We all have a picture of what luxury means. Where one dictionary defines it as “something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort,” another describes it as “great comfort, especially as provided by expensive and beautiful things.” Yet, either by association or experience, the word can have less desirable connotations: stiff, formal and aloof. What happened to the fun of luxury?
Singapore, it seems, is answering that question. Thanks to a slew of forward-thinking hotels, restaurants and experience providers, the destination is rejecting the hallowed, holier-than-thou attitude toward luxury in favour of a more accessible, inviting version. Call it ‘The approachable lightness of luxe’, where all the hallmarks of traditional luxury come, blissfully, without any of the pretence and heaviness.
“Classic luxury is a dated, boring concept,” says John Sutherland, who runs his own concierge service in Singapore. “Everywhere, I see travel agents offering their version of luxury, but high-net-worth customers can purchase that version from any mobile device. What clients can’t buy easily is someone with the imagination to turn dreams into reality; to create an experience for a client that makes them laugh or cry with joy. That is luxury.”
One such experience is a short film shot with Hollywood producers and art directors; something that Sutherland can arrange for a modest price of around US $300,000. A client submits a narrative that forms the basis of the script and Sutherland connects the wannabe star to producers and designers in California. They hash out the details before the Hollywood heavyweights fly to Singapore and immortalise the idea on celluloid, or more likely a flash drive. “A client may come to me and say, ‘I want to recreate a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean and the budget is $3 million, can you do it?’ Of course I can.”
Hotels here are also taking note of the evolving tastes, replacing traditional furnishings and staid neoclassical styling with whimsy, bling, and a little bravura. The Sofitel So, which is only a few months old, boasts a futuristic aesthetic, with hexagonal and octagonal angular light fixtures filled with crystal beads, lifts with pastel-hued embossed leather walls, and furnishings such as sensuously curved couches and armchairs with antlers on the back. The Xperience restaurant menus look like experimental science-class drawings.
“Nowadays, luxury travel is linked to carefully curating life experiences and discovery. There is a newfound zest for living life and adding fun, surprising elements that can make a traveller’s journey a memorable one,” asserts Bobby Hiranandani, managing director of Royal Group Holdings, which owns Sofitel So.
At the Pan Pacific Singapore, luxury translates to simple, tailored touches like a surprise chocolate at turndown in the shape of a cigar for a guest who is a cigar aficionado, or a quirky globe cake for a guest who’s a fanatical traveller. “Travel has always been about adventure,” says general manager, Scott Swank. “Hoteliers these days need to think out of the box to create aspects of guests’ stays that are unexpected, refreshing, personalised and fun.”
Over on Sentosa Island, at the two-year-old W Singapore Sentosa Cove, the lobby is a lounge where bar staff mix drinks at all hours, the pool has 24 built-in speakers, and personal fashion shows are arranged on the premises. General manager Stephane Fabregoul believes it is vital to offer innovative elements and fresh experiences: “In this era, people are getting more savvy and they always yearn to try something new. Stepping out of the comfort zone allows one to experience new adventures which can boost your mood.”
Feeling sky high
Residential developments are starting to follow the trend. Hamilton Scotts, a condo tower developed by KOP Properties near Orchard Road, opened in June 2012 with sky garages. “The concept for Hamilton Scotts was to develop a residential property which can offer both fun and unique luxury,” explains Anton Kilayko, director of marketing for parent company KOP Limited. By using a dedicated lift that hugs the side of the building, residents can park their prized McLaren 650S Spider (read our review on page 138) or Koenigsegg Agera S in the garage right next to their living room, elevating the already lofty status of cars in the Lion City to even greater heights.
“People are now looking for a more relaxed form of luxury, something more engaging rather than just plain formal and expensive,” Kilayko adds. “They are now more exposed to many forms of luxury through the ease of travel and the access the internet provides. They want to see something new and never done before.”
Playing with food
Fine dining endures in Singapore, but some establishments are tweaking the format in order to underplay the formality and bring out the jollity. At the 165-metre-tall Singapore Flyer, the second-largest observation wheel in the world (Las Vegas trumped it in March with the 168-metre High Roller), butler-served dinners of Chilean sea bass or roast-duck confit come with stellar views across the city, adding elements of wonder and spectacle to the proceedings.
Diners at the two-year-old Pollen, the Jason Atherton restaurant located in the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, work their way through Mediterranean-inspired dishes in a cool, climate-controlled environment — a refreshing change from Singapore’s sapping heat and humidity. The surroundings are a comforting departure from the austere walls and classic or contemporary art at so many other fine-dining establishments — the olive trees, herbs and vegetation around Pollen look like they’ve been plucked straight from Sardinia and appeal to our primal yearnings for nature, and the neighbouring Supertrees add a playful, out-of-this-world fantasy element.
