[friertuck]

Hi,

Has any of you done the Singapore stopover at the airport for maybe 10 or 12 hours just to get some sleep and a wash.

Cheers,

Alan.

[Jules]

Hi Alan

Take at look at this website www.changi.airport.com.sg

Jules

[lindajax]

Hi All,

I've just booked my flights and was thinking of the changi airport facilities when I read this post.

Alan - I fly 31 Dec and will post to let you know if its okay - We are doing this because our flight leaves uk at 1010 and arrives at singapore 705 but flies for 12 hours so hopefully we'll get our heads down at the airpot hotel.
blocks are for 6 hours so were gonna book 2 our as outbound is 11 hours later so hopefully we'll be fully covered for time.

Jules - thanks for the link you took the thoughts from my noggin :nice1
love
linda xx

[xanctus]

Changi's dutys free is pretty good guys hehehehe, enjoy it while you there...many good stuffs :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[Lil]

I have stayed in the Changi Airport Hotel, we didn't bother to book and just turned up. It's a very good idea to try to get your head down for a few hours and at least to have a shower. The rooms are very basic and the bathroom is a strange contraption like a "porta-bathroom" like a great big plastic cube in the room, nothing fancy to make you want to linger, but still worthwhile in my opinion.

The hotel as such does not have usual hotel facilites, but outside in the airport itself there are loads of things to do to amuse yourselves for a few hours, including Spa for massages and rooftop swimming pool. So you might not need to book a 12 hour session in the hotel.

[Diny]

Have never actually booked into the airport hotel but have stayed at the Hyatt a couple of times (in town) - and it's great.

I agree that Changi has lots to keep you occupied - the people watching is brilliant !!

Diny

[Lil]

Something else just came to me, if you have more than 6 hour transit then you can actually leave the airport by taking the free trip/tour to see the city organised by the airport.

I agree it is nicer to get out of the airport environment, all the city centre top notch hotels are extremely comfortable and very reasonably priced. If you only have 12 hours it might not be worth the hassle of clearing immigration and checking back in as this would take up a good few hours of your time.

[Moorf]

When we flew out via Singapore a couple of weeks ago I had a massage and shower at the Spa. It was most refreshing. It was also nice to be able to get out into the fresh air in the Sunflower Garden (well, I say fresh, it's where all us smokers gather!!)

We had considered a hotel for a few hours but I wouldn't have slept for fear of not waking up in time!

As many of you know, we met Sandra at Singapore airport and she had been there for a few hours before our arrival and had a room booked. By all accounts her sleep wasn't too good as loud kids kept her awake - perhaps she will post her thoughts on the transit hotel...

[Lil]

Moorf you hit the nail on the head, I did not wan to put folks off from going as it sure beats trying to sleep in a chain in the airport lounges. We could not sleep for fear of not waking up, the sheets were dead itchy and beds not very comfy.

[Dave & Sandra]

You don't have to worry about not waking up - they give you an alarm call. I set the alarm on my mobile as well just in case. I'm sure they would come and throw you out anyway if you slept through your 6 hour block, which is Ok if you're on an 11 hour stop-over like I was. But, as Moorf said, I was woken up anyway after 4 hours by a child next door crying non-stop. :no

I actually found the bed quite comfy, although anything is after the first leg of the flight. :roll: I booked in advance this time, as when Dave and I arrived last April, all of the rooms were booked and we had a 2 hour wait for one and then they only had rooms without bathrooms. It's dead easy to do on-line and you just show them a copy of the e-mail confirmation you get. The rooms are a bit claustrophobic as there are no windows, and unless you book a room with a bathroom, everything is communal. There is a TV, a phone and tea-making facilities which are awful 'cos you only get powdered milk.

But I would definitely recommend it. Didn't bother the first time we came to NZ and I felt like death when we eventually arrived. I think it helps a bit with the jet-lag too.

[evelien]

Hi,

I also travelled via Singapore Airport.

Didn't book a hotel room, but got some sleep in the cinema. It's dark en pretty comfortable. Just don't sleep at the same time. Someone has to watch out for your bags etc.

[Babette & Andy]

Hi all,
We used the Terminal 2 transit hotel on our way back to the UK in April. It was our saviour as flying with our very lively youngest, who was 17mths at the time, was not very enjoyable. :wah

Found the room perfectly adequate, even got a cot for the little monster, and our 5yr old fitted in our double bed no problem. It was great to relax the body for a while fully stretched out after our flight from Auckland. We had no problem with noises from other rooms, may have been luck.

I've prebooked a room at the Terminal 1 location for Andy's trip this Thursday, so he has the swimmingpool as well, he's there for 14hrs.

