With modern style, great service, and close proximity to world-class shopping, The Quincy Hotel has become one of our favorite boutique hotels in Singapore!
Singapore is one of the biggest flight hubs in Asia. So if you are traveling in the area, there is a good chance that your route will take you through this Southeast Asian city state. Whether you are visiting Bali, the Maldives or Australia, you can expect a stop at Changi Airport. My advice is to embrace it. We love Singapore, and whenever we find ourselves passing through, we take advantage by planning a multi-day layover. This time around we wanted to see somewhere different to the city center, and so we decided to look for a hotel near the cities famed shopping street; Orchard Road.
Orchard Road is one of the city’s most prestigious streets, and it runs north-west from Singapore’s downtown. It is named for the nutmeg trees which used to line its pavements, however today these have been replaced by air-conditioned malls. The road is a shopper’s paradise, with hundreds of boutiques offering everything from expensive European brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton to cheap and cheerful discount stores.
We had chosen The Quincy Hotel for our stay because of it's located just a couple of blocks back from Orchard Road. And even though the hotel was close to a main shopping area, it was tucked back on a quite street and surrounded by a few other corporate hotels and residential buildings. All this gave us the best of both worlds, as we were close enough to the action to walk there, but at the same time hidden away in a peaceful corner of the city.
We soon discovered that The Quincy Hotel is a place where everyone is treated like a VIP. In fact, it recently won the Singapore Tourism Awards 2017 Best Hotel Experience prize in recognition of the high level of service it provides. It is a relatively new establishment, and its modernity is striking. Think bold colors, kitschy decorations, and comfortable seating. The common spaces are glass-fronted and open, and the hotel makes good use of colorful lighting in various parts of the building.
The hotel provides free refreshments throughout your stay, which help make the experience extra special. This does not just mean free water, but instead buffets are on offer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as evening cocktails and drinks. Even the minibar was complimentary.
“The hotel provides free refreshments throughout your stay — even cocktails and wine — which help make the experience extra special. ”
The Quincy Hotel advertises its rooms as ‘like a glossy interior design magazine come to life’. It’s a strong claim, but an accurate one. We went for one of the studio rooms, and the whole thing was designed in a beautifully modern way. It had a minimalist look, with contrasting black and white surfaces and a polished stone floor.
It had all the features you would expect, including an LCD TV with international cable channels, air-conditioning and a king size bed. The bathroom was also very large which is always a nice touch. Best of all however, was the huge bay window which let you sit and look out over the city.
“The Quincy Hotel advertises its rooms as ‘like a glossy interior design magazine come to life’. It’s a strong claim, but an accurate one. ”
At The Quincy Hotel, everyone is considered a VIP guest and has access to their various buffets throughout the day. I don't know about you, but when I hear ‘free buffet’ I’m not too excited and often question the quality, but that really wasn’t the case at all.
Breakfast was simple, and included the usual items like granola, fruit and toast. For lunch and dinner, more substantial options were available like soups, salads and some local dishes. The hotel has partnered with two different businesses to ensure this, and these compliment the dishes cooked up on site in the open kitchen. Modesto’s is a local Italian restaurant and they provide hot entrees at the Quincy during dinner service. Dean & DeLuca meanwhile, is a well-known grocery retailer in New York which provides muffins, cakes and scones to the hotel.
From the outside the hotel looks great, especially at night when the windows are lit up with orange lighting. The building is a standard rectangular shape, except for the missing corner on one floor near the top. From the ground all you can make our is the balcony, but once you are up there the hotel’s best feature becomes apparent. This area is where you will find the outdoor infinity pool which lets you admire the city as you escape the humid climate.
The pool is located on the 12th floor, so the views are pretty special. It's also surrounded by decking, so even if you don’t feel like getting in it makes a great place to relax after a busy day’s shopping. And at night LED lighting gives the building a stylish, modern feel.
The hotel is also home to a gym which is well-stocked with a variety of machines. Again, it is high up, and so you have another great view to enjoy while using the running machines. There are also saunas and steam rooms available, although Singapore is such a hot and humid place I am not sure if you will feel the need to use them!
There is an outside area complete with water features, which somehow catches the breeze and makes it a great spot to relax in one of the comfy chairs. There is plenty of greenery outside the hotel – including many tropical plants, and we enjoyed taking our drinks out there in the afternoons.
“There is plenty of greenery outside the hotel – including many tropical plants, and we enjoyed taking our drinks out there in the afternoons.”
When we weren’t lounging in the pool or the courtyard, we were out exploring the local area. It is definitely worth having a walk down Orchard Road, and many of the malls are connected by passageways...so you barely have to brave the heat, and instead can go shopping in complete comfort.
The city center is not far away, and if you have never been to Singapore you have to go visit Marina Bay. In the other direction are the Botanical Gardens which are another excellent way to spend an afternoon. Orchard Road has several train stations, so you can get anywhere in the city with ease. The train network in Singapore is one of the best in the world, and as the country is so small, there is nowhere you can’t get to from the Quincy within 30 minutes or so.
Once again we were pleased to be spending time in this city, as well as with our choice of hotel. It is the perfect spot for an extended layover, thanks to its style, service and location. It is also extremely comfortable which is just what you want if you are recovering from a long flight!
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