I checked in at Orchard Hotel Singapore for a couple of nights and I must say, I really liked my stay there. While not a 5-star hotel, it has a lot of the amenities (like a gym, swimming pool and laundry service) of one to go along with a more than average level of customer service. It does fall short on some things but overall, I think I got more than what I paid for.
Orchard Hotel Singapore: Great Service, Pristine Amenities, and Beautiful Views
As you approach the Orchard Hotel, this will likely be the first thing you’ll see. I really liked the tropical feel that they were going for here with the palms as well as the Hibiscus flower (or at least I think it’s Hibiscus) mural on its facade.
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It’s not shown on this picture but there is a ramp that’s hidden by the SUV for PWD accessibility. The tropical vibes were really reinforced here especially with the decors on the hotel’s signage.
Opposite the front door of the hotel is this fountain and garden. In the background you’ll notice the Vantage which might look like another hotel but is actually a high-end condominium.
This is where I left my luggage before checking in. Now you might ask, what if it gets lost? Don’t worry as the area is actually quite secure as evidenced by the CCTV camera in the picture. Once you’ve checked in then the bellhops/porters will just bring your luggage up to your rooms (through the passage just beside where the luggage are).
I’m now at the main entrance and I will say that it’s markedly different from the parking area/car park. The marble, gold plated front doors, and the red carpet all give it an air of regality and luxury. While the Japanese hotels that I stayed in were much more subdued, the Orchard Hotel doesn’t seem to hesitate in flaunting that it is a luxury hotel.
I’m now inside the lobby area and I’m quite impressed at the lighting and general ambiance here. While I said the front/main entrance felt luxurious, the lounge area actually is more relaxed.
Here’s a Singrass Indoor Smart Eco System. Essentially, this is a hydroponics setup that can be deployed indoors (hence the lights) to help in better filtering the air. In addition, the greens grown here can also be consumed and are apparently healthier since they’re not fed any fertilizers at any point in their growth.
If you want to eat before going up to your room or checking in then check out the Orchard Cafe. You should be able to easily find it in the lobby as it’s pretty hard to miss. When I was there, it had these cakes and wines on display.
The cafe itself is in a slightly elevated area and has even better lighting relative to the rest of the lobby. I wasn’t feeling hungry yet so I decided to check out the other sections of the lobby first.
While wandering around the lobby area, I came across this grand piano in between the hotel’s escalators. Now before you think of playing Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles on this, the grand piano is unfortunately for decorative purposes only (check the stanchions around it).
If you do want to hear some music, the best thing to do would be to head on over to Bar Intermezzo. It’s just opposite Orchard Cafe and it’s open from 10:00AM up until 11:00PM. There’s also a grand piano here but I’m not sure if they allow customers to play on it.
Arguably the most impressive feature of the hotel lobby is this Grand Clock Tower. I mean just look at it. The details on its bonnet look so exquisite and the clocks themselves have a classic look to them. The clocks keep time for Singapore, Tokyo, London, and New York.
This is the reception area in the hotel’s lobby. Checking in here was actually a breeze. My receptionist was quite friendly and they warmly answered the questions I directed at them (mostly pertaining to the room I booked).
One thing I liked about the lobby area was that there were plenty of seats. So if you happen to be waiting for a receptionist’s desk to be available, you could always take a seat here.
I finally reached my room’s floor. If I remember correctly, the Orchard Hotel has 18 floors. Much like the lobby, the hallways here are well lit and are relatively wide.
I’m now in my room and it looks and feels comfortable here. I think it’s actually spacious enough and the view (which you’ll see a bit later) is actually quite nice. At this point I was really raring to get into the bed but I decided to check out what else the room had to offer.
The night stand had this note advertising the hotel’s environmental advocacy. I think this is actually quite thoughtful of them. I personally think more hotels should be more mindful of how some of their practices can affect the environment.
Now this is interesting. Orchard Hotel is one of the few that I’ve been to that has actually integrated AI to their service. With the AI assistant you can actually set alarms, get restaurant recommendations, and even get recommendations for places to visit (like the Singapore Zoo). What’s even better is that it’s really easy to activate.
On the vanity table I found this QR code for the hotel’s room service menu. I was kind of disappointed that they didn’t have a physical menu but then I realized this could be part of their sustainability/environmental advocacy efforts.
The vanity table also featured outlets for electricity and wired internet access. As for the internet speeds, it was actually more than enough for my needs. That said, you could always get a tourist sim and wifi hotspot device from Singtel or Starhub if you want internet access at all times (or if you feel like what the hotel has isn’t quite what you need).
For the complimentary tea, our room had these Raffles Lighthouse branded bags. These came in British Breakfast, Moroccan Peppermint, Yunna Pu’erh, and Uji Sencha flavors.
Along with the tea, the hotel also provided coffee and a hot water dispenser. I would have preferred if this were a coffee machine but then again, there’s plenty of establishments around the city offering great coffee that it really wouldn’t make sense.
Here’s a wide angle view of the room. If you haven’t noticed yet, I booked a premiere room which has two twin-sized beds and can actually accommodate up to four guests.
Another view of the room, this time with a glimpse of the bath area. Reflected on the sliding door for the bathroom is the area where you’ll find the hot water dispenser and the coffee/tea packets.
This is a cabinet in the vanity mirror inside the bathroom. It has complimentary toiletries such as a shower cap, towels, and a sanitary bag for guests. Pretty standard amenities you’d get in a luxury hotel such as this.
Here’s the complimentary shower and body wash. If you’re wondering, no they’re not floating. If you look closely, the bottle cap and pump dispenser are connected to the wall (not sure if it’s drilled or glued).
Before I show you the rest of the bathroom, here’s a shot of the closet. Though I probably won’t be using them, I really appreciate that the hotel included an ironing board and a flat iron here.
Now here’s a shot of the shower area. It’s not as big as I expected but I think it’s more than spacious enough. Other than my (admittedly subjective) comment regarding its size, the shower is pretty standard with water pressure and alternating from hot to cold working as expected.
A look at the countertop basin and the toilet bowl. One thing I forgot to mention earlier was that this bathroom area was one of the cleanest I’ve had the pleasure of entering. It was near spotless from the tiles to the fixtures.
Additionally, I really liked how well lit the bathroom was. The mirrors here were also spotless and thanks to the lighting I actually found myself spending a little too much time here.
Finally, I end this with a really nice view of this stretch of Orchard Road (and a little of Singapore’s skyline). It’s a whole lot different than the views I saw from the hotels I stayed in in Japan but I think it’s no less charming and impressive.
Orchard Hotel really does live up to its billing as a luxury hotel. My stay was marked by great service, pristine amenities, and beautiful views. I think the hotel is a great middle-ground if you’re not ready to splurge in one of the five stars but still want something grand while not breaking the bank. It’s not perfect by any means, but it does a lot of things (ambience, price, and customer service) really well.
