View all newsletters
Latest in Luxury - Sign up to our weekly newsletter
  1. Travel
  2. Travel News
July 17, 2013

Art – and Water – Make Singapore Luxury Hotel Unique

By MARY GOSTELOW

By Mary Gostelow

SingaporeFullertonBay5InnerCourtyard_IMAGESToday’s trendiest luxury hotels are into art in a big way. At Fullerton Bay, Singapore, the extended lobby has this amazing three-dimension piece, nearly nine feet tall – it is oil and metal, and hanging in front are different white porcelain shapes.

The artists, Anthony Davy and Helen Poon, call it Pages of the Past, by D’Art. The gal calls it the unique thing hanging behind a manager’s desk in the lobby.

But this hotel, part of the whole Fullerton Heritage complex, is unique in many ways. The lobby twists and turns because you enter what was Clifford Pier warehouse, turn right down a shiny tiled walkway and after 50 yards turn left, and then right, and you find the elevators.

SingaporeFullertonBay2OldEntrance_IMAGES

Clifford Pier was named for Sir Hugh Charles Clifford, Governor of Singapore 1927-1929. The architect, Frank Dorrington Ward, working for the Public Works Department, also did Changi Prison.

Here he made the stone entrance to the pier warehouse in Art Deco style, with Mesopotamian ziggurats. It opened June 7, 1933 as the pier for ferries to the southern islands and it operated as such until 2006. On June 7, 2013, a ceremonial party was held, to unveil a fascinating exhibition of reminiscences and history that will run for some months to come.

The Pier warehouse is still there. On the site of adjacent buildings, built right out over the water, a seven floor rectangular construction, with open centre, is what is now the 100-room Fullerton Bay Hotel. Room corridors skirt around the open centre, which give some pretty extraordinary reflections.

SingaporeFullertonBay3Pool_IMAGESBut this hotel is all about water. On the rooftop there is a big pool that seems to attract frolickers as well as swimmers all day long. From every one of the bedrooms, all of which have yard-wide terraces, you look down at water.  The rooms have lots of mirrors, lots of windows.

Content from our partners
The Benefits of River Cruising in New Seasons with AmaWaterways
The Best Ways to Experience the Rioja Wine Region
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas Club Level: Elevating Luxury in Paradise

At meals, in the Clifford Room or the Landing Point or up on the rooftop, you look out at water, and down at water. Sometimes I think the hotel will break from its moorings and float away, in a haze of nostalgia.

It might be very modern but here is a display of old steamer trunks, there is a book on the history of Singapore, by Mark Ravinder Frost and Yu-Mei Balasingamchow (it sits, in room 0409, alongside other enormous coffee-table books, including one on Chopard. I lie in the bathrub, sweetened with bathsalts, Chopard on the ledge – and look out over water.

SingaporeFullertonBay6Orchids_IMAGESI take the room corridor on the fourth floor, and look across to reflections on the opposite wall, and think what a kaleidoscope vista is presented. While waiting for the elevator, I note that a bowl of apples sits on top of an antique-look Chinese chest.

Back in my room I have old China pots on shelves next to padded-fabric wall panels, showing Chinese pots. A big orchid plant stands nearby, in a deep purple hue.

Purple and water, in alphabetical order, could well be the logo of this luxury hotel – come to think of it purple water is the name of Asprey’s scent and toiletries.. (here, they used Bulgari’s red tea toiletries, indicated by the colour of the stoppers).

At breakfast in Clifford I am brought an energiser, which exactly matches the orchids around. And of course there is lots of water immediately outside. This is a very stylish abode.

strapless sweetheart beaded chiffon beach wedding dress
Strapless Sweetheart Beaded Chiffon Beach Wedding Dress
$350.37
illusion cap sleeves with sweetheart bodice all over lace slim a line wedding dress with chapel train
Illusion Cap Sleeves with Sweetheart Bodice All Over Lace Slim A-line Wedding Dress with Chapel Train
$488.07
lace cap sleeve v neck illusion back a line wedding dress
Lace Cap Sleeve V-neck Illusion Back A-line Wedding Dress
$564.57
empire cap sleeve white lace and chiffon keyhole a line long summer wedding dress
Empire Cap Sleeve White Lace and Chiffon Keyhole A-line Long Summer Pregnant Wedding Dress
$335.07
embroidered cap sleeve fall wedding dress
Alluring Blush Embroidered Cap Sleeve Fall Wedding Dress
$503.37
cap sleeved all over lace sheer keyhole back mermaid wedding dress with lace floral chapel train
Cap Sleeved All Over Lace Sheer Keyhole Back Mermaid Wedding Dress with Lace Floral Chapel Train
$533.97
open back v neck elegant lace mermaid sleeveless wedding dress
Open Back V-neck Elegant Lace Mermaid Sleeveless Wedding Dress
$380.97
a line cap sleeves floor length simple ruched chiffon wedding dress
A-line Cap Sleeves Floor Length Simple Ruched Chiffon Wedding Dress
$350.37
long sleeves illusion sheer lace back bateau neck mermaid wedding dress
Long Sleeves Illusion Sheer Lace Back Bateau Neck Mermaid Wedding Dress
$426.87
mermaid cap sleeves open v back illusion sheer lace wedding dress
Mermaid Cap Sleeves Open V-back Illusion Sheer Lace Wedding Dress
$396.27
blush chiffon lace bodice v neck elegant sleeveless wedding dress
Blush Chiffon Lace Bodice V-neck Elegant Sleeveless Wedding Dress
$380.97
sheath spaghetti straps romantic open back chiffon bridal gown
Sheath Spaghetti Straps Romantic Open Back Chiffon Bridal Gown
$304.47
unique lace patterns scalloped cap sleeve wedding dress
Unique Lace Patterns Scalloped Cap Sleeve Wedding Dress
$335.07
two piece strapless lace overlay mermaid wedding gown with detachable off shoulder sheer lace jacket
Two-piece Strapless Lace Overlay Mermaid Wedding Gown with Detachable Off Shoulder Sheer Lace Jacket
$533.97
bateau neck low back elegant a line cap sleeves lace wedding dress
Bateau Neck Low Back Elegant A-line Cap Sleeves Lace Wedding Dress
$365.67
off the shoulder princess wedding dress
Lace Bodice V Neck Off the Shoulder Princess Wedding Dress
$350.37
bohemia cap sleeve a line long beach wedding dress
Bohemia Cap Sleeve A-line Long Beach Wedding Dress
$304.47
open back v neck sleeveless simple lace mermaid wedding dress
Open Back V-neck Sleeveless Simple Lace Mermaid Wedding Dress
$396.27
v neck sleeveless low back elegant mermaid lace wedding dress
V-neck Sleeveless Low Back Elegant Mermaid Lace Wedding Dress
$380.97
a line v neckline sleeveless romantic simple tulle wedding dress

Select and enter your email address Be the first to know about the latest in luxury lifestyle. Get the latest news on hotel openings and in-depth travel guides. Get insider access to exclusive promotions and special offers from our luxury partners.
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thank you for subscribing to Elite Traveler.

Websites in our network