We are visiting Singapore for a couple of days in May staying at the Marriott on Orchard Road. The hotel does not provide a shuttle from the airport. Is it OK to just grab a taxi? Is any taxi company better than others? Are they safe? Also, I understand that there are airport shuttles that provide a lot less expensive service from the airport to major hotels downtown, but I wonder if they take too long stopping by each hotel. We will have luggage with us so another public transportation is probably not an option. Any thoughts or advise will be much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance!

Airport taxis are convenient, safe and a good value. I don't know the current price but it should be around US$30. There will be surcharges for luggage and at certain times. You don't need to tip unless you wish to.

After your claim your baggage just follow the ample signs to "taxis." There is very orderly queue and a dispatcher who will direct you to the next available taxi.

Singapore is an extremely orderly and well organized, modern and first world country, and that especially applies to Changi airport.

When you leave the building, you will see the taxi queue clearly marked. The man in charge will direct you to the taxi and in you go! They will use the meter, and as Marmot said, there are certain surcharges that are all on the up and up. If you do want to "tip" you can just round up the amount.

You could take the shuttle but you will have to wait for it as they only leave at certain times, and as you mentioned, they stop at a number of hotels along the way. Plus with 2 of you the savings are hardly worth it.

Definitely get a cab,sometimes the queues are long but they go down really quickly We paid around $25/30 for a trip to the orchard road area.

You can go directly to the source for precise offical information: http://www.changiairport.com/getting...om-the-airport
Notice particularly that taxis apply a hefty surcharge late at night, when many trans-Pacific flights arrive.
The shuttle vans are reliable and reasonably frequent, but as you speculate, you may get a long tour of the city if your hotel is at the end of the circuit the driver has chosen to navigate.

I would add that Singapore taxi drivers are sometimes pretty friendly and you might wind up having an interesting conversation about life in Singapore, politics, how their health care system works, or get a tip on a good off-the-beaten-path hawker center, all of which have happened to us.

Even with the surcharge for the midnight to 6 am time, taxis are still less expensive than taxis from the airport into any US city I've been to in the last few decades. And you really don't have to worry about a Singapore taxi driver over-charging you.

Enjoy Singapore - you'll find it the safest, cleanest city you've seen.

Great - thank you guys so much, really appreciate it!