Hospitality
Where to stay in Singapore: The Traders Hotel has undergone a US$32.7 renovation and been re-positioned as Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore. There is a new name, a new look, and an all-new vibe!
Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore has a distinct personality. You won’t wake up wondering which hotel chain you’re staying at: a Hilton, a Sheraton, or a Marriott.
Following a S$45 million (US$32.7 million) renovation, the Traders Hotel has been re-christened Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore.
The makeover has given the hotel a chic, contemporary feel, yet there are also some subtle retrograde hints of the 1950s.
Five distinctly Singaporean themes are recurrent throughout the property: bicycles, orchids, goldfish, and shop houses.
Accommodation
The hotel has 565 newly renovated guest rooms, with six room types. They range from 26 square metre superior rooms to 75 square metre premier suites.
There are even 6 rooms specially outfitted for people with disabilities and 8 rooms that are friendly to senior citizens.
My room was cozy. It was smartly furnished with custom wall paper, a flat screen television, an efficient work space, and a mini refrigerator with complimentary fruit juice.
Situated on an upper floor, my room also had a lovely view of the swimming pool and the city beyond. It demonstrated to me just how different Singapore’s cityscape is to Hong Kong’s.
Food + Beverage
The hotel has five food and beverage outlets. Serving mostly (but not exclusively) Southeast Asian cuisine, J65 is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Restaurant Review: J65 – COMING!
Ah Hoi’s Kitchen has indoor and outdoor seating, with tables overlooking the swimming pool. The menu features traditional Singaporean dishes. It is open for lunch and dinner.
Located just off the lobby, Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go is an informal café serving artisanal coffees, masala teas, fruit juice, salads, and other light fare.
Rumpoles Bar serves beer, wine, and signature cocktails in convivial surroundings. Bar bites are also available. There is also an outdoor bar next to the swimming pool.
Facilities
There is a 30 metre long outdoor swimming pool that is set in a spacious courtyard with landscaped tropical gardens.
The water is deep enough that it remains pleasantly cool throughout the day. I like to do laps, so this is important to me.
The hotel has a well-equipped 24-hour gym and health club. Facilities include Jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room, and treatment rooms.
Chargers were provided in the gym for mobile devices, but unfortunately they were not compatible with my device despite having multiple outlets.
The hotel has bicycles, which guests can use on a complimentary basis. There is a shuttle service to Orchard Road.
Other facilities include a hair and beauty salon and 10 meeting and function rooms.
The hotel has direct access to a shopping mall with a large supermarket, smaller specialty markets, a food court, and numerous other shops, boutiques, and food and beverage outlets.
Club Lounge
I was lucky enough to be housed on a floor with Club Lounge privileges, and it was, in fact, just a few steps down the hall.
Of all of the executive lounges I’ve had access to, this one would have to be one of my favourites. If I ever had to come up with a top 10 list, It would most certainly be on it.
What I liked was the club’s personality. It had all of these quirky touches. And it was very user friendly.
Breakfast buffets were served daily from 6.30 am to 11 am, and brunch buffets were served until 12 noon on weekends!
Mid-afternoon snacks were available between 2 pm and 4 pm. And an After Five Happy Hour ran from 5 pm to 7.30 pm.
Guests were encouraged to take things back to their rooms, which I particularly appreciated. Paper cups for tea and coffee were even provided for this purpose.
I remember asking if I could have a can of Diet Coke to take back to my room at a five star hotel in Tokyo, and I was told this was not allowed.
Unique Selling Proposition
If I had to name just one thing that sets this hotel apart from the pack, it would have to be its unique personality.
The designers have managed to create a contemporary yet comfortable ambiance that is consistent throughout the property, running from the lobby to the food and beverages outlets to the guest rooms to the Club Lounge.
And there is something about this ambiance that creates a friendly atmosphere.
Where
Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore. Telephone: (65) 6831 4333.