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The Intercontinental Singapore is unique in many ways. And among them, its location stands out. Sure, one can choose from the many international chain hotels along either Orchard Road or Marina Centre. But for Intercontinental Singapore, it is nicely plonked in the Bugis area, which not only offers a vibrant mix of shops and eateries but also just beside the Bras Basah - Bugis art precinct.
So it was the perfect way to kick-start the monkies' year-end school holidays. Especially since we were housed in a room as elegant as this.
I did not know this before but the InterContinental Singapore's room design is heavily influenced by Peranankan culture, thanks to the hotel's location in the Bugis district which was once teeming with Peranakan shop houses.
One could always stay at the normal Deluxe room but if you are looking for something different, I highly recommend the recently refurbished Shophouse rooms and suites. A unique point about these rooms is they are all housed on the second level of the hotel, just overlooking the street level. This is because Peranakan shopkeepers used to live on the upper floors of their businesses so guests will be able to look out of the suite windows through the charming wooden shutters, and imagine what life was like many years ago.
So our room was actually part of the original prewar architecture and I particularly loved how the use of old wood in the room created a unique sense of old style charm.
As for the wifey, she adored the beautiful blend of modern styling and ample Peranakan touches in the room.
As much as we wanted to vegetate in our comfortable room, there was still the tiny matter of checking out the dining options that InterContinental Singapore and I guess we should know that the all day dining Olive Tree restaurant never disappoints.
For starters, its buffer breakfast serves up a delectable range of food and as the monkies will agree, the food left them feeling way bloated after a morning of feasting.
For me, any buffet breakfast that has Teh Tarik is already a winner.
For a more intimate and private dining experience, we headed to the Club InterContinental Lounge for breakfast during our second morning. And as you can probably tell, the lounge is massive.
Oh, and the Lounge serves afternoon tea and evening cocktails, all of which are complimentary for guests in the Shophouse rooms and suites.
As if that was not enough, we headed to the Lobby Lounge for its famed Afternoon Tea. And my, the Lobby Lounge is just simply grand to gawk at, with its majestic pillars and high ceiling.
Yes, the monkies were literally licking their lips after catching sight of the treats on offer.
Frankly, who can blame them? I did not even know where to start!
We had the opportunity to try out its Special Lunch Set Menu, which had the monkies purring in approval.
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| Dim Sum Combination |
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| Soup of the Day - Pork Ribs Soup |
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| Baked Perch Fillet with Spicy Sauce and Yang Cabbage |
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| Pork Rib with 'Zhen Jiang' Vinegar served with Egg Fried Rice |
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| Mango Sago Dessert with Vanilla Ice Cream |
Feeling hungry yet? Else, how about a sumptuous seafood dinner buffet at Olive Tree?
To be honest, the fresh seafood selection was enough to make the wifey and me swoon.
Predictably though, the desserts section was what enticed the monkies most.
And if you are dining at an InterContinental restuarant anywhere in the world with your kids in tow, be sure to check out the InterContinental Planet Trekkers Children’s Menu.
Designed exclusively for young InterContinental hotel guests by award winning chef Theo Randall and child food expert and best-selling international author Annabel Karmel MBE, the new menu was developed from start to finish with nutrition and food exploration at its core. Each item on the menu is nutritionally balanced, and features many different textures and flavours to entice little foodies.
The Planet Trekkers menu items are described in detail so parents know what ingredients exactly goes into every dish, particularly helpful if your child has food allergies. Best of all, each dish is created using the best and freshest ingredients, ensuring an enjoyable and nutritionally balanced meal for each child.
All that feasting certainly needed some calorie-burning activity and nothing comes better in the form of swimming for the monkies!
Granted the swimming pools at InterContinental Singapore are nothing out of the ordinary, but I loved that there was a separate mini pool for younger children.
So yes, trust the monkies to have bucket loads of fun all the same.
And even though the hotel offers a very convenient location, with a deluge of shopping areas, we found ourselves coming back to the room to laze away during our 2-night stay. Because at the end of the day, the refurbished suite is hard to beat for their blend of Peranakan heritage, modern luxury and old world charm. Or in the monkies' words, it is just so comfortable!
If you are planning for a staycation this school holidays, great news! From now to 28 February 2015, InterContinental Singapore is offering a special Family Getaway Package where children can stay, dine and visit the world’s best rainforest zoo, the Singapore Zoo for free. As part of the package, two parents and one child will enjoy a delectable buffet breakfast, with tickets to the Singapore Zoo.
To explore and book the package, visit intercontinental.com/hotelpackages or ihg.com/hotelpackages. For more information, please visit intercontinental.com/singapore, or call +65 6825 1000.
Useful Information
INTERCONTINENTAL SINGAPORE
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Website: www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/singapore/sinhb/hoteldetail
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