by Coleen Leong
With its heritage shophouses converted into buzzy restaurants, cafes, bars, boutiques and indie bookstores, along with pedestrian-friendly streets peppered with shady trees, Duxton Hill has a long-standing reputation for being one of Singapore’s hippest neighbourhoods.
In June last year, the eclectic neighbourhood became home to Southeast Asia’s first Mondrian hotel – Mondrian Singapore Duxton.
Bringing Mondrian’s signature blend of art, glamour and culinary flair to the neighbourhood, the Singaporean outpost greets guests with an eye-catching KAWS bronze sculpture, titled “What Party”, standing 6 metres tall at its entrance.
In celebration of its first anniversary, the hotel is offering a special Stay 3 Pay 2 promo for stays from now till 31 December 2024. Booking period is open from now till 30 September. Stay two consecutive nights at the hotel and enjoy the third night on the house. Package includes breakfast for two daily and 20 percent off food and beverages at Christina’s during the stay.
Besides being a great starting point to explore Duxton Hill and its surroundings, the hotel is also a destination in itself. We spotlight six ways to live it up during your stay at the hotel.
1. Luxuriate in chic shophouse-inspired rooms and suites
Bearing the creative fingerprints of award-winning Los Angeles interior design firm Studio Carter, the hotel’s 302 rooms and suites are inspired by traditional Singaporean shophouse architecture and deconstructed into chic, modern forms.
To experience Studio Carter’s inventive “deconstructed shophouse chic” concept in its entirety, stay in a Shophouse Suite that’s located in a separate wing, accessible through a courtyard garden on the lobby level. All Shophouse Suites sport floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light, custom contemporary furniture, vaulted ceilings and arched wooden shutters, and come with separate living, dining and bedroom areas.
The luxe Mondrian Shophouse Suite, the largest Shophouse Suite, boasts a green marbled bar and sleek black bathtub, while the Gallery Shophouse Suite has a round green marbled bar and Murphy-style bed that can “disappear” to transform the space for parties, celebrations, meetings and more.
If you prefer a higher vantage point to soak up magnificent views of the city’s skyline and terracotta roof tiles of shophouses in the area, book the Pinnacle Suite located on levels 10 to 12, or the one and only Mondrian Suite on level 12 of the main tower. Clad in soothing tones of cream, grey, brown and gold, both suites are decked in sleek and sculptural furnishings.
Rooms-wise, the Pinnacle Corner and Duxton Corner rooms are sought after for the 180-degree views of centuries-old shophouses and modern skyscrapers that they afford from two sets of floor-to-ceiling windows.
Rooms and suites come with Lavazza coffee machines and Monogram Teas, and bathrooms are stocked with bath amenities from American skincare and fragrance brand Malin+Goetz.
2. Get up close to a world-class collection of compelling artworks
As the Mondrian brand’s DNA is rooted in art, art enthusiasts can look forward to discovering a world-class collection of artworks handpicked by international art and design consultancy and online gallery The Artling at the hotel.
Standing tall at the entrance and fast becoming Duxton’s newest landmark, the all-black KAWS sculpture, featuring one of KAWS’ signature recurring characters Chum (an adaptation of the Michelin Man), serves as a striking representation of the neighbourhood’s eclectic street culture. The sculpture also happens to be the first permanent KAWS installation in Southeast Asia.
Next to the reception desk on level 3, marvel at British artist Ian Davenport’s monumental work, Deep Magenta Mirrored, where lines of acrylic paint flow from the top of the painting, cascading onto the floor, creating puddles that bring a sculptural dimension to the artwork.
At the lobby lift area is local artist Dawn Ng’s mesmerising Waterfall IV, a fascinating journey into entropy as the time-lapse film charts the decay of a large block of ice coloured with various pigments.
Photo: André Wee
In guest rooms, see the multi-layered Rojak, by local artist André Wee, come to life through a special augmented reality filter. Download the free Artivive app on your mobile phone, open the app and point the camera to the artwork and watch it recreate itself in a flurry of lines and colours!
3. Savour comfort food, coffee & cocktails at Christina’s
When you need a cool hangout for coffee, cocktails or hearty comfort food, drop by the stylishly laid-back Christina’s on the ground floor.
Sporting luxe marble tabletops, plush velvet chairs adorned with botanical cushions and a gorgeous The Artling-curated ceiling art installation, Crystallised, by New York-based design studio SOFTLab that resembles a network of crystals, the all-day dining spot is a warm and inviting space that oozes good vibes.
Need your cup of joe? Christina’s award-winning barista team will brew you a fresh cup with a Slayer coffee machine using beans from local coffee roaster Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee.
Peckish? Nibble on Charcoal-Grilled Sourdough Bread slathered with homemade smoked butter, Hamachi Crudo, lightly seared amberjack fish drizzled in ponzu dressing, topped with ikura roe, or Tuna Tartare with Caviar, served on a potato pave.
To satisfy a bigger appetite, dive straight into wood-fired mains like Wood-fired Mac & Cheese, King Prawn with Vodka, Wagyu Sando laced with yakiniku sauce, Cuttlefish & Squid, Sea Bass Fillet with fennel salad and Mediterranean olives, and 40 Days Corn-fed Chicken with Jerusalem artichoke.
