Swissotel Merchant Court

Pros with the Cons, but not too shabby

My husband and I stayed in this hotel for nine days and we booked a regular room. They gave us a room on the third floor which was not that bad since the hotel is far from the main thoroughfare. The external condition and cosmetic appearance of the hotel is great and the decor is nice but the regular rooms are very bland and ordinary. Hotel service was excellent and staff was very prompt. Housekeeping was done like clockwork. Location is great; subway station is literally across the alley (inside the shopping center). Clarke Quay is your backyard. China town area is a little far, about four blocks away. I think you’re paying for the location with this hotel, which is convenient if you don’t want to spend too much money on taxis.

Newton’s for cheap eats, The Pump Room for a nice dinner

The hotel was magnificent

All I can say is the hotel and all staff were magnificent, helpful and friendly. I have no desire to stay anywhere and we will be back. The price and the level of service were totally satisfactory. Which is big praise from two people at the end of a holiday who couldn’t wait to get home after 3 months away.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Take plenty of time to take it in, it is a fabulous place

Met all my needs at a reasonable price (for the F1 weekend!)

I went to Singapore for this year’s Formula 1 race and loved this hotel. It’s right by Boat Quay for dinner and is an easy (but hot and humid!) 10 min walk to the MRT, Marina area and Raffles Hotel. The hotel is clean and my room was very quiet. The breakfast is the usual crazy price but had great variety.

Traveler's tip on dining

Close to boat and clark quays for dining.

Comfortable and a good location

Hotel is close to Riverside/Clark Quay which has many bars and restaurants, as such its a very good location for evening entertainment. Would definitely recommend this hotel and will stay again.

Traveler's tip on nightlife

Be sure to check out the microbrewery Brewerks which is a short walk away. Very good beers, food is ok for bar food type menu.

Good location

Would stay there again

Nice place! Great Location

I stayed for 5 nights and it was a great location for where I wanted to be in Singapore. The hotel food is pricey, I wouldn’t eat there but Clark’s Quay is right across the river and Central has alot of options for food. Chinatown and Bugis Street were within walking distance (as long as you like to walk) and cab rides were fairly cheap. It was a great location. I would def stay there again.

Very decent for short business trip

Coming from NRT via Airport Limousine, this hotel was a 15-minute walk from the closest stop (New Otani). It’s located near a large TV station, as well as the Israeli embassy, nevertheless I needed a map to find it. The hotel is located in a quieter and less crowded neighborhood. The room was small as expected, but efficient, with high-speed Internet access (I was never charged although there an additional fee was indicated in the brochure), a small refrigerator, tea brewer, and the ubiquitous Toto fixtures in the bathroom. Bed was comfortable and everything in the room worked. Front desk staff were pleasant and spoke English. Only issue was I wanted to check in before their official time of 2pm, but this was not a surprise just my own preference. The hotel had a great restaurant on the basement floor, lunch included Bento-box style entrees, and they had a nice breakfast buffet.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

1 block away is an am/pm convenience store. While in the U.S. we tend to find only food w/ marginal nutritional value at such places, here you can get some great-tasting and healthy pre-made Japanese dishes to go: noodle bowls, egg sandwiches w/ the crusts cut off, even some basic sushi. Not the best cuisine you’ll find by any means (hey this is Tokyo), but you’ll be pleasantly surprised. For a quick bite before a meeting or a late night snack, $10 goes a long way, with no guilt/indigestion.

Best stay in Singapore

My first stay at Merchant Court and it was most enjoyable. The Singapore River runs right next to it with hundreds of shops, restaurants and activities within a short walk. Clark Quay MRT station is across the street for farther journeys. Food and services in the hotel are expensive, as would be expected in a hotel of this category, but alternatives are nearby. The pool and exercise room are very nice with a good view of the city and waterfalls and a slide in the pool. The room was clean and comfortable. TV was a bit old and small, but who watches TV while visiting Singapore? The hotel is busy and the staff friendly. A keycard is required to use the elevator for security. Definitely a hotel I would stay at again.

