Michi Photostory

A few years ago, whenever my husband goes to Singapore, I always asked him to go to IKEA Alexandra but now that we have IKEA Philippines, it is no longer part of his itinerary. Hehehe! When we say Singapore, the most popular pasalubong are Kaya Spread and Irvin’s Salted Egg Chips but our country has its own version of coconut jam, and Irvin’s products are also available here. In addition, I don’t crave these foods so my husband no longer buys these for pasalubong.  

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has been in the business for more than forty years already, it started in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Now they have more than 3,000 restaurants around the globe. I have no idea that we had Popeyes before in the Philippines, the restaurant was already closed in year 2007 without me knowing it. The good news is, it returned to our country, and the first store opened last May 16, 2019 in Arcovia City.

For the past two years, my husband always stays at Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview if he has a business trip in Singapore but last week, he stayed at The Warehouse Hotel. Their company has a big event before the Chinese New Year so Four Points by Sheraton was already fully booked so his company booked them to the next nearest hotel.

Read: Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview Hotel Review


The Warehouse Hotel

According to my research, The Warehouse Hotel is already an old hub in Singapore River that was built in 1895. During those times, the area was a breeding ground of liquor distilleries, underground activity, and secret societies but of course, the notorious past has disappeared. Now, Singapore River is one of the favorite neighborhoods where you can do food trips and sightseeing tours.



The Warehouse Hotel is a modern boutique hotel that has been restored and opened last January 2017. The hotel is not that big, it only has 37 rooms, one restaurant, one bar, and a swimming pool. If you want to do some workout, you have to walk several minutes to reach their partner gym.


The Warehouse Hotel Room 

The room has a modern and industrial design, it quite unique compared to other hotels that he tried in the past. All rooms have FREE wifi, Ashely & Co Bath Amenities, Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth Speakers, Minibar and Artisanal Tea & Coffee.



My husband loves the bed and pillows. There were complimentary bottled water, dessert and a personal note on my husband’s room to welcome him.


The bathroom is small and no bathtub.


His room is located on the second floor and facing the busy street so he doesn’t open his window curtain at kitang-kita siya kapag may dumaan na double-decker bus. Hehehe!

Breakfast at Po 

The room package includes breakfast at Po, it is not the usual type of hotel buffet breakfast because the choices are limited but my husband loves their breakfast because the foods are delicious. The breakfast spread offers cereals, baked viennoiseries, seasonal fruits, salad, cold cuts, and cheese. Fresh Milk and cold-pressed juices are available.




Aside from the buffet spread, you can also order classic Singaporean specialty foods from the kitchen like Herbal Pork Bone Broth, Classic Singaporean Congee, Colonial Chicken Curry, Hearty English Breakfast or Classic Buttermilk Pancakes. For drinks, you can order Mimosa or Bloody Mary.


One more thing, kids 12 years old and below can dine for FREE.

Since this is a boutique hotel, the rate is not cheap but if you are looking for a quiet place and privacy, this is a good choice. The hospitality of the staff is very good.

Read: Where to Stay in Singapore

The Warehouse Hotel 
320 Havelock Road Robertson Quay,
Singapore 169628

Hubby was back from Bandung, the fourth populous city in Indonesia. He’s been to Bandung several times already but this was the first time that he did not travel by land. He used to fly to Jakarta and then travel to Bandung for 3-5 hours depending on the traffic. But during his last visit, he took the plane because he has an unused Manila-Singapore-Manila round trip ticket. If you've read my post, he canceled his Singapore trip last July when my sister-in-law was confined in the hospital.

Manila to Singapore via Philippine Airlines 
Singapore to Bandung, Indonesia via Silkair 

The only downside of his trip was the long layover in Changi Airport. Good thing that Singapore Airport has one of the best airports in the world so he has something to do while waiting. I will share on a separate post, the Things that You Can Do During a Layover at Changi Airport.

Travel time from Singapore to Bandung is less than two hours so matagal din. My husband prefers flying to Jakarta and land traveling to Bandung. He recently discovered that there is a train from Jakarta to Bandung and vice versa; the travel time is 3 hours.

Read: How to Get to Jakarta to Bandung via Train

Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers 

My husband stayed at Mercure before but this time he stayed at Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers. It is a five-star hotel that is perfect for a family staycation, retreat, and even business traveler. It is thirty minutes away from Husein Sastranegara Airport and a few minutes away from the business district, shopping center and some tourist spots.


