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In Singapore, the current quarantine travel restrictions work like this: If you fly into the city-state, you are forced to quarantine for 14 days, not at a location of your choice, but at a government-assigned hotel. Sound a bit draconian? Perhaps, unless you’re one of the lucky few who booked a five-star hotel.
The Wall Street Journal I recently described a number of COVID-era travelers who experienced quarantine measures in Singapore, some of whom spent two weeks in high-end accommodations like the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore and Marina Bay Sands. Others were not so lucky and ended up in small rooms where the windows did not open and the views were of the parking lots rather than the picturesque bay.
“We won the jackpot,” said Joy Van Dee, a 42-year-old interior designer who spoke with him. diary. She arrived in Singapore from Amsterdam and didn’t know where she and her son would be quarantined until the airport shuttle bus stopped at the Ritz-Carlton. The next two weeks were spent in “a luxurious 549-square-foot room, overlooking the river.”
That is not to say that the lottery winners were receiving all the benefits of a five-star hotel during their stay. As the story goes, “guests cannot leave their rooms and there is no cleaning service. Hotel staff leave meals outside guests’ doors. In many hotels, guests receive clean towels every three days and new sheets after a week. “Also, most people have to pay around $ 1,460 per person per room, although that’s a fraction of the cost during normal business hours. .
If you’re thinking of trying your luck at a cheap five-star stay, don’t book that flight to Singapore yet. According to the diaryAt least one five-star hotel, the Marina Bay Sands, is no longer used for the quarantine lottery.
Also, take it from another traveler who had his hopes for a frustrated dream stay when he ended up in a claustrophobic room: “As I imagined we were staying in a more pleasant place, I could feel my spirit crumble.”
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Read the full story in the Wall Street Journal
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