Electrifying and energetic, Singapore has long punched above its weight. Measuring barely 700- sq km, this dynamic Southeast Asian metropolis consistently scores high marks for its enviable mix of warm tropical climate, peerless location with easy 24/7 connection to the world’s major hubs, and dazzling multi-ethnic attractions courtesy of its Malay, Chinese, Eurasian, and Indian residents.
Add to this exciting cultural melting pot a talented cohort of local and international designers, chefs and creative mavens who contribute to a world-class collection of buzzy culinary experiences, dusk-to-dawn nightlife and entertainment hotspots, a retail scene that is otherworldly in its depth and range, and a burgeoning arts scene.
The arrival of The Singapore EDITION raises the bar several notches higher by adding an unforgettable mix of distinct experiences and original concepts with a lifestyle and luxury quotient the city has never seen. It captures the essence of Singapore but is presented in a new and modern way, adding a unique twist. Exuding a fresh, sophisticated mood, it effortlessly captures the island-state’s incredible energy with a head-turning silhouette created by the renowned Safdie Architects led by Moshe Safdie and local studio DP Architects.
Firmly rooted in the EDITION brand’s strong sense of refined, timeless design and style, The Singapore EDITION – the first Southeast Asia outpost in the stable – seamlessly blends the dynamism energy of a major metropolitan city with a warm-weather resort sensibility.
Masterminded and conceived by Ian Schrager, in collaboration with interior design firm Cap Atelier, the 204-room hotel is located just off the west end of Singapore’s iconic upper Orchard Road. This once bucolic country lane lined with fruit orchards and pepper and nutmeg plantations is, today, transformed into a heaving stretch of restaurants, tree-shaded boulevards and marbled emporia bustling with bold-faced named fashion and lifestyle brands. Accessed from Cuscaden Road, the hotel’s main entrance with its cobbled stone driveway opens into a private, white-hued oasis that stands singularly apart from the bustle of upper Orchard Road.
Ian Schrager said: “It was a thrill for us to do a hotel in Singapore and to come up with a project as sophisticated and beautiful as the city itself.”
At the core of the architecture and interior design of The Singapore EDITION is seamless access to nature with sweeping vistas and greenery integrated throughout, including a skypark and lushly planted, sunken garden that offers a tranquil escape from Singapore’s bustling Orchard Road shopping district.
This explains the delight that guests experience when they step through the hotel’s bronze and glass facade into the white marbled Lobby whose simple purity is contrasted by a stunning domed ceiling covered with gold leaf. Here, floor-to-ceiling windows are sheathed with the broad planes of plantation louvres, their broad slats gently evocative of the tropics.
The eye is immediately drawn towards the towering windows in the far wall which features a long, light-filled conservatory, complete with a soaring biophilic green wall. A long curvaceous glass roof brings in views of the sky and outdoor greenery – a subtle nod to the commitment of the hotel’s designers and architect to blur the line between interior and exterior spaces.
Unfolding like a theatrical play, every level of The Singapore EDITION takes on a different personality, offering unique guest experiences. Each individual element stands on its own but when combined, the sum of these individual parts exceeds its sum, creating an alchemy where magic happens. The Lobby Bar, for instance, is an eye-popping space sheathed in sharp pink velvet where a rose-colored pool table of Calacutta marble and oversized pink backlit bar display hold centre-stage. Christian Liaigre doe leather chairs and lamps accent the space, while the bar itself is styled with Lalique-inspired crystal decanters and sculptures.
Flanking the soaring white aerie of the lobby and reception is a high vaulted-ceilinged, timber-lined restaurant spearheaded by Josh Niland. Aptly named FYSH at EDITION, this lofty space is the acclaimed Australian restaurateur and multi-award-winning chef and author’s first restaurant outside of Australia, and it features an impressive sustainable seafood-focused steakhouse menu alongside responsibly sourced vegetables and meats. Anchored by a custom-made marble bar in green scalloped Antico Verde marble, the main dining room seats 80 across intimate jade-coloured velvet banquettes and booths with Calacutta white marble tables. Art works frame the space; with 14-carat gold leaf etching greeting diners at the entrance, while a custom piece titled “Arrival” by the artist Christian Furr sits over the bar. A leafy conservatory has capacity for 22; this indoor garden is home to over 300 plants and 162 suspended preserved fern spheres, all born in Southeast Asia. A Luna Alabaster sculpture by Jan Vanderlaan finishes the room. An outdoor pergola provides a perch for a further 44 diners when the cooler tropical evening arrives.