When my husband told me that he will stay at Sheraton, I immediately checked his hotel and I noticed some similarity to Saujana Hotel and Resort in Malaysia. Guests will love the scenery and the kids will enjoy feeding the rabbit and horseback riding activities. Aside from that, Bandung has cooler temperature throughout the year so parang Baguio lang na malamig pa rin kahit summer.



This is the Deluxe room, as expected the room is spacious, clean and pretty just like other Sheraton Hotels. This is the seventh Sheraton Hotels that my husband tried and this reminds me that I haven’t blogged about our Sheraton Manila Staycation.

Read: Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons 
Sheraton Hanoi Hotel
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel 
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel 
Sheraton Towers Singapore 
Sheraton Manila
Sheraton Manila Bay




Sheraton knows how to spoil their loyal guests, when my husband entered the room, there are a notecard and welcome snacks waiting for him.


What I like in Sheraton Hotel is the feather bed and comfortable pillows and duvet na parang lagi mo gustong matulog. What I don’t like is, not all hotel rooms have a bathtub. Sheraton Bandung offers fitness center, outdoor pool, spa, restaurant, and lounge.

The room package includes buffet breakfast for two at Feast. According to my husband, the buffet spread is good and madami choices, you can eat local and international cuisine.








Overall, my husband had a good stay at Sheraton Bandung, you can always expect the usual Sheraton hospitality.

Read: Where to Stay in Jakarta Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia Executive Lounge
Premier Lounge in Jakarta International Airport 

Update March 2020

Last year, I mentioned that you can go to Bandung, Indonesia via car, plane, and train but just this month, my husband traveled to Bandung via train. He was back in Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers and this time, he was upgraded to a room with a pool view. They gave a complimentary dessert and a personal notecard.

Singapore is just a small country but a lot of tourists are visiting because it offers a lot of interesting sites for singles, couples, and families. It is known for having an amazing airport, food centres, family-friendly attractions, and even shopping destinations. In addition, you can visit Singapore, any time of the year and for Filipinos, we don’t need a visa.


Once you book your plane ticket, the next question is “Where should I stay in Singapore?” especially if this is your first time. Don’t worry because whether you are visiting for business or leisure, you can find the right accommodation. There are hostels, budget hotel, and luxury hotels so you can book depending on your budget. Although, Singapore has a very accessible train and bus system don’t forget to consider the location of your hotel. Some of the favorite locations of tourists are Bugis, Chinatown, Little India, Sentosa, Orchard Road, Clark Quay and Marina Bay.

We’ve been to Singapore a few times already so let me share some hotels that we have tried or my husband tried in the past. As of this writing, we have tried 6 hotels but I forgot the name of the first hotel but it is located in Little India so walking distance to Mustafa Mall. So if you are looking for an accommodation in Singapore, check these hotels.

1. SOUTH EAST ASIA HOTEL 

For our second visit to Singapore, I was looking for a budget accommodation and I stumbled upon South East Asia Hotel which is located in Bugis. The rate is only SGD100 per night with complimentary breakfast already. Since this is just a budget hotel, manage your expectation. The hotel has a good location, it is near shopping malls, market, money changer, souvenir shops and MRT. From the airport, you can just take the train and get off at Bugis station and walk to the SEA Hotel, about 6 minutes walk.

Read: South East Asia Hotel Review

2. SWISSOTEL MERCHANT COURT 

When my husband attended a seminar in Singapore, he stayed at Swissotel Merchant Court which is located at the city center. This hotel has good facilities, the room, and the swimming pool is also good. It is one of the nice hotels in Clarke Quay; in fact, when my husband took a taxi and told the driver his hotel, the driver said, “Oh, you have a nice hotel”. It is situated in Clarke Quay so you have Singapore River view, you can enjoy your hawkers' food trip and you can also start your DIY Singapore City Tour here.

