The Standard Singapore Review: Not your standard stay

The Standard Singapore opened its doors in December 2024, becoming the brand’s ninth hotel globally and the third outpost in Southeast Asia, after Bangkok and Hua Hin.

It might not be a household name in Singapore, but the chain originally hails from the famous Sunset Strip, a 1.7-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through the city of West Hollywood in California. The first-ever Standard property (which closed in 2021) debuted at the turn of the millennium with A-list backers like Benicio del Toro, Cameron Diaz, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and its mid-century modern interiors have featured prominently in shows like Sex and the City and Entourage.

Hyatt acquired Standard International last year, and will eventually integrate its properties into World of Hyatt, enabling points redemptions and elite status benefits. Hopefully that won’t take too long, because The Standard Singapore is a hotel that punches above its weight, and a worthy addition to the Hyatt family. 

Booking The Standard Singapore

While The Standard Singapore will eventually be fully integrated with World of Hyatt and bookable with Hyatt points, that day is still some time in the future.

So I booked this hotel via ZenHotels and paid a total of S$281 nett for a one-night room-only stay. Given Singapore’s frightening hotel room rates, I thought this was pretty decent value. It should be noted that current rates reflect a 15% discount during the opening period, and you can expect them to increase in the future. 

The Standard Singapore: Arrival and Check-in

The Standard Singapore is located at 12 Orange Grove Road, next door to the Shangri-La Singapore.

This location means it’s not particularly convenient for tourists who want to explore Orchard Road; at least compared to hotels on the stretch itself. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk, mostly unsheltered, before you reach ION Orchard and the start of Orchard Road proper. The hotel mentions its closer proximity to the Botanic Gardens, but again it’s about a 15-20 minute unsheltered walk. 

Getting here by MRT would be tricky too, as the nearest station is the one at ION. Moreover, The Standard is up a hill, and rolling luggage from the station would not be particularly pleasant in Singapore’s sticky climate. 

Your best bet is to get here by taxi, or to drive, if you’re a staycationer- the hotel offers free parking to all guests. At the time I stayed, the parking gantry hadn’t even been configured yet, and I was free to park in the driveway or in the basement carpark. I do hope they consider adding a shuttle service to the nearest MRT or Botanic Gardens though, because that would greatly help matters. 

The hotel’s construction was overseen by  Verena Haller, Chief Design Officer of Standard Hotels (how many hotels you know have a position like that?) and DP Architects, whose portfolio also includes the Yotel Singapore, RWS Ocean Suites, Wanderlust Hotel and The Fullerton Bay Hotel.

Ministry of Design was tasked with the interior, creating what’s been called “mid-century modern meets tropical chic”. It’s an irrepressible mood, evident from the moment you step into the terrazzo-tiled lobby replete with fluted wooden walls, retro-inspired lighting and botanical flourishes. 

The vibe — I might have called it W-like, if that hadn’t become somewhat pejorative in recent times — continues at the front desk, built atop a terrarium housing a whimsical diorama by Eric Tobua with colourful orchids, butterflies, flower-glass unicorns and other flora and fauna. 

On arrival, I was welcomed by the staff (wearing designer uniforms created by Thai fashion maven Shone Puipia) with a mocktail and cold towel. The formalities were settled quickly, and I was escorted to my room for a tour and orientation. 

The Standard Singapore: Standard Room

The Standard Singapore has a total of 143 rooms and suites, split into the following categories.

Do note that this hotel does not offer connecting rooms, so families will either have to book a suite, or look elsewhere.

My stay was booked into the lead-in Standard category (an apt name), which at 23 sqm is on the small side. It wasn’t too bad for staycationers like us who just packed a small duffle bag, but those with two large suitcases would have very little room to maneuver if both were opened at the same time. 

Despite its small size, the room does benefit from floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow natural light to stream in during the day, making it feel larger than it really is. 

The centrepiece of the room is a timber-ribbed feature wall that forms a canopy over the bed, almost as if it could slide back at any moment and reveal the night sky above. 

The king-sized bed had a plush mattress and good quality sheets, and a choice between contoured or foam pillows.

The room, unfortunately, doesn’t have a proper work desk. There is a V-shaped sofa with a coffee table, but if you want to do serious work, you’ll need to head down to the lobby. 

Wi-Fi is complimentary for all guests, and speeds at the hotel clocked in at around 30 Mbps up and down, sufficient for 4K Netflix streaming and video calls.

Each bedside table had a power socket (for local Type G plugs only) with 2x USB Type-A ports. Given how new the hotel is, it would have been nice to see universal sockets and USB-C ports offered too. Dimmer switches were available on both sides to control the room and bedside lights, but I felt they should have placed the blinds controls here as well, instead of by the windows. 

An Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 portable Bluetooth speaker was provided. It also happens to be waterproof, though I don’t think you’d be too popular if you brought it down to the pool and started blasting your own music. 

Over at the mini-bar was a Nespresso coffee machine and two bottles of complimentary purified water (additional bottles can be requested free of charge). Standard Nespresso pods and TWG tea bags were in the drawers.

Inside the (chargeable) mini-bar was the usual assortment of drinks, though I didn’t spot the more eclectic options like water lily pops and seaweed miso snacks that other reviewers had spoken of. In fact, the only snack in the fridge was a cereal bar that looked strangely out of place.

One of the space-saving concessions that has to be made because of the room’s small footprint is the lack of a wardrobe. Instead, a pair of hooks had been drilled into the wall, with three hangers on each- don’t expect to be unloading your entire vacation wardrobe here. Further storage, and the in-room safe, can be found in pull-out drawers beneath the bed. 

The in-room 50″ LG Smart TV supported wireless streaming, so you could throw your own Netflix or Disney+ content to the big screen.

The bathroom sported a bold, sunshine yellow aesthetic, paired with white tiles and curved mirror frames. It’s cramped for more than one person, and countertop space is at a premium, but the designers did build a layer of shelves underneath to provide additional storage nooks.

One thing I loved were the thick and fluffy bath towels, made of high GSM cotton and very absorbent. You won’t believe how many 5-Star hotels decide to bulk buy cheap, lightweight towels that feel like tissue paper.

The amenities basket had a shower cap, shave kit, sanitary bag and two dental kits. The MileLioness, a registered dentist, approved of the fact there was actual Colgate Total inside, instead of some off-brand imitation.

Bathtubs aren’t a standard feature in this hotel, but the overhead rain shower had good water pressure.

Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel by Davines were provided in bulk-sized wall-mounted bottles. 

The waffle bathrobes were comfortable to wear, unlike the cheap, scratchy ones that many hotels opt for to cut costs.

That said, the design was…interesting, to say the least. There are cutouts at the armpit that allow you to convert it to a sleeveless garment, but most people don’t bother and just walk around with their armpit hair fully exposed. “When in Rome,” I said. 

Service requests can be made through a QR code that lets you order room service, request turn down service or a room refresh, or get additional items like towels or coffee (the annoying bit was that I needed water the most, but the page kept saying “not available” even though calling the front desk got it done).

The Standard Singapore: Facilities

Swimming pool

The Standard Singapore’s outdoor swimming pool is good for lap swimming, but if that’s not your thing then there’s also a shallow zone made for lounging with several white plastic moulded chairs that sit just inside the water.

I would have loved to see a jacuzzi — even better if it were heated — but despite the property’s fun-oriented ethos, there’s none to be found. 

Large daybeds with umbrella shelters line one side of the pool, available on a first come first serve basis. 

The pool also has a swim-up bar (surprisingly the first for the brand) serving drinks and finger food. The cocktails are the fun slushy kind that go down smooth on a hot day, but I’d save my alcohol allowance for the impeccable ones at Kaya. 

“Gym”

One surprising thing about The Standard Singapore is that it does not have a gym (if hotels have to choose between a gym or pool, more often than not they choose the former). 

Instead, there is a small assortment of free weights, two yoga balls and a cable machine on the astroturf lawn, under a concrete overhang. I understand there’s a run club that heads to Botanic Gardens for sunrise and sunset, and twice-weekly yoga classes in the garden, but that’s about the extent of it.

Gardens

It’s not a facility as such, but The Standard Singapore’s gardens do deserve a mention.

These lush landscapes provide space for toddlers to burn off their energy, or for adults to sit and have a chat. Perhaps the biggest problem is that Singapore’s weather isn’t exactly conducive for prolonged periods of outdoor sitting!

The Standard Singapore: Kaya

The Standard Singapore has two dining venues:

• Kaya: A reimagined Japanese izakaya experience 
• Cafe Standard: Coffee in the day, cocktails in the evening, all-day menu with salads and hamburgers

In-house guests are currently entitled to 20% off food and drinks at all F&B outlets. 

We had dinner at Kaya (a play on the word izakaya, rather than any reference to the coconut jam we all know and love), and let me tell you, it blew me away. 

For starters, we had the Tuna Ponzu (S$24++), featuring cured yellowfin tuna loin, avocado, ikura, tomato and aged ponzu. The citrusy ponzu paired great with the tuna.

Finding Miso (S$24++) features char-grilled flounder so delicate it dissolves in your mouth. The cauliflower cream that accompanied it was so delicious I wish I could have had a whole bowl. 

