We are looking to fly to Singapore for a few days before traveling on to KUL and then on to Tashkent.
Having looked at flights we arrive in Changi at 3am (as we have toddlers 3 & 1 year old) we are looking for somewhere to stay. Are there hotel open at this time or are we better off sleeping on lounges in the airport?
Also, how much time do you need to make connecting flights at Changi & KUL (planning on flying scoot). I'm thinking a min 3 hours layover.
Thought I might tag-in my experience with these transit hotels… as I’ve had less than favourable, although possibly unique experiences due to not being aware of the limitations.
What you need to be aware of, in this situation… that you may not have access to your checked luggage.
In December last year I had a 21 hour stop over in Changi, so booked myself a few hours in the transit hotel and as I left Australia, I asked for my luggage to be available in Singapore, you know, to get changed n stuff before my further flight. I then realised my mistake, when I got to Changi and remembered that my bag was going to be available on the other side of immigration… before then realising I was land side of the airport with a boarding pass for the following day, and that security was not going to let me take my checked luggage through, to get to the hotel (asked a heap of people) so ended up needing to go into town for a hotel and lost some money on the airport hotel stay. I went through all the correspondence I could find from the hotel and could not find any mention of this limitation so I was quite frustrated about it at the time.
Then again, only a matter of days ago, I booked another ‘air side’ hotel in Colombo airport Sri Lanka… thinking i’d Be fine because i only got to the airport (from a domestic rail trip) about 8 hours before my flight, so wanted a few hours in a room, and didn’t need my checked bag so thought it would be fine… until I got there and they wouldn’t let me in the terminal to the check-in counter unless it’s 3 hours before a flight. And again, the hotel was well aware of my travel details but omitted mentioning the 3 hour before flight access to terminal issue. Twice bitten :)
So I’ve given up on air side hotels now… and i’ll just switch back to lounges. Not sure how old OP’s kids are… but it might be a better option anyway in terms of entertainment if you don’t want to leave the airport…
On my way back a couple of days ago I had connecting flight and in different terminals of the airport… 50 mins apart… I’ve been through Changi a fair bit and I wondered how I was going to go, it was no problem at all. In my opinion a 3 hour lay over in Changi is perfect, enough time for a quick browse of the shops (no bargains here imo) a coffee and a toilet break (and even a shower if you do access a lounge!) has me recharged and ready to fly again.
I would have thought this was obvious and an advantage not having to lug luggage around. I can live without my suitcase for a few hours thanks
Thanks for the info, but….. both cases should've been something for you to be aware of. Hotels are hotels, they're not travel agents, they don't know what your intentions are.
3 hours is heaps. But if you arrive at 3am, most flights for Kuala Lumpur start at 6-7am.
I usually sleep at the lounge if I have overnight connections, two weeks ago arrived 11pm from Cebu and flight to KL wasn't until 7am.
Slept at the Singapore Airlines lounge.
But, I don't have kids with me.
Pretty much most major hotels have someone manning the front desk at all times ao you could take your family by taxi to your hotel and crash pretty easily. Alternatively there are good hotels at changi and very close by. I suggest contacting your preferred hotel about a check in at 4am.
If your toddlers are heavy sleepers, you might get away with finding a quiet corner with a bench. The airport is relatively quiet at night. I've slept on the benches/floor there several times. But the transit hotel will probably be a safer option (you do need to book in advance, there's a reason I had to sleep on the floor :P). I hope your stop at KUL is fairly short though… it's nowhere as pleasant as Changi as a stopover.
And yes, 3 hours is plenty of time… IIRC they require only 60 mins to transfer luggage.
My wife and I have transited through KLIA in 2013 when traveling to Europe, it was much better than the LCCT.
LCCT doesn't exist anymore.
They opened KLIA2 a few years ago.
And thank goodness for that. I had the misfortune of using the LCCT once… that's one time too many.
Had a 5ish hour layover at Changi Airport last year, and decided to explore the three terminals since there is quite a fair bit to do and see (plus stretching the legs was much appreciated before being trapped for another several hours). By the time we had seen everything, eaten, etc etc, we only had an hour and a half (or so) until our flight, so just went to a quiet corner (it was early morning at this point) to relax. We preferred to do it this way, since it allowed us to see everything (we don't fly all that much, and Changi was recommended for an exploration) plus we didn't want to fall asleep at the airport and end up being wide awake for the entirety of the next flight.
Given that your layover may only be a handful of hours, and its at a time when the airport is quieter, then retreating to a secluded corner would be easily doable for you. By the time you get off the plane, freshen up, stretch out, possibly eat something (and so on) you will only have a couple hours until you need to be preparing to board your next flight, so I wouldn't worry all that much.
The transit hotels in Changi are a great option if you're looking for a safe, comfortable place to sleep - but as a poster pointed out above, you won't have access to your check-in luggage so be aware of that when packing.
If you're willing to splash the cash, you could stay at Crowne Plaza - this involves clearing immigration and collecting all your luggage, then making your way to Terminal 3. The Skytrain won't be running at 3am and you could be waiting 20 mins for a shuttle bus, so this is probably more of an option if your flight lands in T3 or T2 (which is 5 mins walk from T3).
I usually go the transit hotels and am perfectly happy with them, but I've never travelled with kids either so…
Does anyone have discount codes for Scoot or Jetstar Asia for Sept & Oct 2018?
Thanks for all the help, we have booked our tickets.
Where's a good place to get cheap, healthy, nutritious & hygienic food @ Changi airport?
There are 24 hour transit hotels if you do not wish to clear immigration.
http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractio…