I hope the new year has been treating you so good. It’s going to be a rough start for me but I’m always hopeful, always excited for what to come regardless. So let’s start the first post of 2026 with nothing but positivity!

Doing hotel reviews in Singapore has been a hit or a miss for me, really. Coming from the service industry myself, it’s quite disheartening to know that our service standards has dropped so much. Out of the hundreds of hotels I’ve been to, I can literally count the hotels that stood out for me with just one hand.

Unfortunately, Mercure Singapore on Stevens isn’t one of them.

It was the eve of the new year when I arrived to the hotel. A bright, sunny afternoon and I was expecting a large crowd in the hotel lobby since it was a public holiday. But the coast was clear, and the queue for check-in was bearable.

I was attended to by the front desk agent, Mark, which honestly wasn’t a pleasant experience. There was no greeting, no eye contact, not even a smile. He just slouched on the chair and went through the check-in process with absolutely no pleasantries. Mind you, I am literally the easiest to impress, so I’m not asking for anything much here as a paying guest.

I was grateful that we were upgraded to the Privilege Room which include the access of the club lounge. However, nothing about my stay was explained at all. In fact, I don’t even know I have access to the lounge until I asked. Initiative? Non-existent.

I literally had to ask every single thing on my own, only then he bothered to answer. Like am I supposed to study about the hotel on the website before my stay? Location of the club lounge wasn’t shared at all too. Through the signage in the lifts, it showed that the lounge was at Level 10. I was searching around aimlessly looking for it, until a housekeeping attendant helped (thank you!) and explained that the lounge is actually located in another building, the hotel next door – which was Novotel.

At 18 sqm, the Privilege Room feels small the moment you step in and that’s really the first thing that I noticed. It isn’t particularly impressive but it works? The room layout is practical, the light wood tones soften the space and the full-walled windows bring in natural light which makes the room feel more breathable than it actually is.

I wouldn’t say I was wowed, but it was comfortable enough.

The TV only supports screen mirroring for Android devices with no option for Apple users at all, something I keep running into at hotels around Singapore.

It makes you wonder why Apple users are still an afterthought. I always travel with an HDMI cable anyway so it wasn’t a deal-breaker but it would have been nice if the hotel had been a little more inclusive. I literally had to manually lift the TV which was locked to the wall, just to access the ports and plug my cable in. Really unnecessary.

The Privilege room also comes with an open wardrobe and the usual essentials: a safe deposit box, room slippers an iron and a coffee machine. The minibar was stocked with soft drinks but we didn’t touch it, mainly because nothing was explained during check-in about whether it was complimentary or chargeable. It’s a small detail but one that could have easily been cleared up if the front desk agent took a little more care. Sure, I could have called reception to check but it really shouldn’t have to come to that.

The bathroom isn’t big but it’s fine.

The Peranakan tiles on the walls are a nice touch and add a bit of character. Usual amenities like toothbrushes are provided and the shampoo, body wash, and conditioner are from a brand called Elemental Herbology.

No bidet though, which is a downer.

I would be okay with it if the shower hose could reach the toilet but it couldn’t. That aside, the water pressure in the showers was good and the hot water stayed consistent which I will always appreciate after staying in hotels where that somehow is an issue.

The gym in the hotel is 24 hours which is a big plus if you like to keep up with your workouts. It’s actually an Anytime Fitness outlet too, so all the machines are high quality, well-maintained and familiar if you’ve ever been to one. There’s enough variety too, from cardio to weights so whether you just want a quick session or a proper full workout, it’s covered! Britney would love it here.

The pool area looks inviting and the water was clean and well-kept.

What makes it feel extra relaxing is all the greenery around it, guests were suntanning and just chilling. Definitely my vibe! The pool is not huge but just enough for me to soak and waddle.

The hotel also has a chargeable laundromat which is super convenient, especially if you’re on a longer stay.

All in all, it was a pretty average stay. Nothing stood out and the service could definitely use some work. That said, considering what I paid during a peak day, I can’t really say much? Honestly, I wouldn’t pay over S$200 a night expecting more than this and even if given the choice, I don’t see myself coming back. It’s not bad, just.. meh.

Out of 5 stars? An easy 0.5.