Hotel Staycation Review: Parkroyal on Beach Road, Singapore

The Parkroyal on Beach Road, a hotel which is just a stone’s throw away from Kampong Glam and Suntec City, is perhaps one of the most underrated properties in the city. A mid-size property with only seven floors, it does not boast of a stunning grand lobby or the most opulent of dining experiences. However, a recent partial refurbishment has made this property quite a compelling place to stay with stunning new rooms and complete facilities including a club lounge, spa, fitness center and a pool with a wonderful view of the Singapore skyline. The in-house restaurants are also well-nuanced, with Si Chuan Dou Hua and Tian Fu Tea Room for Chinese food and Plaza Brasserie which is well-known for its crab buffet. It is one of three Parkroyal hotels in Singapore and arguably the best value of the three – I will explain later why. During a recent weekend, I checked out the Parkroyal on Beach Road via a stay in one of its Premier rooms.

tian fu tea room

As mentioned previously, the property is not one that immediately garners oohs and ahs as you enter the 48-year old hotel. The lobby is quite cozy but functional. More importantly, I found the reception area well-manned when I checked-in at 3pm which is essentially peak time in a hotel. I did not have to wait long and I was soon given a detailed explanation about the stay inclusions. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a couple of vouchers handed to me as part of my stay. I got a $20 food voucher for Si Chuan Dou Hua and interestingly, complimentary tea for the Tian Fu Tea Room outlet next door which I redeemed prior to going up to my room.

Premier Room

The rooms at Parkroyal at Beach Road face either Beach Road (and Kampong Glam) or the complex which contain the serviced residences of Parkroyal and Pan Pacific. The view is more pleasant facing Beach Road so make sure to request for this view if it makes a difference for you.

The Premier Rooms in this property were improved in 2015 after a partial refurbishment which covered certain room types and the club lounge. The result is a sleek look that is a departure from the other more mature parts of the hotel. There is a zen-like quality to the room, painted in soothing beige and decked with minimalist lighting fixtures that come with subtle Japanese sensibilities. The great thing about a 48-year old hotel such as the Parkroyal Beach Road is that the room cuts are markedly bigger. At 35 square meters, it is practically unheard of in newer properties of the same class.

The room comes with a curved sofa by the window that’s excellently placed for those wishing to laze around with a good book should one choose to stay-in all day. For those looking to have some work done, the oblong-shaped desk comes with an ergonomic Herman Miller chair.

The minibar comes well-stocked especially for those looking to snack in-room. I did notice that there were disproportionally more food items in the minibar than there were drinks (which isn’t a bad thing at all). The closet was likewise well-stocked. There were more hangers than I needed and an ironing board was well within reach – something I use too often whenever I’m staying in a hotel!

The bathroom in this room category does not include a bathtub but it sort of makes up for it by having a spacious shower area. For a room that was renovated recently, it struck me that there are no rain showers here though the overhead showers are more than adequate.

Toiletries are from the hotel’s in-house brand – St. Gregory, a name which it shares with the spa.

Orchid Club Lounge

A key element to really enhance a stay at Parkroyal on Beach Road in my view is the recently renovated Orchid Club Lounge. I must say I was pleasantly surprised after entering it for the first time. With the recent refurbishment, it now comes in the same color scheme as the room albeit with a food-oriented vibe. Think: jars of pickled food contrasting against tiled off-white walls as décor as well as smart furnishings. I had not been this pleasantly surprised at a club lounge since I first stumbled upon the one at Hotel Jen Tanglin last year.

Benefits of Orchid Club:

• Personalised check-in and check-out
• Breakfast at the Orchid Club Lounge or a full breakfast buffet at Plaza Brasserie
• Evening cocktails from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
• Unlimited usage of in-room broadband internet
• Two pieces of laundry per person on a daily non-accumulative basis (excluding dry cleaning and express services)
• Complimentary shoe polishing upon arrival
• 20% savings on all Business Centre services
• 20% savings on the a-la-carte menu at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant

At 6pm, evening cocktails was served promptly inside the Orchid Club Lounge. There’s a decent array of alcohol, softdrinks and chilled juices available but the highlight admittedly is the buffet spread.

For one, this is the only club lounge among the hotels I’ve stayed in Singapore which features a cold seafood section. I got to try it at two separate occasions and found the spread revolving around Alaskan snow crab, mussels, clams, prawns and crayfish. The small dessert section here is just as good. I had my fill of apple crumble and pandan custard during my time there.

There is also a small roast section with the selection changing by the day. During my first day at the lounge, I encountered roast chicken while this was replaced with roast beef during my second day.

The hotel has a spa called St. Gregory located in the 4th floor, similarly named with the spa in other Parkroyal and in Pan Pacific properties. While I did not manage to have anything done there, I noted that they have an enticing 50% off promotions for their ala carte treatments during weekdays from 10am to 4pm. It puts most of their treatments well below $100 which for a hotel spa in Singapore is quite a good deal.

A short walk from the spa, the hotel gym is of modest size but has all the equipment one needs for a decent workout. There is also a separate and more private exercise room where the hotel holds classes. A short walk from there is the swimming pool which remains quite attractive considering the craze nowadays for infinity pools. The property’s wet area benefits from some sublime views of the surrounding Suntec skyline – with a panorama that also include places such as the Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer.

Breakfast

My stay at Parkroyal on Beach Road included breakfast which I could have at the Orchid Club Lounge or at the Plaza Brasserie, their all-day dining restaurant. The former closes earlier, at 10am while it closes at 10:30 in the latter. As I woke up late, I had no choice but to eat at the Plaza Brasserie which also had a better selection than the lounge. The selection was a mix between Western and Asian favorites, with dishes such as nasi lemak and noodle soup interspersed with poached eggs and bacon. Despite it being a busy morning for breakfast, the staff was attentive enough to ask me if I wanted coffee or tea which was served promptly.

Tips For Parkroyal on Beach Road

• This hotel is probably the best value among the three Parkroyal hotels in Singapore. The Pickering property is already priced as a five star hotel and while the Kitchener property typically has the cheapest best available rate for the lowest category room, it’s pricier than the Beach Road property once you add breakfast and/or club access
• The price difference between the most basic rooms and the Premier Room is about $40 to $50 a night which is worth it in my opinion. Even though the room size is the same, the refurbished rooms really add a pleasing and more relaxing dimension to the stay with its zen-like qualities
• If you choose not to take the tip on getting a Premier Room, at least book the package with club access (you can book this in the hotel’s official site). The price difference between a room with club access and the standard best available rate is only around $20 – $30 typically. For that, you get breakfast and evening cocktails for two plus usage of the lounge should you need to stay in the hotel beyond check-out time.  When added together, this is worth a lot more than the extra $20 a night.
• If you long to have a massage but lament about Singapore’s steep prices, the weekday 50% promotion at St. Gregory’s Spa is something to consider
• The hotel is just next to the buzzing and sometimes exotic neighborhood of Kampong Glam. There are tons of great cafes and eateries to explore nearby. You can check out this mini-guide on things to do there. For places to eat, Golden Mile is just within walking distance. Check out the excellent Banh Mi there.

Booking It

Parkroyal on Beach Road currently has a staycation package that starts at S$175 net for a room-only stay. Other packages with breakfast and even club privileges are also available. You can also use the SRV and pay less for your booking. You can book their deals here.

Parkroyal on Beach Road
7500A Beach Road
Singapore 199591
+65 6505 5666