Suggestions for good hotels in Singapore this coming April 2019

[George Pill]

Am planning my first trip to BKK/Pattaya for Songkran so plan to be there in April for 3 weeks. Plan to fly to Singapore for 10 days before returning to Pattaya for another 3 weeks. Anybody got any suggestions for some good hotels located in good areas for shopping, eating, bar hopping in Singapore. I have read the ladyboy scene is not that good compared to Thailand's. They seem to look like gorillas in the shadows of Chow Kit. Have read about places that are ripoffs and dangerous. Plan to do lots of walking day and night. Suggestions for places to dine, sight see, shop, and places to be around is helpful. Hotel range I'm looking for is the $80 to $120 range.

I saw the movie Crazy Rich Asians and enjoyed it. So want to see that famous hotel with the dinner plate on top, man-made gardens, Little India, shopper's row, and eat, eat, and eat at those famous outdoor sidewalk restaurants all over town that Andy Bourdain showed us. Don't think I'll know where to play the ladyboys. Seems those heydays are gone. Are they?

I note that my HNL-BKK flight allows 2 23 kg bags free, I am allowed only one to Singapore. So that means I must store one bag in my Pattaya Hotel. Might be a bit risky. Think I'll leave my Samsonite hard case bag taped up thick while I take a duffle bag and carry on.

Surprised how close Singapore is from BKK. A little over an hour and a little over a $100. Any tips to avoid ripoffs with taxi drivers and other things will be appreciated. Looked at Orbitz for a flight to Singapore directly from HNL, but I have to fly to BKK first. So I plan to buy a 2-month round trip to BKK plus another round trip between BKK-Singapore. Looks so modern with good bus systems and crime is almost nil. Love Chinese food and I'm guessing the people speak pretty good English. Better educated, too.

[Rockheart]

I would suggest spending less time in Singapore, it is not very big but is quite expensive.
There just isn't lots to do there and you can see most of the city in a couple days I would say.
The ladyboy scene consists of a couple small street areas, one is Bugis Street, and the main spot Orchard Towers.
Orchard Towers which is a multilevel plaza with indoor bars, and maybe 3 bars with ladyboys or so, not even close to Nana but similar.
Almost all the ladyboys are from Thailand or at least 80%, I heard more are coming from other places but it is mostly Thais.
The number of native Singapore Ladyboys is very small. Thai ladyboys rotate in and out of there and generally charge much more in Singapore.

I was there once and I stayed at the Intercontinental using my Holiday Inn points. It was about $400 a night, so i cannot recommend that.
My understanding is there is some reasonably priced hotels near to Orchard Towers area, the Hilton was across the street last I was there.

There is tours and stuff you can do there and lots of expensive places to eat. They have Universal Studios and some other commercial stuff that everywhere has.
I went to the Zoo, which is a really good one if you like that sort of thing.
Also visited Orchard Towers one night and walked around quite a bit and i was bored after a few days.
There is not real lady bars and most places are high end for the most part.

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