Wallpaper* checks in at The Standard Singapore for a quirky tropical city break

The latest addition to The Standard’s growing Asia-Pacific portfolio – after its Bangkok and Melbourne properties – marks another milestone for a brand that’s been turning heads since André Balazs unveiled the original Los Angeles property in 1999. That pioneering West Hollywood hotel set the template for the group’s blend of buzzy design and pop-art sensibilities, touchstones that now show up, a year behind schedule, in Singapore. Wedged into a tight space between the grande dame Shangri-La hotel and residences (keep your eyes peeled for the discreet signage), the slim eight-storey property has the feel of a private members’ club, hidden in plain sight along tony Orange Grove Road.

Wallpaper* checks in at: The Standard Singapore

What’s on your doorstep?

Designed by Verena Haller, the Standard’s global head of design and creative services, and local studio, DP Architects, the 143-room property is perfectly positioned between the retail diversions of Orchard Road and the leafy grounds of the Botanic Gardens. The demographic is a mix of well-heeled creative types and Gen Z influencers drawn by the promise of The Standard’s reputation for cultivating a sexy vibe in an intimate setting.

Who is behind the design?

For the hotel’s rooms and public spaces, local studio Ministry of Design’s Colin Seah has created what he calls ‘part quirky tropical oasis, part mellow party pad’, which translates into a grown-up Jetsons mood of modular furniture, low-key lounge music and reflective surfaces overlaid with decorative botanic touches.

Particularly effective are the terraced gardens and thick green walls that cascade down through public spaces like a tropical canyon, with the reception desk and Café Standard anchoring the ground floor. ‘I wanted to create something that was both disarming and energising in equal measure,’ says Seah who, in a playful nod to Singapore’s midcentury architectural heritage, has carpeted the bedroom corridors with an electric-blue hyper-scaled terrazzo pattern.

The wow factor

The gardens are the showstopper here. Lush with tropical foliage and wrapped around a long lap pool, they create unexpected moments of drama as you move between different levels. Artist Eric Tobua’s colour-saturated dreamscape installation in the reception – an oversized terrarium filled with crystalline ponds and orange groves – is a whimsical prelude to the actual gardens beyond.

The room to book

The rooms are on the small side, starting from 23 sq m studios – which the hotel’s literature euphemistically describes as ‘snug’ – and going up to the larger 43 sq m suites. All feature timber-ribbed canopies that extend from bedhead to ceiling, alongside floor-to-ceiling windows that look over the pool deck or the Shangri-La next door.

The minibar’s main attraction is the selection of small-batch liqueur, rum and whisky by local distiller Compendium infused with Malaysian molasses, hom mali rice, and coffee. Meanwhile, Thai designer Shone Puipia’s bathrobe is a perplexing fashion statement of pink lapel, black pockets, and cut-out holes in the armpits.

Word to the wise

Don’t overpack as there are no shelves or closets in any room below a suite category – just a clutch of hangers on a wall peg. Storage space is limited to a single under-bed drawer, though this seems to underscore the hotel’s positioning as a social hub rather than an in-room retreat. For maximum comfort, book either the Standard Suite with its glass-wrapped corner views, or the two-bedroom Suite Spot. And continuing the fine tradition of exhibitionism and voyeurism perfected by the Standard High Line in New York, the windows are completely see-through.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Café Standard on the ground floor provides all-day sustenance American-style (think grilled cheese sandwiches and kale salads), but the culinary heartbeat is Kaya, the hotel’s take on a Japanese izakaya. Here, Saran Yen Panya’s textured wallpaper installation of embroidered appliqué flowers provides an arresting backdrop for modern Japanese plates such as chilled fish noodles, deep-fried eel and charcoal-grilled beef tongue.

The swim-up pool bar around the corner is the perfect setting for afternoon cocktails and louche lounging, an affectation somewhat marred by the hive of windows of the Shangri-La residences next door that fairly loom over the fence.

Where to switch off?

With neither spa nor gym, the 40m lap pool is the Standard’s social focal point, particularly in the evenings when the surrounding gardens are lit up and the neighbouring towers create a dramatic urban amphitheatre – even if it can sometimes feel, for introverts especially, as if you’re the one who is centre stage.

Service with a smile?

The youthful service team are enthusiastic and plucky, even if there are occasional moments of hesitation. What they lack in experience, they more than make up for in their eagerness to please – a refreshing change from the sometimes clinical, by-the-numbers efficiency found in Singapore's more established properties.

The verdict

The Standard Singapore may not be the largest nor plushest property in the neighbourhood, but its small scale is balanced by personality, unusually good dining options, and relaxed mood. This is a social hub that understands its target audience perfectly – young creatives and social aspirants who appreciate quirky design, intimate spaces, and the sweet spot between urban energy and garden sanctuary.

The Standard Singapore is located at 12 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 25835; standardhotels.com. Rates: from S$272

Need more inspiration on where to stay? Read our review of QT Singapore