Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore Is Challenging the Convention of Serviced Apartments

Oakwood OUE Premier Singapore has been making great strides in redefining the limits of serviced accommodations. Recently, it launched the “Oops, I’ve Ginned!” staycation package which continues to blur the lines between apartment living and luxury hotel amenities. Aside from a room stay, the package includes an elaborate DIY cocktail kit and even a short excursion to Brass Lion Distillery. I very well remember my first “serviced residence” experience. Having just moved to Singapore more than a decade ago for work, I was put into this nice apartment just by the Singapore River. My unit was way larger than a typical hotel room but for most services, I had to DIY. Things have changed dramatically since then.

The inspiration for the staycation package was World Gin Day which was celebrated on the 8th of June 2019. For the case of the “Oops, I’ve Ginned!” staycation package however, it is valid every weekend until 1st December except for the weekend of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Given the property’s high proportion of long-term guests, there is hardly any need to wait for one’s turn during check-in, even though there are only two front desk staff at a given time. There are several room categories at Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore but for the staycation package, it comes with a stay at the one-bedroom apartment. This was my second time staying here and for this particular instance, my room came with sublime views of what was once Singapore’s port, as well as the sea beyond it. The corner room layout allowed for plenty of light to stream in. For a quick run through of the one-bedroom apartment in this property, you can also check out my previous review.

When I entered the room, I already saw the DIY cocktail kit waiting for me. The kit comes with a full-sized bottle of Brass Lion Distillery’s Singapore Dry Gin, Gryphon’s cold-brewed sparkling tea as well as mixers. Gin lovers would probably have no problems mixing their own drink but for the uninitiated, the property has thoughtfully included an instruction sheet for guests to concoct their desired cocktail.

At around 4:30PM, it was time to leave the hotel for a little excursion. As part of the staycation package, complimentary transport using Oakwood’s own minivan shuttled me to Brass Lion Distillery for a tour of the gin making process.

The tour by itself is actually priced at S$45. It is quite popular among outsiders as well. The distillery offers two sessions every Saturday and Sunday. During my session, I could spot at least 12 other folks joining the tour. The duration is 45 minutes and comes with 2 “tasting” sessions – a teaser before the tour begins and another one after it ends. In between, participants are given a unique insight into the distillation process as well as the elaborate equipment needed into making gin. 

It was evening by the time I came back to the property. One could explore the myriad of dining options around Tanjong Pagar or for guests who could not be bothered to leave the hotel, Oakwood OUE Premier Singapore actually has a decent F&B offering (you can even order room service) by way of its restaurant, Se7enth. During my stay, the property just rolled out its new menu so I got to try some of the dishes. My favorite here still remains to be the Crispy Chicken Wings (S$12). The differentiating factor here is the truffle maple drizzled on the crunchy skin! 

The property also whips up some delicious pasta. I tried the Vongole (S$26) which was generously topped with my favorite la-la clams. 

For an all-day restaurant, I was also quite surprised to find wagyu offered here with marbling score of 6-7. While wagyu is pretty common anywhere these days, I typically only see marbling scores this high in steakhouses. I had my Australian Wagyu Striploin Steak (S$68) medium rare. You get to choose between 4 different sauces but I recommend the rosemary with garlic butter.

The staycation package also comes with breakfast which starts pretty early at 6AM and runs until 10:30AM. Most folks are probably used to their hotel morning buffet meals and don’t realize why it is considered notable with respect to this property. I would say this property’s breakfast offering is pretty special because it shatters the convention in most serviced apartments. By way of tradition, these places are minimally staffed during weekends and hence, only offer breakfast from Mondays to Fridays. But Oakwood OUE Premier Singapore does it every single day. I can only imagine how luxurious the living experience must be for those who are there for long-stay. 

I have previously mentioned that I find the Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore to be the most luxurious serviced apartment concept in Singapore and I still stand by that observation. It has only been a few months since the property received its hotel license but it seems busier than ever in rolling out something fresh for the local market. Given its ambitious plans, I’d be keen to see what this property has in store.

Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore’s “Oops, I’ve Ginned!” staycation package starts at S$380++ per night. You can check availability here.

I was a guest of Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore. As usual, opinions are entirely my own.