Everyone who regularly stays in hotels has that one hotel chain they don’t play about. For me, that just became The Standard. I am a covert — for life. I will be visiting locations because of their openings, and I will be sitting at the bar, reminiscing loudly about my “first stay at a Standard” in the same way that people talk about the first time they got drunk. And that’s saying a lot: the first hotel I ever stayed at was a Four Seasons.
The Standard group was born in New York, so its existence amid Singapore’s equally towering skyline feels natural (though Singapore’s skyline is actually so vertiginous that when one taxi driver asked me how many floors the hotel was and I said eight, she replied, “Oh, so it’s small?”). In a way, she wasn’t wrong — amid the blur of high rise luxury, The Standard Singapore still manages to feel boutique.
Overnight guests are being welcomed to the ultra-trendy hotel from this month, so we checked pre-opening day for a first look.
Where?
Located on Singapore’s leafy Orange Grove Road between the bustling Orchard shopping district and peaceful UNESCO botanical gardens, The Standard Singapore really does straddle the best of both worlds. While some may enjoy the nose bleeding-skyscraper side of cities like Singapore, I often find that it can feel a bit banking district-y (because who actually wants to hang out in Canary Wharf? Let’s be real). The Standard Singapore avoids this sensation entirely, managing to position itself instead as an uber-cool refuge away from the hustle of the city while still being in the centre of an actually liveable neighbourhood.
Orchard being conveniently located on two of the main MRT lines (Mass Rapid Transit system, aka the metro) is testament to that. And you can use the MRT just like London, with pay as you go contactless, so getting around is a breeze. It’s a breezy 25 minute drive from Singapore Changi Airport, or an hour long metro journey. I’d recommend the drive as it’s so much easier and once you have Grab, Singapore’s favourite ride hailing app (Uber doesn’t exist in Singapore) it’s not too expensive either, you can expect to pay the equivalent of £10-£15.
Style
Known for its 1970s-inspired decor, The Standard Singapore is, conversely, the most youthful hotel chain I’ve ever stayed in. Not youthful in a cheugy way — because, let’s be honest, most hotels that describe themselves as “youthful” always seem to have garish pop art on the walls, or weird photography of naked women — but youthful as in painfully cool, too cool for you to possibly try and emulate at home way (though you will definitely try).
The first thing you see when you enter the hotel is a custom piece of artwork by Eric Tobua, which took 48 hours to delicately construct and doubles up as the coolest lobby counter you’ve ever seen. To the right there’s Cafe Standard, the hotel’s more low-key, diner-esque eatery, which looks out onto the hotel’s tiered garden, a layercake paradise of grass and flora, with the hotel’s 40m pool situated at the very top. From the pool (or via the hotel’s gorgeous, candy red elevators) you can get to The Standard Singapore’s main restaurant, Kaya, with its embroidered wallpaper of cascading orchids and intimate, swirling booth seating.
Facilities
The Standard hotel is less of a resort and more of a functional city stay, for stylish people with stylish business to be attending to, so don’t expect a supersized gym or spa – those are readily available in the Orchard shopping district, a 5-minute walk away from the hotel. What it does have is an excellent restaurant, a brilliant cafe, a 20m long pool and a dedicated workout area in the garden with gym equipment, plus yoga mats that can be taken up to rooms. Oh, and that garden space? Perfect for parties. And, knowing the Standard, I’m sure there will be many.
I’m also reluctant to put a note about the hotel staff under “facilities” but they’re so good they need shouting out somewhere: the crew at The Standard Singapore were hands down the most attentive, personable set of hotel staff I have ever stayed with, and in a way I almost miss them. I knew their faces and names, and they greeted me like a friend when I entered and left the hotel each day, while still leaving me to enjoy my time and my book wherever I went. I had a constant supply of sparkling water. I was happy.
Extracurricular
The city’s food courts, known as hawker centres, are an absolute must, serving quick, quality food for an excellent price. Singapore Hawker centre was actually the world’s first ever street food vendor to earn a Michelin star. A good one to try out is Dunman Food Centre, the city’s oldest and most reliable hawker. Or Five Star Kampung Chicken Rice, a favourite local food chain, is just a ten-minute walk away.
Every tourist has to see the Gardens by the Bay, it’s non-negotiable, even better if you can time it for their 7.45pm light show. If you’re there during in the day, choose from one of the two Eden Project-esque greenhouse domes the cloud forest or butterfly garden, for some contained nature exploring. And if you’re someone who likes zoos, the Mandai wildlife reserve (aka Singapore Zoo) is considered to be one of the best zoos in the world. And it has two pygmy hippos, the breed of hippo popularised by viral icon Moo Deng.
Food & drink
If you were wondering if the food at The Standard Singapore is good, I’ll tell you this: There’s a picture of some 30-hour Sous Vide Pork I have in the favourites section of my phone that I longingly gaze at on the regular. Does that help?
This now-beloved pork was served to me at Kaya, the hotel’s main, high-end restaurant situated on its second floor, serving modern Japanese cuisine (plus breakfast in the mornings). As well as the pork, which came with desiccated cabbage and tare sauce, I was presented with a beautiful plate of seasonal fish sashimi (tuna and salmon) and an umami-heavy chocolate-tofu pudding. Do yourself a favour and order a cocktail — the diligent bar staff work alongside the kitchen to share ingredients, meaning your food and drinks are truly symbiotic. The Sochu Highball is particularly pleasant.
The cocktails at Cafe Standard are also delightful, and all themed around movies that have been set or filmed at other Standard locations (i.e a colourful cosmo for Sex and the City, a tropical gin concoction for Oceans 12). And there’s a chicken burger with a subtle punch of spice that should not be missed.
Which room
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The Standard boasts 143 rooms and nine suites. The suites take up two floors due to the extra ceiling height and are split between two rooms, with a wall between the living area and the bedroom for added privacy. I stayed in a Standard King Pool View room, which I couldn’t have enjoyed more. Its mid-level size made it feel very secluded, with me tucked away from anyone and everyone in my cosy, stylish nook.
The decor is all curves and mid-century modern furniture, with each room featuring an elongated Tambour Panel headboard that extends way into the ceiling, and a bubble sofa, either in the corner of the room or between the beds if you’re staying in a twin room. The bathroom is dreamy, made up of vivid buttermilk and yellow kitkat tiles, with an illuminated circular mirror and rain shower.
Wonderboom speakers in the room help add to a homely atmosphere. One thing I really miss in most hotel rooms is a speaker, otherwise the rooms just end up being deathly silent all the time.
Best for...
Rooms from £215, standardhotels.com
