Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre

The hotel offers a highly convenient urban experience, primarily distinguished by its excellent central location with direct access to the MRT system, making it an ideal base for exploring the city. Its large, inviting swimming pool also stands out as a significant draw for guests seeking relaxation. The hotel is well-suited for sightseers and food enthusiasts eager to explore Chinatown's vibrant culinary scene and nearby hawker centers, as well as business travelers due to its proximity to the CBD. Couples and families also find it appealing, though room size can be a consideration. Guests consistently praise the hotel's overall cleanliness, modern design, and the generally friendly and helpful staff. To enhance your stay, consider requesting a room on a higher floor for better views, and be prepared for the compact nature of the rooms and bathrooms, which is a common theme in guest feedback.

Facilities & Amenities
Guests frequently highlight the hotel's impressive large outdoor swimming pool, often described as beautiful, huge, and a fantastic amenity for relaxation after a day of exploring. The pool is noted for being temperature-controlled and suitable for laps. While the fitness center is available, many guests find it to be quite small and compact, with limited equipment, making it challenging for more extensive workouts. The hotel provides free Wi-Fi, ensuring guests can stay connected. A thoughtful and eco-friendly feature is the presence of water refill stations in the rooms, allowing guests to avoid single-use plastic bottles. The high-tech lifts are appreciated for their speed and security, requiring key card access. Some guests mention the availability of laundry facilities, adding to convenience. However, a common complaint is the insufficient number of loungers around the pool area, and the absence of dedicated shower or changing rooms near the pool and gym.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
The hotel generally receives high praise for its clean rooms, which are frequently described as spotless, well-kept, and modern. Guests often commend the comfortable beds and high-quality linens, contributing to a restful night's sleep. Many rooms feature large windows that offer city views, and the blackout shades are effective in ensuring darkness. The in-room filtered water is also a valued amenity. However, a significant and recurring theme is the small size of the rooms, with many guests finding them compact or tiny, especially when traveling with luggage or as a family. The bathrooms are also consistently noted as being extremely small and cramped, sometimes described as uncomfortably designed with awkward toilet paper placement. Some guests have reported issues with noise levels from corridors, neighboring rooms, or even early morning temple music, and a few experienced problems with the air conditioning not cooling effectively or being erratic.

Dining & Food Quality
Feedback on dining experiences is mixed, with many guests appreciating the breakfast variety, which includes both Eastern and Western options, and some noting the availability of Halal choices. The coffee quality is generally well-regarded. The buffet dinner in the restaurant is also mentioned as being popular, sometimes requiring reservations. However, a frequent point of contention is the breakfast area, which many describe as narrow, noisy, and overly crowded, leading to long queues, difficulty finding tables, and items running out quickly without prompt replenishment. Some guests find the overall food quality at breakfast to be regular or not exceptional, and a few consider it to be overpriced. The hotel's bar receives some criticism for a perceived lack of character and limited stock, with some guests noting that certain drinks on the menu were unavailable.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel's central location is consistently highlighted as a major advantage, described as superb, perfect, and prime for exploring Singapore. It is ideally situated in the heart of Chinatown, offering easy walking access to its vibrant streets, numerous restaurants, bars, and shops. Guests particularly appreciate the direct access to the MRT station (Telok Ayer, Chinatown, and Maxwell stations), with an underground connection making transport seamless and convenient for reaching various parts of the city, including the airport. Many popular attractions, such as the Merlion, Gardens by the Bay, the CBD, and hawker centers like Maxwell Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat, are within comfortable walking distance. The presence of nearby convenience stores further adds to the hotel's accessibility. While the location is highly praised, some guests note that parking can be expensive.

Staff & Service
The hotel staff generally receives high praise for their friendliness and helpfulness, with many guests commending their attentive and accommodating nature. The quick check-in process is often highlighted, and staff are noted for being professional and welcoming. Guests appreciate the flexibility offered with early check-in and late check-out requests, which are often accommodated. Housekeeping is frequently described as excellent, ensuring rooms are spotless and well-maintained daily. The concierge service is also mentioned for being helpful and knowledgeable, assisting guests with local recommendations and transportation. However, some reviews indicate mixed experiences, with a few guests encountering unhelpful or impersonal staff, particularly at reception, leading to frustration during check-in or when addressing issues. There are also isolated reports of inconsistent housekeeping regarding amenity replenishment.

Additional Information
This hotel, being relatively new, has some unique aspects and policies noted by guests. The elevator system is high-tech, requiring key card access for floor selection, which enhances security. Some guests have reported an unusual foul smell at the driveway and front of the hotel, possibly originating from the sewer. While the hotel offers various amenities, some guests were disappointed by the lack of room service after 10 PM. There is a pizza place located directly at the bottom of the hotel, which is convenient for a quick meal. Additionally, a Coke&Go fridge near the pool and gym allows for drink purchases via a mobile app. Guests should also be aware that the standard check-out time is 11 AM, which is slightly earlier than average for some hotels.