Orchard Rendezvous Hotel by Far East Hospitality

This simple, but large, hotel is located in a 17-story beige building that fits right in on this quieter section of Orchard Road. A silhouetted Orchard Parade Hotel sign is nestled in greenery out front. Guests drive up to a covered entrance and enter the lobby through glass doors. The hotel is currently in transition, with renovations going on in stages throughout the hotel as of 2016. The pool and fitness center have already been overhauled, and the lobby is getting a facelift as well -- but the hotel remains open, and guests can convene in the massive, elegant lobby with huge columns and a long front desk. A skylight floods the space with natural light when the sun is out, but don't expect much in the way of places to hang out -- beyond the pool and gym, the exclusive Club Lounge is the only spot for some guests to gather, and there's no restaurant or bar on-site. While leisure travelers do pass through, the majority of guests here are business travelers, and rates are fairly reasonable for the area. 

This hotel sits in a quieter spot of Orchard Road, at the west end of Singapore's main shopping strip, surrounded by commercial buildings and a few malls. A few pubs and restaurants are alongside it, and the Orchard MRT station is about an eight-minute walk away. The glut of the malls begin a five- to 10-minute walk east of the hotel, and the area is one of the more popular destinations in the city. It's about 30 minutes by metro to some of the city's vibrant ethnic communities, including Chinatown and Little India. Expect a 25-minute metro trip (plus some walking) to reach the shops, bars, and restaurants of Clarke Quay. The Singapore Botanic Gardens can be reached in about 20 minutes on foot, or five minutes by car. Business travelers can reach the Central Business District in about 15 minutes by car or a half-hour by public transportation. Changi Airport is about a 25-minute drive, or an hour by public transportation.

Rooms are fairly basic, with simple, decor, and though some were renovated in 2016, others have yet to be updated. Still, even the most modern of the rooms aren't exactly a picture of style. Rugs top wood-laminate floors, and furniture is a mix of dark veneers and a more ornate style with a bit of a classical touch (like the desks in the Deluxe Room that we saw on our visit). Seating also varies, with some categories having couches and chairs with clean lines and angles, and others done in bolder striped upholstery. Some rooms have desks with ergonomic chairs. All are spacious, though, with floor plans in entry-level rooms starting at 32 square meters (344 square feet).

Amenities include remote-controlled air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, safes, and phones with mobile internet access. Minibars are stocked with beer and soft drinks, while bottled water is free. Rooms also have small balconies, some with views of the pool and city. Unfortunately they aren't furnished. Some of the larger rooms, like Family Suites, have sitting areas with sofas as well as small dining tables. Club Rooms are more modern and attractive, plus guests staying in these have access to the Club Lounge and extra perks. Small bathrooms have walk-in rainfall showers or shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads (some rooms have both), as well as hairdryers and toiletries. More modern bathrooms have granite countertops and updated tiling and fixtures.

Despite the size of this hotel -- and despite 2016 renovations -- features are quite thin here. The most surprising missing feature is the lack of a restaurant or bar beyond the Club Lounge, which is only accessible for a select portion of the hotel's guests. Aside from that, basic offerings include a compact outdoor swimming pool surrounded by a spacious sundeck lined with shaded loungers as well as potted tropical plants and greenery. There's also a decent fitness center offering cardio and weight-training machines as well as free weights. Windows all around allow in natural light, and bottled water and towels are provided. Four event spaces are spread over two levels and can accommodate business and social gatherings. An internet desk in the lobby provides two Apple computers and printers for guest use, plus Wi-Fi is free throughout.