Destinations

Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt – a rebranded hotel – is at the heart of some low-slung blocks part of historic Singapore. This new Mercure hotel, situated east of Little India and in one of Singapore’s today few districts with surviving older architecture, certainly caught our interest for reviewing. Heritage-focused hotels in Singapore that stand out from the rest are welcome ones – especially when located in these areas that still showcase colonial and often Peranakan culture and design.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s incredible investment in public transportation means that several new subway lines now offer stations nearby this accor hotel – Bendemeer MRT station being the closest one. Another way to get there is by bus from nearby Lavender station (green line, which connects to the airport). One can also take a bus from outside Raffles Hotel nearby City Hall, with a route going along Beach Road, followed by Kallang Road and Lavender Street.

The Aperia shopping mall is also nearby, as well as the City Square Mall on Kitchener road and the Indian department store Mustafa Centre (and these will be less crowded and touristy than along Orchard road). So there is lots to explore nearby and we will come back to that.

Heritage is practically also right next to the Mercure hotel, as it share the same block with an interesting-looking Buddhist temple named Thekchen Choling Singapore. There, one can observe worshipping individuals lighting scented sticks to fulfill their wishes.

Dining on the premises

And, situated along Tyrwhitt road, Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt has kept (on the ground floor) a couple of shop houses that are now “built in” as part of the hotel’s street front – housing ‘Tyrwhitt Little Café (TLC)’, that serves freshly-brewed coffee and tea, along with light bites and delicious desserts.

The hotel entrance drive-in is under roof and thus protected from potential rainfall.

Integrated with the lobby is also the ‘Applause on Tyrwhitt Bistro & Bar’, which serves hotel guests with breakfast. TLC and Applause have operators from outside. Applause – cosy and stylish – comes with touches of new-vintage in the interior. It has a square bar and bar stools with modern-vintage style along one side. The flooring is white inlaid tiles with what resembles brownish ceramic shards and pebbles.

The breakfast is decent and includes eggs, yoghurt, home-made Bircher muesli, bee hon rice noodles, salad and Indian cuisine; including sambar stew, dhal curry and paratha flatbreads. And don’t miss the superb local sliced cake Kueh Lapis!

Part of its food menu Applause offers real steaks – masterfully done and true to tradition. And responsibly sourced ingredients are juxtaposed with a splash of creativity in their cooking.

Also on the menu are starters like Truffle mushroom soup, Calamari rings, Garden salad, and Mussel & clam in white wine sauce with side of bread. Mains to savour include Lemon butter Norwegian salmon, Spaghetti aglio olio tiger prawn and Carribean jerk spring chicken. All the food can be paired with specially selected wines and spirits scoured from the world over. The curated wine list presents traditional vintages and “new age favourites”.

Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt offers loft rooms

Now let’s turn the attention to what the hotel has to offer, where there are some distinct features: a rooftop pool; balconies or terraces for some of the rooms; nice and ergonomic design; and with a neighbourhood that functions as a good entry point to discover Singapore’s heritage!

The hotel is surprisingly large too – 270 rooms – which it does not really feel like. The Classic, Twin, Double and Family options are all fully equipped with Smart TVs, desks, high-speed Wi-Fi, charging connections etc.

In addition there are Balcony rooms that also feature a picturesque veranda with a low-slung swing seat, while the Mercure Privilege Rooms include options with a private terrace and a Family configuration with two double beds and even a converted loft space.

One of the loft rooms has a staircase by the window leading up to a second bed – basically mounted on top of the bed below, which resembles a four-poster bed with a wooden ceiling which forms the loft roof. In another room configuration this four-poster elevated second bed instead stands next to the bed resting on four robust metal pillars. These are rather unique configurations!

Rooms offer modern interiors and floor-to-ceiling windows. Also welcome is this hotel’s commitment to reduce single-use plastics, all rooms are equipped with a premium filtered water dispenser.

