Airport hotels don’t get much more ‘airporty’ than the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.
Like the best airport hotels, it’s the shortest of strolls from the airport itself: in this case that’s Singapore’s Changi Airport, and specifically Terminal 3. We’re talking maybe five minutes from baggage claim to bed.
And if you want a reminder that you’re staying at an airport rather than downtown, just look out the window.
Now that’s an airport hotel.
These are the hotel’s Premier Runway View rooms which pretty much straddle Terminal 3, the home base of Singapore Airlines.
In the case of my room, that meant being right on top of boarding gate B6 – while just below the window, the SkyTrain trundled back and forth to terminals 1 and 2.
So with jet engines firing up outside and SkyTrains rumbling below, how’s the noise? As you’d expect, the rooms are well sound-proofed thanks to heavily-glazed windows – although you can still hear that yes, you’re unmistakably staying at an airport.
But despite T3 hosting flights around the clock there was never anywhere near enough noise to bother me of a day or wake me during the night.
It also made for a pleasant view at sunset.
Not a fan of the tarmac? The alternative Premier Changi View casts its vista to the airport and its iconic tower, which is now being transformed by the ambitious Changi Jewel project due to open in early 2019.
‘Premier’ rooms are the starting point at the the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.
They sport a clean contemporary design, and at a spacious 36m² are the same size as Club rooms, which – as you’d have guessed from the name – include access to the hotel’s Club Lounge.
While most hotels perch their club or executive lounge at the top floor, the winged layout of the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport makes more sense for the lounge to be centrally located closer to ground level.
It’s on the third floor, adjacent to the outdoor swimming pool and sundeck, which are both set in landscaped tropical gardens.
This is directly behind the striking lattice facade which resembles frangipani petals and provides shade and heat-reflection, as well as making the hotel such an immediately recognisable part of the Changi landscape.
The lounge ticks the boxes for providing an ‘escape’ from your room if you’ve got work to plough through, and there are two meeting rooms for client catch-ups.
However, I preferred heading down to the hotel’s Azur restaurant (below) for breakfast – it’s noisier than the Club Lounge but has a far more extensive selection – and to be honest, the lounges’ ‘evening canapés and cocktails” were also uninspiring compared to many other hotel lounges I’ve visited.
The lounge actually peeks through that metal facade and you can see the Jewel taking shape.
The airport’s own terminals shouldn’t be overlooked for dining options, with the basement levels of both T3 and T2 packed with eateries plus conveniences such as pharmacies and mini-marts.
As you’d expect from any airport hotel, the average stay is just 1-2 nights. This can be as simple as a one-night stay for someone breaking their journey, or a business traveller using the hotel as their base for meetings both in the city and the east coast Changi Business Park as well as at the hotel itself.
The hotel is also close to the Singapore Exhibition Centre. While Marina Bay Sands has soaked up a lot of the Red Dot’s conference and expo business, the exhibition centre is still popular for large-scale trade and home-maker fairs.
A taxi from the hotel to downtown Singapore costs around S$25 for the half-hour ride, and the Changi Airport MRT station – which sits at the end of the green East-West line – is less than five minutes’ walk away.
David Flynn stayed as a guest of the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jan 2015
Total posts 70
Great review David. Have stayed here a few times and agree on the uninspiring club lounge. Breakfast in Azur is a definite must when staying at this property
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Dec 2013
Total posts 12
Care to Share Room Number! TIA
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Nov 2011
Total posts 129
The runway view rooms are a separate room class when booking, but ask to be on L9 (top floor).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Dec 2013
Total posts 12
Thanks!.........
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 146
I just put in a request for level 9 based on your recommendation 😊.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Nov 2011
Total posts 129
I’ve stayed here many times and think it’s a great airport, particularly for hopping up to SIN late in the day after work, getting some sleep and a shower and then heading to the next destination in the morning. And the runway view rooms are great for any a geek out there!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
Thanks for the review David. A great hotel and plane watching from a runway view room is one of those simple and hassle pleasures in life. I remember stating there early on when the 380s were just out. SQ had so many of them that I could see from my room. All this late night Europe departures.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Nov 2011
Total posts 129
The other thing about staying here is the variaty of food available in T3 on basement level 2 (if you're after something cheap and cheerful). I must have passed through T3 a million times before realising there's a whole world of shops and food stalls down there!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 94
Stayed there several times. I recall that the "runway" rooms were triple glazed... we had a bed room and sitting room and i am sure there was absolutely no noise whatsoever from the planes moving outside. The pool and the sitting area in the pool are bliss!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
Yea I reckon the pool is the best part of this hotel. As previously stated the club evening food is pretty average. These days I tend to stay in the Regent in the city as they include a buffet dinner and part of the lounge evening food but their pool area hasn't changed in 12 years and doesn't stand out in anyway.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 May 2017
Total posts 17
How much is the most basic overnight stay?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 May 2015
Total posts 2
I just stayed there this past Friday and it was US$220 total, including the fabulous breakfast buffet! It was a non-refundable fare.
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
21 Mar 2018
Total posts 6
The hotel is handy and convenient but not the cheapest in town. As the taxi service is efficient, you can stay in Orchard road and still get to the airport in plenty of time. Suggest join ihg and benefit from the upgrade which could be the suite
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Apr 2011
Total posts 106
My wife & I stay here regularly, most recently 4 weeks ago. I booked a Business Room in the new wing but, as an IHG member, we were upgraded to a Premier Room in the original building. The problem with non-suite rooms in the latter is that you can't seem to direct the air-conditioning away from blowing directly towards the bed. Even with the fan on the lowest setting there is a constant air movement across one's face. The situation is avoided by the different design of the rooms in the new wing
While this may well be a non-issue for many people, it makes for an uncomfortable night for my wife who suffers from chronic sinus problems. I thanked Reception staff but requested that we not be upgraded to any rooms in the original building in future
Apart from that, as has been said, the convenience when arriving late & departing early, as we do, plus the savings offered for advanced purchase make this one of our favourite airport hotels.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 May 2015
Total posts 2
The air conditioner blowing on my face was not pleasant! But the rest of the room was great.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2014
Total posts 100
04 Feb 2016
Total posts 5
Just to clarify ... is this hotel within the T3 transit area? I.e. I can avoid security if I am just transiting through.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Not airside / within transit area - you have to leave the terminal.
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
21 Mar 2018
Total posts 6
The hotel is landside. You need to clear immigration, preferably at T3 but other terminals are ok but need either train or bus to T3. One tip: if you are thinking of going out of the hotel and come back via taxi or uber, make sure the driver know where to drop you back as a lot still doesn’t know where to go. I have been using the hotel for 10+ years and it still happens!!
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