A luxurious weekend in Singapore – yet off the beaten track

Australian-Singaporean architecture firm WOHA is behind the sympathetic refurbishment of the original building, having re-used the almost 100-year-old termite-resistant Chengal wood floorboards and beams throughout the building in the furniture, reception desk, lobby floor and railings.

The additional modern rear annex, which is unnoticeable from the street, has been cleverly designed to allow light and air to flow into each room and has a mid-level garden terrace and pool.

On the ground floor is Kee’s, a slick all-day bistro and bar run by Michelin-starred chef Andrew Walsh. This is also where the well-considered buffet breakfast is served. There’s a mix of European and Asian offerings, such as Scandinavian-style cheese and meat platters, fresh drinking coconuts and seasonal fruit as well as the classic Singaporean dish of Kaya toast.

The staff at 21 Carpenter are friendly and personable, and given its small size, you don’t feel like you’re just a room number.

“Often when you’re travelling for work, it can be really lonely, and there’s that sort of feeling at the end of the day, back at your hotel room, when you’re all alone and tired, and you think ‘I just want to go home,’” says WOHA’s Australian co-founder, Richard Hassell.

Hassell tapped into this “feeling of nostalgia for home” by inscribing excerpts from actual letters sent home by Chinese migrants, found in Singapore’s National Archives, on the aluminium screen that encases the building.

These plantation workers tended to be illiterate, so they would engage one of the many classically trained letter writers in Chinatown to poetically convey their feelings onto paper. Guests will find 22 of these poetic phrases, like ‘waiting for the homebound wind’ or ‘looking at the sea, the ship is leaving’ hidden throughout the building.

It’s not just the hotel itself that exudes charm – its location offers a welcome change of pace in a low-key but authentic neighbourhood that’s a world away from the high-rise shopping and hotel district of Orchard Road or touristy hotspot of Marina Bay.

On the cusp of Chinatown and Clarke Quay, it’s an easy, pleasant stroll to the Singapore River, with a host of grand neoclassical civic buildings on one side and a row of colourful shopfronts-turned-bars and restaurants lining the other.

Unlike the frenetic pace of Orchard Road, Boat Quay (during the day, at least) is relatively empty, albeit for a few residents whizzing past on their bikes at lunchtime and the sporadic passerby taking in the view from the tree-shaded benches along the promenade.

At the Asian Civilisations Museum, there’s a low-key café with outdoor seating and a great view – where I stop to look for otters that are known to float by clutching a fish snack in their fists. No luck this time.

The National Gallery Singapore – an amalgamation of the City Hall and Supreme Court buildings with the addition of dramatic contemporary elements – is just around the corner and also well worth a visit, not just for the striking architecture but also the world’s largest public collection of Southeast Asian modern art.

A trip to Singapore wouldn’t be complete without a spot of afternoon tea and some people watching – and in this case, the five-star Fullerton, which is just across the river, fits the bill. In the atrium you can order a three-tiered tray with sandwiches and pastries and then take in the magnitude of the former municipal office complex, which was built in 1924, used as a makeshift hospital during World War II, and transformed into a luxury hotel after an extensive renovation in 2000.

I’m struggling to finish my piece of cake and tea, but given I have one last meal left in Singapore, I start to turn my attention to dinner. I’m leaning towards satay at Lau Pa Sat, an open-air Hawker Centre, in one of Singapore’s oldest (Victorian-era) buildings.

But before I can even contemplate eating another thing, I head back to my hotel’s rooftop pool to cool off and watch the sunset from what must be one of the best vantage points in the city.

Top neighbourhood tips

Architect Richard Hassell moved to Singapore after he graduated from university in Perth in 1989. After five years’ working for Kerry Hill, the pre-eminent Australian architect known for his tropical resort-style architecture, Hassell co-founded WOHA with Mun Summ Wong.

He is no stranger to the areas of Boat Quay and Chinatown, given WOHA’s offices are just around the corner from 21 Carpenter. He loves the neighbourhood because it feels more authentic and charming compared with other, more gentrified, parts of Singapore.

“When we moved into our street, it was still full of spice traders. And there are about three of them left,” he says. “Quite often you walk down the street, and you get a burst of the fragrance of cloves.

“It makes you think about how Singapore was – and still is – a trading port where all the Southeast Asian goods were brought to Singapore and then distributed to the rest of the world.”

Hassell shares some of his favourite spots, including cafés, restaurants, galleries and parks, that are all within a short walk of 21 Carpenter, on the interactive map below (hover over the icons to read more detail).

Elevated dining

From April, those flying premium economy will benefit from Singapore Airlines’ revamped dining experience.

Under the guidance of Australian chef Antony McNeil, the airline’s global director of food and beverage, a fresh menu has been concocted with 175 new main courses available globally.

After two years of focus groups, customer feedback and meal development, it’s the first significant update to premium economy since SIA debuted the cabin class in 2015.

For those travelling to and from Australia, new dishes include bak chor mee (minced pork noodles), and a Thai-style crab curry. New appetisers include garlic roasted prawns with smoked aioli and patatas bravas (Spanish fried potatoes), broccoli salad with hot smoked salmon, and seasonal variations of Japanese cold noodles with soba sauce.

The presentation has also improved. Food is no longer served in plastic containers but comes in reusable stone-glazed porcelain on a white tablecloth, and the size of the servings has increased too – by 33 per cent for mains and 28 per cent for appetisers.

Customers can also pre-select their main course up to 24 hours before departure, with a more expansive Book the Cook menu that features 20 dishes.

New meals include slow-braised lamb ragout, sake teriyaki, and plant-based mushroom eggplant meatballs. Charles de Cazanove Brut Tradition NV champagne has also been added to the drinks’ menu, and is offered after take-off.

Return premium economy seats are about $2921 (flying in early May).

The writer was a guest of Singapore Airlines and 21 Carpenter.