Location
Occupying a former colonial building that served as the premises for the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, QT Singapore retains its neoclassical exterior – a contrasting sight amid the sleek office towers in the heart of Singapore’s CBD.
Location-wise, it is hard to beat, being next door to the famous Lau Pa Sat hawker centre and in between three MRT stations.
The QT brand is known for its quirky and playful design style, and upon arriving, I saw that the interior of the hotel lobby was fun and modern, yet displayed some of the building’s heritage – from the black framing to the intricate scenes of Singapore on sliding panels and on wall photos. My favourite was the 3D-like graphics of the floor tiles, which called to mind Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher’s surrealist style of art.
Accommodation
QT offers 134 rooms and suites that range from 44m² to 90m². We stayed in a deluxe king room. Upon entering, the first feature that demanded attention was the bar, set into the wall, with a beautiful illustration of leaves. It certainly called to the cocktail aficionados with a selection of spirits and even a cocktail shaker for guests to make their own drinks.
Besides the bar, the room itself was spacious, and tastefully decorated with the Escher-style carpet, and touches of bold red and black.
Everything was designed with comfort and convenience in mind. The bathroom was luxurious with a separate bath and rain shower area, while the Kevin Murphy toiletries and Dyson hair dryer made getting clean that much more enjoyable.
A tablet by the bedside lets guests connect their own streaming service to the TV, while music can be streamed via the Bose bluetooth speaker on the table – both of which I made full use of for a restful evening indoors after a tiring week.
Facilities
The rooftop pool and bar is a welcome sight on a sweltering day. The bold blocks on the floor of the pool, together with the lively house music in the background as guests chatted away, all added to the lively atmosphere.
F&B
I liked that the rooftop bar provides some simple food too, which included a small selection of tacos, oysters and simple bar bites. What stood out were the mezcal and agave choices amid the extensive alcohol selection.
For an afternoon tipple, indulge at the first floor Cygnet bar. Designed in an art deco style, the bar also features rattan-backed chairs and palm leaf motifs that are a nod to its Asian location. Staff were friendly enough to make cocktail recommendations from the Manhattan-inspired menu.
I was looking forward to dinner at Cygnet by Sean Connolly, the hotel’s New York-style steakhouse helmed by the Australian chef that it is named after. Also decorated in the same art deco style with dark tones, the venue was refined, sophisticated and great for enjoying a dinner with friends, family or a partner.
The menu, I felt, had just the right number of items, and featured a variety of appetisers, entrées, mains that included pasta, seafood and meat, and dessert. There is also an extensive wine list.
Naturally, we had to go for the steaks. My eye fillet was cooked to perfection, as were my partner’s steak frites. Special mention goes to the fries which were thinly sliced, crisp and most likely cooked in some oil or fat that made them extra flavourful.
We did not start with the steaks of course. The devilled egg we had, served in a small cup with a webbed foot, was slightly grisly but it was a tongue-in-cheek nod to the restaurant name, as cygnet means baby swan.
We saw that the neighbouring table had ordered what looked like a feast – the waiter had come up with a loaded trolley of food, explained to them the ingredients on display, and went on to prepare the dish in front of them – a nice bit of personal touch.
Service
All the staff were friendly and greeted us with a smile. You could tell that thought went behind their uniforms too, with plush velvet blazers for those in the restaurant and lobby, while the rooftop bar staff had on colourful Hawaiian style shirts to match the vibe of the respective venues.
Verdict
While it may be in the CBD, QT is far from your standard business hotel. It’s playful, quirky, modern and provides a comfortable and convenient stay, with a generous dose of style and personality.
Contact details
Website: http://qthotels.com/singapore
Mulcahy joins The Lux Collective from RCI – part of Travel + Leisure Co. – where he served as managing director North America.
