Hotel Review: Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore (Deluxe Room)
When Hotel Jen Orchardgateway officially opened last year, it created a lot of buzz and it also threw one of the greatest hotel opening parties that I have ever been to. Shortly after that, I made plans to stay in the most luxurious room the hotel has - the Premier Panorama Room - has was thoroughly impressed by the sheer size of the room and the level of service.
Click HERE to check out my review of the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway's Panorama Club Room!
To take advantage of one of Golden Circle's targeted offers, I decided to spend two nights at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway once again but only this time it was in a Deluxe Room instead of the luxurious Panorama Club Room room. Barring the club rooms, there are generally three main room types: Superior, Deluxe and Premier Panorama. The Superior rooms are the most basic of all while the Deluxe rooms have a little more space and it also comes with a bathtub.
The Deluxe Room is definitely a lot more spacious than most Superior Rooms and it is fairly evident the moment you enter. For starters, the work desk is huge and there is plenty of space for you to put your luggage, food and random shopping bags. There is also a smart TV in the room where you will be able to receive messages, select from a range of cable channels as well as to see the promotions and offers that are currently running in the hotel. I have to admit though, this just isn't as cool as the ad notam TV I have had in the previous Panorama Club Room.
As mentioned earlier, the Superior rooms at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway do not come with a bathtub so be sure to opt for a Deluxe room if a tub is important to you (it is to me!).
Bathroom amenities are provided by an in-house Hotel Jen brand and it is displayed nicely inside a toiletry bag that you are welcome to take home. You will find the other usual suspects inside it - toothbrush, toothpaste, vanity kit and the works.
The bathtub is pretty sizeable and there's plenty of space around the tub for you to place your gadgets. Hotel Jen Orchardgateway (similar to the other Hotel Jen properties in the world) has complimentary PressReader access so you can use this opportunity to stock up on your favourite magazines to read later. All you have to do is to download the PressReader application your device and you will be able to save the magazines/newspapers for later reference. WiFi is also complimentary at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway so there is no need to worry about the maximum number of connected devices.
Similar to my previous stay at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore, I received a playful note from Jen to check out my mini-bar for a little surprise - she did have better handwriting the last time though!
I wrote about the amazing benefits of being a Jade member in Shangri-La's loyalty programme - Golden Circle - last year. As you may recall, one of the benefits of being a Jade member in Golden Circle is the ability to select up to three welcome amenities. My personal choices? Instant noodles (for those midnight hunger pangs), fruits as well as cookies and milk. The Hotel Jen Orchardgateway has once again fulfilled all my pre-selected amenities without any hiccups so kudos to that! Did you also know that you will receive complimentary breakfast for you and a registered guest once you hit Jade level in Golden Circle (more on this later!)?
Find out how to hit Jade status on the Golden Circle program HERE!
This is the view from the floor-to-ceiling window in the Deluxe Room at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore. You can easily spot the Pan Pacific Orchard Road Serviced Suites (which I really love - read more about it HERE!), Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel (I've stayed in the Executive Room here too!), Mandarin Orchard (have not stayed but do not intend to at all) as well as a couple more prominent landmarks.
As my room came with club access (which you can purchase even at the time of checking in), I had access to the Club Lounge that is located on Level 19. As a club guest you will enjoy the following exclusive privileges:
- Exclusive check-in and check-out at the Club Lounge
- A totally in-the-know concierge to help you get the most out of your stay
- Complimentary drinks and snacks all day long, with a special breakfast buffet, too
- Complimentary evening cocktail daily
- One piece of laundry pressing per stay (in case you’ve got somewhere special to go!)
- Two hours complimentary use of meeting room suites (bookable in advance)
Of course what they have failed to mention is that you will also have the opportunity to upload beautiful Instagram photos of the Club Lounge too!
Remember that if your room rate does not come inclusive with breakfast (and you do not have Jade status with the Golden Circle program), it is a great idea to purchase club access since you will automatically get breakfast with it - you may choose to have a full buffet breakfast down at Makan @ Jen too. Besides, if like me, you enjoy a couple of drinks in the evening, the club access may prove to be an extremely value-for-money add-on to your stay. During the cocktail hour at the Club Lounge (5:30PM to 7:30PM), you will find a selection of decent liquors on top of the usual beer, tea, coffee and soft drinks that you can expect to see.
Of course, no one is evil enough to serve you alcohol on an empty stomach (although a liquid-diet works for me too) so you will be able to find a selection of sashimi, fresh breads, salads, fruits as well as some hot food that goes perfect with that ice cold Tiger Beer you are holding.
When I got back to the room after having a light dinner and a couple of drinks at the Club Lounge, I was presented with this beautiful sunset. I sat by the massive window (there's actually a cushioned area you can lounge on!) to take in the sight before heading out.
As mentioned above, you will have the choice of a full buffet breakfast at Makan @ Jen or a more private breakfast at the Club Lounge when you have club access. I went for the former option as I wanted a little more variety and I remember the full buffet breakfast was pretty impressive the last time I visited. The only advice I can give you for breakfast is to come early - the hotel may be busy on the weekends with group travel tourists so you definitely do not want to be caught up in the long line. Oh, and ditch any diet plans because you're not going to be able to say no to those golden hash browns (not me anyway!).
I personally feel that the breakfast at Makan @ Jen caters to an Asian palate more - which is great because it is Singapore after all. That being said, the local interpretations are done on a very safe level (e.g. chili is not too spicy) so it is still very easy for tourists to adapt. There is also a selection of breakfast cereals, oats, cold cuts and salad for those of you who are a little more healthy but I did not go close to that section at all.
There's also a selection of ice cream (6 to 8 flavours) and sweets that you can add to your personal creation if you are feeling up for dessert (why not?!).
The Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore has a pretty amazing pool so no trip here is complete without taking a dip (or two) in this infinity pool that overlooks some of the most iconic landmarks in Singapore like the Marina Bay Sands. In the evening, you will also be able to catch a glimpse of the laser light show from the pool. One thing to note however is that if you do intend to order food, it may take quite some time to come so be sure to check with the staff on an approximate wait time before ordering.
My stay at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore has been everything I have expected and more. While it is apparent that the tourists from travel groups are making this their temporary accommodation grounds, the hotel has not fallen short in terms of service (especially when you have access to the exclusive Club Lounge where most hotel guests will not). The hotel is also conveniently located above the Somerset MRT which means it is equally easy to explore Dhoby Ghaut (or even City Hall) and Orchard. Advance purchase rates at the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway can prove to be quite affordable and there are usually promotions that you can take advantage of to bring that price down.
Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore
277 Orchard Road, Singapore 238858
Website | Email
While relay robots have been introduced to the hospitality industry as early as last year, Hotel Jen by Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is the first international hotel brand to use them in Asia. Both the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore as well as Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore have just introduced Jeno and Jena at their respective properties who will be responsible from delivering simple things like in-room amenities to in-room dining orders when they are being placed.