Hotel Review: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore (One Bedroom Apartment at La Residenza Wing)

One of Singapore’s most recognizable hotels, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is known for its iconic location just next to the river and a stone’s throw away from what used to be the country’s hottest nightclub – Zouk. Many Singaporeans of a certain age would have memories checking in to the hotel on a hastily planned staycation after a late night or hailing a taxi from the hotel’s lobby. While that night club is no more, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is as relevant as ever especially after it completed a renovation of its public spaces and selected rooms in 2016.

Most folks who have stayed at the property previously are probably familiar with the hotel proposition. Not many know that the hotel also has a serviced apartment concept called La Residenza which is at a floor to itself (5th level) along with the gym. Unlike traditional serviced lodging concepts however, guests are able to book the apartments here even for stays as short as a night. During a recent weekend, I managed to check out the La Residenza Wing of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore.

During this particular stay, I was billeted at a One-Bedroom Apartment. Having stayed at the hotel proper of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore, the difference with the serviced apartment proposition was palpable upon my first entry into the room. The apartment carried a soothing white theme. At roughly 55 square meters, the one bedroom apartment is significantly more spacious than the hotel’s usual rooms. It comes with a living area, dining set and plenty of cabinets housing kitchen and cleaning appliances. Objects such as the refrigerator and washing machine are hidden behind the cabinets so that they don’t disrupt the overall clean and whitish theme of the apartment.

The bedroom has a TV of its own and is separated from the living spaces via a sliding door. The work desk is likewise found here and there is even a Handyphone which allows for free mobile data and calls while in Singapore. While this is helpful for the usual hotel guests, I’d imagine that it would be invaluable to the long-stayer.

My favorite part of the room is the bathroom with its soothing white marble tiles. The washroom here is actually made up of two partitions – the first being the toilet and a sink and the second with the shower, tub and another sink. This setup is especially helpful if you are staying with friends for instance. One can do his own business while another showers. Toiletries are from the inhouse brand.

Club Lounge at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore

Guests staying at the La Residenza Wing don’t automatically have access to the club lounge of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore but this can be added at just S$50 per person per night.

During my stay, I also checked out the club lounge of the hotel which is located in the upper floors. The club lounge includes a number of benefits such as breakfast and evening cocktails. I dropped by in the evening and spotted a number of cold and hot items. There were even sushi rolls on offer while the hot items could very well do as a light dinner.

The best thing about the lounge? The high ceiling and the views of the Singapore River snaking its way towards the CBD are two of the best things about the space. 

Included with my stay were complimentary tickets to the Singapore River Safari care of the Toureast lounge which is conveniently located within the hotel premises. Various tours, including those to Sentosa or even heritage tours around Katong and Singapore’s ethnic quarters, can be booked through them. For my Singapore River Safari trip, bus transfers and the service of a guide were included as well. I was given roughly 2 hours to explore within the Singapore River Safari premises which I thought was more than enough to see the place.

Grissini, which is located at the ground level of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore, is the hotel’s flagship dining venue. It is helmed by Mirko Vinci who hails from Southern Italy. The cuisine is a showcase of Mediterranean flavors with plenty of seafood on offer. For meat lovers, the steaks and lamb are also worth trying.

Food Capital is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. It seems to be always full due to its well-priced buffet and the availability of deals at almost any given point in time. This is also where breakfast is served though it can get rather busy in the mornings. I have stayed at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore twice now and always find it a bit difficult to get a table in the mornings. Your best bet to dine in relative serenity is before 8AM.

Verdict

For a  serviced apartment concept, the La Residenza Wing of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is pricing somewhere in the middle. It should be noted that a one bedroom apartment here is also a bit bigger so that may explain the price difference plus this property has the advantage of being a true hotel with daily breakfast and housekeeping. Compared to my previous stay in the normal rooms, this apartment stay gave me a whole new perspective into what the property can offer.  I certainly liked what I saw.