I was initially hesitant about ordering the Kani Meshi Nabe (S$65++) given its price tag, but I’m glad I relented. This dish, served claypot style with snow crab, ikura and uni creme, was the star of the evening. The interplay of the heavy uni creme with the delicate snow crab was sensational, and the scorched rice socarrat at the base of the pot was mixed in, providing delightful crunchiness to every other bite.

The cocktails from Kaya Bar are similarly inspired, and on par with anything you’d find at Atlas or Manhattan.

We tried the Hikari Spritz (S$27++), a mix of Codigo 1530 Blanco, agave, sancho umeshu, house-made passionfruit curry liqueur, house-made lemongrass ginger liqueur, and fire water. This was brought to the table along with a bubble gun for that final flourish. 

We also had a Takuya Mary (S$27++): tomato-infused Tito’s, mirin, soy sauce, house-made
osmanthus honey, fire water, accompanied with a nori crisp with dashi carrot gel. This is, obviously, a play on a Bloody Mary, and you should definitely try it if savory cocktails are your thing.

Kaya was no doubt the highlight of the entire stay, and my main gripe was actually the lighting.

After a certain time, the lights in the restaurant get dimmed. It’s meant to provide a romantic atmosphere, but it was so dark it was difficult to see what you were eating. I mentioned this to the staff and they said it was an automated lighting programme that others had complained about too.

You’re just going to have to take my word that the food tastes much better than it looks in my photos!

The Standard Singapore: Breakfast

Breakfast is served at Kaya from 6.30 a.m to 10.30 a.m daily, and costs S$40++ per adult (the 20% discount for in-house guests also applies here).

There’s no buffet; in fact, the only reminder of a buffet line is a trio of juice dispensers situated at the bar. 

Instead, all items are ordered from an a la carte menu, which is a lovely little touch you’d normally expect only at boutique 5-Star hotel. 

All items are served in tasting-sized portions to allow guests to sample more of the menu while avoiding wastage.

We started with the onigiri of the day, which came studded with little flecks of crab meat and colourful furikake. 

Udon laksa was paired with a hearty coconut broth, though it was disappointing they served this with cheap frozen prawns.

The avocado, bacon and egg was an ordinary, if dependable combination. 

The sweet potato frittata, on the other hand, was delicious.

Salmon chazuke was served with a dainty, light dashi broth, dotted with shredded seaweed and edamame beans. Paofan (soup and rice) is always a winning combination, and this was no exception.

The stand-out item was the Ogura Croffle, served with chantilly cream and adzuki beans (otherwise known as red beans, or what you’d find in tau sar pau). This takes 15 minutes to prepare, so I’d recommend ordering it early, and making sure they got your order (see below)!

One slight disappointment is that barista-made coffee is not available with breakfast; instead, all drinks come from a coffee machine. 

Overall, I’d give breakfast high marks for quality. It’s not something I’d expect from a hotel in the 4-star range. However, I worry the manpower they have isn’t sufficient to support this kind of format. 

Here’s some examples:

• The first Salmon Chazuke was served with lukewarm broth. But we still liked the flavour so much we requested for a second serving, and asked for the broth to be heated up. Again it showed up lukewarm. It was only on the third attempt that it was served piping hot
• The Ogura Croffle was likewise tasty enough to warrant a second helping, but after ordering, we waited 20 minutes and nothing came. We checked on it and found that the order had not been put in, and were told it’d be a further 15 minutes wait if we ordered it now
• Some guests who came later had to wait a long time for their orders to be taken, and a few of them resorted to chasing down the staff members themselves
• Coffee orders took so long to be delivered that many guests ended up walking up to the machines themselves and making their own

Hopefully it’s just a temporary staffing issue, because it’d be a real shame if they decided to pivot to a traditional buffet breakfast.

Conclusion

The Standard Singapore isn’t the place to go if your ideal stay involves lazing around a large room, working out in the gym, or having a relaxing spa treatment. You won’t find any of that here.

But if you’re tired of cookie-cutter chain hotels, yet can’t escape the hamster wheel of loyalty points and elite status recognition, then this would be the place for you (at least, after it joins World of Hyatt). The design is a breath of fresh air, the pool experience is great, and the service was friendly and sincere. I won’t be forgetting my meal at Kaya for a very long time.

I do have some concerns about the breakfast format, because as much as I like it, I don’t know whether it’ll be sustainable once the hotel ramps up to full capacity. The kind of wait times we experienced, together with forgotten orders, took some of the gloss off what was otherwise an excellent breakfast.

Still, my first encounter with The Standard was good enough for me to want to explore another in the future. You might say it exceeds the standard.

You might also say I should think of better conclusions for my posts.