The coolest place to stay in Singapore has opened its doors along the shopping district of Orchard Road. The YOTEL brand launches its Asian flagship hotel in Singapore, after successfully opening in New York and Boston. Inspired by luxury airline travel, YOTEL Singapore marries stylish design with technology, producing a futuristic space-age accommodation with streamlined hallways lit by the purple glow of mood lights. YOTEL’s color palette and trendy design reminds me of W Bangkok.
One will notice the high-tech features as soon as you step into the lobby, equipped with computerized self check-in counters (which actually processes you room key card!) and an automated foreign exchange machine. Unfortunately, the self check-in system did not work during my arrival, so I had to ask for assistance from the friendly front desk personnel who were quick to find my booking and process my check-in.
The most impressive feature is Yoshi and Yolanda, a pair of R2D2-like robots that are the first in the world to be equipped with Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) technology, which enables them to navigate around the entire property autonomously. Need an extra towel or bottle of water? Simply call front desk (aka “Mission Control”) to have a chirpy robot butler make its way around the hotel and up the elevator on its own, and carry your order right outside your cabin door!
Self check-in counters and automated forex machine at the lobby
Hotel cabins are small but smartly designed!
Hidden compartments cleverly store amenities and maximize space
Large floor-to-ceiling windows offer great city views
Amenities
The hotel has a whopping 610 rooms across 30 floors, most of which are rather compact entry-level room types with only 16 square meters of floor area, which they call “cabins”. Thankfully, the clever use of mirrors and the large floor-to-ceiling window in the shower with great city views give the illusion of roominess, and prevent claustrophobia.
The room layout is also smartly designed to maximize space. The queen bed is reclinable at a push of a button, reducing its length and providing a comfortable back rest when watching the wall-mounted flatscreen TV. (Check out the hotel’s own meditation and yawn channels to help you relax and fall asleep…) Some amenities – like an umbrella and ironing board – are also hidden away in compartments within the wall. And instead of closets, luggages are stowed away under the bed.
Hotel facilities include a 24-hour gym with a view of cactus garden with a rocket sculpture; and an outdoor terrace with a 20-meter lap pool, outdoor showers, lounge chairs, and a pond-like “water feature” lined by plant box greenery.
The 20-meter outdoor lap pool at the 10th floor
The 24-hour gym has a view of cactus garden
Outdoor showers at the pool terrace
Meals
Rooms come with buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Grains & Hops, located at the 10th floor, next to the pool deck. Guests also enjoy a 20% discount at the restaurant for lunch and dinner. They serve wholesome, textured dishes with a focus on grains like purple rice and quinoa, paired with their signature beers — all at reasonable prices. (They have lunch sets for only SGD 20+!). I had a wonderful lunch of roasted angus beef, wild mushroom soup with garlic rice pops and marmite chicken pops.
Given it’s central location along Orchard Road, there are also several options nearby to eat out.
Check-in guests enjoy 20% off at the hotel restaurant, Grains & Hops
A wholesome lunch at Grains & Hops
Room Rates
Accommodation at YOTEL Singapore starts at SGD 234 (PHP 9,127), inclusive of taxes, for a Premium Queen for two persons with buffet breakfast and super-fast in-room wifi. Find discounted room rates here!
How to Get There
Take the MRT along the East-West Line to Orchard Station, exit at ION Orchard Mall, and walk for 10 minutes to YOTEL Singapore, 650 meters away.
Contact Details
YOTEL Singapore
Address: 366 Orchard Road, Singapore
Contact Numbers: +65 68668000
Email: singapore.contact@yotel.com
Website: www.yotel.com
