The Sampan 2020 Tasting Session
63 Boat Quay

https://www.thesampan.sg/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Her Pen And Fork, msginginly, Epicurious Caniggia, and Purple Taste.

5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree (SGD $19.50)

Lime Restaurant 2020
3 Upper Pickering Street
Level 1, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering

https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-pickering/dining/lime.html

Seafood Platter On Ice

PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering
3 Upper Pickering Street

https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pr-pickering.html


Refreshing Eco-Friendly Staycation

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Visited: Nov-2020
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 5
Value for Money: 6
Budget about SGD $650 per person.
- $650 Accomodation 3D2N
- $0 Room Service


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, 1 Restaurant (Lime Restaurant), Gymnasium, Infinity Pool & Poolside Cabanas, 2 Lounges (Lobby Lounge, COLLECTION Club Lounge), St. Gregory Spa, Garden Walk, Jacuzzi, Steam Room, Cable TV, Shuttle Service, Laundry Service, Meeting Rooms, Complimentary Items In Mini-Fridge, On-Site Parking, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Swimming, Meetings, Massage, Spa


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes drive away from the Changi international airport in Singapore, the PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is a 5-star, eco-friendly hotel. Known for its award-winning 'hotel-in-a-garden' design which incorporates elevated terraced gardens, green walls, water features, solar cells, and rainwater harvesting, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering offers a rejuvenating escape in the midst of the city. Post-COVID, standards have slipped somewhat, as they try to reclaim business and leisure traffic.


Ambience
Ambience at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is the highlight of any stay here. Surrounded by lush greenery despite the urban setting, the hotel is an oasis of escape. With high ceilings and water features around, the place exudes a calm tranquility, setting the mind at ease. Wood decor and energy efficient features complete the sustainable experience. The facade looks sleek yet welcoming, with ample greenery and water ponds flanking the walkway. Temperature taking is performed only at the main entry, so other entrances are currently closed.


Room
Rooms at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering are large and relaxing. I stayed at the COLLECTION Lifestyle Room, which has a comfortable king bed and sofa. The working desk is decently sized, complete with an ergonomic Herman Miller sayl chair. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow ample natural light, but there are no views because of the ample landscaping outside. The bathroom is stocked with amenities, and there's a choice of multi-function shower or bathtub. The high-speed internet wifi is stable, but the cable television has limited channels. Post-COVID, the minibar isn't stocked at all, but the Nespresso coffee machine with capsules are still available.


Food
Food at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is provided by the in-house Lime Restaurant. A vibrant modern restaurant specialising in Singaporean, Southeast Asian, and European culinary delights, the chefs use fresh premium ingredients to create appetizing plates. Quality ranges from underwhelming to good, but the options for desserts and pastries are more limited now. While the restaurant is decent enough, with the myrid food options surrounding the hotel, you'll actually get much better dining experiences elsewhere.


Service
Service at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is inconsistent, with the lower numbers of staff sometimes struggling to keep pace with the demand. Bags took 1.5 hours to arrive at the room after check-in, and there was disorganised confusion in which bag to be delivered to which room. On a particular afternoon, staff seated us in the lounge, but forgot to offer anything, leaving us sitting there without any menu, drinks, or tidbits. There was poor service recovery when a guest was unable to get a room on a high floor despite the request. All that said, staff were generally friendly and polite, and tried their best to manage difficult situations, but additional training might have helped.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering are pretty good. The meeting rooms are large and decently equipped with a drop-down ceiling projector and good sound systems. The gymnasium has a wide range of workout equipment, and to prevent crowding, specific time-slots for guests to use. The business centre offers some privacy for quiet working, and the garden walk has clear signage for the various herbs and spices grown for the kitchens. The infinity pool is rather small but picturesque, flanked by the colourful poolside cabanas. The hotel's convienent location also makes walking to Chinatown, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, or Tanjong Pagar a breeze.


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George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Tasting Session 2020
81 Boat Quay

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 11pm


https://www.facebook.com/georgetowntzechar/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, and Esth3r Esth3r.

Marmite Ribs (SGD $18)

Garang Grill By New Ubin Seafood Tasting Session
15 Swan Lake Avenue

18 Tampines Industrial Crescent

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11:30am - 2:30pm (Lunch), 6:30pm - 10pm (Dinner)


https://www.facebook.com/garanggrill/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Her Pen And Fork, msginginly, Epicurious Caniggia, and Chubby Botak Koala.

Chilli Crab Rillette (SGD $12)

Deepavali 2020

Creamery Boutique Ice Creams
139 Tyrwhitt Road

https://www.facebook.com/creamerysg/

Choc-A-Lot With Berry Cheesecake (SGD $9.90)

King's Cart Coffee Factory
328 Joo Chiat Road #01-05

https://www.kingscartcoffee.com/

Cocktail Rum Pum Pum (SGD $20)

Summerlong - Closed
60 Robertson Quay #01-04

https://www.summerlongsg.com/

Citrus Mille-Feuille (SGD $15)