The Overview

With its monied, Old World atmosphere and emphasis on bespoke service, the St. Regis Singapore seriously raises the stakes in this city’s already crowded luxury market. The hotel is also a pioneer in other ways: some of its rooms are specially designed for wheelchair-bound guests, making the hotel a praiseworthy exception in a continent inhospitable to the disabled.

The Area

Located on Tanglin Road, the St. Regis is close enough to Orchard Road - Singapore’s most famous shopping district - to make it a pleasant 10-minute stroll to the MRT station and some of the city’s sleekest malls. But it’s also far enough away from the crowds of shoppers who flock to Orchard Road on the weekends.

The Design

Outside, the St. Regis is the picture of modernity with its metal-clad rotunda and gleaming glass towers. But the interiors - designed by acclaimed Dallas-based firm Wilson & Associates - hark back to the opulence of the original Beaux Arts St. Regis in New York. The lobby is filled with Chinoiserie and glittering hand-cut crystal chandeliers from the Czech republic. While decorated with Regency-style chairs, hand-painted silk panels and plenty of French marble, the rooms display more modern flourishes, such as Philippe Starck–like plexiglass tables. But the overall feeling is somewhere between Upper East Side townhouse and the set of one of Luis Buñuel’s films from the seventies.

T+L Tip

The hotel has a terrific art collection, including paintings by Joan Miró, Fernand Léger and Marc Chagall as well as a sculpture by Fernando Botero.

The Executive Suite

At 75 square meters, the executive suite provides plenty of space for a couple. Its European décor makes for a refreshing change from the usual Asian minimalism overload, while the king-sized Sealy Posturepedic bed ensures a good night’s sleep. The suite also abounds with thoughtful touches: an electrical outlet in the safe so guests can charge their laptops; a potpourri sachet in the closet; two different types of bathrobes for each guest; and a well-stocked drinks cabinet with an assortment of glasses (including brandy snifters and champagne flutes). By the bed is a master panel for the lights (the bathroom light glows blue at night); there’s also a remote control for the curtains.

The Bathroom

Generously sized, the bathroom boasts marble floors and sinks, fixtures imported from France, a large soaking tub with its own flat-screen television, and a shower with a variety of options (rain, Swedish and power). Toiletries are all sourced from the hotel’s Remède Spa. We initially thought there were a few too many mirrors, until we noticed they were heated - a welcome relief from the chilly marble. 

The Service

Each floor has an around-the-clock butler service who speak a variety of languages. Throughout the hotel, the staff is helpful and informative. Staffers have also been trained in the art of magically anticipating your needs. Our night butler - at his own volition - delivered two lens cleaners for our eyeglasses. At breakfast the next morning, after we requested two more cappuccinos, our server replied, “We’re making them for you right now.”

The Amenities

All the facilities expected from a super-luxury hotel are accounted for: an outdoor swimming pool; a well-equipped gym; an indoor tennis court; three restaurants and two bars; and finally, a state-of-the-art spa with seven treatment rooms, a Vichy shower room, a cedarwood sauna, and a marble-filled steam chamber. Extra services include babysitters, secretaries, and computer and mobile phone rental. Besides a fleet of Mercedes sedans, the hotel also has three Bentley limousines to ferry guests around.

Address:
29 Tanglin Rd.
Singapore

Telephone: +65 6506 6888

Website: http://www.stregis.com/singapore