Novotel Singapore on Stevens hotel review

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 5 years ago

Novotel Singapore on Stevens hotel review

By Paul Chai
The Novotel Singapore on Stevens has two outdoor pools to chill by.

The Novotel Singapore on Stevens has two outdoor pools to chill by.

THE LOCATION

Located an easy walk between the mall-packed Orchard Road and the more residential area of Novena you can choose the high-end shops or a more local centre of commerce, with some excellent hawker options hidden around the hood.

THE SPACE

Close to Orchard but away from the chaos,  Novotel Singapore on Stevens is a great addition to Singapore's hotel arsenal.

Close to Orchard but away from the chaos, Novotel Singapore on Stevens is a great addition to Singapore's hotel arsenal.

Opened this year, this Novotel is twinned with a Mercure to offer travellers a more budget option. The welcome of the Novotel is anything but cheap however, with a whimsical, Barbarella-esque lobby (white pods, huge video screen full of fish and curvy lines) that has Summer Rain as its centrepiece; a modern art take on the chandelier with suspended crystals representing the Lion City's propensity for a sudden downpour.

There is a strong design element to this hotel that elevates it beyond a "fly and flop", cookie-cutter business stay. At the heart of the concept is the Chinese symbol for "people", which the two hotels form when viewed from the air; you will also see this triangular character in the walls and soft furnishings. The rooms take their design cues from the nearby lush tropical vegetation, so you will see wooden tree rings in the art and on the carpet. While the business and function space is influenced from further afield and the galaxy of tiny lights forms the Milky Way. The exterior of the hotel has one of the longest green walls in the region, plus two outdoor pools to chill by.

THE ROOM

Modern and whimsical: The hotel opened this year.

Modern and whimsical: The hotel opened this year.

It's Singapore so space is at a premium and the 254 rooms are snug but well-designed. The bed's comfort level is "Goldilocks", the perfect mix of firm and soft, and they have the Novotel smart pillows that offer neck support and, when folded, support your lower back when watching TV propped up on the bed – it's the little things.

Advertisement

The bathroom is well appointed with a floor-to-ceiling view of Singapore from the shower (or a modesty blind if you have company).

THE FOOD

A room at The Novotel Singapore on Stevens.

A room at The Novotel Singapore on Stevens.

There are three options in the Novotel itself – L'Aperitif tapas bar, Food Exchange and the Infinity pool bar. Food Exchange is your main go-to for breakfast and lunch with a buffet of local and international fare, a light, bright space where you dine under a flock of origami birds on Starck chairs. I am a sucker for an egg station and my breakfast egg is perfectly runny inside, and the local options like roti and curry are as good as you will get outside the hotel.

On the Mercure side is Winestone, a wine bar that has affordable tipples (a rarity in Singapore) plus a few "dining pods" such as Norwegian eatery Fisk; there are 11 food options altogether on site.

STEPPING OUT

Orchard Road is walking distance but there is also a shuttle bus. But head in the other direction and you are in Novena where United Square offers a more local shopping expedition. It's a child-focused shopping centre but with foodie gems like an outlet of Katong Laksa 365, Ya Kun Kaya, where you get the city's best kaya toast (pandan jam toast dipped in soft-boiled eggs and soy sauce), as well as Tanjong Rhu Pau, small, fluffy char siu buns that are more pork than dough – careful though, these will ruin any future Australian yum cha for you.

THE VERDICT

Close to Orchard but away from the chaos. Business hotel functionality but with a quirky, committed design theme. Near some great Singaporean food but with a wealth of on-site options. Add a budget option adjoining if you fancy the location and want to save a bit of cash next time, and this is a great addition to Singapore's hotel arsenal.

ESSENTIALS

Novotel Singapore on Stevens: 28 Stevens Road, #01-01 Singapore. Double rooms from $137.80. Phone +65 6491 6100; accorhotels.com.

HIGHLIGHT

Outdoor areas like the terrace and lap pool make the space seem very open for built-up Singapore.

LOWLIGHT

If you order a coffee at breakfast it still comes from the self-serve machine, not a barista.

Paul Chai was a guest of the Novotel Singapore on Stevens.

Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter

Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading