Hello everyone – welcome back to another of my reviews. In today’s article, I’ll be reviewing my second stay at Lloyd’s Inn.
I didn’t have the best of times during my previous stay at the Standard Room of Lloyd’s Inn – I disliked the cramped nature of the room, and was dismayed at several cleanliness lapses, especially the presence of pests in the room. After the review was published, Lloyd’s Inn reached out to offer a service recovery stay in their Big Sky Room, which they felt “better represents what (our hotel) has to offer”. Let’s see if my second stay fared better.
Lloyd’s Inn – Video Review
For those interested in seeing some hands-on footage of my Big Sky Room staycation experience at Lloyd’s Inn, do check out my Youtube review below:
Lloyd’s Inn – Big Sky Room
I was issued Room 3 this time around, and the first impressions here were definitely much more positive than the Standard Room of Room 1.
As compared to the Standard Room, the Big Sky Room is – true to its name – big and feels more spacious than the Standard Room. In fact, it’s more than double the size. It also sports a loft design, giving the room a very high ceiling that just adds to its roominess. Furthermore, due to the floor to ceiling windows, the room is washed in natural light, and feels bright and airy as a result. However, it still retains the best aspects of the Standard Room, namely the Muji-esque earth tones.
Like in the Standard Room, the bed doesn’t come on a bed frame. Instead, the mattress is laid atop a wooden platform, which contributes to the minimalist aesthetic of the room – something of a Lloyd’s Inn trademark. The bed is clean, comfortable to rest in, and I appreciated the ample pillows provided. I also like power ports being provided on both sides of the bed, as well as the dual bedside lamps which felt more practical than the track lighting of the Standard Room.
The TV has also been upsized – it’s now 49 inches, as opposed to the 32-inch TV found in the Standard Room.
Unfortunately, the television was faulty. It looked burned in, resulting in “ghost images” and a ghastly purplish-pink hue. Size matters, but being bigger is all for nought if it doesn’t work right (I’m talking about TVs, of course).
Refreshments are pretty much the same, with tea coming from 1872 Clipper Tea Co and coffee being Nescafe Gold. However, cute ceramic teacups are now provided, as opposed to the generic glasses of the Standard Room. The teacups have a distinct oriental flair to them and accentuate the “Muji” vibe of the room.
Water still comes packaged in cardboard boxes (for environmental reasons), though I’m still of the opinion that the water tastes funky. There’s also an entire box of Kleenex tissue provided, which will definitely be handy for those on solo staycations.
The hotel also provided a very detailed information sheet – if you’re curious about their hotel policies, do read the information sheet provided above.
The mini-fridge is the same size as the one in the Standard Room, though thankfully cleaner.
There’s also a full-length mirror by the bed for guests to check themselves out before heading out. Due to the aesthetic nature of the Big Sky Room, I also found the mirror to be perfect for taking some mirror shots for social media.
Like in the Standard Room, a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse is provided. However, as the TV wasn’t functioning optimally I didn’t get around to using them.
In my previous review, I mentioned that “I would have preferred disposable slippers given the current pandemic situation”. The slippers remain the same, but they now come individually packaged in plastic, which is definitely more reassuring from a hygiene standpoint.
A safe is provided, though I doubt many guests will actually use it.
There’s also laundry bags and a hairdryer provided, should they be needed.
Instead of usual bathrobes, floral kimonos are provided in the room, which once again reinforces the Japanese feel of the room.
The Big Sky Room is also unique, as it’s the only room category in Lloyd’s Inn to feature a loft concept. I found the stairs to be a great Instagrammable background – the lighting from the ceiling windows made for perfect pictures.
The stairs lead to a small workstation area on the second floor. It comprises a wooden desk, a table lamp, a phone (should you need to call reception), and power ports. Once again, the setup isn’t the most ideal due to the lack of an ergonomic chair, so sitting for long periods of time will definitely hurt due to the absence of back support. I also found it curious that the only phone in the room is situated on the second floor, which means that if I needed to reach reception for anything I had to climb the stairs every time – definitely a workout.
There’s also a door that opens up to an eerie boiler room. The naughty corner of the room, I suppose.
Moving on to the bathroom, the toilet area of the Big Sky Room is spacious – bigger than the entire bathroom area of the Standard Room. That’s also because the sink is actually positioned in the bathroom this time, making washing after doing your business much more convenient.
Of course, it’s worth highlighting the iconic open shower concept. This time around, it feels like an actual open shower – unlike the shower area of the Standard Room that sat atop the hotel’s refuse point – largely due to the open-air patio beside it. It’s also wider, with 2 people being able to share the shower area without any issues. As always, the Grohe rain shower and handheld showerhead provided good water pressure at stable temperatures.
The pièce de résistance of the room is definitely the outdoor patio, which features an outdoor bathtub. A freestanding bathtub in a hotel is already relatively rare at this price point, much less an outdoor one. Credit where it’s due – the outdoor patio looks as amazing as it does in the hotel photos. There’s even a bathtub stand for guests to put drinks, Ipad, etc for some Netflix and Chill in the bathtub. For those who are fans of nature and the outdoors, this is the perfect area to chill and relax.
However, pests continued to be a persistent issue – I found numerous ants crawling in the bathtub. I guess that’s unavoidable given the outdoor nature, but if you’re someone who’s easily irked by pests this is worth noting.
The taps and showerhead are once again by Grohe, which worked like a charm. The toiletries remain generic – the same found in the Standard Room – though an additional loofa is provided here.
Should it rain – or it becomes too sunny – there’s an awning that can be extended to provide some shelter (see photo below). It’s a thoughtful touch that showcases attention to detail by Lloyd’s Inn.
Conclusion – so Lloyd’s Inn Big Sky Room “shiok” or not?
I definitely enjoyed my stay at the Big Sky Room significantly more than my previous stay in the Standard Room. For starters, I really like the spaciousness of the Big Sky Room, its high ceilings, and the floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed ample natural light to filter in. It’s a room that instantly relaxes and puts you in a good mood. I appreciated the open shower as well as the outdoor bathtub as well – it’s certainly a much different washing experience than what I’ve experienced on my previous staycations. The catch is its price. With a going rate of $250 per night, the Big Sky Room rivals the entry-level rooms of established 5-star hotels such as PARKROYAL Collection Pickering, Marina Bay, Pan Pacific, Mandarin Oriental, One Farrer Hotel, etc. If having facilities (swimming pool, gym, restaurants, club lounges, etc) is important to you, then you might be better off with full-fledged luxury hotels. However, if their rooms are too cookie-cutter for your liking, and you want a room with more character, then I think the Big Sky Room would be a good option for those looking to do a wellness retreat staycation as it’s pure zen. I agree with Lloyd’s Inn that the Big Sky Room is a better representation of what the hotel offers – I’ll opt for the Big Sky Room over the Standard Room any day, even though it’s twice the price.
Since Lloyd’s Inn was gracious enough to extend this Big Sky Room stay as a gesture of goodwill, it would be remiss of me not to encourage interested readers to book direct with Lloyd’s Inn. Those interested can use the promo code “lovelloyds” upon checkout to enjoy 5% off your stay, and also a chance at Lloyd’s Inn Wheel of Fortune upon check-in for a chance to win souvenirs, discounts and room upgrades. The Big Sky Room is definitely one of the most aesthetic rooms that I’ve stayed in – I certainly won’t mind returning.
Lloyd’s Inn Location:
2 Lloyd Rd, Singapore 239091
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P.S.S.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
