marmot...I don't think you are being argumentative at all. :)

About the Shangri-la...
I was reading reviews on tripadviser.com and at flyertalk.com. Mostly at flyertalk. The folks over there just seem so taken with the valley wing and the service, and one person, who I e-mailed back and forth with off list, told of the wonderful experiences he had had there with his wife and daughter.

I have seen a lot of comments on the garden wing rooms that say they are small and/or in need of a makeover. I saw some photos of a room there that looked in pretty bad shape...the negative comments put me off. The reservations agent I spoke with for Shangri-la seemed to be bothered that I asked questions about room size and suitability for an extra bed...we're not ready for 2 seperate rooms yet...and that bothered me. And, the rates, even for garden wing, were more than I wanted to spend.

In the end, the woman I spoke with at the Four Seasons was lovely and helpful, the rate was right, and it just seems to suit us somehow.

Thanks Kim. I haven't stayed at the Shangrila for several years and just wondered how up to date my impressions were.

We once stayed in the Garden Wing when the FIRST President Bush was staying with his entourage in the Valley Wing. We sat on our balcony and watched the secret service men swarm the grounds. (We wondered if they had to bring their own chewing gum.) My son, who was very young at the time, was respectfully requested by the management not to fire his super-soaker watergun off the balcony!

I'm not sure...the Shangri-la could still indeed by lovely. There were good reviews as well...just more negative comments than I liked to see. I'm pretty sure we'll be happy with the Four Seasons...they started off on the right foot with me by having excellent phone reservation reps.

Having just returned from the Shangri La garden wing I can't recommend it highly enough. It was our 3rd visit to a SL hotel and this was the best. The room was really nice, it seemed fairly new, plus it was pretty big. The bathroom was also very nice and a good size. The service was first class for a busy city hotel and while it may be slightly out of the way, (I try not to walk too far in Singapore anyway as it's too hot), taxis are cheap. We stayed at the Oriental last time which is also a fantastic hotel, but I'd go back to the Shangri-La first - especially for the chocolate fountain in the Line restaurant! Plus, you know you're staying in a classy joint when there are 7 Ferraris parked outside!