When it comes to staycations in Singapore, I like to think of myself as a bit of an expert. I’ve stayed at multiple hotels all over Singapore, such as in the popular Marina Bay area as well as the hotels along Orchard Road. I’ve even stayed at hotels in Sentosa. Each area actually exudes its own charm, and boasts attractions nearby that other areas may not have.
For example, the Marina Bay hotels tend to have fantastic views of the Singapore city skyline or views of the Marina Bay area. You’ll be spoilt for shopping choice when it comes to staying in the heart of Orchard Road. And Sentosa island itself houses many tourist attractions such as Universal Studios, plus it has an X factor that all the other hotels do not, the lovely beach getaway vibe. Even Singaporeans feel like they’re on holiday when they visit Sentosa!
Surprisingly, I’ve never stayed in the Tanjong Pagar area before so I was really excited to finally be able to do a staycation at the newly revamped Amara Singapore (use my Klook code for a 5-10% discount on booking!). In fact, back in 2019, I had the opportunity to check out sister property Amara Sanctuary Sentosa and it was one of the best staycations I ever had in Singapore. There are no long reception counters at Amara Singapore, those have given way to a cafe bar space with a lovely seating area in the lobby. Instead, Amara now has reception booths. Don’t mistaken them for info counters because that’s what happened to us.
After a brief moment of confusion at check-in, we finally made our way up to our room and what a lovely surprise it turned out to be! The space was beautifully done up in a modern style, with warm wooden accents that added a touch of coziness. Gone were the heavy carpets of older hotel rooms; instead, light-toned flooring made the room feel airy and bright. It was the perfect blend of comfort and contemporary design, instantly putting us in the mood to unwind.
We were also impressed by the bathroom layout. The toilet and shower area were thoughtfully separated, which made it much more convenient for sharing. The toilet itself boasted high-tech bidet functions, adding a luxurious touch. I must admit, we got quite a shock when the toilet lid automatically lifted as we approached. Talk about a smart welcome!
A friendly staff member soon came by to help us set up the rollaway bed for my son. The room was so spacious that fitting it in was absolutely no problem at all, we still had plenty of room to move around comfortably. Given the choice between two rooms or one Club Suite, I certainly would prefer this option.
Another highlight was the complimentary minibar, which was a lovely surprise and definitely well-enjoyed by the whole family.
We also appreciated having a separate sitting area. It was the perfect arrangement for us. We could relax in bed watching our own shows while the the kids watched their cartoons in the sitting area.
Our room gave us access to the club lounge, which we lost no time exploring. Our room was on the same floor as the club lounge, so whenever we wanted drinks or nibbles, we’d traipse over to the club lounge instead of having to do it ourselves in the room. The club lounge was always pretty quiet throughout the day except during cocktail hour, so it was nice and peaceful to sip tea and have a chat.
A small but thoughtful selection of nibbles and scones was provided during the afternoon tea hour, followed later by a few more savoury bites during the evening cocktail session, along with a modest range of alcoholic drinks. While the spread wasn’t particularly extensive, it was a pleasant touch that added to the overall experience.
We treated the evening cocktail offerings as appetisers and rounded off the night with our Don Don Donki bentos as our “mains” for dinner. A fun and fuss-free way to end the day, in front of the, you guessed it, TV!!
Tanjong Pagar is an area that may not immediately come to mind as an option for a tourist, as it is in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District area, but it is also next door to some of Singapore’s older streets and Chinatown. Food is aplenty the minute you step out the front door of Amara Hotel. Directly across the road is a huge hawker centre with all manner of cheap cooked food as well as many fruit stalls. That building also houses several other affordable businesses.
You can even get a cheap haircut or do your nails. If you walk further along Tanjong Pagar Road, you’ll find it dotted with many eateries. A significant portion are Korean, but many other cuisines are also represented there. Suffice to say that food is not in short supply when you are staying in this area, and many restaurants will be open late into the night!
