The Singapore EDITION hotel review

This is EDITION Hotels’ first stylish foray into Southeast Asia and the serene, green-focused urban retreat is so impressive I want to linger.

It’s the home of the fabulous FYSH restaurant, where Australian chef, restaurateur and author Josh Niland stars. Niland has changed the way people think about fish and his menu is a culinary adventure, attracting both travellers and locals alike.

Follow the cobblestone driveway to the hotel’s bronze and glass facade entrance that opens into a private, creamy white-hued oasis that’s a perfect escape from the bustle of Upper Orchard Road. The 204-room hotel, owned by Marriott International, is a perfect retreat from the busy thoroughfare that was once a bucolic country lane lined with fruit orchards and pepper and nutmeg plantations.

Today, it’s a stretch of noted restaurants, tree-shaded boulevards and chic marble-floored shops. The hotel has a curated collection of restaurants and bars, a signature spa and a stunning rooftop pool. The line between interior and exterior spaces is successfully blurred with sweeping, vibrant vistas and greenery, including a sky park and lushly planted sunken garden.

Traveller: Sue Wallace
Room: Garden Premier King
Address: 38 Cuscaden Road, Singapore
Date: August 2024
Best for: Discerning travellers, food lovers and savvy eco-friendly supporters.

The Signature Factor

Sniff Edition’s signature Black Tea fragrance boasts smoky and sweet notes crafted in collaboration with US perfume brand Le Labo as you step inside. Then sit back and soak up the sophisticated look and the luxurious greenery. The white marbled lobby contrasts with a stunning domed ceiling covered with gold leaf and floor-to-ceiling windows are sheathed with plantation louvres.

It’s a perfect mix of city excitement and resort tropics, conceived by Ian Schrager in collaboration with interior design firm Cap Atelier. Instagrammers are kept busy snapping away with so many great vistas.

First impressions

It’s a little like walking into a gorgeous lolly shop with its all-white decor and pops of jewel-like colours. The silhouette has been created by the renowned Safdie Architects led by Moshe Safdie and local studio DP Architects and shimmers in the sunshine.

Eyes are drawn to the Lobby Bar with a fuchsia felt and Calcutta marble pool table. It’s hard to take your eyes off the bar styled with Lalique-inspired crystal decanters as you lounge in chic Christian Liaigre doe leather chairs. From the lobby, a sculpted, white Venetian plaster staircase spirals elegantly down to the garden courtyard level to a dramatic bar lounge, the Punch Room, perfect for a cocktail. Staff are friendly, personable and always ready to assist.

The room

Our room is spacious and so comfortable with views over the flourishing courtyard garden. It’s a refreshing, restful palette with thoughtful design – yes, it’s easy to turn out the lights from a master switch and operate the blinds.

The luxurious bathroom has a spacious shower room and a stand-alone bathtub. La Bottega robes and Edition-Le Labo black tea-infused toiletries add to the relaxing feels, plus attention to detail and refined design. The Japanese loo, complete with a heated seat, is impressive as well. White rugs clad the customised white oak-planked floors while decorative pots of orchids and thick drapes frame the broad bay windows.

Sustainability

The hotel won the BCA Green Mark Platinum, a green building rating system that recognises a building’s environmental impact and performance. It’s built with green cement and staff wear stylish uniforms made from recycled materials.

On my plate

It’s all about delicious dining and cocktails at this suave hotel with its innovative restaurant and bar concepts.

FYSH at EDITION, a revolutionary fish concept by Josh Niland, is a drawcard as well as Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine and expertly crafted cocktails at the Punch Room, Lobby Bar and The Roof. It is named after Sir Hudson Fysh, a pilot and co-founder of Qantas, who started the air route between Australia and Singapore. Like a modern-age fish steakhouse, this is a first-of-its-kind concept featuring ethically sourced seafood and fish dishes.

Soaring ceilings feature in the timber-clad 154-seat restaurant with a main dining area, a stunning bar, a light-filled conservatory and a foliage-fringed terrace that’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The gold-hued Christian Furr painting of Singapore’s early settlers takes centre stage. Seafood, meat, and innovative creations are cooked over a charcoal Josper grill. While the menu is fish-focused, land-based protein and vegetables are treated with equal reverence. If you are a seafood lover, the menu takes you to new heights, with Niland bringing out the best tastes and catering for meat lovers.

Standouts include yellowfin tuna by Walkers Seafood, which is featured in various incarnations, embodying the spirit of Niland’s circular philosophy. We dined on mixed Mooloolaba yellowfin tuna steak tartare, a 15-day 400g dry aged yellowfin tuna ribeye with salt & vinegar fried onion rings and salad of tomatoes, plums & chardonnay vinaigrette. The fat from this exceptional fish will eventually feature in charcuterie and fish sausages, liver pate and bone pasta. Cocktails showcase the often-overlooked parts of fruits and vegetables that are bursting with unique flavours, from root to leaf.

Elegant and subtle signature cocktails include the saline Oyster Shell Gin & Sonic made with Never Never Oyster Shell Gin, created for contemporary seafood pairings. Breakfast in this dining area features an abundant array of exquisite fruits, yoghurts, cheeses, charcuterie, cereals, home-made granola and fresh pastries cooked in-house will accompany eggs, bacon and sliced avocado on toast. The leafy conservatory is compact and home to more than 300 plants and 162 suspended preserved fern spheres from Southeast Asia. A Luna Alabaster sculpture by Jan Vanderlaan finishes the room.

The Punch Room

EDITION’s signature bar concept is perfect for cocktail connoisseurs served in either individual or communal punch bowls. Swathed in a shade of Yves Klein blue, the intimate 30-seater is an indulgent cocoon. It’s lined with oak panels on the walls and ceilings, a sculptural blue ceiling pendant designed by the Parisian artist Eric Schmitt, and a fan-shaped stone mosaic on the floor.

It features an intimate mood of a classic London gentleman’s club serving brandy with a modern twist. A mixologist shakes up a unique punch cocktail menu inspired by Southeast Asian spices and imaginative bar snacks created by Dario Schiavoni, Director of Food & Beverage and Giovanni Graziadei, Director of Beverage. There are 12 specialty punches – including the signature Tempest Punch that matches the multicultural heritage and ambience of Singapore; the inventive international and Asian-inspired bar bites make the perfect accompaniment to the cocktails.

Lobby Bar

The cocktail menu is a fusion of fragrance and mixology, offering patrons a captivating and sensorial experience where classic cocktails are reimagined with perfume-inspired ingredients. The Bergamot Negroni that infuses the gin libations with the citrus notes of bergamot and Tuberose Margarita that combines tequila with the rich, heady scents of the tuberose flower are standouts.

Highlights from the mini-bar

You’ll find local beers, French bubbles and a Punch Room cocktail.

I wish I could take home…

The mixologist – there are so many fabulous cocktails and punches.

Staying in

Check out the second-floor spa with seven treatment rooms, sunken vitality thermal pools, an ice fountain, relaxation lounge, sauna and steam room, plus a gym. The inviting pool is surrounded by greenery and a stunning skyline and has its own semi al fresco rooftop bar, The Roof.

Snacks include chili crab spring rolls, chicken satay to refreshing salads like gado gado and green papaya and white prawns.

Stepping out

The hotel is well located in the heart of Singapore and close to many of its main attractions. Fashionistas rejoice, you will find top shelf designer fashion nearby. The beautiful UNESCO-listed Singapore Botanical Gardens is a short stroll and is a must see with serene lakes and landscaped gardens.

The Signature verdict

Recharge in this sophisticated haven away from the hustle and bustle amid a cloud of greenery and quiet luxury.