M Social Singapore possesses an unmistakable appeal that has attracted a relatively young (and local) clientele since it opened in 2016. Its main draw are the loft-style rooms which create a unique atmosphere in this space-deprived city. Loft-style rooms are actually not a new concept when M Social Singapore opened. It was pioneered by another hotel within the Millennium Group, the Studio M Hotel also in Robertson Quay. What M Social Singapore did however was to take the loft concept one step further by bringing in Philippe Starck to make this property a design-driven hotel.
m social singapore entrance
The thought that this isn’t your conventional hotel becomes apparent as one pulls up the driveway and enter the hotel. One is greeted by Aura, the robot who delivers supplies to guests and guides them to Beast & Butterflies for breakfast. There is no dearth of seating space and it’s all neatly arranged in a row as a communal high chair setup.
Tip: As of the 2020 “situation”, M Social Singapore has become one of the more popular staycation options in Singapore with registration actually occurring outside the main entrance. Queues regularly form during check-in from 3PM to 4PM especially for weekend stays so it’s best to arrive around 30 minutes before check-in time to take into account of the wait.
lobby of m social singapore
Table of Contents
Loft Gallery Room
M Social Singapore is not a relatively high-rise hotel with just ten floors. The 9th floor room that I stayed at is a Loft Gallery, the entry-level among the three types of loft rooms the hotel has. As the name suggests, the room is spread over two floors and measures 22 square meters. Designer furniture, usage of stainless steel coupled with dark wooden frames and a semi-industrial wall finishing suggest an upmarket effort targeting the younger crowd.
loft gallery room – m social singapore
loft gallery room at m social singapore
The focal point of the room is undoubtedly the bed – queen-sized with a shiny bedside table on one side to complement it. The pillows here are notably soft and and thin. If you prefer the fluffy type, you may want to request for extra.
bathroom – m social singapore
The bathroom here is divided between the enclosure which houses the toilet and the showers and the sink which is then located in the same space as the bed. To maximize the usage of space; the sink, fridge and a modest cabinet are all situated under the stairs.
toiletries at m social singapore
Toiletries are from C.O. Bigelow and the hotel has made a thoughtful effort to include color-coded cups – a convenience in case it’s difficult to figure out which one your partner has already used.
Update: After doing another stay in 2020, I found that M Social Singapore now uses generic Millennium Hotels toiletries.
nespresso machine at m social singapore
A Nespresso machine is also included along with a number of coffee capsules. Complimentary tea from Dilmah is made available as well as 2 bottles of mineral water. As with many modern hotels these days, the rooms at M Social Singapore do not come with a minibar. The nearest 7-11 is only a short walk away along the river.
upstairs section of the loft gallery room at m social singapore
The room is 5 meters high which allows guests to stand upright even while at the upper level – this is in contrast to other loft room concepts such as in Mercure Singapore Bugis for instance where the upper level is only for lying down or sitting. Upstairs, one finds the couch as well as a proper work desk and chair. The television (located at the upper level) has screen mirroring capabilities and suits those who wish to screen their own programmes instead.
Loft Premier Room
loft premier room – m social singapore
loft premier room – m social singapore
loft premier room – m social singapore
During a more recent staycation at M Social Singapore, I checked out the Loft Premier Room. The main difference between this room category and the Loft Gallery Room is that for the Loft Premier Room, the bed is located at the upper level while it’s located at the lower level for the Loft Gallery Room. Both room categories are highly sought after so it really depends on one’s personal preference.
loft premier room – m social singapore
Having stayed in both the Loft Gallery Room and Loft Premier Room, I would have to say that the Loft Premier Room is my preferred room type. In my opinion, the layout of the Loft Premier is more well-suited to one’s daily routine. Living and working areas are both in the lower level, with the need to climb to the upper level only occurring during bedtime. The bed area is relatively modest in size but like the hotel’s other lofts, the upper level is high enough for a person of regular height to stand on. Beside the bed is a small holder to store phones as well as power outlets so that guests don’t need to leave their phones at the living area “downstairs”.