Quality toiletries come in refill bottles from Elemental Herbology: Neroli and bergamot, including liquid soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner.

White walls are contrasted by interiors in black and brown, which include faux-wooden plank tiles, shelves, and a headboard with a striped pattern imitating wood. Above the bed is also a rectangular mirror to give a larger sense of space. There are also twin reading lights.

Elsewhere, there are shiny grey-white, as well as black tiles that resemble marble, veined with thin splashes of colour. The sink counter comes in a black pattern with a wall mirror.

The built in counter below the wall-mounted TV has a black-tinted glass top, functioning as work desk, coupled with a chair (non-ergonomic).

Floor-to-ceiling windows with slide doors can be covered with green-hued blackout curtains.

Guest quarters are also decorated with a corner ceiling lamp globe with a warm light.

Bed mattresses of high quality rests on black leather bed frames with silver-hued foots.

A really positive surprise is that the room comes with a balcony, including the cosy resort-style swing-seat – a feature not too common in city hotels, including Singapore.

Some units have garden terraces with plants and a frangipani tree, with also a garden sofa.

Looking out at the surroundings this is an area where the city is – still – less densely built with high-rise buildings, mostly consisting in apartment buildings and the occasional office tower.

Moving up to the rooftop there is an air-conditioned gym and an outdoor relaxation area. Bask in the sun on day beds or enjoy the city skyline after dark in the blue-mosaic lap pool, while children can play in a dedicated wading pool and fountain. At night the rooftop is also decorated with self-luminous globes in colours of white, green or blue.

Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt’s neighbourhood attractions

While this spool is rather small there is actually also a second option nearby the hotel: Jalan Besar Swimming Complex is a public swimming managed by Sport Singapore (on 100 Tyrwhitt Road) at a minor charge: weekdays SGD 1.30, weekends SGD 1.70!

As appropriately recommended by the hotel Mercure Singapore Tyrwhitt we also dig into the neighbourhood’s true café-hopping opportunity

For barista aficionados there is – to begin with – ASYLUM Coffeehouse holds its own ‘Coffee salon Sessions’ and serves up its very own Espresso blend, ‘Keluak’, which has dominant chocolate, nutty and earthy notes. Keluak pays homage to the founder’s (Stuart Wee) Peranakan heritage and his childhood favourite dish Buah Keluak. It is nestled in an iconic blue and red heritage shophouse along Jalan Besar, presenting a home away from home vibe.

Working exclusively with Cofinet Colombia, this café is able to curate a list of the most interesting coffees that utilise innovative processing methods to achieve extraordinary tasting notes and flavour profiles.

Moving on to Hamilton road, there is also a branch from the excellent Brawns & Brains Coffee (back in 2018 they debuted a branch out in Katong as well – along the road home to many Peranakan houses). One of the specialties is Finnish cinnamon buns, (Korvapuusti), along with sourdough flatbreads and handcrafted Babka loaves. You can also enjoy natural wines there.

On the same road is also La Levain – an artisanal bakery café, a baking journey and “an experience created out of experiences amassed along the way” by Chef Wythe Ng who has amassed innovative baking experiences – reflected in the various artisanal breads and scones, and croissants and Viennnoiseries. The selection of pastries is designed to create an experiential journey, one of indulgence in French classics and more baked treats.

Worth mentioning is also Two Bakers on Horne road, which pays homage to the culture, heritage and roots of Singapore. Singapore’s diverse, rich, and vibrant local flavours, reflecting the country’s melting pot of cultures and cuisines, was the inspiration for the latest dessert menu. Think pastries with a nostalgic tea time focus. There is lso twist on each dessert, using sophisticated French culinary techniques. Two Bakers is a café with food menu with brunch dishes and mains.

So what are you waiting for!? There are lots to explore, with his resort-style downtown hotel as base in a heritage-neighbourhood that lends lots of discoveries to those who are curious.