Voco Orchard: Come for the food, stay for the top-notch hospitality

First impressions

1/6

As I checked into my room, the space seemed fairly decent and spacious for a standard deluxe guest room. The design of the room was on par to most hotel chains, and if I have to be fully honest, felt a bit “cold” in contrast to Voco’s branding. From the look of the Junior Suites, the premium rooms seemed to be updated with colourful paintings and wooden furniture that gave the room a more welcoming feel. So if you want the full experience, I highly recommend you upgrade your room.

I did appreciate the free house brand essential oil and Apothoke candle I found on my nightstand though! Unfortunately, housekeeping was unable to light the candle due to fire safety reasons.

Since I am a huge believer in the “no outside clothes on the bed” rule, I popped into the bathroom for a quick shower before testing out the bed. The bathroom was your run-of-the-mill hotel room size with a bathtub. As I was staying alone, it felt more than adequate for me, though with a partner it might have been a slight squeeze. I did like that they swapped out the mini amenities for full-sized ones from Apotheke — another testament to the hotel’s commitment to being as environmentally-friendly as possible.

A bed so good you won’t want to leave

2/6

And now for the real test — the glorious king sized bed that I was dying to sink into. While the room decor was nothing to shout about, this bed was a-maz-ing! As someone who loves a tremendous amount of pillows and quilts and has a need to cover every surface area of her body with soft bedding, this bed was a dream come true.

I carefully built my little nest of pillows, snuggled myself into the quilt and drifted off into a nice, afternoon slumber.

P.S If four pillows aren’t sufficient enough for you, there’s another two more stacked in the wardrobe, with an ergonomic one for those who suffer from neck issues. Needless to say, when I discovered them, off they went into my pillow pile.

Exploring the hotel grounds

Credit: Voco Orchard

3/6

As I awoke from my afternoon nap with a slight grumble in my tummy (and by the noisy family that kept slamming their doors), I decided it was time to explore the hotel grounds. Since I had access to the Club Lounge, I popped in to grab a quick bite. I didn’t want to spoil my dinner appetite, so I grabbed a couple of drinks, banana chips and freshly made bread pudding as a snack.

If you love fixing yourself a stiff drink, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm, the lounge offers newly created cocktails for guests to sample. The drinks are all inspired by the history of Orchard Road, and tie into property’s “Stay Interesting” philosophy. I don’t drink so I skipped this, but nice to know that it’s an option for those who do.

After grabbing a bite, it was off to the roof top pool for a quick dip. While the pool was small, it was a relatively chill experience as it wasn’t crowded on a Saturday evening, though there was an ongoing yoga session which I may or may not happen to secretly tap into the mindfulness section of the class from across the pool. Hey, a girl’s gotta get her namaste on somehow, right?

A foodie’s haven

Credit: Voco Orchard

4/6

For food lovers, the eateries of Voco Orchard should be no stranger to you. There’s four restaurants and bars such as Opus Bar & Grill, D9 Cakery, il Cielo and Iggy’s. All prominent names within Singapore’s dining scene, you’ll be promised a memorable gastronomic experience regardless of which restaurant you choose to dine in.

I was really excited for my dinner at Opus Bar & Grill, a restaurant famed for its mouth-watering, flame-grilled steaks. I had been here once with my family for Christmas dinner, and I knew to expect top-notch service and a delicious meal. As I sliced into my Wagyu steak slathered with bone marrow, I was definitely not disappointed. The food and service was as impressive as I remembered, and I heartily scarfed down my food, savouring the juicy and smoky flavours of the steak.

Suffice to say, I over-ordered from greed (a side platter of scallops and carrots are a must!), wolf-ed down EVERYTHING, and slumped myself to my room as the food coma hit.

Did I eat too much? Sure. Do I have any regrets? None.

A shopping haven away from the hustle of Orchard Road

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5/6

If shopping is on a high list of priorities for you, this hotel is a shopaholic’s dream. Positioned right at the beginning of Orchard Road, all of the shopping malls that the stretch has to offer are all within a walking distance. But if leaving the confines of this cosy hotel is still too much for you, there’s plenty of designer boutiques situated within the hotel itself. A fan of minimalist luxury? You can pop into Jil Sander to try on their buttery soft knit dresses. Love the edgy streetstyle of Japan? Then you’ll fit right at home in the Sacai and Commes Des Garcon boutique. If you love discovering up-and-coming labels, there’s the multi-label Club 21 boutique that carries cult labels such as Jacquemus, Coperni and J.W Anderson.

A big fan of the physical shopping experience, I really liked that there were interesting stores that I could check out without having to fight through the crowds. While I didn’t test this theory out, I’m pretty sure you could get your shopping sent directly to your room if you wanted.

Final verdict

Credit: Voco Orchard

6/6

While I came into this experience with some scepticism, I have to say, I am a full convert of staycations now. Privacy aside, it’s the hospitality and the convenience of a the stay that truly sets a staycation apart, and Voco Orchard had it all. Good food, great service, and most importantly, a bomb-ass bed that I would pay good money for. And while I do love my bed at home, the idea of not having to worry about cleaning up after myself really helped me to get into a mode of relaxation that I wasn’t able to get at home.

Total peace of mind? Now THAT’S something money can’t buy.