Hotel Staycation Review: Sofitel Singapore City Centre – Simply Magnifique!

Sofitel Singapore City Centre is the newest jewel in Accor Hotels’ crown in Singapore – being its 13th hotel in the Lion City and the 800th Accor hotel in Asia Pacific. Looming over the historic shophouses of Tanjong Pagar, the property marks the further southern development of Singapore’s CBD. Tanjong Pagar has always been known as a commercial area but in recent years, high rises (including Singapore’s tallest), luxury hotels and some Grade A offices have been thrown into the mix.

I was fortunate to go for a staycation at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre a couple of times, the first time being two days before the hotel officially opened. 

A growing trend in newer Singapore hotels is to have the grand lobbies somewhere higher up the building and such is the case with the Sofitel Singapore City Centre. Guests essentially enter via a smaller lobby on the ground floor and are greeted with an impressive nine-meter chandelier designed by Lasvit. The actual lobby is on the 7th floor and upon reaching it, guests encounter the reception desk. My check-in procedure was smooth and I was offered a welcome drink upon arrival.

A separate set of elevators takes guests to the rooms and the short stroll to it gives one a short overview of the lobby bar, 1864. Named after the year Tanjong Pagar’s docking industry was founded, the venue offers quirks such as a champagne-sabering ritual. During my stay there, it was the general manager himself, Wouter De Graaf, who did the champagne sabering in front of guests.

Luxury Room

My room for this stay was the Luxury Room – Sofitel Singapore City Centre’s interpretation of the base-level room. It’s of sufficient size – at 38 square meters – making it at par with newer 5-star hotels. Sofitel’s French flair is evident with the elegant trappings inside the modestly-sized room – such as with the flamboyantly colored throw pillows that somehow seem to match the abstract painting by the wall. Furnishings are plush. The ottoman in front of the bed is convenient. Alternatively, guests can choose between the comfy armchair (my favorite spot in the room), the desk chair or the leather stool to sit on. But why sit when the immaculately set bed is calling. It was unbelievably fluffy and I could not help but doze off within minutes of lying down.

Some elements of the room were specially crafted for the Sofitel Singapore City Centre such as the cute and handy stationary box (it has a twin inside the bathroom) and the special leather container for the Nespresso coffee capsules. There were 4 capsules provided for the coffee machine though guests can always request for extra.

The room at Sofitel Singapore City Centre comes with a relatively modest minibar that can be customized depending on guests’ needs. By default, beverages offered include local drinks but a quick call can summon the hotel’s inhouse robot, Sophie, to deliver other beverages such as softdrinks and juices. It is also worth noting that rooms from the second category (i.e. Luxury Premium Room and above) get to have the non-alcoholic drinks and snacks inside the minibar on a complimentary basis.

Non-Apple users will find the Bose bluetooth speakers inside the room a welcome relief. Connection with my device was painless and the remote allowed for easy customizing of my music even in bed. Overseas guests will be delighted by the Handyphone found by the desk which allows for free calls (including overseas ones) and mobile internet connectivity while in Singapore.

Other in-room quirks include a coloring book which has an interesting concept. With pages lifted from scenes in Singapore, guests are invited to color on any page they wish. The condition though, is that one must not take home the coloring book in order for the next guest to continue on from where the previous guest left off. Guests who are not creatively inclined can also take a pick from a range of hardcopy books dealing with local topics – a crash course into Singapore life for foreign visitors.

The bathroom is equally delightful and luxurious. While the layout is standard with a bathtub on one side and separate toilet and shower areas on the other, it is the fixtures which add a special touch. All the toiletries for example, are neatly packed within three tiers in this cute box specially designed for the hotel.

The bathtub on the other hand comes with a stand which has nice little holders where you can secure a book as well as wine glasses (which are made in plastic for the purpose of safety in the bathtub!). It’s a thoughtful little feature for guests who just like to have a long soak while having a good read and enjoying a glass of champagne.

As with Sofitel properties elsewhere, the toiletries are from Lanvin, one of the most luxurious brands I’ve encountered in a hotel. It steps up to Hermes branded toiletries for higher category rooms.

Prestige Suite

During another stay at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre, I booked the Prestige Suite which offered 76 square meters of space, exactly double the area of the Luxury Room. At this size, the Prestige Suite is notably larger than entry-level suites in other Singapore properties. The layout is akin to a one-bedroom apartment, sans a kitchen. The living and dining area plus powder room occupy one half of the suite while the other half consist of the bedroom and bath. As with the other room types, the Prestige Suite is filled with bold accents and this can be seen through the throw pillows and paintings. 

