HOTEL REVIEW: Pan Pacific Orchard, Claymore Road, Singapore

WOHA Architects were tasked with designing a luxury hotel in Singapore as part of the cityscape but committed to the environment and the results are simply breathtaking. Known locally as the “Jenga” hotel, the Pan Pacific Orchard hotel, which opened in June 2023, oozes class and has dramatic terraced greenery across more than 300 % of the building’s land area.

It is brimming with 14,000sqm of foliage and water features, a high-ceiling open-air lobby, and energy-saving features like rainwater collection, solar panel technology and a bio-digester system, which creates cleaning water out of waste food. 

Natural timber is a feature of the trendy design of the  23-storey hotel which is divided into four high-volume terrace environments, forest, beach, garden, and cloud.

Dramatic 120m green columns tower through the terraces, creating a spectacle of thriving flora. Mirrored ceilings reflect each unique landscape, from the sparkling pools of the beach to the manicured lawns of gardens and open-air spaces that bring in a welcome fresh breeze and natural daylight.

Situated just behind the busy shopping area of Orchard Road, guests are greeted with a tranquil forest setting check-in, with sustainable cartons of filtered water ready to cool you down.

A cleverly created calm atmosphere welcomes you, with reception staff dressed in cool green and white casual clothes and swift modern technology on hand, to ensure a swift check-in, allowing a quick retreat to enjoy what the hotel has on offer.

Who for

Pan Pacific Orchard is the perfect spot for travellers keen to be close to the heart of one of Singapore’s busiest districts, without any distractions. Many of the 347 bedrooms have an open-air sitting area attached, where you can enjoy watching the city go about its business, day and night.

There is privacy for families too, with adjoining separate bedrooms hidden through its own entrance door.

Accommodation

Meticulously designed for comfort and luxury, the well-appointed rooms have beautifully big and soft beds, with 400 thread count sheets and inbuilt satellite televisions, safes, shoe cleaning  and Wi-Fi. There’s also a mini bar, with club room guests given complimentary non-alcoholic drinks, along with free laundering of two items, daily. Late checkouts up to 4 p.m., are also a perk.

The ensuite bathroom is complete with top-of-the-range gels and potions from the French house Diptque and guests are encouraged to adopt sustainable practices such as in-room water dispensers, which operate hot and cold, reusable bottles made from ocean-bound materials and recycled cloth bags.

A Happy Sleeper’s programme is open to guests in the suites,  Pacific Club Room and members of the hotel group’s Discovery members, with a choice of pillows and in-room meditation, yoga, spa treatments and dining on offer.

Rooms in the beach terrace have their own private access to the swimming pool, with sofas to relax on and enjoy the vibe. Junior suites are also available on each terrace, with extra room and lounge areas, a bonus.

Facilities

The hotel’s beach-shaped pool allows guests to relax on loungers looking out over the city or upwards at a huge mirrored ceiling which highlights the palm shape of the complex. There’s a swim-up bar and the pool is surrounded by a green oasis. Close by is a fully equipped 24-hour gym and a spa room for simply blissful treatments.

The 18^th floor of the dreamy cloud terrace opens up to the exquisite and pillarless 600sqm Claymore Ballroom, one of the highest in the city, which provides an immersive visual experience with a panoramic LED video wall and has natural daylight filtering in from floor-to-ceiling windows, giving enchanting garden views. Catering for up to 420 people, the ballroom leads to an outdoor terrace which is fantastic for alfresco receptions.

Club room and suite guests have access to the Pacific Club lounge, a private retreat that provides breakfast, cocktails and canapés in the evening, overlooking landscaped lawns.

An Atelier-in- Residence programme is earmarked for the future, with limited edition craft and innovation  products promoted via workshops, exhibitions and talks.

Food and drink

Distinctive dining is available at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Mosella, which overlooks the forest terrace and offers Mediterranean cuisine with a Peruvian twist and cooked by executive chef, Pedro Samper from San Sebastian in Northern Spain.

Dishes range from sublime starters such as  Alaskan king crab with caviar, potato, and yellow pepper salad to Iberico ham with charcoal-fired flatbread, tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. Mains feature Australia Wagyu steaks, lamb chops, lobster in burnt butter and charred cauliflower with almonds, parmesan and black truffles.

Sweet tooths are catered for with burnt Basque cheesecake and chocolate, hazelnut and caramel delights, with a range of fine wines, cocktails, beers, spirits and soft drinks on offer,

Heading up to the garden terrace, guests can soak in the district’s latest destination bar Florette, featuring one of the city’s best champagne lists, from growers to rare vintages. The classics are perfectly paired with the season’s freshest oysters.

The hotel has also teamed up with Singapore’s first gin distillery, Tanglin Gin to create the exclusive  Orchard Gin. Made in small batches, the handcrafted libation is evocative of the origins of Orchard Road where nutmeg plantations once flourished, crafted using botanicals inspired by the welcoming scent of Pan Pacific Orchard.

How much

Deluxe rooms at  Pan Pacific Orchard hotel start from SGD 350 per night. Include a scrumptious buffet style breakfast, access to the pool and gym and free Wi Fi.

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What’s nearby

The Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel is located just off the main shopping and leisure district of Orchard Road, and is close to transport links to all the city’s main attractions.

Verdict

An oasis of calm in a busy modern city, with beautifully appointed rooms, fine dining and luxury leisure facilities, all orchestrated with impeccable service from friendly, but discreet staff.

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