Good 4* near transport, restaurants and nightlife

Swissotel Merchant Court is adjacent to Clarke Quay MRT, with the bars and restaurants of Clarke Quay just behind the hotel (despite which it’s quiet at night surprisingly!). Recommended as a reliable, quality stay often with good offers. Probably my preferred place to return next time.

Traveler's tip on dining

Try at least one hawker centre (at one end of the price scale), and one of the upmarket Chinese restaurants (some of the best anywhere). Food is reasonable and good quality.

Would Love to Return

I would love to return to this hotel. I cannot fault the wonderful service given. Even though I had to check out at noon and hang around for my flight really late in the day I was made welcome to stay and use the pool area and spa facility to freshen up for my onward journey. All staff at the hotel could not have been more friendly and helpful and I thank them all.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Take a ride on the Singapore Flyer. A new attraction. You can see for miles all around Singapore and check out the new F1 race track.

One of the best

A wonderful place, with extremely polite people, ready and able to convince you to come back. My daughter, who stayed there four times, and my son (once) have recommended it. I am proud for having children who understand what the quality means.

very courteous staff and nice hotel for the price. very central to everything in singapore

Swissotel Merchant Court (across the bridge from Clarke Quay) was very close to all areas that one would want access to in Singapore. Its a few steps away from the subway station and literally across the street from the Central Mall which is fairly nice. It is also across a small bridge from the Clarke Quay commercial center which is where pretty much all the nightlife is in Singapore. The hotel pool (3rd flr) was very nice and the gym was well equipped by the way which was important to me. What else could one ask for?

Traveler's tip on dining

No need to purchase breakfast at the hotel since there are many spots that should be close by. Try the Bah Kuh Teh place which is about a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Coming out of Merchant Court, go left and cross the overpass and go left again and you should see the restaurant right at the corner.

Good location, service, food Poor

Stayed at the Swissotel Merchant hotel for one week, and was very dissatisfied. First off DO NOT TAKE THE "executive room" which comes with Breakfast (they charge 30 dollars a person for this poor showing a breakfast) Go to Starbucks next store, much better! We had the "Classic room" and that is what it was old and classic! Stains on the floor, poor drainage in the bathroom which always flooded when taking a shower, A TV that did not work etc... There are much better hotels to stay at then this one. I would avoid it for other then location it is not worth staying.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Stay at the Pan Pacific hotel! Same price as Swissotel Merchant, and better everything!

Great Location, Adequate Rooms

The rooms are nothing special, on the small side, but comfortable and clean. Some rooms on the Merchant Road side of the hotel are noisy due to construction across the street. Clarkes Quay is just across the bridge from the hotel, the Central market offers some shopping options, and the MRT is accessible from inside the Central. All in all a great location from which to explore Singapore.

Traveler's tip on nightlife

Clarke’s Quay is like Disneyland for adults - food and drink and music galore!

Exceeded expectations!

I usually frequent a different hotel chain when I travel, but seeing as the "other" was twice the price of the Swissotel I opted for the Merchant Court and was pleasantly surprised. Genuinely friendly staff, extremely clean rooms, soft towels, beautiful pool, and excellent location!

Wondering if a child will like Singapore? Yes,I traveled with my 8 year old daughter; she loved Singapore! She wants to move there. People are truly friendly and we always felt safe, except when crossing the street. Be careful! Singapore drivers DO NOT yield to pedestrians!

Good service, good price, convenient location, clean and comfortable.

I have nothing at all to complain about my stay. I took a "business executive" package because the rate included breakfast and internet for less of an add-on charge then I typically get charged for these at other hotels. The breakfast was fine. The internet worked and I didn’t get double-billed. The room was clean and well kept, service was very good, never had to wait more than a minute or so to get a taxi from the lobby, the location is also convenient to a subway station, there are plenty of restaurants in the shopping mall across the street for a quick bite, or all around the Quay for stepping out a bit longer. No complaints, I’d be happy to return.