Given that the size is similar to what 2 bedroom condo apartments are going for these days, I found the Prestige Suite to be quite spacious. I did note a wall-to-wall gap of almost 4 meters. If you watch TV in the living room, you’d find the 55-inch TV to be a good distance from you which is actually a refreshing change from the very narrow living areas I’ve seen elsewhere.

The width and length of the suite allows for a relatively good-sized dining set to fit here. The 4-seater table was at least 140cm, if not 160cm, so it’s just nice to fit the entire family or for hosting friends over. There are also additional storage spaces here, hidden behind a glass cabinet. 

Facilities

Most of the facilities of the Sofitel Singapore City Centre are located in Level 6. This is where you will find the in-house gym, the Club Millesime or Sofitel’s version of the club lounge, the swimming pool as well as a walkway that leads to Virgin Active Gym next door. For guests staying in Luxury Premium rooms (2nd category) and above, it is worth noting that entry to the Virgin Active gym is free while guests staying in the base-level rooms need to pay a small fee.

Update: With the current situation, access to the neighboring Virgin Active gym for guests staying in the premium rooms is temporarily suspended.

For short stays, I think the inhouse gym is sufficient. It comes with a few treadmills, exercise machines and free weights.

Where you’ll probably spend more time is at the picturesque swimming pool of the Sofitel Singapore City Centre. I absolutely love the three-tiered pool setup that ranges from a kids-friendly wading pool to the jacuzzi in the middle (with pretty strong massage jets) and finally, the proper lap pool. The lush vegetation surrounding the pool and the numerous lounge chairs and daybeds create a semi-resort feel.

Club Lounge

I managed to experience the Club Millesime of Sofitel Singapore City Centre during my second stay at the property roughly more than a year after my first. The setup seems to be highly oriented towards F&B, with an elaborate dining setup that includes a full set of cutlery, wine glasses and table napkins. I was told that the club lounge has its own kitchen as well – a departure from lounges elsewhere where the food is just brought up from the restaurant. This allows guests to savor genuine made-to-order breakfast items at the lounge.

I dropped by the club lounge during evening cocktails where I was greeted with one of the more elaborate evening set ups I have seen in Singapore. In case one is too lazy to head out, the food here is definitely more than enough to count as a proper dinner. I spotted no less than 3 hot items, including a carbohydrate dish, various cheese options, charcuterie and even dessert.

For convenience, here is the full list of benefits for the Club Millesime at Sofitel Singapore City Centre:

• Buffet breakfast from 6:30AM to 10:30AM on weekdays, up to 11AM on weekends
• A la carte breakfast after 11AM
• Refreshments from 11AM to 5PM
• Evening wine tasting / apero chic from 5PM to 7PM
• S$20 laudry credit daily (not cumulative)
• local telephone calls
• In-room mini bar on complimentary basis and replenished daily
• Shoeshine service upon request
• Access to Virgin Active Fitness Club (upon request)
• One hour usage of club meeting room per stay 

Breakfast at Racines

My stay at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre came with breakfast which is served at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Racines. Personally, it is probably my favorite spot in the hotel with its bright and airy design made possible with the floor-to-ceiling windows. I particularly loved the leading lines that accentuate the elegant look of the venue.

The breakfast spread at Racines is quite modest but the dishes offered are of a premium quality. Think sausages with Kurobuta pork, a honeycomb sitting alongside pastries as well as freshly-squeezed juices (there’s an orange squeezer in the beverage section).

Verdict

It has been a while since the last luxury 5-star hotel opened in Singapore and the Sofitel Singapore City Centre is probably one of the most elegant in the city today. It does so without being ostentatious – the refined furnishings and interiors exude class in a more practical way. Service was fantastic and I thought the staff were highly responsive – from the front desk down to the bell hop at the ground floor lobby who were proactive in asking me if I needed a car. What I like most though is the excellent value this property offers. The rates I am seeing right now for a base level room are slightly below S$300 before taxes – making it one of the most competitively-priced luxury hotels in the city. In fact, I am already planning my next stay there – primarily to check out how the club lounge offerings pan out. I can’t wait to be back.

Booking It

Sofitel Singapore City Centre’s rooms go for as low as S$251 net per night. You can book their staycation packages here.

Sofitel Singapore City Centre
9 Wallich Street, (Enter via Peck Seah Street), 078885
+65 6428 5000

Reservations: Check out special staycation offers HERE