Hotel Review: Orchard Hotel Singapore (Premier Room) - Affordable Hotel Along Orchard Road
When American Express was offering up to S$480 statement credit per eligible card on staycations, I decided to check out the Orchard Hotel Singapore as the weekday room rates were pretty low. There are two main wings in this hotel and it is worth noting that newly-refurbished rooms (e.g. Grand Deluxe Rooms) are currently utilised as an SHN-dedicated facility (SDF).
Entrance
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
The check-in process was relatively fuss-free, even though it does take a while (even if you are a returning guest) and the official check-out time for this property is 11:00 AM. As a regular My Millennium member (the loyalty program no longer have elite tiers), I booked a Premier Room and was accorded the same room type at check-in. The Orchard Hotel Singapore is located near Delfi Orchard and it is directly connected to Claymore Connect (which is home to a large supermarket, some restaurants, a wine shop, as well as other smaller stores). While the property is located along Orchard Road, it is actually closer to Tanglin so you should keep that in mind if being right in the middle of the action is important to you. Guests will have to fill up a declaration form outside of the property, before being allowed into it for checking-in - this is something that I find particularly annoying.
Bedroom
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
While the Premier Rooms at the Orchard Hotel Singapore have been refreshed at some point, they are nowhere near as nice as the Grand Deluxe Rooms which are currently not available for leisure guests. With that said, the Premier Rooms are slightly larger, offering 35 sqm of space, and it also comes with modern amenities like a 40” television. For what it is worth, Premier Rooms are a higher category room type when compared to Grand Deluxe Rooms.
King-size Bed
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
The king-size bed in the Premier Room is definitely on the harder-side (not a bad thing) so this is great for those of you who cannot stand a softer bed. While the bed is relatively comfortable, do note that the soundproofing of the room is actually rather bad so you can actually hear what’s going on outside (or beside) your room pretty clearly. For most people, this would not be an issue but if you are an extremely light-sleeper like I am, it will be a good idea to bring along some sleeping aid just in case you have noisy neighbours - I carry my Bose Sleepbuds II along with me always for emergencies like these.
Do note that there are no empty power outlets located by the side of the bed so if you wish to charge your mobile devices by the bed, you will have to unplug one of the bedside lamps - also make sure the outlet is turned on via the panel on the side.
Work Desk
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
As some of you may know, I work in a management consultancy in my day job and since working from home is still a default for us, I tend to bring my work along with me on these stays. The WiFi connection works well and the relatively-large work desk in the Premier Room makes it quite comfortable to get work done. As mentioned previously, all of the Premier Rooms also feature a new 40” television with a selection of local and cable channels for your enjoyment.
Work Station
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
Located directly in front of the work desk is a universal power outlet as well as a range of connectivity options for those of you who prefer to view your content on a bigger screen. If you are using an Apple device, you will not be able to stream your content wirelessly but there is always a wired-option if that is absolutely required.
Bedroom
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
Guests who are staying here at the Orchard Hotel Singapore for a longer period will appreciate the wardrobe space but definitely take note that a coffee machine is not provided in the room. I am pretty much addicted to caffeine and I tend to drink 4-5 coffees a day on average so this was a huge deal-breaker to me personally. Freeze-dried coffee in little sachets, as well as tea bags, are however provided if you wish to get your caffeine in a different way. If you do not mind venturing out, however, there is a Starbucks located just around the corner at Delfi Orchard, or if you want something a little more artisanal, there is a Jewel Coffee (opens from 7:00 AM every day) located in Claymore Connect.
In-room Safe
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
If you need to store your valuable belongings in the room, there is an electronic safe inside the wardrobe, as well as a hair dryer located in the drawer underneath it. Housekeeping does come in to make-up the room the next day (if you are staying multiple nights) but do note that they can only service the room from 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM (earlier requests were denied as housekeeping apparently only starts work from that time).
View from Room
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
On all three occasions that I have stayed at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, my view has always been the same - I do believe that the pool and ‘city view’ is the comparatively more desirable view but there is nothing much to shout about.
Swimming Pool
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
One of my favourite parts of the Orchard Hotel Singapore has got to be the swimming pool - hotel guests are required to book a pool slot (subject to availability) prior to visiting (limited to an hour slot per day) and since it is currently open to unvaccinated guests as well, food and drinks are not served by the pool. Hotel guests will also be required to have their masks on when they are not swimming which is pretty much the standard these days. With all that being said, I absolutely love that the swimming pool enjoys plenty of sun throughout the day - it is also pretty large so it never gets too crowded but do note that the jacuzzi area is still currently closed off due to Safe Management Measures.
Bathroom
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
The bathroom of the Premier Room is fairly basic but it is large enough to feature both a bathtub, as well as a separate shower. The design of the bathroom definitely looks dated and I am not sure whether further renovation works have been planned for this room category but it could definitely do with some enhancements.
Bathroom
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
While I am usually a bathtub person, I did find the shower experience to be more enjoyable as the tubs are rather shallow and small. On the other hand, the shower area is actually quite spacious and the water pressure is great - there is nothing like a warm shower in the morning!
Bath Amenities
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
Bath amenities are provided by an in-house brand but a bottle of hand sanitiser is provided in each guest room which I thought was a nice touch - you can never be too careful these days!
If your room rate comes inclusive of breakfast, it will be served at The Orchard Cafe which is located near the check-in area of the hotel. Diners are allowed to walk around the restaurant (with a mask on, of course) and select from the buffet stations but they will have to wait to served by one of the staff members behind the station - self-service buffets are currently not allowed in Singapore to reduce the spread of virus. The breakfast selection is rather basic so if your room does not come with a breakfast-inclusive rate, you may consider heading to Merci Marcel or French Fold next door for a hearty meal instead.
Bedroom
Premier Room - Orchard Hotel Singapore
In all honesty, the Orchard Hotel Singapore was pretty decent at the price point that I have booked it at - while it may not be a property where I would typically consider for a staycation, it is decent if I have to spend the night in Orchard, and would like a relatively affordable option.
Orchard Hotel Singapore
442 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238879
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The JW Marriott Auckland is still refurbishing its guest rooms and suites (with an expected completion date in November 2024). I stayed in a Deluxe Room (non-refurbished) and have found the experience to be lacking of a typical JW Marriott property.