Hotel Review: Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong – Cool Peranakan-Inspired Property In the East Coast

Opened in 2016, the Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is situated in the atmospheric East Coast of Singapore, away from traditional tourist centers of the city. Personally, I love the intricate Peranakan shophouses and independent eateries lining the streets of the neighbourhood – rendering it one of my favourites in the Lion City.

As of this writing, there are 8 IHG hotels in Singapore with the Intercontinental Singapore Robertson Quay set to be the 9th. The Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong was the only one I had not stayed in so I was really excited when the opportunity to check out the property came by.

The Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is situated in East Coast Road and within walking distance from several iconic eateries and heritage sites (I will be writing a more in-depth guide of Katong in a separate post).

Premier Room at Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong

My check-in was quick and easy, not to mention a bit more memorable than my other hotel stays. I was offered a welcome drink – iced latte using coffee from Common Man Coffee Roasters. I was also given a quick run through of the hotel’s design concept. There is an undeniable Peranakan theme running through the property which makes it quite a novelty among foreign guests. The Hotel Indigo Katong Singapore also attracts a strong local staycation crowd, especially among those seeking nostalgia and memories evoking a bygone era.

Breaking Down the 3 Room Types

There are 3 room types at Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong and my room for this particular stay was the Premier King Room which is one notch above the entry-level abodes. All rooms in the hotel – regardless of type – are similarly sized at 30 square meters and the nuances are more pronounced when looking at the in-room fittings. Compared to the entry-level (Deluxe) rooms, the Premier King has a coffee maker and complimentary turndown service is also available. Aside from that, you also get a nice view of the low-rise neighbourhood of Katong. In contrast, the highest category room which is the Premier Room w/ Bath has the exact same fittings as the normal Premier rooms but you get a tub as well as free breakfast and 3pm checkout for around SGD 20 to 30 more than the standard Premier Rooms per night.

There’s no denying the visual appeal of the room once you enter it. An art mural graces one side of the wall with a depiction of a traditional Singaporean hawker stall while intricate patterns give color to the throw pillows, carpet and even the sofa. It has to be noted that the rooms don’t have a conventional desk so if you need to get some work done, you’ll have to do it on the coffee table while sitting on the sofa.

As with the Holiday Inn Express Singapore Katong next door, the TV comes with smart capabilities, allowing guests to stream media from their devices remotely.

The room itself is filled with a number of memorabilia from 1960s and 1970s Singapore. You get jars of candy including the old-school White Rabbit for instance, while teacups with a rooster motif really brings a sense of nostalgia to the stay.

There is also a pair of Chinese clogs on the floor for display. Just don’t make the mistake of wearing them!

As an IHG Rewards Club elite member, I was given a fruit basket (placed inside a diminutive Chinese basket) and a couple of colorful cookies as welcome amenities.

The bathroom at Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong may not be intuitive to most people. The washing facilities are actually split into two and are situated in different parts of the room. The toilet and a faucet are situated at one end by the room entrance while the shower and main sink are located at the other end by the window. I personally did not mind the layout as most upscale hotels segregate the toilet from the bath areas anyway.

For the Premier Room without bath, you get a chair with foot spa facilities in one corner of the bathroom. The toiletries are nicely placed in an undeniably Peranakan washbasin with that “Good Morning” towel that most people who grew up in Chinese communities in Southeast Asia would easily recognize.

The bathroom is just as quirky as the rest of the room. Aside from the Peranakan tiles lining the floor and the walls, the main sink carries the design of a spinning wheel against an expansive mirror that serves to create a sense of space in the room.

Toiletries come from Biology, a skincare brand from Australia that specializes in manufacturing chemical-free products. I love how generous Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is in providing these to guests. I was replenished with a new set during turndown service despite not opening my original set.

A sliding door creates a sense of privacy in the other half of the bathroom that faces the window.

Facilities at Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong

Given Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong’s positioning as a boutique chain hotel, this is probably not the place where you’ll come to expect grand ballrooms or an in-house spa. However, the property does offer some pretty nifty extras for leisure travelers.

The rooftop infinity pool for instance, offers some sublime views of the neighborhood. The pool is probably one of the most attractive elements of the property and is usually pretty busy during weekends when the staycation crowd comes in. However, it was relatively empty during the weekdays when I stayed there.

Beside the pool is a modest gym. It has a set of free weights plus a couple of treadmills and some exercise machines.

Breakfast at Baba Chews

One of my favorite things about Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is the breakfast selection at Baba Chews. Aside from your standard breakfast buffet selection, I was amazed to also find an ala carte menu as I have the tendency to see this only in luxury hotels.

In keeping with the overall concept of the hotel, the ala carte menu features local dishes which rotate by the day. You can order as much as you want from the menu and during my stay, I tried the Chee Cheong Fun and Prawn Noodles. Both were very tasty and it was a bit of a departure for me to be eating these dishes in a chic setting such as Baba Chews.

Aside from the ever-changing local dishes in the menu, there is also a selection of western dishes as mainstays. You get a variety of eggs as well as perennial breakfast favorites such as waffles and pancakes.

Verdict

After staying at the Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong and completing all the IHG properties in the country, I will have to say that this is my favorite IHG property in Singapore. The whole “Indigo” proposition was well-executed and encompassed not only the highly attractive (and unique!) rooms but also the superior breakfast offering that is endearing to both local staycationers and foreign guests alike. This, coupled with a neighborhood oozing with character as its setting, makes it a compelling alternative to staying in the city center.

Tip: While I stayed at a Premier Room without bath, I would recommend booking a Premier Room with bath due to the added benefits. You get a bathtub, free breakfast for 2 and guaranteed 3pm checkout. For an additional SGD 20 to 30 per night over the Premier Room without bath and around SGD 50 more than the entry-level rooms, you do get good value with the extra benefits.

Address:
Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong
86 East Coast Road
Singapore 428788
+65 6723 7001

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