Artyzen Singapore

Talk about a stunner. The 5-star Artyzen Singapore on Cuscaden Road is Artyzen Hospitality Group's debut in Singapore, and it's a maximalist dream. In a departure from brands that seek to provide a consistent experience across global properties (not a knock, that has its own charm), Artyzen Singapore grounds itself in local history and culture – providing a vibrant stay with a wonderful sense of place. 

One fascinating tidbit about Artyzen Singapore is that it's built on prime estate formerly occupied by Villa Marie. It was a 1940s era mansion built by Tan Hoon Siang, a keen horticulturalist and relation of philanthropist Tan Tock Seng. His love of plants, and particular interest in orchids, has been woven into the fabric of Artyzen Singapore. You see it in the bold floral motifs stamped throughout the hotel lobby, in the arched trellises that drip with plants and gems alike, and in the green and tranquil sky gardens across the floors. 

The hotel has 148 impressive rooms spanning four categories: Deluxe, Premier, Grand Terrace Room, and Terrace Suite. It's worth noting that all have balconies and soaring ceilings (at least four metres high), which give them a sense of spaciousness and grandeur. The Straits-inspired art we get a peep of in the lift (colourful artwork by Terence Tan that depict Peranakan shophouses) finds its way into these rooms, in the scenic wallpaper and Peranakan-tile motifs. 

Our room for two nights is the Terrace Suite, and it's jaw-dropping to say the least. At 178 square metres, it's larger than many four- or five-room HDB flats, with separate living and sleeping spaces. Unique to this room category are arched wooden ceilings which give a cosy, cabin-like feel. The washroom has a freestanding bathtub, rain shower, Dyson hairdryer, and exclusive toiletries by Heeley Parfums Paris. Sliding doors in the bedroom and living room lead to a huge private garden with a sky-high ceiling that lights up with twinkling stars at night. Lounging here with the breeze in your face will immediately transport you to a tropical resort outside of Singapore. 

For those who like to stay active on their vacations, Artyzen Singapore has a modern gym and serene yoga pavilions on the fifth floor. Do enquire about its regular wellness classes, which include high-intensity interval training, yoga in the water, and sound bath meditation sessions. On the rooftop is a beautiful infinity pool that overlooks low-lying residential houses. The view stretches as far as Johor Bahru on a good day (we managed to spy some buildings across the Causeway), but you (like us) might find yourself too occupied swimming over the glass-bottomed overhang on one end or soaking in the jacuzzi on the other. 

The fifth floor is also where you can find the hotel spa. We tried the Customised Massage, which you can tailor down to your preferred essential oil and sore spots. It was a blissful 60-minute experience and well-recommended for those in need of relaxation and rejuvenation. Unique to Artyzen Singapore is a Gemstone Massage, which uses heated stones on your chakra points to clear any blocked energy in your body. 

For a special occassion, you might want to book a table at Quenino. It's a contemporary Asian restaurant by Australian-based chef Victor Liong. The restaurant has the feel of a stately Chinese mansion and the service is impecabble (which is true everywhere else in the hotel). For $180 you get a 10-course menu inclusive of petit four and mignardise. Standouts from the meal include ama-ebi prawn toast with turmeric, lemongrass, and salted green chilli; raw spencer gulf kingfish with white fungi, white radish, and burnt garlic with a white soy cream; and our favourite, a nostalgic but elevated sweet corn ice cream with caramelised milk and frozen coconut bits.

For breakfast, you can't go wrong at ground-floor Café Quenino with approachable kopi, pandan kaya toast, and other Singaporean-inspired ala carte mains on the menu. It also has an attached bar serving well-balanced tipples for those in search of a nightcap. 

You do pay a price for all this luxury at Artyzen Singapore. The Deluxe rooms start at $550 and go up to $1700 per night for the Terrace Suite. There is even a Penthouse category (at a whopping $15,000 per night), that's more than twice the size of a Terrace Suite and outfitted with a private gym, garden, and compact kitchen.

For casual staycationers who like their luxury with a healthy dose of personality as well as the convenience of being located on Orchard Road, the Deluxe and Premier rooms will do grandly. Anything more feels a tad out of reach, but for those willing to splash some extra cash, the sum of experiences across Artyzen Singapore will not disappoint. 

Check out our First Look video of Artyzen Singapore: