Can I leave a bag at the Ambassador Transit Hotel at Singapore airport?

February 12, 2013 2:02 PM

I have an overnight layover in Singapore, staying at the (airside) Ambassador Transit Hotel. After checking out of the hotel, may I leave a bag there for several hours, as you can at most regular hotels?

(I'm travelling from London to Perth. I travel light, and normally wouldn't check any bags, no matter how long the flight. But my bag isn't quite so light that I would want to take it with me while I left the airport to explore Singapore for a few hours, as I plan to do, hence my desire to leave it for a while. If I can't, I'll check my bag instead, but I'd rather not.)

posted by oliverburkeman to travel & transportation around Singapore (6 answers total)

If there is any issue you can usually book rooms for 6 hour blocks and leave it in the room for reasonable prices. Or at least you used to be able to do that. I'd call them ahead to ask.
posted by Under the Sea at 2:13 PM on February 12

(Sorry, I should clarify that I scoured their website for an answer to this and had a somewhat confusing time when I attempted to get put through to someone who could tell me, by phone, but I'll try that again if no answer's forthcoming here. Thanks.)
posted by oliverburkeman at 2:17 PM on February 12

I wouldn't count on it, since there may be security concerns connected with leaving unattended baggage at an airport. But if the hotel won't take it, you can leave it (for a small charge) at baggage services. (If I remember rightly, they X-ray all baggage before storing it, which is what makes me think the hotel might not take it.)
posted by pont at 2:22 PM on February 12

Yes, most airports have a secure luggage service, where they scan everything before storing. Haven't been to Singapore though.
posted by mumimor at 4:37 PM on February 12

Every terminal at Changi has left luggage both inside and outside. Do they scan? I've never noticed, I thought they just weighed it. It's definitely worth checking rather than schlepping it on the subway.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:14 PM on February 12

An update for anyone stumbling on this question subsequently: you can't leave bags at the transit hotel itself, but as TWinbrook8 notes, it doesn't really matter, because there is airside left luggage in all terminals, and it's cheap (S$14 for 24h). (They didn't scan it; all the real security at Changi seems to happen at the individual gates.) My day in Singapore was vastly better for not having my luggage with me.
posted by oliverburkeman at 2:56 AM on February 19