In the course of 2013 I reviewed over 20 hotels, and out of the list below only Bayview Melaka and Alabama Hotel were paid for out of my own pocket (so blessed!). My favourite hotel of all would have to be Grande Centre Point in Bangkok – it has the solid substance of a well-designed contemporary hotel. Ramada Singapore was pretty cool, too, and I think I spot a trend here with the kind of hotels I like – new, spacious, modern and minimalistic, as much as I like to think I like vintage and historical.
1. Days Hotel in Zhongshan Park, Singapore (Jan)
2. The Sterling Melaka, Malaysia (Mar)
3. Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Singapore (Mar)
4. Turi Beach Resort, Batam (Apr)
5. Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok (Apr)
6. Grande Centre Point Terminal 21, Bangkok (Apr)
7. Majestic Grande, Bangkok (Apr)
8. Phoenix Hotel, Yogyakarta (May)
9. Hotel Tentrem, Yogyakarta (May)
10. Metropark Wanchai, Hong Kong (July)
11. Metropole Macau, China (July)
12. Xi Hotel Kowloon, Hong Kong (July)
13. Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road, Singapore (July)
14. Montigo Resorts, Batam (July)
15. Parkroyal on Kitchener Road, Singapore (Aug)
16. Ramada Singapore (Aug)
17. Sheraton Surabaya (Aug)
18. M Hotel, Singapore (Sept)
19. Four Points by Sheraton Penang, Malaysia (Oct)
20. Fraser Place Robertson Walk, Singapore (Nov)
21. Hatten Hotel Melaka, Malaysia (Nov)
22. Bayview Hotel Melaka, Malaysia (Nov)
23. AMOY Hotel, Singapore (Dec)
24. Alabama Hotel, Hobart (Dec)
Wan Phing Lim 