Read: DIY Singapore City Tour

3. SHERATON TOWERS SINGAPORE

For our third trip to Singapore, we stayed at Sheraton Towers Singapore located in Scotts Road and the nearest MRT is Newton Station. This is a five-star hotel so expect that the facilities, food, and service are good. The room has a bathtub so plus points. The food is a little bit expensive but don’t you worry because Newton Food Centre is just a few minutes walk from the hotel. My favorite part of the room perks is the complimentary use of a smartphone device. I can use the phone and I don’t need to turn on my roaming. Yes, I have unlimited internet access during our stay.

Read: Sheraton Towers Singapore Review

4. OASIA HOTEL NOVENA SINGAPORE

Oasia Hotel Novena is the fifth hotel that my husband tried in Singapore. It is located in Central Business District, shopping malls and the nearest MRT Station is Novena. It offers complimentary arrival transfer from the airport and you can also reimburse one taxi receipt every day up to SGD20. The room and bathroom are small. The facilities are good too, it has a gym, jacuzzi and lap pool.

Read: Oasia Hotel Novena Review

5. FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON SINGAPORE RIVERVIEW

Just last month, my husband stayed at Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview. Among the hotels that he tried, he likes the location of this hotel because it is near Singapore River, walking distance to his office and you can also do a walking tour here because some tourist spots are just a few minutes walk. It offers free shuttle service to MRT station and Orchard road, so if you like to shop, no need to spend money on transportation. You can just take advantage of the free shuttle to Orchard. This hotel has 3 restaurants and one of my husband’s favorite is Irodori Japanese Restaurant so if you love Japanese foods, try their buffet lunch and dinner.

Read: Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview Review 
Things to do in Singapore

6. THE WAREHOUSE HOTEL

If you want a unique experience then stay at The Warehouse Hotel. It is a modern boutique hotel located in Robertson Quay. It is a small hotel with a unique history too. This hotel may lack the facilities and amenities that you want in a hotel but it boasts on its hospitality and home-cooked Singaporean specialties.

Read: The Warehouse Hotel in Singapore 

I love bags, it is something that I want to buy for myself. I still remember when I started working, I always buy bags, basta gusto ko bibilhin ko but of course, I only buy those bags that my salary can afford. I don’t care about the brands, I buy my bags in a department store, Divisoria, Girbaud and Charles & Keith.

When I resigned and became a full-time mom, natambak na lang yun bags. I gave away some of my bags so someone can use it. I threw some bags that are not in good condition because of poor storage. And I only keep a few pieces since most of the time I’m using a Diaper Bag. That is also the time that I realized that I don’t need a lot of bags. So even I like bags, I practice self-control. Now I only have few bags so kahit paulit-ulit, okay lang.


I’ve been blogging for quite some time now and I earn a little from this hobby so a few years ago I decided to buy bags again. There is a sense of fulfillment whenever I see those bags that I bought from own pocket. So far, I was able to buy mid-range branded bags like Lacoste, Longchamp Le Pliage, Cath Kidston Cross Body Bag, Samsonite Luggage, and now my very first Kate Spade New York Bag.

I’ve been meaning to buy Kate Spade sling bag but when I checked the price online, I was surprised because it is so expensive. Mas mahal pa siya sa luggage ko pero kasing laki lang naman siya ng notebook. Hehehe! I’m pretty sure mas mahal pa yung bag if dito ko sa Pilipinas bibilhin.


I already forgot about the bag but when my husband went to Singapore last week, I told him to check Kate Spade New York store, may nakita kasi ko na B1T1 and 70% off na bag. I sent him some photos of the bags, timing sa Great Singapore Sale.

My husband stayed at Four Points by Sheraton so the nearest shopping mall is in Orchard road. He went to Kate Spade store and there was 30-50% sale. He sent me photos so I can choose pero wala ko nagustuhan and wala pasok sa budget ko. Lol

Fast forward to his departure, there was also a sale at Changi Airport so he checked Kate Spade Store again. He sent me photos, at that time I can’t decide whether to buy or not but in the end, napayes na rin ko. Yey! Finally, my Kate Spade Cameron Street Sima is here. Now I have my little black bag.




I like this bag because you can use it as a clutch bag or sling bag, the chain is detachable. It is slim but it can hold my essentials. It is versatile too because I can use it for casual or formal events. Parang gusto ko na umalis para literal na magamit ko. Hahaha! Thanks to Great Singapore Sale, I got this bag at 50% off.

