Room Check
Zoe Macfarlane checks into Lloyd’s Inn, an urban oasis in Singapore
Location: A few minutes’ walk from Orchard Rd, Lloyd’s Inn is accessible to the city’s fashion boutiques, upmarket malls and a range of eateries.
Check-in experience: Walking in through the side gate to Lloyd’s, a wave of Zen-like calm washes over me. This is a property with a focus on good aesthetics and design. From the stylish pool and chill-out area to the industrialminimalist lobby, the inn is in contrast to the hubbub of the mega-malls a couple of blocks away.
Check-in is friendly and swift, with only a couple of minutes spare to check out the large black-and-white local-area map that resembles a piece of art. A luggage cart is available if you want assistance.
Room: The rooms are a mixture of styles: Japanese garden meets minimalist. While there are eight room types and 34 rooms at Lloyd’s Inn, the aesthetics remain the same. My room, the Reading Room, is a light-filled space with bamboo and ferns creating a sense of being in an oasis. It’s not overly spacious but the white and wooden decor gives the illusion of a larger room.
Kimono-style robes hang from an exposed rod and the laptop-sized safe is appreciated. The sockets accommodate all plug types, so you can leave your bulky adapter at home.
Price: Singapore hotel prices are high compared to many other cities in Asia. Lloyd’s Inn sits in the affordable price range, with rooms from $170 per night. The Reading Room, Lloyds Inn, Singapore. What’s so good about the place? The surprising calm once you’re inside the property is appealing, particularly on weekdays when outside, people are bustling around, to-ing and fro-ing for work.
A smartphone is loaned to guests, saving you from chomping through your own data plan. Use it to navigate the eclectic Singapore suburbs, to find the hippest hawker centre or even to call Grandma in the UK (some international calls are free).
And the bad? Despite staying in the Reading Room, the side chair is too uncomfortable to relax in.
The bed: The mattress is on a wooden base, losing the spring you would get with a more traditional bed. The bedding is good quality, with two pillow sizes to choose from.
Bathroom: Singapore’s consistent temperatures allow for one of the best features of the room: indoor/outdoor toilet and shower. Plants are tastefully placed to ensure you’re not exposing yourself to the gardener, or you can pull the shower curtain for full privacy. Own brand toiletries are on offer, though I didn’t try them.
A room with a view? Only palms, fronds and plants. Facilities: A pool but no ordinary pool; named the “dipping pool”, this shallow, narrow pool is perfect to cool down from the Singapore humidity but you won’t be doing laps. There are comfortable loungers and two swinging chill-out chairs around the pool area.
Food and Drink: There is no restaurant on site so vouchers are given to two nearby cafes. My pick is Killiney Kopitiam, a local eatery offering eggs, kaya toast, and coffee, as well as more traditional Asian fare. Their laksa is the perfect way to start a Singapore day. Free Wi-Fi: Yes.
Noise: Extremely peaceful, especially given the centralcity location.
What’s in the neighbourhood: Access to the city is easy from here. Walk a few minutes to reach Orchard Rd, Somerset MRT station and many convenient bus routes.
Contact: lloydsinn.com
Perfect for: Solo travellers, couples and shoppers. Would I return? Absolutely! Next time I’m adding in some free time to read in the chill-out area. Arrival: I landed on CZ336 from Auckland and headed for the brand new lounge, located in the new Terminal 2, which had only opened four days earlier. After showing my boarding pass for my onward connection to Paris, I was welcomed into the lounge by staff.
Location: The Sky Pearl VIP lounge is located on the fourth floor mezzanine behind the duty-free shopping. It’s easy to find and well signposted. Access: Available for Sky team Business and First Class passengers, as well as for Gold/Silver class passengers depending on their flight class. Lounge amenities: It’s a big lounge (2234sq m). It was quite busy around 5pm when I arrived, with a lot of early-evening departures but there were plenty of comfortable chairs and recliners.
There are four shower cubicles and they were the best showers I have even seen in an airport lounge. They were were nice and cool with fantastic water pressure. Guests had to register at a counter and they gave you a buzzer that beeped when your shower was ready. I was whisked in within five minutes of requesting. Food and drink: The lounge has a fully stocked serviced bar. There were two eating areas and there’s a chef making dumplings and dim sum on request — yummy. There was also a variety of mainly Asian and one or two western dishes, such as meatballs and pasta. I found myself picking at small dishes regularly, maybe because I was so tired.
Sleep stations: I discovered a little too late into my seven-hour layover that the lounge also had two sleeping rooms, fully enclosed and dark, and ideal on a long stopover. Noted for the return journey, where the layover is 8hr 30m. Entertainment: Families will be pleased to note there’s a small kids’ room for families, with a TV and games. There’s a variety of international and local magazines, although I didn’t see many in English. There was plenty of baggage storage with lockers provided for passengers wanting to go out of the lounge to explore the duty-free shops in the terminal.
Wi-Fi: Good, although being in China you can’t access Facebook or Twitter. My VPN wouldn’t connect.
Overall impression: A sparkling new lounge that provides enough space for customers to rest and to work. The staff were courteous and helpful and it was a good all-round experience.