But the best part is, you don’t even have to step out into the humid air if you prefer not to. Amara Hotel happens to be located next to 100am Shopping Mall, and they are connected via a passageway. This mall houses numerous bakeries, cafes, tea shops, casual restaurants. In addition, it also houses Don Don Donki and Fairprice Finest.
Here’s a tip, Don Don Donki has a huge array of cooked Japanese bento boxes for takeaway, so that’s what we did for dinner.
I know many hotels in Singapore are also located next to malls in Singapore, but many of these malls tend to be mega malls. 100 AM Mall happens to be a more compact and cosy mall, but it still has all the essentials that are required. I simply love the convenience of being able to stroll a few paces to the shop/cafe that I want, without having to marathon my way through the teeming crowd, which is what would happen if it were a sprawling mega mall.
It’s a much needed convenience when you have kids in tow!
We managed to squeeze in a swim between lunch and dinner. So much to explore and so little time! Love the pool which is sizable enough to swim laps. I also liked that there were multiple entry points on the left, meaning I could enter and exit from a quiet one without feeling like I was being watched. Amara Singapore does not have a kids swimming pool, but we were well prepared with our floats so it was okay.
The next morning we headed to the buffet breakfast downstairs to check out the spread. Quite a large array of local dishes including a do-it-yourself nasi lemak station. Of course the familiar favourites such as an eggs to order station, bread and pastries station, salad bar and and Indian station etc
Since we have club lounge access, we have a choice of either having breakfast at the buffet restaurant on the ground floor, or the more exclusive club lounge. I was curious to see if there would be much difference in terms of the spread. Turns out, there were a couple of more “premium” items at the club lounge, such as the availability of blueberries, and smoked salmon.
After breakfast, we had a short while to rest in the room before heading to our “experience” session. Amara Hotels & Resorts has recently intrudced new neighbourhood experiences in both Singapore and Bangkok. At Amara Singapore, guests are invited to experience Tanjong Pagar’s rich heritage through 3 programmes that reflect the hotel’s commitment to celebrating local cuisines, community, and culture.
- A Walk Through Time takes participants on a guided trail led by reformed gang members, uncovering the district’s hidden histories and secret society roots.
- Jiak & Jalan Walking Food Tour offers a three-hour culinary journey through Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar, featuring beloved local dishes and cultural landmarks.
- Hands-On Culinary Experience at Café Oriental lets guests make popiah and brew traditional Singapore-style coffee or tea while learning local kopi lingo
Out of the 3 programmes, we opted to go for the 3rd one as we deemed it to be the most fuss-free given we had young kids with us. The popiah making session was a fun lesson in not being overly greedy as my popiah burst its skins after being stretched to wrap an overdose of fillings. Surprisingly, despite my amateurish attempts, the popiah was still quite flavourful and I devoured my entire creation!
My son was completely in his element during the kopi-making session. It was his first time preparing hot drinks on his own, and a great chance to pick up new skills. He even took it upon himself to serve the drinks, learning how to approach customers politely and getting a fun little lesson in marketing when most tourists, unfamiliar with kopi, turned him down. He enjoyed this bit so much, he made more than 10 drinks!!! Kudos to the staff who were so patient in guiding and helping him with his personal mission to introduce kopi to all at the hotel!
Alas, we had to check out soon after our local experience session. It really was a lovely 1 day staycation, but we’d hardly scratched the surface in terms of exploring the neighbourhood. I certainly wouldn’t mind additional nights in our cosy Club Suite. I’d highly recommend at least a 2 night stay in this area, if you are a tourist! Given the proximity to Tanjong Pagar MRT station (a mere 5 minutes walk), Amara Singapore would definitely be a good base to explore the rest of Singapore.
Check out other hotel staycation reviews in Singapore
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Amara Singapore
Address: 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539
Telephone (Main): +65 6879 2555
Email (General): singapore@amarahotels.com
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