Hotel Bars

Parkroyal on Beach Road hotel review: The Parkroyal brand by Pan Pacific hotel group has a long and strong presence in Singapore, with multiple properties, and now also the Parkroyal COLLECTION as a recent brand addition.

Their Beach Road property is a one the hotel’s from the brand and that has stood the test of time. It has also been refurbished as Happy Hour Asia returns to explore what has been accomplished. The previous visit was back in 2008, in fact during the inaugural Formal 1 event in Singapore which caused such a buzz.

This Parkroyal has a great downtown location, with the retail and entertainment destination Suntec City nearby, as well as Bugis Town – described as a “vibrant lifestyle destination packed with endless food offerings, affordable luxuries, trendiest looks and fun entertainment all set in the heart of the culture rich Bugis precinct”. Bugis is great for bargains on fashion and lots of dining choices

Even closure to shore one finds the Kampong Glam district (which the hotel is part of), centred on busy Arab Street, and known as Singapore’s Muslim Quarter. Its 19th-century shophouses have been turned into stores selling textiles and casual restaurants. Along North Bridge Road one can find some of the best Indian Muslim restaurants in town (there are at least four of them). There is also the well-known ‘fika Swedish Cafe & Bistro’ – a halal restaurant serving Swedish cuisine right on Beach road, where, opposite the Parkroyal, there are also many new design oriented and trendy cafes, restaurants and waterholes. On Bussorah Street the ‘konditori artisan bakes by fika’ bakery can also be found, with awesome cakes and pastries. Textile stores are also found in abundance in this area. The golden domed Sultan Mosque and the Malay Heritage Centre are cultural sites of interest.

Parkroyal on Beach Road: praiseworthy design

Parkroyal on Beach Road, built back in 1971, is newly refurbished (2018) and is characteristic as a more resort-looking hotel: low-rise (while flanked by a few high-rise office buildings) and slightly bended it has a lush garden at its front and an own driveway. A large pool sits on a rooftop at the backside of the building, along with a spa.

And within the hotel there are praiseworthy elements, in particular the fabulous rooms, a hidden gem of a cocktail bar, as well as a club lounge feature!

Alert doormen are at hand to assist arrivals and check-outs, with a concierge desk right inside the glass door entrance. The beautiful low-rise lobby has floral and feminine design touches – in its entirety with a living room feel. Three reception desks come in rose-red with golden rims and white marble tops, with a vintage-style designer lamp standing on top of each. Wooden shelves along the wall behind are furnished with decorative items such as vases.

Moving on to the guest quarters – wow, here we have a magnificently-looking room, where the interior designers have had an eye for the details and discerning taste! The tile floor, meanwhile, has a textile-like geometrical pattern. In the middle is a 360-degree light brown, upholstered sofa with fresh flower vases at its centre, and encircled by a colourful, round floral carpet. Elsewhere, there are green-hued floral designer armchairs.

Every detail in room is bespoke and tasteful, with a marble bathroom, a bespoke leather-padded head board and a stylish sofa! The shining brown head board in fact resembles a sofa headboard, while the cut marble tops have curved corners. And the equally beautiful wooden floor consists in cherry rectangular pieces.

The bespoke creamy-white wallpaper has a rectangular grid pattern that reveals itself in reflecting light (and looks more beige when using warm room lights). Certain sections closer to the window there is different in wine red and brown wallpaper – separated with a tinted mirror with latticework style pattern, and close to the window another bespoke wallpaper pattern

The bathroom – which has a frosted glass in the corner to the bedroom and the same – patterned – glass to the shower cabin, is clad in two types of marble for floors and walls. The sink counter has a white-beige veined marble, while the other is grey veined, all in all forming a luxurious interior. The ceiling lamp is black, with a double golden edge. And oval white bathtub sits next to sink.

Toiletries are from the Australian brand Appelles Apothecary & Lab. The aromatherapy wheat protein shampoo contains blue mallee (eucalyptus from south-eastern Australia) and lemongrass. A welcome sustainability feature is that the bathroom also has a drinking water tap installed!

The lamps in the room are another stand-out: bedside there is a white round designer lamp, while floor lamp with golden metal and a beige lampshade stands in a corner – both with a magnificent modern interpretation of vintage.

Guests will find a large flat TV in its right place: wall-mounted opposite the bed. The built in mini-bar counter has brownish wood and white-veined marble top. The in-room tea selecton is from Dilmah.

A lovely, beige velour designer sofa that functions as a comfy place for conducting work, eating, drinking coffee or reading faces the room near the window slide door, paired with a cut marble top table.

