Hotel Fort Canning - An Oasis Hotel For Coffee Or A Grand Stay

Ad for Hotel Fort Canning on the steps leading down the hill to Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

A beautiful hotel. Centrally located. Perfect coffee stop on Fort Canning.

Coffee at Hotel Fort Canning. (Our guide The Bicentennial Experience is on the table.) Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Coffee
A single espresso cost 6 Singapore dollars. I asked t see the menu. A double espresso cost the same. So we had one double espress. I finished it with the milk. I like a milky espresso. So for six dollars plus plus, plus service and tax, two espresso coffees, one biscuit between the two of us, a trip to the lovely toilets, a chance to look at the menu and surroundings.

Swimming Pools
The upper pool is curvy and a large spa bath is separate, alongside.

Swimming Pools at Hotel Fort Canning, Singapore.
The hotel has two outdoor pools, using mineral water. Photo by Angela Lansbury. copyright.

The downstairs outdoor pool is a long narrow oblong lap pool.

Bedrooms

Bedroom and bathroom beyod, at Hotel Fort Canning. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Bedroom Prices
Prices. Not cheap. In June 2019 the cheapest room on booking dot com was over 300 Sing dollars.

To go down to the nearest MRT station, Dhoby Ghaut, several flights of stairs sdown the hill. But if you can afford a room, you can probably afford a taxi, or drive your own hire car - free parking for hotel guests.

By the way, Park Mall shopping centre, listed on the Booking dot com website listing for the hotel, is now a building site. However, you have other huge shopping complexes the other side of Dhoby Ghaut station.

Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Fort_Canning
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotel_Review-s1-g294265-d1822389-Reviews-Hotel_Fort_Canning-Singapore.html
singaporeair.com

About the author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Caffè Nero and a Raspberry Muffin

Problem
A quick coffee?

Answer
Caffè Nero. We tried the one in Pinner, Middlesex. You can get a double espresso with cream at Starbucks of Costa but Caffe Nero is the place where they have it on the chalkboard so you can just point to it and shouldn't have to explain it.
doppio espresso con panna - double espresso with whipped cream

To go with our takeaway coffee we had a raspberry muffin. The first bite was really raspberry. Delightful, delicious, moreish. Just when you think you've tried them all (muffins with flavours and fillings): chocolate, blueberry - up comes a new variety.

Caffe Nero
1 Love Lane
Pinner
Middlesex
HA5 3EE
Tel: 020 8866 0644.

Useful website
http://caffenero.com

Nearest station: Pinner.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Costa, Caffè Nero, Starbucks and Espresso Con Panne

Problem
Where can I get double espresso coffee with cream?

Answer
You can buy it at Caffè Nero, Costa, or Starbucks. But in our local areas of both Singapore and London, England, we found that only one listed Doppio Espresso Con Panne on the menu, the chalk board on the wall behind the counter.

Which one? Caffè Nero. 'The Italian Coffee Company' said their blue paper bag. The bag contained a muffin my family bought. It was raspberry and almond.

I objected, "That's highly calorific."

They smiled, "But you are only getting one third!"

First bite was good. My third didn't have a lot of raspberry, after the first bite. Where was the almond? The sliced almond flakes on top looked real enough.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, teacher of languages

Coffee and Coconut Kaya Toast At Changi Airport, Singapore

Problem
We had arrived at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 and wanted a coffee and maybe a bite to eat. Where to go?

Answers
Starbucks seemed the obvious choice for coffee, familiar, known. I was hoping for almond slice but none was available. So we settled for doppio espresso con panne. (Double espresso with cream.) They used to have espresso con panne on the menu board with doppio, double, written afterwards as an option. Then the menu was simplified. As a result the meaning of doppio con panne is a mystery to some staff and you might have to repeat what you want in English.

Incidentally, the people making coffee are called baristas. (Sommeliers serve wine).

The coffee with cream was lovely. To go with it we had a banana muffin. Highly calorific. But we were sharing one between two.

However, after we finished, I saw behind Starbucks the menu for the local style coffee shop. The magic word kaya leaped at me - I love kaya. Kaya is an egg-yellow colour coconut jam. Also very calorific. Next time I shall make a point of having the coconut jam toast. Terminal three before check-in - or after if you are checking in luggage a day early.

Looking at the airport map and Dine guide, I could see that you have other options for eating at places called Kaya on the airport. Look out for them.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.