The all-day dining spot morphs into a wine and cocktail bar as the sun sets. Kick back with your favourite tipple during Happy Hour from 4pm to 7pm daily. Don’t miss signatures like the nostalgic Solero Daiquiri, bartender favourite Laughing Buddha and sweet with a kick La Fresa.
4. Feast on flame-kissed meats, handmade pasta and vibrant Italian flavours at Bottega di Carna
An Italian feast starring prime cuts of fine meats that have been flame-kissed in a Josper grill, handmade pasta and fine wines await at Bottega di Carna on level 3.
Helmed by Italian master butcher Dario Cecchini, hailed as the “world’s greatest butcher” by The New York Times, the restaurant overlooks the courtyard garden leading to the Shophouse Suites and has an open kitchen plus glass-fronted cases where prized cuts of meats are displayed like precious jewels.
During lunch, get a table under the greenery-fringed glass ceiling not only to bask in natural light but also to admire the abstract black lines of the Studio Carter-designed graphic artwork on the ceiling. Look out also for a rotating floral display topped with a silver disc as you enter.
Meat lovers will want to sink their teeth into the cuts listed in the Beef From Dario’s Wood Fired Grill section – Stockyard 200-Day Grain-Fed Bone-In Strip Loin, Rib-Eye or Angus Tomahawk, USDA “44 Farm” Prime Fillet Mignon, “Rangers Valley Farms” Porterhouse Bistecca Alla Florentina and Hokkaido Wagyu Beef Tenderloin. Each cut is dry rubbed with Cecchini’s signature salt mixed with dried Tuscan herbs known as “profumo del Chianti” (“the perfume of Chianti”).
A must-order for seafood fans is the Branzino Filet, served with grilled artichoke and salsa verde, or the Whole Branzino (for sharing) that comes with anchovies, olives and capers.
Other standouts include Artichoke Tart, Zucchini Noodles, Seabass Crudo and Dario’s Signature Steak Tartare. Do save room for scrumptious dolci like Coconut Sorbet, Lemon Givre and Tiramisu.
5. Sip on cocktails inspired by Southeast Asia’s flora and fauna at Jungle Ballroom
Looking for creative cocktails? Jungle Ballroom’s head bartender Adrian Besa and his team of mixologists will shake up refreshing tipples that shine the spotlight on remarkable yet often overlooked spirits and produce of Asia.
Come 9 October, the cocktail bar will be launching its new Jungle Journeys Vol. 2 menu, featuring 16 cocktails handcrafted by Besa and his team after their expeditions across 11 Asian countries in search of indigenous spirits, unique tastes and collaborative talents. Ahead of the October official launch, Jungle Ballroom will drop sneak peeks of four unique cocktails from the new menu every fortnight.
Look forward to intriguing creations like Lil Pari, a “Martini”-style cocktail made with Código 1530 mezcal artesanal, martini vermouth, clarified citrus, lemongrass oil and Herbal Kulen Gin from a distillery in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Representing Seoul is To Gather, a strawberry soda-forward made with Grey Goose vodka, Tokki soju, black tea kombucha, ginger ale and strawberry soda.
There’s also Blue Ocean, named for the waters surrounding the cluster of islands best known as Japan’s island paradise. Crafted with Okinawa gin, toasted rice vermouth, blue spirulina and sea grapes, the cocktail showcases a unique fusion of oceanic flavours and is served in a martini glass, garnished with ginger flower.
Another one to look out for is Chendol, a well-loved dessert in Malaysia and Singapore. A tribute to the Malaysian town of Malacca, the cocktail is created with Jura whisky, gula melaka, pandan, coconut and cream.
You can enter the cocktail bar through the curtained entrance on level 3, but we recommend coming up from the street level via a staircase and walking through a “secret tunnel” enveloped in greenery for an Instagrammable adventure!
6. Soak up sweeping views, swim and sip colourful cocktails at Canyon Club
A luxe hotel stay just isn’t complete without some pool time. So grab your sunnies and head up to the rooftop infinity pool at Canyon Club.
Soak up the sun in style in one of the cabanas and enjoy sweeping views of the Singapore skyline. The cabanas are always in demand so we recommend that you book one at check-in!
Chill out with a glass of Wild Strawberry Daiquiri or Canyon Express-O slushy; House of Duxton or Kind of Blue cocktail coolers; Let’s Go Bananas or Godfather Part II cocktails; or wines and beer.
When the munchies strike, order some Tortilla Chips, Calamari, Chicken Tenders, Young Coconut Snapper Ceviche, PopCorn Prawns, Chicken & Mushroom Skewers, Beef Quesadilla or The Cali Cheeseburger. Or satisfy your sweet cravings with the Madagascan Vanilla Semifreddo or Canyon Ice Cream Sandwich.
Photo: Tyler Shields
Don’t leave without getting a closer look at Tyler Shields’ playful Ferrari Legs and eye-catching Water Mouths Monochrome images, two more cool additions to The Artling-curated collection, at the entrance.
