Hotel Review: Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan Park

Received the Singapore Rediscover voucher worth SGD$100 per person but do not know where to spend it on? Think no further than enjoying a staycation in Singapore. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan Park as your next staycation. Nearest MRT station: Novena  (Do note the hotel do offer complimentary shuttle service to Novena MRT but has since put this service on hold due to current pandemic situation).  Being centrally located, the nearest MRT is Novena while many buses ply the road along Balestier.

Reason #1: Price 

Let’s face it, you are thinking how you can maximize your voucher (worth SGD$100, expiring in 30 Jun 2021) yet do not really want to top up much from your own pocket. Look no further than spending at least a night in Ramada @ Zhongshan Park Hotel!

A typical weekend 1 night stay would set you back at around SGD$135- $200. I choose the lead-in room type (City View Room)  and book 2 weeks in advance on Trip.com. The stay set me back at SGD$135. Do note not all hotels are eligible to use for the SG Rediscover voucher, but be glad that Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan Park readily accept it.

The beds are super comfortable, for me the hardness of the bed was just spot on. As you might encounter at time, some hotel beds may be a tad too soft. When one sleeps in, you will feel your body sink into it. However, the beds over at Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan park was just inch perfect! I could easily fall asleep within 5 minutes.

Reason #2: Location 

Yes, if you are a visitor / tourist, location would often play a crucial part in your decision making process. It has to be close to tourist attractions, easily accessible. That’s right if you are a foreign tourist who travel miles away to enjoy a vacation in sunny island Singapore.  So what if you are a local who has lived throughout your life and think you know Singapore at the back of your hand? Check out Balestier area, where Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan Park is located at.

While walking along Balestier road, be sure to admire two-storey shophouses of mixed architecture ranging from Early to Art-Deco Style. Balestier speaks to its brief tenure as sugarcane plantation back in the 1830s-40s, highlighting its diverse heritage as it transformed from agricultural into urban built up area with vintage shophouses lined up each with its onw history behind it.

If you are looking on what to do in Balestier , you will be amazed by the number of “tourist attractions” in the area.

Coming up first in mind is Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall . This is a two-story colonial-style villa in Balestier is a tribute to Dr Sun Yat Sen.

Next up, located just beside Dr Sun Yat Sen Hal, there lies the only Burmese Buddhist temple of its kind in Singapore. Founded in 1875, a place of worship for the local Burmese Buddhist. Be enchanted by the calmness of its interior beauty the temple brings.

Reason #3: Food 

Yes, if you are a Singaporean, food definitely comes into your mind. Where is the best food, what is there to eat in the area? Worry not, although Geylang is known to be the must go district when it comes to food, do you know Balestier is also known as the 2nd Geylang due to the numerous fantastic food outlets that serve the neighborhood throughout the night. Even at 2am, one can easily hunt for food with many outlets opening till the wee hours.

Tau Sar Piah is the must try food! The outlet known as 639 Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah  is the go to stall because one bite of it feels like you are taking a step back into the 1960s. Do note that there are as many as 3 outlets selling Tau Sar Piah, make sure you go to the right outlet!

Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 830am – 4pm
Address: 639 Balestier Road Singapore 329922

Next up, Balestier Market is home to some of the best local food in Singapore. With hawker stalls operating till 9pm, one of the must try food include goreng pisang from Boon Goreng Pisang stall and popiah from Miow Sin stall.

Whampoa Keng Fishhead Steamboat: As the name already suggest, the one thing you ought to order is the Fish Steamboat.  The other popular Tze Char dishes include the tofu and Har Cheong kai aka Prawn Paste Chicken.  Please be warn that if you do not made any advance booking, be prepare to be disappointed as they may not allow you to dine at their premises due to the lack of seating capacity, that explains how popular the dishes are!

Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 11pm . Sat & Sun: 11am to 11pm

Address: 556 Balestier Rd, Singapore 329872 

Wheeler Yard: The popular brunch spot offers a simple canteen menu offering the typical brunch fare of all-day breakfasts. . The first thing that sets the cafe apart is perhaps the iconic blue warehouse doors you see all the time on Instagram.

Opening hours:  11am-3pm, 6pm-10pm on all days except Monday

Address: 28 Lor Ampas, Singapore 328781

Let’s say you are craving for fast food which you should not be in the first place, Macdonald is only a stone throw away. Less than 3 minutes of walk from the hotel, you can get your quick fix! Located in ZhongShan shopping mall, it it also houses other food outlets selling Thailand, Western cuisine. If you want to get cheap booze to bring up to the room, be glad to discover that NTUC (Singapore local brand of supermarket) is located within the mall too!

Reason #4: Hotel Facilities  

Yes, what is a staycation without trying out the swimming pool and gym facility? In person, I felt that the gym is well equipped and is open 24 hours, giving me a chance to do workout right in the middle of the night.  I was the only soul pumping irons right till the morning wee hours after having a late supper. Imagine the adrenaline with the whole gym belonging to just you and blasting energetic music to bring you thru the workouts. Next up, the swimming pool.  Considering Singapore is a land scarce country,  the swimming pools in Singapore hotels are usually smaller in scale. However, the one at Ramada Singapore is as long as 30 meters, this give you a luxury of enjoying a leisurely swim. Beside that, do you know Ramada Singapore @ Zhongshan Park has a herbs & fruits garden? In there, one can find fruits / vegetables such as lemon, lady fingers, graviola (or commonly known as Soursop among the locals).

Reason #5: Service & Complimentary vouchers 

Service was quick as my check-in took less than 5 minutes. Although the stated check-in time is at 2pm, I was already in my room at 1pm. Trust their check-in time is flexible should the rooms are ready. Having said that, certainly you do not expect to have a room at 11am. Due to the current covid19 situation, do note that the usage of swimming pools and gym have to book way in advance with allocated time slot. It took me less than 5 minutes to book my slot over the reservation hotline once I had secure my rooms online.

There is also SGD$20 worth of food & beverage vouchers for each room, allow to use at the hotel main restuarant tenant: Ubin Seafood.  With this $20 voucher (no minimum spend criteria) , I used it to purchase for my supper and brought it up to eat at the comfort of my room.

If you are looking for other hotel reviews and ideas, you can visit the previous hotel reviews I had written on this link.

Categories: Hotel Reviews