A trip to the Singapore Zoo or the former Jurong Bird Park is a rite of passage for any Singaporean. Now that we’re older, we’re taking our little ones to the iconic zoo or the newly minted Bird Paradise.
If you’re met with choruses of “mama, I don’t want to go home” once the day is over, there’s currently the option to go glamping with penguins which allows you to stay overnight at Mandai Wildlife Reserve. But soon, there’ll be a permanent accommodation option to continue the fun the next day. Enter Mandai Rainforest Resort, a resort operated by Banyan Tree, a hospitality group based in Singapore.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Slated to open in the first half of 2025, Mandai Rainforest Resort will be situated in the eastern part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, overlooking the Upper Seletar Reservoir. It was originally planned to open in 2023, but delays have caused the opening date to be pushed back.
But now that the opening dates are solidified, we’re one step closer to being able to stay near the zoo. Mandai Rainforest Resort will also join the Lion City’s myriad of new hotels in Singapore once it officially opens.
We don’t know about you, but they’re giving Avatar vibes.
Image credit: Mandai Park Holdings
There’ll be a total of 338 rooms located in a 4-storey building, with facilities like a ballroom and meeting room, state-of-the-art gym room, and rooftop swimming pool. But don’t expect just your typical hotel rooms. The resort will also have 24 elevated seed pod-shaped treehouses, seamlessly blending below the upper canopy layer of the surrounding trees.
The treehouses look out to views of the surrounding canopy or Upper Seletar Reservoir.
Image credit: Mandai Park Holdings
You don’t have to worry about negatively impacting Mother Nature, either. The resort utilises smart energy-saving technologies for an eco-friendly stay, with passive displacement ventilation that cools the air using chilled water rather than traditional air conditioning compressor units.
And of course, what’s a staycay without delicious food? At Mandai Rainforest Resort, you can expect dining establishments that prioritise sustainably sourced ingredients.
Visitors can also peruse local artworks at the retail shop and indulge in holistic treatments at the Wellness Centre, curated by spa experts from the Banyan Group.
Elevated walkway at the resort, a rendering from 2019.
Image credit: Mandai Park Holdings
When it opens, Mandai Rainforest Resort will accompany other new attractions at Mandai Wildlife Reserve – think a free boardwalk along the edge of Upper Seletar Reservoir and Rainforest Wild, a 5th wildlife park.
We’re looking forward to the opening of the new Mandai Rainforest Resort. For now, check into Kranji Sanctuary Resort for a farm stay from $160/night or a glamping experience at Lazarus Island.
Cover image adapted from: Mandai Park Holdings
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