Albeit its modest size, our next door neighbour Singapore is popularly known as a heavily urbanised island city-state in Southeast Asia, distinguished with its own peculiar kinks, unambiguous character and laudable camaraderie, whether with foreigners or locals. Admittedly, I don’t visit Singapore very often, but even as a Malaysian sharing cultural similarities, each trip I take there has been endlessly intriguing.
Instead of doing the whole Orchard road shebang on my most recent trip to Lion City, I spent my time delving into the thriving arts and culture scene of Singapore, which is something I’ve always yearned to do to dig deeper into this bustling yet perplexing nation. For that reason, I put up at Rendezvous Hotel, which is a contemporary art-centric brand by Far East Hospitality nestled in the heart of the Arts & Heritage District of Singapore.
Seeking to bring its guests closer to the local arts scene, Rendezvous Hotel is the ultimate embodiment of Singapore-inspired hospitality that heavily represents local art and culture. Its modern interior design, fused with retro elements, offers a multi-sensory art experience with stunning static sculptures and many multimedia art installations displayed all throughout the hotel.
As we stepped into the lobby, we were greeted by splashes of vibrant lights from the subtle backlight that illuminated the concierge and front desks, and an audacious colour-changing pillar that transforms the whole mood of the lobby, depending of the time of day. Precariously erected at the front desk is also a half-mannequin assembled together with large shards of porcelain, juxtaposed by an entire wall embellished with 3D butterflies in vivacious colours at the other end.
Primed to be an art hothouse, Rendezvous Hotel also supports the arts through many collaborations and initiatives with the art community in Singapore. Plastered on the walls of the hotel corridors are masterpieces of various mediums made by local and international artists and art students in Singapore. The hotel functions as a gallery if you will, with the artworks being available for sale and are switched out every couple months to offer other artists the exposure they need.
It’s interesting to comprehend the non-uniformity in art this hotel essentially features, but it works and this artistic character also extends to the various themed rooms – Peranakan, Retro or Performing Arts. My Club Room that’s sufficiently fitted with all the amenities I need had a retro vibe I fancied, with an abstract collage displayed on the wall and a motif-laden panel running throughout the headboard area.
The Club Room was equipped with high-speed Internet access, a handheld and rain shower, a 37-inch LCD interactive television, temperature control panels, a Bluetooth entertainment docking system, a minibar and more. Most notably, the room came with a TOTO washlet, which is a bathroom cleansing feature activated by a remote control, similar to those you’d find in the washrooms scattered all over Japan.
Staying in the Club Room also meant that I had access to the Club Lounge, which I made use of fully. The charming atmosphere of the lounge really drew me in as I sat in solidarity, sipping on the free-flow 6 to 8pm alcoholic beverages that served as wonderful pre-dinner drinks. Throughout the day, there are also light refreshments like dim sum and other little bites served at the lounge.
On top of all its allure, Rendezvous Hotel is housed in an elegant colonial building that consists of two parts – the hotel itself and an outdoor commercial block that offers several F&B and entertainment outlets. Other facilities include The Library, a stylish lounge bar that exudes classiness, a swimming pool that is surrounded by lush greenery, and an adequately equipped fitness centre which I really enjoyed for early morning workouts.
To my surprise, the food at the hotel’s in-house cafe – Straits Cafe – was fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of Singaporean food as I’m biased toward the idea that Malaysians do food way better, but I really enjoyed the buffet offerings available to me. The Nyonya Laksa surpassed my expectations, and the durian desserts were impeccable, if I do say so myself. There were even Pork Trotters, an assortment of fresh seafood, thickly-cut slices of sashimi, and a popiah and pai tee station. Absolutely delish!
As I’ve previously mentioned, Rendezvous Hotel is located strategically in the heart of the Arts & Heritage District of Singapore and that meant that the Singapore Art Museum, National Museum, Singapore Pinacothéque de Paris and National Gallery Singapore were all conveniently walking distance from the hotel. I’ll dabble into those locations later on in another article, so let’s keep my in-depth art appreciation for another day.
Rendezvous Hotel offers guests an immersive cultural getaway unlike any other and at every little corner of the hotel, guests can immerse in a completely artistic environment that really invigorates the mind, especially for art enthusiasts. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there as it has been a whole new experience for me, and I’ve fallen in love with the hotel’s one of a kind and eloquently charming aesthetics.
Rendezvous Hotel
9, Bras Basah Road,
Singapore, 189559.
Tel: +65 6336 0220
You may check out Rendezvous Hotel Singapore on its official website, Facebook page or on Instagram.
