Next time you pass by Beach Road in Singapore, around Raffles Hotel Singapore and Chijmes, you might notice something has changed. Rising up to the sky from a heritage site that was formerly home to three army blocks and the NCO Club is the South Beach Development, a mixed-use project that includes A-grade offices, retail space and The South Beach hotel.
The idea of the 654-room property, to open in April, was born out of a phone call six years ago, from City Developments Limited (CDL) chairman Kwek Leng Beng to seasoned management professional Aloysius Lee, who is now the chief executive of South Beach Consortium. "Mr Kwek called – I was in Boston – and he said, 'Aloysius, you should go check out the Hudson [New York] hotel, it's designed by Starck,' when I was there... there was a lot of activity in the lobby, the lifestyle was different, the rooms are designed; since then we have visited the Delano in Miami, and SLS [in Beverly Hills] and so on, and we realised there was a lifestyle trend. So you can see our chairman's foresight."
"It was difficult for us to say what the trend was. About a year or less ago, we realised it's actually a behaviour change, what we call 'alone togetherness'."
Lee cites Starbucks as an example of the concept, where people go alone to be seen with a lot of other people. And those lone coffee drinkers might not be lonely after all. "There is a physical perception that a person is lonely, but he's acutally together with a lot of people, through the internet, IT or apps."
The South Beach will capture that lifestyle by offering 43 "imaginative" social spaces in the property, including various types of communal tables in public areas. There will also be more places to drink than ones for dining. There will be an all-day restaurant and three bars. At lobby level there will be a cosy drinking place completed with a fireplace. Then there will be a bar called Laugh, where stand-up comedy will be featured. And then there will be Court Martial, a watering hole converted from an actual former military court.
More dining options, run by outside operators, will be offered at the retail section of the development, and guests from the hotel can sign their bills to their rooms.
The trend of new hotels emphasising on connectivity and "social elements", however, is hardly a new one, with W Hotels by Starwood, Indigo by IHG and Hyatt's Andaz being just three of the examples. The most recent brand in this genre is Radisson Red by Carlson Rezidor, which was announced with its first signed management contract last year during HICAP (Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific) in Hong Kong last year (see story). So is The South Beach just riding on it?
"When we built the hotel six years ago, we had already developed the concept. So it's not a concept we are developing according to a trend," he said. "We have been from the design stage to the construction stage going along this theme. In many cases, when the hotel is being developed, the frame is already built, and they are fitting in the lifestyle. In our case, the frame has been built to fit the lifestyle."
The historical structures of the site are restored under a glass canopy, which is capable of delivering light shows harmonised with music. There will be one ballroom that, according to Lee, has no name, so as to allow patrons to name it themselves. The space can fit in up to 50 tables, but it cannot divided into smaller rooms. There will also be 19 state-of-the-art function rooms.
Other facilities include two Sky Gardens, two pools, and a 24-hour fitness centre. The property is also promising ultra-fast wireless internet connection.
The room categories are Showcase Me (deluxe), Showcase You (premier), Show Us (club, which offer superior views and access to the Executive Lounge) as well as Showcase Her – a collection of rooms located on a dedicated ladies' floor. According to Lee, there is demand for such a floor among female guests, including some who have travelled from the Middle East by themselves. The amenities will be specially designed, including the facial steamer, storing spaces for accessories and an oversized "boyfriend's shirt" that the guest can wear as pajamas.
There will eventually be a skybridge to link the hotel with Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre across the street, providing delegates attending conferences and events at the facility an alternative style of accommodation to the long-time favourites in the area such as Pan Pacific and The Ritz-Carlton.
Reggie Ho
