it all

Crazy for me too, and I'm looking at alternatives! But I couldn't do lounge for that long a layover nor do I want to spend a day outside the airport precinct (ie around the city/island) - done it too many times.

Find something.

 

[anat0l]

Crazy for me too, and I'm looking at alternatives! But I couldn't do lounge for that long a layover nor do I want to spend a day outside the airport precinct (ie around the city/island) - done it too many times.

Find something.

You said you had a 9 hour daytime transit. Not sure how much sleep is important to you.

Frankly, sometimes the quietest places to go to are some far flung gates (especially in T2), or even some far flung areas on the arrivals floors. Not exactly private (nor set up for working), but so there.

I found this, perhaps some ideas: 7 of the best places to work at the public areas in Changi Airport

 

[SBD]

I can confirm that at around 6 am the Jewel is pretty much asleep. They even turn off most of the lights. Nothing really happens until the sun starts to rise and maybe the first few shops with breakfast start to open.

The way I'd play it is after disembarking at 0010h, maybe head to the SilverKris Lounge for a night cap. Then head to one of the airport properties. Haven't tried the airside properties but at this point you just want 6 hours honest sleep, so as long as it's clean... yeah...

The creme de la creme for layover hotels is the Crowne Plaza Changi T3. Rooms are very comfortable and the breakfast buffet is very impressive (I hope they haven't changed since I last visited). And of course the full suite of luxury hotel mod cons - gym, pool and club lounge.

I guess I have a different view on transiting options in SIN, because while there are many good (and clean!) options for transiting at Changi, IME they are, and have all been, very expensive. Some of you are on the company dime or put a high price on your sleep, and I respect that. But even the rates that @RooFlyer quoted for the Crowne Plaza (SGD 260 for 6 hours) is crazy for me. I'd only pay that if I was very, very, very run down and in desperate need of a place away from it all (or if I had money to burn).

Personally, I'd take a chance and rough it in the SilverKris lounge, with a brisk terminal walk after some kip to wake up. After all, whatever can't be taken as sleep in SIN could be made up on the SIN-JFK flight, as it is incredibly long. Yeah, yeah... you can all call me crazy now...


Since your entire itinerary is in Business Class, you'll have access to:

• In Brisbane, you will have access to the SilverKris lounge there.
• In Singapore, you will have access to the SilverKris lounges (T2 or T3, your flight departs from the latter and is larger, so going to the T2 one is only for a laugh or to alleviate boredom) or the KrisFlyer Gold lounge (no real need, it is inferior to the SilverKris lounge, so again only for a laugh)

Thank you - this is a shrewd and helpful analysis. SBD

 

[cove]

We have been offered a small sleep room each in either the First Class lounge or The Private Room when we have arrived from Los Angeles in the middle of the night.Getting a 4 hour snooze has been nice.TPR is often closed by the time our LAX to SIN arrives and we tend to fly on around 9.30am to Perth.

 

[Sprucegoose]

My recollection is Jewel is fairly dead at 6am, in fact I think most shops won’t open til 10am…. I guess that gives an hour or so before going back inside.

Jewel is open but all shops are shut say after midnight. There are limited food options available in T2 landside.

Post automatically merged: Apr 28, 2025

I agree with all the comments on the CP. worth the walk and $$

 

[anat0l]

We have been offered a small sleep room each in either the First Class lounge or The Private Room when we have arrived from Los Angeles in the middle of the night.Getting a 4 hour snooze has been nice.TPR is often closed by the time our LAX to SIN arrives and we tend to fly on around 9.30am to Perth.

That's incredibly fortunate and kind of them. I have definitely valued the TPR sleeping rooms (probably should count my blessings that I've been able to get one each time I've gone there, including being able to "overnight" in one whilst TPR has been officially closed), but I can't imagine trying it on if I wasn't flying First.

 

[Myrna]

IHG has a sale on now. So, I decided to check the cash prices and points for the 2 bookings we have with CP Singapore Changi. I found that the one night booking later this month (May 2025) the points for a standard room dropped from 50K to 40K. So, I cancelled and rebooked. Also the one night booking in December 2025 the points dropped from 44K to 41K, again I cancelled and rebooked. So, i guess it is worth checking ...

