Spend a night sleeping on the wooden benches at the Jakarta airport, where stray cats sniff your luggage, and the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport seems nothing short of a godsend. This new five-star hotel is literally attached to Changi’s T3, though taxi drivers still struggle to locate its entrance. No matter – just walk through the terminal, past immigration, and there you are: at the luxurious answer to all your layover problems. 



Admittedly, some might scoff at the utility of the latest InterContinental Hotel, considering the majority of the island’s four- and fivestar hotels are only a 20-minute drive from the airport. But according to Crowne Plaza marketing director Bryan Gabriel, they expect a steady stream of regular clients: business travellers who plan to use the hotel as a base (there are seven conference rooms available), weekenders who hope to escape at this ‘urban resort’ and in-transit tourists. Since starting rates aren’t exorbitant – $260 (before taxes) for one of the 320 deluxe rooms with a king-size bed, flat-panel TV and internet connection – that projection is reasonable. 

The ultra-modern Crowne Plaza features a ‘tropical theme’, which translates to dim ‘ambient’ lighting and timber panelling, water-covered skylights and lots of open-air hallways and foyers (a green effect some will love and some will hate, depending on what side of the air-con debate you fall on). The suites (there are 27) are impressive, not for their style but for their amenities: two 32-inch flat-panel TVs, oversized bathtub, iPod docking station and a sliding mirrored wall that closes off the common area from the bedroom. The king-size bed was depressingly hard – it definitely doesn’t encourage a long stay. But the finest feature is the silence; heavily soundproofed windows keep any airport noise from filtering in, even though our room looked out over the T2 runway. 

Two new restaurants and an ‘Asian ’70s sports bar’ within the hotel have also opened. We enjoyed the international dinner buffet at Azur, especially the tiramisu by pastry chef Frankie Yeo. The restaurant – helmed by chef Eric Neo, formerly of the Marina Mandarin – features an all-day à la carte menu with everything from hokkien mee to pizza, though its influence is predominantly Western. The extensive wine list is also worth a mention. 

Travellers, take note: if you have to be at T3 at 5am for an international flight, it’s pretty nice to wake at 4.45am, take a steaming ‘rain shower’ and roll right to the check-in counter. Once the hotel starts facilitating early baggage check-in, the Crowne Plaza will have found its niche. 

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, #01-01, 75 Airport Blvd (6823 5300, www.crowneplaza.com). MRT: Changi Airport. From $260. This hotel has been awarded the BCA Green Mark for energy efficiency.