Size: 6.6” h x 10.1” w x 2” d
Drop length: 20”

Material:
Crosshatched leather with matching trim
Bookstripe printed on poly twill lining
14-karat gold plated hardware

My husband loves Japanese cuisine so whenever he travels, he will eat at a Japanese restaurant if he finds one and if the price is right. When he went to Singapore last week, he ate at Iridori Japanese Restaurant, it is one of the restaurants of Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview. This restaurant offers a-la-carte buffet lunch and dinner so if you love Japanese foods, you will enjoy this place.

Read: Four Points by Sheraton Singapore Riverview

The seafood and ingredients are from Australia, New Zealand, Norway and other countries in Europe. They serve Sashimi, Maki Mono, Nigiri Sushi, Te-maki, Yaki Mono, Mushi Shiru Mono, Ippin Mono, Age Mono, Teppan Yaki, and Manrui Gohan Mono. They have more than one hundred dishes that you can choose from their menu.



Unlike in other buffet restaurants where you get your own food, here in Iridori you will choose from the menu and they will serve it. What nice about their menu is there is English translation and picture of the food so you’ll get an idea on what to order. No buffet take away is allowed. Unconsumed food or leftover will be charged as per a la carte prices so make sure to finish what you order. My husband only ordered three meals from their menu but according to him, the price is worth it. The foods are really good.

Irodori Japanese Restaurant Menu 




Sashimi (Raw Fish): Shake, Maguro, Hamachi, Mekajiki, Tako, Ika, and Sashimi Moriawase Maki
Mono (Matt Roll): Shake Maki, California Maki, Futo Maki, Kani Stick Maki, Kanpyo Maki, Kappa Maki, Oshinko Maki, Tekka Maki, Sanshoku Maki, Ebi Maki, and Irodori Maki.
Nigiri Sushi (Finger Press): Shake Sushi, Maguro Sushi, Hamachi Sushi, Mekajiki Sushi, Tako Sushi, Ika Sushi, Saba Sushi, Kani Stick Sushi, Tamago Sushi, Ebiko Sushi, and Inari Sushi.
Te - maki (Hand Roll): California, Spider, Ebi, Tekka, Shake, Kappa, Tamago, Ebiko, Kani, Oshiniko, and Kanpyo
Yaki Mono (Grilled Dishes): Cocktail Bacon Maki, Kanistick Bacon Maki, Saba Shioyaki, Shake Shio, Sanma Shioyaki, Shishamo, Tebasaki, Yakitori, and Shitake Teriyaki.
Mushi Shiru Mono: Chanwan Mushi, Dobin Mushi, and Miso Soup
Ippin Mono (Appetizer): Edamame, Hiyayako, Oden, Yasai Salada, Hiyashi Tomato, Tofu Salada Age Mono (Deep Fried): Ebi Tempura, Fish Tempura, Ninjin Tempura, Renkon Tempura, Shitake Tempura, Tamanegi Tempura, Kaki Age, Age Dashi Tofu, Chicken Katsu, Tonkatsu, Ebi Furai, Sakana Furai, Shisamo Karaage, Tebasaki Karaage, Torikaraage, Age Gyoza, Korokke, Tako Yaki, Edamame Stick, and Haru Maki.
Teppan Yaki: Nasu Miso Itame, Pork Shogayaki, Beef Shogayaki, Buta Kimchee, Yasai Itame, Buta Enoki Maki, Beef Enoki Maki, Beef Enoki Maki, Shake Steak, Chicken Teriyaki, Yaki Meshi, Yaki Udon/Soba, Enoki Shitake Butter Yaki. Manrui Gohan Mono: Su Udon/Soba, Zaru Udon/Soba, Ramen, Ebi Ten Udon/Soba, Curry Rice/Udon, Katsu Udon, Oyako Don, and Sake Cha Zuke.

Buffet Lunch and Dinner Rate 

Adult SGD38.80 ++
Child SGD24.80 ++ Below 10 yrs old
Softdrinks and Juices SGD3++

Opening Hours 

Lunch - 11:30AM - 2:30PM
Dinner - 6:00PM - 10:30PM

Update August 2018: 

My husband went back to Singapore and he ate again at Irodori, this time he ate a lot compared to his last visit.






Irodori Japanese Restaurant 
382 Havelock Road, Four Points by Sheraton
Riverview #03-01 Singapore, 169629