118 JULY 2019
#1 Rooms with a difference
If the idea of a hotel of identical cookie-cutter
rooms bores you, stay at The Capitol Kempinski
Hotel Singapore. Not only are there eight different
categories across the 157 rooms and suites, there
are a whopping 49 different room configurations.
You could stay here almost every weekend for a
whole year and never see the same interior twice.
The reason? This is a historic building – in
fact, two historic buildings linked by a pedestrian
bridge: Stamford House, built in 1904, and the
Capitol Building, dating to 1930. And you can’t
just go knocking down the walls or smoothing out
the curves of a piece of Singapore heritage.#2 The plush touches
You know you’re in for a treat at Kempinski
as soon as you open your room door to reveal
arguably Singapore’s highest hotel ceilings. The
vibe of understated grandeur is mirrored in the
ginormous bathroom, with a free-standing ultra-
deep tub, Salvatore Ferragamo amenities, and a
choice of three showerheads. Oh, and a bathrobe
that remains the greatest thing I’ve ever worn.
There are some snazzy touches in the hotel
public areas too (no surprise, as the designer is the
award-winning guy behind the Getty Centre in Los
Angeles): original timber bannisters, Italian marble,
striking archways and light-drenched nooks. The
hotel’s small ballroom features an 18-metre hand-
painted designer wallpaper. You get the idea.
There’s also a spa offering a fusion of modern
therapies and traditional Asian massages, a gym
kitted out with state-of-the-art TechnoGym
equipment, and a small but cosy outdoor saltwater
relaxation pool.BY SHAMUS SILLARKempinski is
Europe’s oldest
luxury hotel
group, with 70
or more hotels in
30 countries. It
recently opened
its first property
here, and we felt
obliged to take
a look!15 Stamford Road.
For reservations, contact 6368 8888 or email
[email protected].Takeaways from a stay
#3 Getting your fill
The F&B offerings at Kempinski are housed in the
hotel itself and in the adjoining Capitol Piazza.
Signature restaurant 15 Stamford is the brainchild
of three-Michelin-starred Alvin Leung. Menu
highlights include a bone-in short-rib beef rendang
that we raved about in a recent review (see the May
issue of Expat Living). I didn’t get a chance to dine
there during my stay, but I did grab a next-level
schnitzel at German restaurant Frieda, in the Piazza.
Recommended!
The Kempinski company began as wine merchants
in the 19th century; needless to say, there’s some
decent booze available in the hotel. The beautifully
decked-out Bar at 15 Stamford is the place for a
cocktail – try to nab the table beside the window,
where you can see a preserved area of the building’s
original flooring.#4 Out and about
Stay at Kempinski and you are smack-bang in the
middle of the civic and cultural district. There are
churches either side of the property, and galleries
and museums in various directions. It’s one block
from Raffles Hotel, a few minutes’ walk from Fort
Canning Park (ideal for an early-morning jog), and
just across the road from CHIJMES, with its plethora
of eating and drinking options. City Hall MRT is a
sheltered stroll away.
Frankly, though, you’re not going to want to spend
too long away from your room at this hotel.(^4) Kempinski
at the