One of Singapore’s oldest hotels transformed literally overnight
By Craig Platt
The hotel
Voco Orchard Singapore
Check in
As the name suggests, Voco Orchard is located on Singapore’s iconic shopping strip, Orchard Road. The property is at the far western end of the road, just before it gives way to the curved streets and greenery of Bukit Timah and the Botanic Gardens.
Singapore’s Hilton became a Voco literally overnight.
At more than 40 years old, it’s one of the oldest hotels in Singapore, even though it only recently became a Voco. Formerly the Singapore Hilton, the hotel transformed into the Voco literally overnight. Signage changed at midnight in January 2022 and the 423-room hotel did not lose a single day’s business despite the change over.
The look
As a result of the fast change over, little has altered at the hotel from its previous incarnation, at least in terms of infrastructure and decor. It’s a more subtle shift that often relates to new sustainable practices – room keycards are now made from bamboo, little plastic toiletries bottles have been replaced with larger, refillable plant-based products from New York’s Apotheke, the doonas use a filling created from recycled plastic bottles.
The rooftop pool is good for cooling off in the Singapore humidity.
There’s a rooftop pool, for cooling off in the Singapore heat, with comfortable cabanas. The 24-hour gym is large and personal trainers can be provided. The 67 executive rooms with access to the Club Lounge have undergone a more extensive refurb with an updated look using Voco’s signature pink and dark grey colour scheme.
The room
While minor changes have been made – brighter artworks reflecting the brand’s bird-themed logos – the rooms remain the same as they were under the Hilton and, as such, lack character compared to some other hotels. They are, however, quite spacious and functional.
Club Access rooms have undergone a refresh from the hotel’s previous days as a Hilton.
My deluxe room with Club Access features a large, king-sized bed along with a new flat screen TV, desk, armchair and a bathroom that, while compact, features a roomy shower. The only telltale signs of the age of the hotel are found on the desk, where there are serial and AV ports, but no USB ones.
Food + drink
The hotel’s three restaurants remain under their previous names. The Opus Bar and Grill offers a wide selection of steaks (most sourced from Australia) along with pub-style favourites like a wagyu beef burger or chicken club. The grill is also home to the extensive and impressive buffet breakfast.
Opus Bar & Grill.
The rooftop Italian restaurant, il Cielo, has tweaked its menu to focus purely on Italian from its previous incarnation as an Italian/Japanese fusion space. Finally, after 20 years the Michelin-starred Iggy’s remains unchanged (why fix what isn’t broken?).
Out + about
Orchard Road is on your doorstep and, despite being at the far end, the hotel is only a block away from some of the major shopping centres on the strip. While there aren’t any hawker centres particularly close by, there are several of the city’s famous food courts, which feature a huge range of Asian dishes – try Food Republic at Shaw Centre or Food Opera at ION Orchard. You might pay a little more in these places but you’ll still be looking at less than $10 for a meal, with icons like Hainanese chicken rice, fish ball soup or laksas to choose from.
The verdict
From a design perspective, it’s not the most striking hotel you’ll find in the city by any means, but the Voco Orchard Singapore offers good service and a great location at a reasonable price.
Essentials
Rooms at Voco Orchard Singapore start from $S270 ($A312). See vocohotels.com
Our rating out of five
★★★½
Highlight
You’re in the heart of Singapore, with plenty of highlights on your doorstep or a short train ride away.
Lowlight
The cleaners threw away my toothbrush. The same thing happened to a friend staying at a different hotel. Is this a Singapore thing?
The writer stayed as a guest of Voco.
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