Wayfarer exclusive: inside the stylish Hilton Singapore Orchard hotel
My favourite thing about Hilton Singapore Orchard is the team and the camaraderie between team members – often going the extra mile to look after each other and our esteemed guests, especially in this large 1,080-room hotel.
It’s undeniable that a great team makes a great Hotel. People aside, I do enjoy the hotel’s strategic location which is in the heart of Orchard Road, Singapore’s premier entertainment and shopping district that is only a 25-minute drive from the Airport.
Our strong design narrative is something that I find myself enjoy sharing when we have guests all over the world. ‘The Orchard Trail’ design concept stems from the roots of our location, Orchard Road. It used to be a plantation in the olden days.
Drawing back to that history, we took those elements to weave it in our botanical-inspired rooms and 16 versatile meeting spaces, and even through to our award-winning F&B establishments which all has a rich design story-telling.
We have 1,080 rooms in Hilton Singapore Orchard, Hilton’s flagship and the largest property in Asia Pacific.
Our rooms take on the same overarching design narrative that story-tells the narrative ‘The Orchard Trail’ and how Orchard used to be a plantation before its revamp to the vibrant precinct we all come to love.
We have incorporated botanical-inspired elements from the headboard, painting to carpets within the rooms, and adopt colours like forest green and neutral tones to pair with wooden elements that pay homage to the landscape and plantation past.
The second layer of the design inspiration is based on the idea of Orchard Road being a fashion and retail belt.
To exemplify this, guests will notice elements of retail like an open-concept wardrobe and dresser that they can use to showcase their clothes and fashion hauls instead of hiding them in the closet after a day of shopping.
Strategically located mirrors and lighting are also in place, so that they take photos of themselves to appreciate their hauls.
The bathroom for instance has reflective dark green walls inspired by fashion retail stores to give a perception of luxury and space.
Located in the heart of Orchard, our room views are spectacular – those on the higher floors will be treated to a sweeping view of the Marina Bay area with iconic landmarks in sight on one side, and on the other side, Orchard Road views are also amazing in its own right.
We’re proud to position ourselves as a dining destination with our award-winning food and beverage establishments that cater to every palate.
Estate, our all-day buffet restaurant featuring elevated international and regional flavours, Ginger.Lily, our botanical lobby lounge and bar serves up elegant afternoon tea, artisanal cakes, and craft cocktails, Osteria Mozza, our famed Californian-Italian restaurant from Los Angeles with a MICHELIN star helmed by celebrity chef Nancy Silverton, Shisen Hanten, another
MICHELIN-starred restaurant serving quality Szechuan cuisine, and Chatterbox, a heritage brand that dishes up local favourites and known for their Hainanese Chicken Rice. There’s truly something for everyone.
I believe that the people makes the place. That is why I’ve introduced “ONETeam”; a Family Culture which I encouraged my team to embrace alongside me.
The culture focuses on nine core elements, including: open communication, respect, being the best, make commitments and keeping them, embrace flexibility, leading by example, drive for success, trust one another and acting with humility and authenticity.
Each of the nine boxes reflect a key focus which outlines the core of what we do every day.
I firmly believe in the trickle-down effect that good leadership starts at the top. In the same fashion that Hilton’s corporate leadership has continuously strive to create a welcoming, diverse and inclusive environment in and outside of the workplace, I too strive to lead by example within Hilton Singapore Orchard and inspire our team to go above and beyond to exceed our guests’ expectations while taking a humble, genuine and warm approach to hospitality.
Given the competitive nature of the Hospitality industry, having a strong loyalty program like Hilton Honors is vital to the long-term success of our network of hotels, including Hilton Singapore Orchard.
We have now more than 200 million Hilton Honors members globally and a large percentage of our guests is driven through the loyalty to Hilton Honors, encouraging return guests and stays.
The program is well-positioned and always looking to reward our esteemed members – from complimentary room upgrades, preferential check-in experiences, early check-in and late check-out to exclusive access to our Executive Lounge for our Diamond guests.
The convenience and ease of the program also means that the guest benefits from many industry-leading enhancements to improve guest experiences from streamlined booking process to automatic upgrades, Digital Key, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms.
All of these improve our guest satisfaction and loyalty. Not forgetting that Honors members can also receive points for Meetings, Events and Weddings booked at the hotel. Whether you are here on Business or Leisure, there is always a good reason to belong to our Hilton Honors family.
For me, there’s no better way to bond than over food. Here in Orchard Road, there is a myriad of dining options and experiences from the local hawker fare to fine-dining MICHELIN-starred restaurants that cater to the budget of every traveler.
Beyond food, I enjoy spending time with friends and family at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is also a 10-minute drive away from the Hotel and Orchard Road – a good way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and also relaxing by another popular local attraction; Sentosa’s beach clubs.
Those who enjoy shopping will love to be where Hilton Singapore Orchard is located with a long stretch of luxury and upscale iconic shopping malls within walking distance.
Wayfarer recommends flying to Singapore in Business Class on Singapore Airlines, which offers daily flights to city from over 130 destinations around the globe.
Singapore Airlines operates several aircraft types to Singapore, including the Boeing 777-300ER, the Airbus A350-900 and the Airbus A380-800.
On the B777 and A350, the signature Business Class seats offer two new seating positions, the Lazy Z, a cradling position that ensures your weight is centered and balanced when you’re sitting down, and the Sundeck, a lounging position that extends the base and foot of your seat so you can stretch and rest your legs on the ottoman.
On flights to Singapore, you can ‘Book the Cook’ and reserve your main course up to 24 hours before you fly, including creations by notable chefs from the carrier’s International Culinary Panel. You’ll dine in restaurant setting onboard with full table service, and wines to match the food and altitude.
There’s free WiFi available for Business, First and Suites customers and alongside fantastic food, hospitality and comfort, find thousands’ of hours entertainment on demand including new-release movies, TV shows, music, games and more.
Book your Singapore Airlines flights now at singaporeair.com