I personally would only go to city centre hotel locations if you're there for for a good 24hrs. Immigration and transfer can otherwise take too long for it to be worth your while. If you do go to the city centre, there are some fantastic hotels at very reasonable rates. Last one we used was the Swissotel, highly recommend this one.
:nice1
Have a good trip and rest all you travellers!! :cheers

Babette

[friertuck]

Hi all.

This info is great , Has everyone booked the transit lounge online or at a travel agents?

Alan.

[lindajax]

Hi ALL,
Another little question. probably Sandra or Babette could answer this.
When you got off your flight did it take ages to get to the transit lounge.?
Also, we've got 11 hours between flights and the first leg is as above - daytime, so when we get there none of us will probably have had more than a couple of hours sleep SO should we book 2 slots or one and exta hours??
Babette - did the kids manage ok on the flights and sleep in the transit lounge - as you know Lucy is 4 and I'm hoping we can get her do do the big sleep in the lounge in the 11 hours - realistically how many hours out of the 11 will we have for sleeping ie when do you have to be back for your flight etc
thanks in advance
Linda XX

[Diny]

Hi Linda

It all depends on which gate you arrive at but although Changi is a big airport there are moving walkways everywhere so getting around is very quick and easy.

If I were you I'd book at least one slot at the hotel. We tried to get our kids to have a 'kip' in the airport but there's just too much going on.

As for the flights - all depends on Lucy I guess. The seats will be a really good size for her (does she have a seat to herself) so she'll be able to sprawl out. There's plenty of entertainment - dozens of films, cartoons and games. Also the stewardess' will make a huge fuss of her.

Our boys love the flight and really settle in well. I'd like to say that the time passes really fast but for me it doesn't ..... it drags !!

Remember to order a child meal for Lucy too. They are really good (they also come with a couple of fun size bars of chocolate on the tray which I found necessary to confiscate from the boys in case it melted and made a mess) :oops: :oops: :oops:

One little tip ..... when you visit the loos at Changi, don't go through the door thay says 'splash pan' :eek

Speak soon.

Diny

[Dave & Sandra]

If I remember rightly it's when you get to the end of the moving walkways that you see a sign for the transit hotel just where the shops start, not too far. If you grab a trolley, if ( what do I mean if :laugh )you have a lot of hand luggage, you can take it all the way up in the lift. There's a sign pointing to the left and you go through a maze of corridors to the lift (I think lift number 7 - not sure) which brings you out by the transit rooms, then just follow the signs for reception. It's in the same area as the cinema, the bar/cafe, gym, and the sunflower garden.

Boarding starts to be called an hour before the flight and there are departure screens near the transit hotel. I think you have to book a block of 6 hours then you can add on extra hours if you need them. I found the 6 hours was enough for me.

[Lil]

Linda, it's not exactly a transit lounge like you have at some airports, you will have the run of the whole of airside terminal and all it's facilities. Your luggage should be checked through to your second flight, when you arrive in the transit area you will have to collect the boarding pass for your second flight so all you have to do is turn up at the boarding gate at the time stated on your boarding pass, probably about an hour before your flight time. The best thing is you will be hours ahead of folks checking in for your second flight so should be able to choose yourself a good seat - we managed to get extended legroom seats so it pays to ask.

[Babette & Andy]

Hi all,

Excellent directions Sandra, though I can't remember the lift number
:nice1
This link should give you all the info needed:
http://www.airport-hotel.com.sg/ you have to book it on line, and they send you an e-mail confirmation back pretty quick. Specify in the comments box which terminal you would prefer. If I'm not mistaken all Europe flights (may even be all Singapore Airlines flights) arrive and depart from Terminal 2.
There are some building works going on at the T2 transit hotel, but we didn't hear/see any of this. May have been luck though. :P

When we flew in April we checked our luggage all the way through, and got our boarding passes for all the flights straight away.

Linda (& others with little 'darlings') - Lianne (5yr old) sat very comfortable in her own carseat the whole way. Argos sell one that fits perfectly within the Singapore Airlines' seats (and they allow it no problem, I checked before hand with the check-in staff at Manchester airport). You may wonder why bother? Well if you think about it, yes the seats are nice and big for our kids but no real (head) support. If interested, it's on page 1076 of the Autumn/Winter Argos catalogue, number 3. Not very expensive either (£17.49) and you've got the seat ready to put in a car/taxi when you get to NZ. :nice1 :nice1

Our girls both slept no problem at the Transit Hotel, didn't even wake when our alarm clock went off, allowed Andy & I to shower and get ready in peace. One block of 6hrs should be plenty, time after to have a little run around etc before the next leg of the journey :roll:

If you are thinking of using the Transit hotel - book (well) in advance.

Cheers
Babette :cheers