TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Luxury meets sustainability at Hilton Singapore Orchard
The newly refurbished Hilton Singapore Orchard has adopted a sustainable and environmental approach to the future of travel, with an interior design that pays homage to the history of Orchard Road.
Change Size
Airy space: The King Premium City View room, as with all of the 12 room types at the Hilton Singapore Orchard, features a minimalistic sofa and a marble-topped table for working and dining. (Courtesy of Hilton Singapore Orchard) (Courtesy of Hilton Singapore Orchard/Courtesy of Hilton Singapore Orchard)
T
em>The newly opened Hilton Singapore Orchard has adopted a sustainable and environmental approach to the future of travel, with an interior design that pays homage to the history of Orchard Road.
On entering the new Hilton Singapore Orchard, which stands above the Mandarin Gallery on Orchard Road, guests are greeted by a seemingly simple design that reveals a deeper environmental purpose. Monochrome colors decorate the lobby on level five, enhanced with warm lighting and a luxurious interior, some imbued with a botanical esthetic.
The iconic building, previously managed by Mandarin Orchard Singapore, has undergone a US$100 million renovation by the Hilton team to reposition the brand. It appointed Avalon Collective to design the rooms and meeting spaces, which has infused the refurbishment with an environmental approach.
One such effort included minimizing waste by upcycling the rare Italian travertine stones used for the walls and floors of level five to adorn the new interior.
“Sustainability is a big part of what our customers say they want. They want to see this being authentic and real,” Alexandra Jaritz, Hilton’s senior vice president of brand management Asia Pacific, told selected media at the Executive Lounge on May 26.
“Our environmental, social and governance [ESG] strategy is called Travel with Purpose, and it is infused into the fabric of Hilton as we pave the way to a net-zero future for the company,” she continued. “It is our responsibility to ensure we protect the destinations we operate in for future generations to come.”
Hilton Singapore Orchard general manager Cedric Nubul added: “Sustainability is no longer a choice, but a responsibility. So, we take sustainability to the heart of our decisions.”
Sustainability is also embraced in the hotel’s rooms and meeting facilities, which use sensor technology that turns on the lights and the air-conditioning when guests enter. And when guests leave, the lights switch off automatically while the air-conditioning resets to 24 degrees Celsius 20 minutes later.
The hotel has also reduced a huge amount of plastics by using basswood for the key cards, while cartons have replaced plastic bottles for mineral water. Over the next few months, the hotel plans to reduce more waste by installing a water filtration plant and bottling system so “we can filter our water and bring glass water to guest rooms”, according to Nubul.
It was clear during the promotional stay from May 25 to 27 for select media, including The Jakarta Post, that Hilton Singapore Orchard offers much more than meets the eye.
Shopping access
Situated in a prime location on Singapore’s famous Orchard Road, Hilton Singapore Orchard is just a stone’s throw from premier shopping destinations like Takashimaya and Paragon, as well as Somerset MRT Station, while Mount Elizabeth Hospital is only a 10-minute walk away.
For shopping and medical purposes, “it doesn’t get any better than Hilton Singapore Orchard”, said Nubul.
Opening on Feb. 24, the hotel is now one of the biggest in the city as well as among Hilton’s Asia-Pacific properties, offering 1,080 rooms across the Orchard Wing and the Mandarin Wing, with the latter to open in 2023.
'Botanical' design
The hotel’s interior design takes its inspiration from Singapore’s renown as “The Garden City”.
Nubul said it also paid homage to “Orchard Road in the 18th century, with plantations”, resulting in the design’s “Orchard Trail Experience” theme.
“So, we have botanical touches,” he explained during a hotel tour on May 25, indicating the artwork that adorns each room.
Guests keen on seeing more lavish greenery can visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens, around 12 minutes by car from the hotel.
Hilton Singapore Orchard offers 12 types of rooms, including an Executive Suite and Presidential Suite, each room designed in a sleek, modern style with a space-saving interior that highlights simplicity. This design approach also applies to the Executive Room, where the Post stayed.
One standout feature was the open wardrobe behind the LED TV, a concept that was adopted with the idea that guests, joked Nubul, could showcase “their purchases after shopping”.
Aside from the comfortable bed for a good night’s sleep, each room is equipped with a minimalistic sofa and a “multifunctional table for dining and working”, he added. The space-saving design also allowed each room to be installed with both a shower and a bathtub.
Meetings & banquets
For business purposes, level five of the hotel provides inspiring spaces.
“This was once a car park,” Nubul said while walking into a designated area for meetings and gatherings. “We turned [it] into seven innovative meeting rooms.”
Two spacious communal living areas, a pantry and a kitchenette are available for some relaxing breaks.
The hotel also has two ballrooms to host weddings and other celebratory events. Also on level five, the Grand Ballroom is equipped with new LED walls. It can accommodate up to 900 people and can also be divided into three separate spaces.
On level 35, the hotel’s topmost floor, the Imperial Ballroom offers a unique cabaret-style setting with tiered floors and can accommodate up to 25 round tables.
Dining options
Even though the hotel is surrounded by numerous eateries and restaurants, guests can find delicious meals without venturing into the city.
On the top floor, Shisen Hanten offers authentic Chinese cuisine, while level six boasts Southeast Asia’s largest executive lounge. Open from breakfast to dinner, the lounge offers privacy and premium services, as it is open only to Hilton Diamond members and guests staying in an Executive Room or Executive Suite.
Level five is a food haven with four dining outlets, one of which is the all-time favorite Chatterbox.
Estate, the all-day dining restaurant, offers not only an a la carte menu but also a buffet spread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. International selections await diners, from dim sum and eggs Benedict in the morning to roast beef and the signature black truffle roasted duck at night.
Situated next to Estate is Osteria Mozza, the local branch of the award-winning Los Angeles restaurant cofounded by renowned American chef Nancy Silverton. Hearty Californian-Italian meals are available, such as Fonduta Ravioli and the juicy and tender Grilled Bone-in Sirloin Tagliata.
Osteria Mozza offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a balcony garden full of herbs and other plants.
Ginger Lily is located in the middle of level five, offering a vibrant ambiance for a relaxing chat over refreshing drinks. At 2 p.m., guests can enjoy the restaurant’s signature afternoon tea of artisanal cakes and savory bites. Some refreshing cocktails and mocktails also await at the bar.
As if those are not enough, the hotel has something else in store for 2023. “We will also open a destination bar on the top level with a 360-degree view of Singapore,” Nubul said.
For more information, visit www.hiltonsingaporeorchard.com or @hiltonsingaporeorchard on Instagram.