 

[DazMel]

Two days ago I used IHG points for two nights in Changi Crowne Plaza. I was allocated a "cell" in the newer Jewel wing. The "cell" is long and narrow the width of the bed plus walk past space. Layout is unconventional; from the entry door; wardrobe; desk/workspace; king bed; couch & coffee table; double slding doors (signage suggests using closed for sound insulation); walk-in shwr, toilet, free standing bath, basin etc; remotely controlled black out blind. Technically nothing wrong and lots of wall mirrors used to compensate for confined space, but I prefer the older style rooms.

 

[mel-world]

I know I'm a bit late to this discussion but, if you leave the airport, remember to download the MyICA App that you need to populate and submit within 3 days of arrival to allow entry to Singapore.

As an Accor Plus member, I've found good availability at the Grand Mercure Roxy - a 10 min taxi ride from the airport for any overnight stopover. An excellent shopping centre and market opposite the Hotel.

 

[Bazzi]

My choice is always Crowne Plaza. We have deplaned and been in our room within 15 minutes and left the room and been in the lounge in 10 minutes. HIX in Singapore can be $300+ once you add taxes - which are not displayed on IHG until after room selection - and the evening fee for taxis will add coin to the trip, along with losing an hour travelling from and to the airport. I personally like the Jewel rooms and always ask for one overlooking the runway - soak away in the bath watching the planes land. Take swimming costumes if you want an early morning dip.

If you are 60+, and an IHG member, they do offer a Seniors discount either on a fully flex or advance purchase rate. I personally use (purchased) points for our stays and the room usually works out to around $295. Likewise I review the points rates every couple of months as they do tend to go down.

Recently we have found a complimentary drink voucher in the room on arrival - not restricted to IHG members - and there are discounts of up to 30% on food dining in room or in Allora - I think this is available at breakfast but ask reception - we were offered a discount for the breakfast buffet on our last stay in November.

For Affers in general, if booking with points and you plan to dine in the restaurant, ensure you ask reception to take deposit on your credit card otherwise you can’t charge to your room and you won’t earn points.

We are not big breakfast buffet fans but we did like the Allora buffet.

 

[kerfuffle]

I know I'm a bit late to this discussion but, if you leave the airport, remember to download the MyICA App that you need to populate and submit within 3 days of arrival to allow entry to Singapore.

As an Accor Plus member, I've found good availability at the Grand Mercure Roxy - a 10 min taxi ride from the airport for any overnight stopover. An excellent shopping centre and market opposite the Hotel.

Not necessary to download an app. I just filled it in online here: ICA | SG Arrival Card (SGAC) with Electronic Health Declaration. However, I don't visit Singapore often, so perhaps the app is useful for frequent visitors.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

For Affers in general, if booking with points and you plan to dine in the restaurant, ensure you ask reception to take deposit on your credit card otherwise you can’t charge to your room and you won’t earn points.

We are not big breakfast buffet fans but we did like the Allora buffet.

There is no option to 'ask' to take deposit as they will do so even if room fully prepaid. I had 2 stints in the bar in Allora on Fri nt and both times bills were charged to room without question - but clearly YEMD

As for Allora bf it is quite reasonably priced as hotel bfs go but the quality I feel is very ordinary - but much better than the pissy offerings SQ now have in J Lounges even if you do need to pay

 

[Bazzi]

There is no option to 'ask' to take deposit as they will do so even if room fully prepaid. I had 2 stints in the bar in Allora on Fri nt and both times bills were charged to room without question - but clearly YEMD

As for Allora bf it is quite reasonably priced as hotel bfs go but the quality I feel is very ordinary - but much better than the pissy offerings SQ now have in J Lounges even if you do need to pay

Hello CE
We have had different experiences - always stay there on points and never been asked to provide a credit card on check in. Thought it was odd but….and I don’t keep a card on my profile. Twice I have had to go back to the room and retrieve a credit card to pay at Allora - first time was on day 2 of opening so thought it might be a teething problem. On our last visit I wasn’t asked to provide a cc and so I asked if I could charge drinks etc to the room and was told ‘not unless we take a deposit on your credit card’.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ok that is weird - I have had regular pts and comm stays there and always had deposit taken - Bazzi you clearly have a much more ‘honestt’ appearance than I do

Allots actually had live music playing in bar on Fri nt - was very pleasant sitting there having a couple of ‘adult refreshments’ listening to the music

 

[SBD]

I know I'm a bit late to this discussion but, if you leave the airport, remember to download the MyICA App that you need to populate and submit within 3 days of arrival to allow entry to Singapore.

