Luxe and local: What’s it like staying in Singapore’s newest luxury hotel?
At the stroke of 6pm, my doorbell rings. Two smartly suited staff beam at me as they lay out my dinner. I catch a whiff of the fragrant, herbal notes of bak kut teh and my stomach growls agreeably.
At the newly opened The Association Hotel at Far East Square – a 30-storey skyscraper was congenital above the heritage mall – room service is not just express to your average hamburger and fries. Instead, don't miss the modern luxury hotel'due south The Clan Daily Special, which is bachelor to those who book a Main Serial room.
This menu, which will evolve over time, comprises a selection of honey hawker favourites such as Ponggol Nasi Lemak, Legendary Bak Kut Teh and Janggut Laksa that was curated in partnership with Dr Leslie Tay of the blog ieatishootipost.
The dishes are ordered directly from these renowned hawkers located all effectually the island and delivered to your room in sleek stainless steel luncheon carriers. (Props for using eco-witting containers!)
Not gonna lie, I was initially sceptical and thought it would be no different from a typical Deliveroo or Foodpanda social club. But I was delighted that the food, still warm upon arrival, was nicely plated, instead of being haphazardly heaped in.
I devoured my repast while comfortably wrapped up in a fluffy white bathrobe, utterly savouring the treat of enjoying authentic local favourites without having to sweat information technology out in the heat. Certainly, room service bell-ringer nutrient is quite the luxury but it is a premium I would not begrudge myself while on a pampering staycation.
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This ethos of incorporating authentic elements of Singapore's diverse culture permeates just about every aspect of this experience-driven hotel past Far East Hospitality.
"We are offer the whole experience of this precinct past telling the story of the history of Singapore and how that history is translated to modern times in the hotel, while unlocking wonderful hidden gems of this precinct including Amoy Street, Chinatown and Shenton Way," said Arthur Kiong, chief executive officer of Far East Hospitality Management.
It begins with an elegant Chinese-style welcome tea ceremony, where a tea main serves a custom blended Nanyang Ritual tie guan yin and osmanthus tea that pairs perfectly with tau sar piah (bean pastry).
The lobby, where the tea is served, is designed in soothing dark hues and woods panels and eclectically busy with heritage curios like ceramic vessels, Chinese paintbrushes and fifty-fifty an old abacus. The air is subtly scented with a bespoke Scent past Six fragrance and mentally transports me to grand hotel lobbies like the ones in Bali or Bangkok.
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Delightful surprises like artisanal crafted bak kut teh cookies and a gift of a relaxing lavender roll-on smell abound, especially for those who choose to stay in one of the 78 rooms under the aforementioned Master Series category.
The other 246 deluxe rooms are slightly smaller but are as thoughtfully appointed, albeit sans frills. But after a yr of travel restrictions, a pampering staycation where all your needs are thoughtfully predictable might just be exactly what is needed to escape from the mundanities of daily life.
When the Association Keeper (the hotel'south concierge service) shows me around my light-filled Premier King Room, which is thoughtfully outfitted with an ultraviolet steriliser box and an eco-friendly h2o filter tap, she also presents me with my option of a handcrafted scented soap bar. Other perks include the pick to enjoy an all-day in-room breakfast too as a complimentary one-hr local precinct bout.
To my surprise, the walking tour turned out to be quite a revelation, even for a devout city slicker who rarely ventures exterior Singapore's central surface area such as myself.
As we have a leisurely stroll around Amoy Street and Chinatown, our Clan Keeper regales united states of america with interesting trivia like how the shore used to come right upwardly to Telok Ayer Street and that everything south of the street is reclaimed land.
Instead of humming through the CBD like I normally do, I savour the opportunity to boring down and really relish the city's delights, like Yip Yew Chong'south marvellously intricate Cantonese Opera mural.
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These are the kinds of explorations that Kiong, who was personally involved in conceptualising the make, hopes to share with the hotel'due south guests, especially staycationers.
In time, when travel restrictions are lifted, he believes that the incorporation of such Singaporean touches will also appeal to business organization travellers who may wish to enjoy quality experiences within a tight schedule.
To attain that, the hotel's team has also taken fourth dimension to curate The Clan Collective, a network of local craftsmen, artists and influential figures who contributed to touchpoints in the hotel such as creating the vestibule artwork and producing its locally brewed craft beer, The Orient Mash.
During my stay, as I am a Master Series guest, the Association Keeper also assists me in making an engagement for a private session with Chong Han San, creative director of Q Menswear (they likewise do women'south tailoring).
Information technology turns out that Chong designed the full range of stylish uniforms for The Clan Hotel, which I had been admiring, so it is a no brainer for me to lodge a bespoke floral Freedom print shirt as a memento of my stay. He tells me he won't stint on quality by offering express overnight tailoring services simply when foreign customers visit in the future, the atelier will be able to arrange for a first plumbing equipment within a few days. When the garment is completed a few weeks later, it can then be couriered anywhere in the world.
Back in the comforting cocoon of the hotel, I settle in for a meal at Qin, the latest TungLok Group concept. Echoing the hotel's luxe local concept, the eating house offers gimmicky cuisine inspired past a melting pot of Asian cultures.
Highlights include a punchy binchotan-grilled Margaret River short rib with sambal matah and satay sauce, which reminds me of Indonesian food equally well every bit decadent "red leg" prawn sang mien noodles.
I'm glad that there is too a state-of-the-art gym and sky pool located on the 30th floor for me to work off this staycation'south calorific indulgences.
As I peer out at the sprawling cityscape from the edge of the puddle, I pick out the landmarks that we walked by before in the day, like the celebrated Thian Hock Keng and Sri Mariamman temples, that juxtapose and then remarkably with modernistic wonders like the impressive Pinnacle@Duxton, the world's tallest public residential building.
I take of form long known that we are lucky to alive in a city that is essentially an architectural masterpiece, but today, this appreciation really sinks in as I take in the view.
That nighttime, as I slide in between the crisply absurd bed linens and sink into the plush feather pillows, my concluding thought before I drift off to dreamland is, "I am so glad I took the time to rediscover a identify that I idea I already knew then well."
The writer was a guest of The Association Hotel
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/experiences/the-clan-hotel-singapore-luxury-staycation-252096
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