Review: Spend the weekend in town at the new Hilton Singapore Orchard

There’s been a little switcheroo with Hilton hotel here in Singapore. Apart from obvious fact that it has moved physically (the former building is now home to Voco Orchard Singapore) to sit above Mandarin Gallery, it has also undergone a massive facelift — which includes its name, Hilton Singapore Orchard.

The centrally-located property is currently the company’s largest hotel in Asia Pacific, complete with 1,080 rooms and suites for guests that are separated into two wings, the Mandarin Wing and the Orchard Wing.

“Hilton Singapore Orchard is a fantastic showcase of our flagship brand and places us in a strong position to usher in a new era of travel. Together with our partners at OUE Limited, we are confident that the hotel will be in a leading position to cater to the travel demand that we anticipate will come rapidly as global economies and travel networks reconnect. Hilton Singapore Orchard will truly be top of mind for both leisure and business guests as it delivers exceptional experiences supported by Hilton’s renowned hospitality,” shares Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton.

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If you’ve been to the locale when it was previously the Mandarin Orchard, you’ll be able to spot differences as soon as you step into its level five lobby. Here, the reception, with all its pared-back designs and chandelier, has shifted to the back where the Main Tower used to be. The area’s fashionable look includes a huge sofa in the middle that serves as a waiting area for guests. Here, you’ll spot Ginger.Lily, Hilton Singapore Orchard’s all-day dining restaurant that serves as bar and lounge area where guests can spend a lazy afternoon knocking back daytime tipples.

Read on to find out what our stay was like at the new Hilton Singapore Orchard:

The room

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The well-appointed King Premium City View Room that we managed catch some Zs at is a cosy 312-square-foot space that includes a long sofa which flowed seamlessly to a contemporary desk area.

Gone are the yellow-cream walls and dark brown furnishings too — in its place you’ll find botanical-inspired designs — similar to the rest of the hotel — as well as a sleek monochromatic colour palette for the modern traveller. The details of the redesigned space also reflects the location of the Hilton Singapore Orchard. Think mirrors with lights surrounding its frame that aid with picture taking, as well as an open-concept wardrobe that’s hidden behind the large TV-wall for you to hang all your new clothes.

Changes haven’t escaped the washroom either. The old-world, brown marble tiles have made way for the same colour palette as the room — sophisticated whites, greys and blacks — complete with Acca Kappa amenities in full-sized bottles attached to the walls to reduce single-use plastics and carbon footprint. All rooms come with a bathtub and a separate shower area, so be sure to bring along a bath bomb when you’re here. Or, just pop by Lush at Orchard Gateway since it’s only a five-minute walk from the hotel.

We have to mention that a small, consensual gripe that we had that night revolved around the ultra-soft pillows, but perhaps they were just something we weren’t used to.

Dining

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The main activity for most Singaporeans revolve around food, so we were pleased to find out that there were five dining establishments in Hilton Singapore Orchard to choose from while we were on a break.

Ginger.Lily, for instance, finds itself nestled in the heart of the hotel as a bar and lounge that serves everything from afternoon tea and artisanal cakes to craft cocktails and wellness-focused cuisine. The cocktails in particular, take cues from familiar ingredients you’ll find right here on our sunny island. Sambal is a bittersweet blend of sambal-spiced gin, sherry and Dry Curacao Strawberry Shrub Lemon, while those who prefer a floral touch will find themselves enjoying Jasmine, crafted with Vermouth, rum, pineapple pomelo juice Jasmine syrup, and soda.

As for breakfast and dinner, we headed to Estate, the hotel’s buffet locale. In the morning, guests can expect a range of dim sum classics, as well as items such as gluten-free pancakes, a cereal bar, an egg counter, and other crowd favourite breakfast items.

Our favourite spot? The juice counter located all the way at the end of the restaurant, where you can mix and match your favourite fruits and vegetables and have juiced for you on the spot. Dinner at Estate is a sumptuous affair too: highlights include the Truffle Roasted Duck, a selection of thick meat skewers and a delightful, comforting Peking duck consommé.

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Besides Estate and Ginger.Lily, guests can also choose to grab Singapore’s most expensive chicken rice at Chatterbox (read our review here), two Michelin-starred Sichuan dishes at Shisen Hanten, or at the soon-to-be-opened Osteria Mozza — all without leaving the hotel, mind you.

Those who prefer exploring the area already know the plethora of dining options around the Somerset area, including a 24-hour Don Don Donki at Orchard Central just a quick walk away for late night snack runs.

Other amenities

While the cosy-sized outdoor pool area isn’t the most scenic or the most Instagrammable one, nothing’s going to stop us from frolicking around the pool and tanning on one of the seven sun beds here for a change of routine.

Where we’re heading to for a bit or exercise, however, is the 24-hour gyms. You read that right, there’s more than one gym available for guests to use here. Located at the the Mandarin Wing and the Orchard Wing, both spacious gyms are fitted with a sizeable range of equipment so you won’t have to skip your fitness streak even whilst on vacation.

Hilton Singapore Orchard is located at 333 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238867.

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