Hotel Check Singapore: Shangri-La Hotel

BEST FOR Lush setting, great dining and unforgettable hospitality  

DON’T MISS Surprising intimate green spaces all over the grounds.

PRICE Internet rates for a Tower Wing deluxe room start at $250.

CONTACT 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore, 258350. Tel 800-916-4339   shangri-la.com 

BACKGROUND In June 2018, the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore made headlines around the world when it served as home-base for Donald Trump during the first summit between the US president and North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un. Not surprising, given this hotel’s reputation as a standout luxury property in a city noted for luxury properties.The hotel is the flagship of the Shangri-La group, actually made up of three distinct wings. The Tower Wing was the original Shangri-La Hotel. It opened in 1971 and underwent extensive renovations in 2017. The Garden Wing opened in 1978 and the Valley Wing in 1985.

WHERE IS IT? The Shangri-La Singapore’s website talks about being “where the city disappears,” and literally, that’s true. The three wings are nestled in a quiet 15-acre urban oasis a short walk from the trendy shops and energetic nightlife of Singapore’s upscale Orchard Road.

WHAT”S IT LIKE? Despite the Tower Wing’s refurbishment, the hotel seems to have resisted the temptation to reduce the scope of the lobby; indeed the redesign celebrates the massive space all done up in white columns that frame the stunning living wall that backs the Lobby Lounge bar. Although I had been a guest at the Shangri-La before, I must admit I was surprised – and impressed – with the new look of the Tower Wing lobby.

ROOMS The three wings of the hotel offer a total of 792 rooms and suites, including 503 in the Tower Wing. My Horizon Club Deluxe Room was over 400 square feet, and was clearly fresh off the recent remodel. The bay window wrapped around a large work desk, and the city views made the moments I spent working there quite agreeable. The king bed was exquisitely just-the-right-firmness, and the luxurious bathroom offered a soaker tub in one corner and a generous shower in the other, and L’Occitane Jasmine toiletries throughout.Being in an Horizon Club room meant access to the 24th floor club room with its buffet breakfast, evening cocktails and concierge services, plus a host of other amenities and perks. Frankly, in my free time, I tended to gravitate toward the spectacular views here.

FOOD AND DRINK The hotel offers a total of 11 food and beverage options, so mytime – and my waistline – unfortunately did not permit a comprehensive sampling. But everything I did try was first-class, as was the service everywhere. The Line in the Tower’s lower lobby is billed as an ‘international buffet,’ but the experience is really more a cultural and culinary treat. Other don’t-miss options include authentic heritage hawker fare and Peranakan favorites at The Lobby Lounge, the Japanese cuisine at Nadaman, Cantonese at Shang Palace and the weekend brunch Italian-style at The Waterfall.

MEETINGS The hotel offers over 60,000 square feet of meeting and event space across 18 function rooms and two expansive free-span ballrooms, plus beautiful outdoor venues and several more intimate indoor spaces for most purpose.

FITNESS The 24-hour health club overlooking the swimming pool, koi pond and waterfall has a range of equipment from free weights to treadmills. The hotel is also home to Singapore’s first CHI, The Spa. Here skilled therapists use natural products and authentic treatments to return you to a feeling of well-being and personal vitality.

VERDICT Singapore is a place where hospitality is a way of life, and the Shangri-La Singapore has seemingly captured that essential quality in every guest interaction. Add in this luxurious retreat-like setting in the midst of the city and there’s little else a business traveler could wish for.  

Dan Booth