On the table, find the guest welcome plate with local Asian pastries, macaroons, and fresh strawberry! Also presented are two paper gift boxes, including mini cookies.

The windows have a cappuccino see-through window curtain and a light brown blackout curtain. On left and right of the windows (same design as in the room corridors) there is also brass latticework – which just adds further harmony to the room’s luxurious design.

Lastly, find a private semi-shaded balcony, with black flooring, two chairs and table, and a mini garden with plants.

Spending time on the terrace and in this stunning delight of a room is a pleasure!

Club lounge experience at Parkroyal on Beach Road

Continuing with the Parkroyal Club, this modern lounge faces beach road and serves evening hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, beer and wine for two hours – popular among tourists as well as those travelling for business.

Its design comes with beige-grey wallpaper, brownish walls and built-in furniture made of wood. Behind food counter there is a mosaic white-tiled wall. Upholstered Chairs have a dark brown, while there also some beige designer armchairs, in a bright marble floor section. Elsewhere, the vivid carpet comes in a stripes mix of black, beige and other hues. Small pink lamps are place on the tables.

There are also glass-encased artefacts.

Enjoyable white wines served are Somerton Sauvignon Blanc, Australia; and Reservado, Chardonnay, Chile. Among the assorted cheese are brie, Monterey Jack, Colbuy Jack – nice to combine with dried and fresh fruits such as dried mango; roasted cashew nuts; roasted almond and Doritos tortilla chips; sliced black olives; cherry tomatoes; and chick peas.

Hot dishes include meatballs in tomato gravy and squash, crispy fish and Tater tots (grated potatoes) with parmesan cheese.

Discerning dining and drinking at Parkroyal on Beach Road

The ground floor also house all-day restaurant Ginger and Club 5. Ginger celebrates diverse ethnicity and food cultures in Singapore, with the best of local dishes prepared by Executive Chef Vincent Aw and his team.

Ginger also has a somewhat feminine feel, given its pastel mint-green and pink designer wooden armchairs, and blonde wood square tables, and with vivid floral wallpapers and a similar pattern on some of the seating. By the windows there are also some semi-circle sofas. Also, oversized tropical plants, combined with colonial style ceiling fans made with textile convey a sense of the tropics.

On the breakfast buffet the warm porridge with home-made jam and fresh fruit was winner!

Asean delights included Fried Bee Hon, Nasi Lemak, Mee Siam live station, Sashimi (seafood bar). Also served: Chilled saba, baked cauliflower and Carrot cake and more.

Last but not least, Club 5 is an understated and hidden gem – raising the bar as a hotel bar, so to speak. It’s a wow venue to enter, opening at 4 pm and open to 2:00 am Friday, Sat, and Eve of Public Holiday (closing midnight on other days).

The exciting vibrant interior has cobalt blue as one of the main colours: for the luxury bar stools, wall panels, the stucco ceiling and as part of the wall paintings (which resembles Picasso art).

The oval ceiling lamps are striking; made with brass and round transparent glass lights, looking vintage and resembling something one would see in an old workshop – but more bespoke.

In the similar style there is a row of colonial-style lamp globes with bronze/brass metal, mounted on top of the high-back black sofa along the window wall (where the bar is a bit sunken from the outside ground). Small vintage metal table lamps are also part of the décor.

Other furniture includes designer armchairs – some upholstered beige – and black square wooden tables with brass edges.

And the real centre of attention is the bar itself, where the bar counter wall and the floor consists in intriguing inlaid marble with a white-and-grey mosaic with golden stripes! And those high bar armchairs – with thin golden legs and velour padding – are to die for! The visit here becomes an enticing teaser and one wants to return for more, and experience its late night vibe. Spirits are displayed on arched golden shelves.

The bartender first offers a refreshing drink: a Turkish cup of tea infused with herbs, while the intriguing bar menu is studied.

Two recommended cocktails to try here reflects how one get a taste of Singapore: Merchant’s Old Fashioned – with Club 5 spiced rum, dry curaçao, burnt orange, vanilla and aromatic bitters (spices heavily traded in Singapore); and Nasi Lemargarita – inspired by popular local breakfast Nasi Lemak! Its ingredients: Coconut tequila, citrus, aromatic pandan, dry Curaçao, cucumber, Ikan bilis (dried anchovies!) and peanuts.

On the menu is also ‘Travel Around the World’ cocktails to explore, so that people from other countries can look for something familiar to them, and yet get an intriguing bartender interpretation!

Here we have Singapore, in a nutshell, a global hub where the rest of the world never feels far away.