Bangkok Post – Nature-Inspired Residential Calm

To escape the terrible heat of Bangkok, a short weekend in Singapore is always welcome. In the Garden City, it rains long enough to keep the temperature cool and the humidity modest, unlike here.

What better place to explore this weekend than the recently renovated and renamed Conrad Singapore Orchard. The 445-room property was formerly a Regent Hotel.

One of the few hotels with an atrium in the Lion City, the Conrad Singapore Orchard is vast. The service is friendly from the moment you get out of the car and enter the lobby and continues throughout your stay. With four elevators in the middle, the lobby is bright thanks to the atrium. The greenery all around makes the check-in process even more welcoming.

The hotel is a low-rise building in Bangkok terms, with the top floor being 12. However, in the elevator, all eyes turn directly to Japanese kinetic sculptor Michio Ihara’s “Singapore Shower” installation, which cascades from the glass roof capturing the sun’s rays. the sun. All suites are located on upper floors and offer Singapore city views. The renovated rooms are designed in neutral tones, with wood in the spotlight. The suites have balconies if you want some fresh air for coffee or tea. But they are not sheltered from the rain, be warned.

One of the highlights of the renovation is that the rooms are equipped with motion sensors, which are triggered when you enter the room. No problem with the key in the slot. Another positive point is that the curtains, which close automatically when there is no one in the room to maintain a cool temperature, open as soon as the sensors are activated. A pleasant welcome during the day.

The suites are spacious and each is equipped with a drinking water tap at the bar. But a bottle of water was missing for those who prefer cold water. The bath products are by Byredo and feature the Mojave Ghost scent.

The hotel offers a “Sleep to Wake Ritual”, accessible on the television in the privacy of your room. As you wind down for the night, sip a soothing native herbal tea, left on your side table during the night’s turndown service, while enjoying the tones of the room’s sound bath, nestled in your bed . To add to the luxury of this sound bath, a choice of pillows is also offered. Even though it’s at those times, we would have liked to have a bathtub in which to relax.

However, in-suite turndown service also includes steam showers from Savan Baths. Place one over the drain and take a nice, long, hot shower. It will be the most rejuvenating shower experience ever.

The ritual continues in the morning with a private morning intention session in tandem with the Trapeze Rec Club holistic wellness center. The hour-long session can be yoga, a sound bath or stretching practiced in the serene surroundings of the swimming pool.

Suites enjoy the benefit of the Executive Lounge, which is a quiet spot for a quick breakfast, afternoon tea, or early evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. One of the examples of fine service at Conrad Singapore Orchard is that if you ask for tarik, which is not on the menu, it will be prepared and delivered to your table.

If breakfast is your most important meal of the day, then the largest selection can be found at Basilico, which offers Western and Asian delights, including Indian. Evenings at this all-day dining spot offer a buffet of antipasto, charcuterie, and gourmet Italian dishes, but there’s also seafood on ice. The buffet is very popular with locals, which is always a good sign. There is also a spectacular range of cheeses. In fact, there’s a whole room of at least 40 different types of cheese, all from Italy. If you want to take these cheeses to greater heights, Italian chef Davide del Gatto offers Cheese Infusion, which is a workshop on infusing the flavors of artisan cheese. Think squid ink on burrata or Gorgonzola with truffle spread and white chocolate.

There is no shortage of restaurants and bars in this hotel, with its 10 outlets. Among the 10, two stand out the most. Summer Palace is one of the most popular Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurants in Singapore. The Manhattan bar’s famous menu is inspired by the golden age of cocktails and fine drinks. In fact, there’s no need to leave the hotel at all…for at least a few days. The bar also offers Sunday brunch and DIY cocktail stations, a grown-up affair.

One of the best experiences ever offered by a city hotel is the Edible Garden Walk, organized by Alexius Yeo, an urban farmer and author of ‘101 Edible Plants: A Guide to Designing Foodscapes in Singapore’. The walk takes participants along the garden path with edible plants found along the way to the UNESCO-listed Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The “Orchard” in the name also means that the hotel is close to Singapore’s main shopping district. That’s a bonus! The hotel takes your shopping trip even further. In partnership with Greensquare, a local textile recycling initiative, Conrad Singapore Orchard offers guests the opportunity to donate unwanted items to be collected and recycled, and even leaves a bag in the room for these items. Into the new, out with the old! Ingenious!

A stay at the Conrad Singapore Orchard means that after a short weekend getaway, you can return to Bangkok fresh and baggage-free. Intentional play on words.