Being Chinatown residents, we’ve watched the development of PARKROYAL on Pickering with curious eyes – from its construction to its opening in 2012. From below, greeneries from their lush 15,000m² sky-gardens dangle over, wrapping the hotel in its beautiful landscaping. It’s as if the hotel was built in a gigantic garden, complete with larger than life bird-cages. We’ve always wanted to have a staycation here to see what it was like on the inside.
Designed by internationally acclaimed local architectural firm WOHA, the theme that runs through this 367-room hotel is that of wellness, renewal and conservation. PARKROYAL on Pickering has Singapore’s first solar-powered sky-gardens and uses energy conservation features such as automatic lights, rain and motion sensors and rain water harvesting.
The view from our room corridor. Look at all the foliage!
At the lobby of the hotel.
The gorgeous modern ecological architecture sets PARKROYAL on Pickering apart from the other buildings in the neighbourhood, occupying the sweet spot between Clarke Quay and Chinatown.
Within the hotel, nature-inspired materials like pebbles and glass and open spaces are used to give off an airy and clean look. We stayed in the Orchid Club King Room (from SGD370, 28-32 sqm). It’s only SGD50 more expensive than their Deluxe Room (SGD320, 28-32sqm) but it gives you access to the Orchid Club Lounge. Orchid Club privileges also include suit pressing and laundry, which is useful for business travellers. That is a big difference for a small price.
The immediate thing that stood out was how the bathtub was right in the room itself! The wooden textures and soft coloured hues give the rooms a light feel, with views of Chinatown and Hong Lim Park. There are also recycle bins provided, coffee and tea making facilities and a fully-stocked mini-bar with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.
Me working at the hot desk while Chloe frolics on the bed.
The dedicated wellness floor on Level Five has to be the highlight of the hotel. On one side it features an infinity pool, gym, the famed St. Gregory spa. There’s just something alluring about the bird cages and infinity pool set-up that makes you just want to jump right in.
And on the other side of the wellness level is the poolside terrace, that’s used for cocktail events and wedding solemnisations. We even spotted a garden that was growing its own herbs and fruits here!
The Orchid Club Lounge is bright and spacious, serving all-day refreshments, Champagne breakfast (6:30am to 10:30am), afternoon tea (2:00pm to 4:00pm) and evening cocktails (6:00pm to 8:00pm). We did a very Singaporean thing and had our lunch and dinner there. We were just too lazy to venture out of the hotel! Thankfully, the light bites served during those times were satisfying enough.
It was the Champagne Breakfast at the Orchid Club Lounge that we were looking forward to the next day; which comes with the Orchid Club experience. Visitors looking for something more can also check out their restaurant Lime, which we reviewed earlier this year.
For all the facilities PARKROYAL on Pickering has to offer, it’s comforting to know that their rooms start at just SGD290++ a night, which makes staying here fantastic value for money.
The hotel is so beautifully landscaped with a modern ecological design – there’s nothing else quite like this in Singapore. We recommend getting the Orchid Club experience. It costs just a bit more, but you get round-the-clock Orchid Club Lounge access and can wake up to a lovely Champagne breakfast.
Address: 3 Upper Pickering Street, Singapore 058289
Contact: +65 6809 8888
This post was brought to you by PARKROYAL on Pickering.
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