As you can see from the photos, one side of the room has a full-length tinted mirror spanning the entire wall. This is a feature found in all of their rooms – from entry-level Alcove Cozy up to the lofts. This serves to create a sense of space, as well as provide a bit of a thrill for couples coming in for a romantic staycation.
Facilities
swimming pool of m social singapore
Given its boutique hotel concept, M Social Singapore does not have the same number of facilities as the gargantuan hotels but you will find most of the recreational ones here including a swimming pool and a modest gym. Both are situated at the same level and offer views of the surrounding high rise condos around Robertson Quay.
gym – m social singapore
Owing to the current situation, advance booking is necessary for both gym and pool. It is advisable to book a time immediately when you check-in as slots are limited
Activities
cocktail making class at m social singapore
Another reason why M Social Singapore has become quite popular for staycations during phase 2 is their bundling of room stays with activities. Now that Singapore residents are unable to travel overseas, a lot of them are looking for ideas on things to do during their vacation days. M Social Singapore bundles their room stays with either a perfume-making class or cocktail-making class. During my stay, I tried the cocktail-making class.
Even though there is a small premium to pay for these classes, the sign-up rate is actually quite high. Beast and Butterflies’ bartender, Vlad, told me they actually run several sessions over the weekend and an acquaintance of mine who went for the perfume making class told me his was just one among multiple sessions.
Truth be told, the cocktail making session was actually quite fun. I don’t really drink cocktails often due to the high sugar content but I had a good time learning about the kinds of ingredients that would suit various types of alcoholic beverages as well as the tools needed to concoct one. At the end of my class, participants were also gifted with a cocktail shaker (1 for each room).
Breakfast
M Social Singapore has an interesting breakfast concept which deviates from your run-of-the-mill hotels. This becomes palpable the moment you take the lift down to the ground level and find Aura, the inhouse robot waiting by the lobby to escort guests to Beast and Butterflies.
robot preparing my eggs at m social singapore
The actual breakfast buffet is no less futuristic. Among the nifty features – the preparation of eggs is done by a robot made in Singapore. You can ask it to prepare a sunny side up or an omelette. I’m not much of a fried eggs person but I just had to order one from the robot to see it in action.
breakfast at m social singapore
The buffet is a run through of what most Singaporeans would eat for their morning meal. You’ll find the likes of radish cake, noodles, Nyonya kueh and dumplings sitting alongside bacons and hash browns.
a la carte buffet breakfast at m social singapore
As of 2020, the property has temporarily done away with the robot egg maker due to current limitations when it comes to buffets. Like in other hotels, the breakfast buffet at M Social Singapore is now done on an a la carte basis. Guests order from the breakfast menu which has options like Continental Breakfast, American Breakfast and Asian Breakfast. These are all priced on a per plate basis for outside / walk-in guests but inhouse guests can order as much as they want. You can view M Social Singapore’s breakfast menu here.
Verdict
M Social Singapore has been around for only a few years but has achieved a level of awareness that seem to belie its size. Before actually staying here, I’ve known a few friends and acquaintances who have come here for staycations and that includes people who don’t really go for staycations often. This was compounded by the fact that my Uber driver even commented she had dropped off so many people here for birthdays and anniversaries after knowing where I was heading to. Given the space constrained nature of Singapore and the appeal of loft rooms, this awareness is not surprising. It may not have been the first but M Social Singapore is perhaps the only hotel so far in the country that has done the loft concept right.
Booking It
M Social Singapore has at least three staycation packages, all of which are millennial-oriented. A popular one includes a complimentary cocktail making class with the bartender at their restaurant, Beast & Butterflies. Alternatively, there is another staycation package which comes with a perfume making class if the idea of concocting boozy drinks does not appeal. Their staycation package also includes breakfast and complimentary room upgrade subject to availability. You can book the deal here.
Use the promo code REDISCOVERSG (for new users) or KLKEXPLORER (existing users) to get 10% or 8% discount respectively on your booking.
M Social Singapore
90 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238259
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