Sugarhall, a lively rum and grill house that opened in May, taps into the movement with its manifesto: “fun dining is the new fine dining.” It’s the city’s first rum haunt, offering more than 70 varieties and a cocktail list replacing the de rigueur, predictable wine list found in most haute establishments.
The notion of fun libations is booming in popularity across Singapore. A raft of cocktail bars has opened in the city in the past year, each injecting its own excitement and creative concoctions into the scene. In March, Regent Singapore welcomed Manhattan, a beautifully realised homage to upscale New York City bars, which features its own rickhouse to age spirits. There’s also an ingredients room packed with jars filled with grains of paradise seed, Freak of Nature oolong tea, schisandra berries and stinging nettle leaf. Last month, Manhattan also debuted an adults-only cocktail brunch, serving Silver Dollar Pancakes, hand-rolled mini bagels and Bloody Marys from a cart.
“We wanted to pay tribute to the venerable New York tradition of festive weekend brunches in a fun way,” explains Martin Dell, Regent’s director of food and beverage. “You can expect unlimited craft cocktails paired with reinvented American breakfast classics,”
In the perennially popular Dempsey Hill enclave, Jiu Zhuang has themes of Indochina, Peranakan, and Mainland China evident in its décor and drinks menu. Tippling Club, one of the city’s top restaurants, recently shifted to larger premises because the head chef wanted a bigger research kitchen to create more experimental food and cocktails. Elsewhere, communal tables, stools, and rattan chairs create a welcoming, democratic ambience at Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall, while The Powder Room at The Black Swan embodies easygoing Art Deco glamour.
Anti:dote cocktail bar at the Fairmont Singapore, opened in December 2013, seeks to bring its own fresh approach to the scene via polished black concrete floors decorated with a motif inspired by Peranakan lace embroidery, and a seven-metre chandelier with 26,000 pieces of borosilicate glass. “Luxuries have become more accessible as cities develop and a new generation of younger guests is exposed to modern indulgences,” says Nick Flynn, director of food and beverage. “Hence, guests are now seeking relevant, alternative and unique experiences that would make for lasting memories in their pursuit for fun and excitement in life.”
The changing nature of luxury also extends to wellness and leisure. Como Shambhala Urban Escape opened on Orchard Road 18 months ago and offers all the holistic and avant-garde regimens that the Como brand is amous for, with Pilates, gyrokinesis, gyrotonic and even kids’ yoga classes, stripping a layer of gravitas from the traditionally sober, solemn wellness experience. “Luxury as a concept and choice typically evolves over time — gradually moving from the material to the experiential,” says Tanya Watia, director of marketing for Como Shambhala.
“At Como Shambhala, our consultants, who are experts in their field, enable guests to discover how to live a happy and fulfilled life, which of course includes having fun along the way.” The youngster yoga sessions aim to cultivate an interest in yoga, rather than perfecting challenging asanas, with children encouraged to use their imagination, and gain both ecological and anatomical knowledge as they imitate poses of flora and fauna.
At the other end of the adrenalin spectrum, Ultimate Drive lets thrill-seekers rip around the streets of Singapore in a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder or Ferrari F430 Spider. “It would be hard to find many more activities that are as luxurious and fun to do as driving around in a million-dollar supercar with the top down,” enthuses Arthur Loo, manager of Ultimate Drive.
“Being seen getting in or stepping out of these gorgeous super cars, driving off, crowds taking pictures of you and the roadster... It makes you feel like a celebrity.” Drives last from 15 to 60 minutes, taking in the Formula 1 circuit and some of the city’s highways. “Nowadays, people prefer more fun in their luxurious activities, as it leaves them with an experience that they will talk about and remember forever,” Loo adds. It’s precisely these types of adventure and fun experiences that will leave any visitor beaming from ear to ear. And isn’t that the point of parting with all that hard-earned cash — to truly let go, enjoy and smile?
GOLDEN BOOK
COMO Shambhala Urban Escape
Tel: +65 6304 3552
www.comoshambhala.com/singapore
Fairmont Singapore
Tel: +65 6339 7777
www.fairmont.com/singapore
Pan Pacific Singapore
Tel: +65 6336 8111
www.panpacific.com
Sofitel So Singapore
Tel: +65 6701 6800
www.sofitel.com
W Singapore Sentosa Cove
Tel: +65 6808 7288
www.wsingaporesentosacove.com
