I’m feeling a little bit tipsy. It’s happy hour in the Club Room Lounge at the Rendezvous Hotel, which means two hours of delightful complimentary cocktails and snacks. I’ve been drinking Old Fashioneds and the whisky is giving me that wonderfully relaxed feeling you can only get from free booze, while on holiday. Life is good! I’ve got nowhere to be and nothing to do but enjoy the moment; travel bliss.
In planning our trip to Singapore, I reached out to the team at Far East Hospitality (FEH) and asked if it were possible for us to work together. We’ve worked together in the past and I loved the hotels I visited, so it made sense to look at experiencing more of what they have to offer. Lucky for me the FEH team are extremely generous and arranged for us to stay at Rendezvous Hotel, their recently refurbished A.R.T-inspired hotel.
To help you plan your next, or first trip to Singapore, here’s my review of the Rendezvous Hotel. It may just be the perfect place for you!
Location
When it comes to choosing a hotel in a foreign country, the location is absolutely key. The Rendezvous is located at Bras Basah, an ideal location for out-of-towners and sightseers! You’ll find the hotel at the start of Bras Basah Road, which is the end of Orchard Road. If you want to visit the main shops of Orchard Road, you could walk, but in the heat, you probably wouldn’t want to. Never fear! The Bras Basah MRT (train) station is a minute walk from the hotel’s front doors, making it easy to get around. If you need tips on how to get around Singapore, read this guide.
You’ll also find Raffles Hotel a short walk away, as well as fantastic shopping malls Suntec City and Raffles City. Ask the hotel staff for help and they’ll tell you how to catch a local bus to Little India, a ride which should only take 5-10 minutes at most and allows you to see more of Singapore from above ground. Also within close walking distance is the shopping districts of Bugis, which include the famous Bugis markets and Bugis Junction shopping centre.
With the MRT so close to the hotel’s front door, it’s incredibly easy to get around and see all the big sights of Singapore, including the Marina, Chinatown, Raffles Place and more. As someone who has lived in Singapore, I found the location really convenient and central to all the things I wanted to see and do.
The Accommodation
I mentioned in the intro the hotel is A.R.T-inspired. What the heck does that mean? Well, the hotel underwent a refurbishment and the smart people at Far East Hospitality decided to draw inspiration for the hotel from the local area, home to the arts. They combined Attitude, Retro-elements and Technology into the new fit-out and I gotta say, it’s awesome. I love hotels that support local artists and creatives, giving them a space to share their craft.
You’ll find the styling and decor of the rooms vary from floor to floor, giving it a quirky-cool vibe I really dig. The hotel staff gave us a tour of all the different types of rooms and I gotta say, they’re all great. Sometimes when hotels vary the styling between floors you can end up with a dud, but there really weren’t any, I would be happy to stay on any of the floors.
We stayed in one of the hotel’s Junior Suites, a larger room on the higher floors with access to the Club Lounge. Our room was a perfect size, it was really spacious with lots of different places to sit and chill out. There was also a desk that was comfortable to sit and work at, something I find really important when I travel.
The bed was generous and very high off the ground, sometimes I did a little jump to get from the floor to the bed, just because it’s fun. They also offer a pillow menu, so if you aren’t feeling the supplied pillows you can call up and order something more to your liking. On the wall, you’ll find a good-sized flat-screen, complete with movie channels that are perfect for those movie marathon days tucked up inside the hotel.
The bathroom is something to behold. It’s a great size with a very inviting bathtub positioned under the window, perfect for soaking a tired post-exploration body. The show was a generous size and really quite fancy. Because the rooms have been refurbished, everything feels new and untouched, it’s all well thought out and, to be honest, kind of feels like your own little apartment in Singapore, not like a hotel room.
Also on-site, a fantastic pool that looks oh-so-inviting and a brand new gym with plenty of space, loads of equipment, air-conditioning (essential), towels and bottled water.
If possible for you, I’d recommend booking a room with Club Benefits. It just gives you extra space to hang out it, at the Club Lounge, as well as your own concierge to help you with things. You also get access to snacks and drinks (non-alcoholic) throughout the day, can enjoy breakfast in the Club Lounge as well as evening cocktails and snacks. Not only this, but they threw in access to the Airport Lounge when you leave. Brilliant.
What I liked most about our room was the light, airy feel. The windows offered great views of the local area and I never felt boxed in or overwhelmed by the city. While the hotel isn’t massive, it isn’t small either, so you don’t feel like one of five million people staying there. I also loved the artwork everywhere, supplied by local artists. The artwork rotates and a lot of the detail you’ll see around the hotel was created by hotel staff too.
Dining & Entertainment
As I mentioned earlier, it’s possible to book rooms that give you access to the Club Lounge and I really recommend you do it, if you can. After a big day of walking around exploring you can come back to the hotel and settle into the Club Lounge for a few cold cocktails, beer or wine and snacks. So good.
On-site you’ll find a huge buffet breakfast served daily and it’s pretty great, I gotta admit. They have all the breakfast trimmings you’d expect and the eating space is large, perfect for hungry hotel guests.
Across the road from the hotel, you’ll find a food court open 24 hours, which is great for anyone travelling on a budget. If you aren’t on a budget, or just want to splurge, walk the few short minutes to Chijmes, where you’ll find many fantastic restaurants and bars that come alive of an evening. You’ll also find plenty of delicious places to eat at Suntec City and Raffles Place.
As I mentioned in the location write-up, there are so many great places for shopping nearby that you really are spoilt for choice and Little India is right around the corner too, so you can get your feast and shop on there. If you need any food recommendations, the staff are super helpful and know all the best places to eat, so don’t hesitate to ask them for tips.
The Verdict
I had a great stay at the Rendezvous Hotel and would definitely stay there again. For me, access to the Club Lounge just made the stay that bit more special. It was so nice having a private concierge for Club Guests, available to help you with anything you need. It was also a really fun way to end each day, at the Club Lounge, having a few cold drinks and enjoying the snacks (yes, I know, the snacks again – I love food okay, don’t judge me).
While we stayed at the hotel we were sightseeing, capturing content for Little Grey Box and seeing my family too. It was so easy to get around, using the bus and train, we were able to easily get to wherever we wanted to go and the staff were so knowledgable with directions, including which number bus to catch to get to a certain place. So easy!
The space and comfort of our Junior Suite made it feel like a home-away-from-home and I found it very easy to spend time in the room. I also have to say, the art all around the place was right up my alley, such a cool touch.
I’d recommend a stay at the Rendezvous Hotel for first-time visitors to Singapore as well as seasoned Singapore lovers. It’s in a fantastic location for visitors and offers a comfortable, enjoyable base for your Singapore adventure. Book The Rendezvous Hotel Singapore here.
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