Singapore’s new Hilton Orchard is a mega-hotel with over 1,000 rooms
The Hilton Singapore Orchard adds a mid-town location to the hotel group's Red Dot portfolio.
Almost every regular visitor to Singapore is familiar with the Hilton Singapore, even if they’ve never set foot in it.
Among the first international ‘marquee’ hotels to plant its flag in the Red Dot, the Hilton Singapore opened some 50 years ago – just five short years after the former British colony claimed independence from Malaysia.
Its location at the far end of Orchard Road was the downtown hot spot for shopping and leisure. But Singapore has inevitably changed, transformed, over those decades: and to keep pace with the new Singapore, the global hotel group today unveils a new Hilton – the Hilton Singapore Orchard.
Soaring high above the mid-town stretch of 333 Orchard Road, with over a thousand rooms, the Hilton Singapore Orchard is the hotel juggernaut’s largest property and indisputable flagship in the Asia-Pacific region.
It also proved a massive undertaking for the group: the Hilton Singapore Orchard is in fact a monumental $150 million roof-to-road revamp of the former Meritus Mandarin Orchard.
That’s a convenient spot for business travellers and holiday markets alike, especially with Somerset MRT station just a short stroll away.
Alexandra Jaritz, Hilton’s Senior Vice President of Brand Management for the Asia Pacific, says the group took a fresh locally-inspired direction with the design of the Hilton Singapore Orchard.
The interior “incorporates botanical inspirations and modern yet warm touches” she tells Executive Traveller.
The subtle botanical theme draws upon Orchard Road’s lineage as a hub of fruit orchards, nutmeg plantations and pepper farms.
Similarly, artworks dotted around the hotel flow across into the interior colours and reflect the city’s agricultural heritage.
“Right from check-in, guests are presented with a thoughtful wooden key card instead of a plastic one, and of course there’s the option to use your Digital Key too,” Jaritz adds.
Digital keys are a major element of the property and accessible through the Hilton Honors smartphone app, along with features such as in-room dining, restaurant reservations and spa bookings that can all be made through your phone.
Rooms start from a compact 29 square metres and climb to the immaculate 154 square metre Presidential Suite, complete with a separate living room and dining space for 12.
In between you’ll find eight floors of Executive category rooms which include access to the Executive Lounge and its daily service of breakfast, snacks and evening cocktails. The lounge also comes with a private alcove ideal for meetings for up to eight people.
Diamond members of Hilton Honors can also make use of the Executive Lounge, as can guests staying in the hotel’s suites – of which there are five different types, all positioned on high floors.
When it’s time to work up a sweat, guests can head to one of the two fitness centres or swim laps in the outdoor pool – although there’s something to be said for just reclining on the loungers and enjoying a cool drink.
The reimagined Hilton shines with five vibrant restaurants helmed by all-day buffet venue, Estate, while US chef and former winner of the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef Award, Nancy Silverton, replicated her heralded New York Italian pizzeria, Osteria Mozza.
Acclaimed by The New York Times, the Osteria Mozza label expanded beyond its American heartland to Singapore in 2010, originally at the Marina Bay Sands before closing eight years later and shifting to Hilton.
There’s a Japanese infusion too, with the expansion to Singapore of the two-Michelin starred eatery, Shisan Hanten, already hugely popular in Japan with 14 outlets across six cities. You’ll find it open for lunch and dinner daily with a menu designed by Yokohama-based Chef Chen Kentaro.
For your daily coffee hit or an afternoon tea break, you’ll also find artisanal pastries and barista brews at Ginger.Lily, a venue which turns down the lights in the evening and converts into a stylish cocktail bar.
And if by now you’re wondering what became of that original Hilton, down the far end of Orchard Road, it’s now home to the city’s first IHG’s Voco hotel.
Additional reporting by Matt Lennon
05 Dec 2018
Total posts 147
This is exciting, I love been located central on Orchard road. Will be lovely to stay here once renovations are completed.
22 May 2011
Total posts 86
Hopefully they sort out the naming - the current Hilton Singapore is also on orchard road and very close by. Imagine how confusing it will be to a taxi driver, esp given orchard road is difficult to do a U turn being so busy!
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 478
That's a very good point! Fortunately if you are using Grab you enter the address in advance. I have given up on taxis in Singapore unless I am in a rush. Grab can also be much faster from Changi, there can be a queue of people waiting for the taxi,.
09 Aug 2015
Total posts 107
I'm looking forward to this, I like to stay at Hiltons but the Hilton Singapore has seen better days and its location is at the wrong end of town, unless you like visiting OT of course! This new Hilton will be well away from the crowded end of Orchard Road and better placed for actually doing business as well as enjoying a little shopping if that's your thing.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1217
It is especially difficult because Orchard Road is now a one-way road.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1217
I stayed at the Voco last month and, apart from being a very light makeover of the old Hilton with the signage being the only obvious change, no cab driver recognised it until I called it the Hilton on Orchard Road. Now that there is another real Hilton on Orchard Road, I expect even more confusion,
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 421
Completely agree, there will be a LOT of wrong turns and expensive detours as the Singaporean 'uncles' in their taxis take you to the old Hilton!
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
12 Apr 2017
Total posts 207
I stayed for a week in January this year at Voco and when I booked it, it was down as Hilton. So when I arrived at Voco, I was certainly confused but luckily my Gojek driver just followed the address.
Incidentally Voco is very decent.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 421
This new Hilton Orchard looks so much better than the old Hilton, not that this would be a hard task. The old Hilton really was old, has been showing its age for years. I like the new location too, nice to be closer to the middle of Orchard Rd district and away from the crowd at Ion.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
21 Feb 2012
Total posts 29
the caption reads “elegant reception”. That’s elegant? Boring, outdated (similar to the old InterCon hotels in Germany) and where the colour ? There are so many more elegant hotels in Singapore and with over 1000 rooms, this is not a choice of hotel for me.
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