As an Accor Plus member, I've found good availability at the Grand Mercure Roxy - a 10 min taxi ride from the airport for any overnight stopover. An excellent shopping centre and market opposite the Hotel.

Thanks for this - but this trip I'm planning on staying within the transit area, just for convenience and maximizing sleeping/working and due to the timing of the connection. SBD

 

[AIRwin]

Thanks for this - but this trip I'm planning on staying within the transit area, just for convenience and maximizing sleeping/working and due to the timing of the connection. SBD

SBD = Singapore Brief Dally?

 

[I love to travel]

Ok that is weird - I have had regular pts and comm stays there and always had deposit taken - Bazzi you clearly have a much more ‘honestt’ appearance than I do

Allots actually had live music playing in bar on Fri nt - was very pleasant sitting there having a couple of ‘adult refreshments’ listening to the music

I have found if you check in later in the evening they don't take a deposit if you also mention you are leaving early in the morning

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ok I might be just too mechanical in simply presenting both passport and AMEX at check in as normal at all hotels - but I distinctly remember checking in at CP last Friday nt and agent did ask for CC at 20:10 or so when I arrived

But getting back so specific Q of this thread - I think airside hotels have gotten way too expensive for what they offer V convenience of CP - and I find the Jewel Wing rooms in CP too ‘dogboxish’ and poor value compared to the bigger rooms in original wing - but as always we all have different views on value.

Original beds in CP original wing when first opened were like morticians slabs they are certainly gone now

 

[SBD]

Ok I might be just too mechanical in simply presenting both passport and AMEX at check in as normal at all hotels - but I distinctly remember checking in at CP last Friday nt and agent did ask for CC at 20:10 or so when I arrived

But getting back so specific Q of this thread - I think airside hotels have gotten way too expensive for what they offer V convenience of CP - and I find the Jewel Wing rooms in CP too ‘dogboxish’ and poor value compared to the bigger rooms in original wing - but as always we all have different views on value.

Original beds in CP original wing when first opened were like morticians slabs they are certainly gone now

Thanks for this perspective. I've booked at the T3 Ambassador Transit Hotel for $242 - but that's for more than the standard six hours. Haven't got my reservation in front of me but I think it's from 1am until 9am (you pay by the hour past six hours, but not very much per hour past six hours).

The cheapest room I could get at the CP was $258, but that also would have required an email exchange or telephone conversation because the website doesn't intuitively (at least to me) let me book a normal room, not a day room, from 1 am until 9am on the same calendar date.

I've asked nicely for a tarmac view which apparently a few rooms have. And I'll already be in T3 which is, I believe, where the flight to JFK departs. Plan is to wake, shower, work a bit, good walk around the terminal, then SilverKris Lounge (apparently better in T3 than T2?), then I'll be aloft.

 

[anat0l]

Thanks for this perspective. I've booked at the T3 Ambassador Transit Hotel for $242 - but that's for more than the standard six hours. Haven't got my reservation in front of me but I think it's from 1am until 9am (you pay by the hour past six hours, but not very much per hour past six hours).

The cheapest room I could get at the CP was $258, but that also would have required an email exchange or telephone conversation because the website doesn't intuitively (at least to me) let me book a normal room, not a day room, from 1 am until 9am on the same calendar date.

I've asked nicely for a tarmac view which apparently a few rooms have. And I'll already be in T3 which is, I believe, where the flight to JFK departs. Plan is to wake, shower, work a bit, good walk around the terminal, then SilverKris Lounge (apparently better in T3 than T2?), then I'll be aloft.

For the CP, if that was the rate for one night, you could have just booked it the night before. No idea if a "day room" rate would have been cheaper, but I'm going to hazard a guess it would not have been bookable for the hours you wanted (they would have forced you to pay the normal per-night rate, i.e. from checkin to checkout).

The Ambassador looks a bit tired in the photos (especially the bathroom), but it will be clean, the beds look pretty decent and I suppose it is in the transit area, so logistics-wise that is a plus. FWIW and for giggles, $242 for 8 hours works out to be just about $30 per hour.