Introduction
I was excited to try Frasers House after its rebranded from InterContinental after reading comments from IHG fans who were disappointed to lose their best property in Singapore. I was also slightly nervous - the brand-new Edition and the freshly renovated St Regis are charging the same nightly rate, and "30-year-old hotel competing on price with a hotel that still smells of fresh paint" is not a fight you'd usually take. In the end, I think I made the right decision. The property was beautiful, its location was perfect and the stay felt seamless, with the operational excellence of a hotel being in the business for 30 years.
Arrival and Check-In
When I got off my car, a butler was right there helping unload and store the luggages (looking at you, St Regis Singapore). The front desk team (I believe mostly former InterContinental staff) processed the check-in rather quickly. We got an early check-in at 1pm, which I think is partly down to the hotel's lower occupancy after the rebrand. A perk of staying somewhere the crowds haven't found yet. I was chatting to the front desk about business when he says it is slowly picking up but still far off from the peak.
Once you're inside, my first impression: it felt rather dated. However as my stay went on, I've grew to really appreciate the unique Thai-oriental beauty of the hotel. Most luxury hotels, if you peeled the logo off, could be in Paris, New York, or a particularly ambitious airport lounge. This one couldn't.
Booking Fraser Houses, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Book Frasers House through MT Luxury Travel to receive exclusive Marriott STARS benefits at no additional cost:
• Complimentary daily breakfast for two guests
• Room upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability
• $100+ USD property credit per stay
• Early check-in and late checkout priority
• VIP recognition and welcome amenities
The Room
We booked a Classic. Titanium status bumped us up to a Classic Corner, which is technically still a room but is laid out like a junior suite - two zones, a divider down the middle, a TV on each side, the sort of arrangement that suggests someone in the design phase quietly refused to give up.
We were welcomed by a rather thoughtful welcome gift, thanks to the STARS program. It consisted of fruits, some chocolates, and a small selection of traditional Singaporean treats.
I loved their old-school big working desk. If you travel with a laptop like me and actually need to get things done, you'll appreciate this. And here's a small thing that shouldn't matter as much as it does: the power outlets are universal sockets!
The design leans east, which makes sense given the Thai ownership. What dates the room is mostly the carpet, which is doing its best impression of 1996. Otherwise, the ooom felt clean, comfortable and well-maintained for a 30-year-old property. The sales manager mentioned a renovation kicking off in late 2026, which the property needs and deserves.
Two downsides. First, noise. This is an older building in a busy part of Bugis, and you can sometimes hear vehicle horns from the street. You can also hear the guests talking when they're in the hallway. Light sleepers should request a higher floor or a room facing away from the road. Second, the bathroom. No bidet, no smart washlet, and a bathtub that's seen things. Not a dealbreaker, but I'd happily trade a kidney for a Japanese toilet.
As part of the job, I also toured a few of the suites. They fit up to four (two adults, two kids, rollaway in the living room). Honest answer: nothing to write home about - though the suites also aren't priced like you should be writing home about them, so the maths works out.
Executive Lounge
A Luxury Collection hotel with an executive lounge? Strange.
But the Thai owner is a lounge lover and decided to keep it after the rebrand. And the best part is it's free for Platinum and above Marriott member (which isn't a stated benefit for the Luxury Collection brand according to official T&Cs)
The space is generous and can accommodate large groups comfortably. Afternoon tea was a little underwhelming, nothing you'd go out of your way for. But cocktail hours is a genuine hit. Wings, fried rice with seafood, laksa - not many dishes, but each one is really well-made and can make a light dinner on tiring days where you're not keen to go out.
The real standout is the lounge team. Extremely attentive and thoughtful. They remember what you ordered yesterday, they top up your drink before you notice it's empty, and they do it all without hovering. Some of the best lounge service I've experienced in Southeast Asia.
Hotel Facilities
No spa, as this is a business city hotel and it knows what it is. What you do get is a properly equipped 24 hour gym, big enough for a real workout with a dedicated yoga and mat corner. They offer guests with late flights access to showers here for freshening up.
Surprisingly the pool is the showstopper. Small but well-designed, with a tropical, almost Balinese vibe that feels completely out of place in a metropolitan city centre. There's a small jacuzzi area alongside it. If someone showed you a photo without context, you'd guess Nusa Dua before you'd guess Bugis.
Dining
The free breakfast at Luce is excellent. Wide selection, everything well-prepared. There's a live Laksa station where you get to choose your noodles and toppings. After the lounge dinner and this breakfast, I went into the rest of the dining with optimism.
...Which Man Fu Yuan promptly disassembled. I used my $100 STARS credit here expecting something award-shelf-worthy - it's collected more accolades than most restaurants have menus. But lunch did not live up to it. The Peking duck skin was overcooked and the dishes lacked the refinement you'd expect. Maybe I caught them on a bad day. Next time the credit goes to the Luce buffet.
The lobby lounge is absolutely gorgeous and worth a stop for drinks or or afternoon tea. The space photographs well and feels even better in person. Every time I walked past, it was full - my guess is a fair chunk of that is non-guests who've worked out it's the prettiest room in this part of town.
Service and Location
The staff here are warm, thoughtful, and genuinely supportive. You can tell most of them carried over from the InterContinental days and brought the operational knowledge with them.
Location is a strong point. The hotel connects directly to Bugis Junction, so you have shopping, food, and transport without stepping outside. Haji Lane is a short walk for anyone wanting colour, street art, and independent boutiques. Bugis MRT puts you on the network for the rest of Singapore. For a stay where you want to explore the city rather than stare at it from a rooftop, Bugis is hard to beat.
The Verdict
Frasers House overdelivers on every reasonable expectation for its age: the design is genuinely distinct, the lounge is a real asset, and the service is exceptional.
The property could use an update (that's coming next year), and Man Fu Yuan didn't match the rest of the hotel's standard. But for the rate, the location, and the overall package, this is one of the best-value luxury stays in Singapore right now. It's the hotel I'd tell anyone to book if they don't need the Marina Bay selfie and just want somewhere genuinely good.