From the lobby, a sculpted, white Venetian plaster staircase spirals elegantly down to the garden courtyard level to a dramatic bar lounge, ideal for a pre-dinner aperitif or a late evening cocktail.
For those wishing to extend the evening’s libations, an inconspicuous side-door leads to the adjoining Punch Room – EDITION’s signature bar concept that is a global brand in itself – where punch is championed as both a cocktail and a lifestyle necessity. Swathed in a shade of Yves Klein blue, the intimate bar is an indulgent cocoon. Lined with oak panels on the walls and ceilings, a sculptural blue ceiling pendant designed by the Parisian artist Eric Schmitt, and a stone fan-shaped floor mosaic, the space channels the intimate mood of a classic London gentleman’s club serving brandy with a modern and deviant approach. The cosmopolitan vibe is enhanced by a handsome bronze bar behind which the mixologist shakes up a unique punch cocktail menu inspired by Southeast Asian spices and imaginative bar snacks.
The spacious guest rooms unfold over six light-filled floors. Here, every detail has been designed to ensure that the experience of spending the night or a longer stay is as seamless and soothing as it is sophisticated. Every detail has been considered to ensure a comfortable and serene haven that is both sophisticated and simple, appealing to the in-the-know guest.
In every guest room, warm white rugs clad the customised white oak-planked floors while decorative pots of orchids and thick drapes frame the broad bay windows. The rooms also feature deep-seated sofas, and hand-sewn damask throws that swathe the beds. Temperatures are kept cool, literally, with layers of curtain sheers, black-out shades, and white exterior louvres that can be electronically adjusted to filter the sun while providing both views and privacy.
Equally unforgettable is the second-floor spa whose mood-lit reception leads to seven treatment rooms, his-and-her changing suites that feature sunken vitality thermal pools, an ice fountain, relaxation lounge, sauna and steam room, alongside a gym furnished with high-performance weights and exercise equipment.
At the heart of the hotel’s elongated rectangular shape is an expansive timber-decked garden courtyard that is reminiscent of an ancient Chinese temple or Roman Villa. Framed by a perimeter of shallow, black-tiled pools and a lush green garden that brims with tropical foliage, this courtyard leads into the event spaces, making it an ideal venue for cocktails, product launches, and receptions.
Remarkably, the building wraps around the garden courtyard on all four of its internal sides which allows not just light to flood into the corridors and public spaces, but also provides Eden-esque vantage points from inside the lobby, restaurant and bars on the first floor; guest rooms on the upper levels; and events spaces and bar lounge on the courtyard’s level.
Also on this level is an 81-sq m boardroom which is adjacent to a stunning 340-guest events space whose sprawling 600-sq m pillar-less gallery can be divided into three smaller areas. Lit with diffused natural light, the spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art multi-media technology and floor-to-ceiling glass – ready at a moment’s notice to be transformed for every occasion from a high-octane society wedding to a more formal corporate shareholders’ meeting.
In a hotel already filled with so many unforgettable memories, The Singapore EDITION saves its bravura moment for the swimming pool and rooftop terrace. Accessible via The Roof bar, the pool is framed with languid day beds and stretches a full 43-m from tip-to-tip, seemingly floating like an all-white space vessel over the garden courtyard nine floors below. Here, vast swathes of stone and landscaping create a relaxed, one-of-a-kind outdoor oasis in the sky; though a further surprise awaits swimmers as they dive in and discover that the pool’s white-tiled base is embedded with a transparent acrylic oculus that provides them with surreal views into the garden courtyard far below.
Dressed in terracotta and shades of blue, The Roof, with its semi-al fresco setting, is the ideal venue to chill and catch the tropical breeze, whilst being enveloped on all sides by luxuriant greenery. All while snacking on Southeast Asian favourites in the comfort of either sunbed or shaded dining area, and as the balmy tropical evenings descend, the mood shifts to classic cocktails infused with tropical notes.
By fusing the indulgent comfort and service of a luxury hotel that is synonymous with the EDITION brand, with the refined glamour and energy of the tropics, the highly anticipated arrival of The Singapore EDITION in the heart of the island-state’s most iconic neighbourhood signals a high-water mark of hospitality.
www.editionhotels.com/singapore/