Exceptionally well located hotel

The hotel is at Riverside Point near Clarke Quay and North Baot Quay. This area is full of restaurants and entertainment venues - all within a short walk of the hotel. The Clarke Quay metro stop is only a few meters away, making Orchard an easy hop. The hotel itself is clean and modern. One small complaint I have with the room is that the airconditioning sends a jet of air into your face when you are on the bed (at least in the room I had). This can cause a terrible case of red eye in the morning. Incidentally, the airconditioning seems to have a mind of its own. I need to have the temperature low to be able to sleep with a duvet cover on. However, the airconditioning seems to go onto an automatic night cycle that defies manual commands. Another easily remedied fault - on the second night I received only one instead of 2 bottles of complimentary water in the room. Given that the imported water in the minibar is exorbitantly expensive, this neglignce gives a slightly bad impression.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Staying in the Clarke Quay area provides a large choice of dining and entertainment possibilities within a short distance, much more so than in the Orchard area. So, if you have business to do in Orchard but like to have a good range of venues for going out at night, this is the place to stay. In any case, Orchard is a short ride on the MTR which is only a few paces from the hotel.

Merchant Court

Perfectly position in the Quay area, just beside the Subway and a big mall but also steps away from China Town, Swiss Hotel @ Merchant Court is the ideal place to enjoy Singapore both for business and leisure. Suggest You to avoid been charged for breakfast fees and go enjoy the close by Starbucks for much better quality/price combination. Pool Area nice, gym ok.

Great location and friendly staff

Upon my arrival to Singapore, after a LONG trip from the States, I was told my room was not yet cleaned. No worries, I was alittle early. When my room was ready they gave me an upgrade to the top floor, facing the Singapore River in a newly remodled room. A samll room but a very nicely done room. I found all the staff very friendly and attentive to any question that I may have had or to any needs I had. The location was in a clean, safe, entertaining neighborhood with the MRT rapid transit a few steps from the property. I found the MRT, MOST helpful and convenient. The Breakfast buffet was good but not great and it was a little pricey. The staff was good on giving out a 20% coupon for the first days meal. I WOULD stay there again.

Traveler's tip on dining

The food courts, that are everywhere, are GREAT for meals. They are VERY clean, inexspensive and exotic.

Not impressed!

Not very clean at all. We found three cockroaches which I immediately reported to a staff at the Information Desk. I asked her to send someone to clean the bathroom thoroughly. To my standard, it was not very clean. Towels need bleaching, the color is almost dirty white. Not a 4-star hotel at all as falsely advertised. I would say the hotel would fit a 2-star category. The two ladies at the gift shop were both very nice and helpful.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Walk to Chinatown for breakfast, lunch and dinner.....very cheap.

Great location

This is a good hotel especially if you are travelling with children. The location is amazing and we enjoyed hanging out by the river and people watching. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The hotel restaurant is expensive, but there are plenty of options at the mall or Clarke Quay.

Nice Place, Internet is Expensive though

I expect a nice hotel to offer free wireless, I found their daily rates for internet to be expensive.

Great Location

Love the location of the hotel; right by the river (Clarke Quay).

Excellent hotel, ideal location

Stayed two nights here and was very impressed with the quality of the hotel. The gym and pool were especially impressive for a city hotel of this size.

Great value for money

The Swissotel Merchant Court is an excellent value for money at the rate I found on Expedia. The friendliness and responsiveness of the hotel staff is notable. The hotel is well located off Clark Quay right in the middle of the evening action along the Singapore River. Being across from the Central Mall provides hotel guests with numerous options for meals from early morning till late night. The hotel is connected by a walkway to the Singapore subway system and bus system, and is walking distance to all major sights including China Town and the historic sites along the waterfront. The pool side restaurant has nice views and a decent menu, and the Amrita Spa is a welcome respite from a busy schedule.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Plan your meals to coincide with shopping at Central and your business meetings so you can walk to explore the river walk and/or Chinatown Basement restaurants and Food Mall in Central Mall are value for money as are some of the spas for men and women. Look out for sales and promotions when you shop or dine.