The Singapore EDITION, nestled in a quieter part of Singapore’s prime Orchard Road shopping district, is a contemporary hotel that is a veritable garden paradise.
An oasis within an oasis.
The Singapore EDITION, Edition Hotel’s first-ever property in Southeast Asia, drips with green. And I don’t just mean it’s expensive to build and swanky to the hilt. It is. Many hotels in town boast of being a sprawling tranquil, verdant garden paradise, but The Singapore EDITION really is one.
The heart of the hotel itself is a sweeping open-air atrium covered in green as far as the eye can observe. You can see this swathe of lush tropical greenery from any of the inward-facing rooms in the 204-key hotel, even as you gaze upon the sky park soaring overhead with its glass-bottomed swimming pool.
Inside as well. Plants are liberally and tastefully placed all over from corner to corridor, and some even dangle overhead from the ceiling in massive pots like viridescent chandeliers in the hotel’s white-marbled lobby.
The hotel declares that its biophilic design is a tribute to Orchard Road’s plantation origins. No way. It’s more futuristic Gardens by the Bay than the grubby spice and fruit farms that dotted this area a century ago.
The Singapore EDITION offers 14 room configurations, with nine regular room types and five suite options. They range from a modest 38 to 43sqm Standard King to the EDITION Penthouse, the latter of which clocks in at 200sqm and even comes with a private deck with an outdoor pool of your own.
I had the opportunity to stay in the Garden Premier King, which as its name implies, I do get the vaunted garden view.
The room is an ode to Scandinavian minimalism with subtle opulent inflection. Clad in white and creams and neutral-toned wood, there are just enough gold accents to remind you that you’ve paid top dollar to stay in one of the priciest hotels in the neighbourhood. Designed by EDITION’s brand mastermind Ian Schrager along with Hong Kong hospitality interior design specialists CAP Atelier, everything exudes casual, nonchalant, almost effortless, elegance.
As one can expect from a newly-opened upscale contemporary property, room amenities are top notch and spanking new. The marble bathroom is a thing of beauty. Double vanities and backlit mirrors – and premium Le Labo bathroom products! – will appeal to the vain. Instead I revel at the large and deep bathtub; it can be difficult to climb in and out of, but I’ll suffer any indignity for a nice, long hot soak. I love that the restroom is separate. No one wants to be stuck in a bathtub while their partner decides to answer a prolonged nature’s call. It’s even equipped with a bidet for the cultured.
You’ll quickly realise that the luxuriant king size bed faces outside, beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, for the garden view. The hotel obviously expects you to be enthralled by the vista. Panelled louvres allow you to control the amount of natural light streaming into your room, or stop you from accidentally walking into glass.
But I’m not built to appreciate nature. Nor do I want to encourage voyeurism. Instead I flick a switch to close the shades and shut out the view.
Because dinner and drinks await.
The Singapore EDITION’s signature restaurant is FYSH. Opened by award-winning Australian chef Josh Niland, its a swanky space – also clad in tropical greenery – that offers a glimpse of the celebrity chef’s approach to sustainable seafood dining. It doubles as the hotel’s breakfast restaurant. Here I destroyed a full portion of delicious pumpkin arugula salad for my morning repast, the insidious biophilic space brainwashing me to eat my greens.
Cocktail enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice at The Singapore EDITION. It is home to Punch Room, an intimate cocktail lounge with a penchant for fancy punches. FYSH has its own bar. The Roof, where you find the sky pool, dishes out pool-friendly tropical cocktails. Then there’s the Lobby Bar, which offers up surprisingly sophisticated cocktails for a… lobby bar. Finally there’s a private, invite-only bar tucked inside Punch Room itself, but it wasn’t officially open when I peeked in.
For those seeking relaxation, The Singapore EDITION offers a first-rate spa, complete with facilities including saunas, steam rooms, plunge pools, and an indoor vitality pool. And of course, skilled therapists to massage your stresses away.
As you can probably tell by now, The Singapore EDITION caters to a specific well-heeled set. Indeed the hotel regularly hosts private events that attract the elite, so expect to run into finely-coutured high society folks and celebrities here on a regular basis. If you feel out of place, you probably are.
Verdict
Staying at The Singapore EDITION is an indulgent experience. Those who enjoy true nature are unlikely to be impressed by the well-manicured greenery here, but otherwise the hotel facilities here are absolutely first-class. Those in cocktail circles are going to find their way here more often than not, while FYSH makes a worthy addition to Singapore’s dining scene.
[Photos courtesy of The Singapore EDITION]
The Singapore EDITION
Address 38 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249731 (Google Maps link)
Tel (65) 6329 5000
Web www.editionhotels.com/singapore
Facebook TheSingaporeEDITION
Instagram @singaporeedition
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