Back in early May, I went for another staycation, this time around I will be reviewing the Oasia Hotel Downtown. It is a hotel located in the Tanjong Pagar area. A fantastic sale on Traveloka leads to yet another impulsive booking of mine. Making this the 16th unique hotel that I have reviewed in Singapore! Similar to Parkroyal Pickering, Oasia Hotel Downtown incorporate many eco-friendly features into their building. You will find the concept rather familiar as both of them are designed by WOHA. There are plenty of green space, vertically planted flowers and vines to be found. The location is pretty good for both tourists and staycations guests. It is steps away from the vibrant Tanjong Pagar stretch of Korean and Japanese eateries. Duxton is just a 5 minutes walk away. The nearby Tanjong Pagar MRT Station makes it perfect for visiting all the surrounding attractions in Singapore.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
A couple of months ago, Traveloka was running some crazy sales and if you are lucky enough or perhaps “hardworking” enough, with refreshing the rates, you are able to grab some crazy deals. I did not use any SRV but still chance upon an awesome rate at Oasia Hotel Downtown that was too good to give up. Paying just 124 SGD Nett for a club room and a weekend stay, I was hooked! Club rooms easily go for around 290 SGD Nett for weekday stays and 330 SGD Nett for the weekends. I couldn’t pass up the chance to check out another hotel and of course, catch a little breath on current struggles with life on the weekend. I am glad to be given an early check-in at 1pm and a late check-out at 1pm the next day in advance. Oasia Hotel Downtown have a total of 314 rooms and suites spread across 4 categories. Bathtubs are only available in club rooms and suites. With only 2 suites, don’t expect to be upgraded to one here.
| Rooms | Club Lounge & Infinity Pool Access | Bathtub | Size | No. of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe | No | No | 23 Sqm | 84 |
| Superior | No | No | 23 Sqm | 140 |
| Club | Yes | Yes | 28 Sqm | 88 |
| Suite | Yes | Yes | 54 Sqm | 2 |
Checking In
I arrive at around 1 pm. One of the perks of being a Club guest is being able to have an exclusive check-in experience at the club floor reception on level 21. It is open from 7am to 10pm. While I don’t normally find it useful to check-in at the lounge, this turns out to be rather handy at Oasia Hotel Downtown since the main lobby is not located at the entrance. The ground floor is just a reception area with the main lobby on level 12. The reception area is pretty chill and lovely with plenty of seats, perfect for those who are waiting for your ride. This is also where the bar and Marmalade Pantry restaurant can be found. The concierge desk is by the entrance and there is a staff on hand who will approach guests as they arrive. I was ushered thru the safe entry procedures and my name was checked off a list by the staff before being whisked off to check-in at the club floor. For what is worth, there is no bellboy service here.
The club floor is peaceful and quaint. I love the outdoor concept of the place and it kinda brings you resort vibes with the fresh air and the sight of the pool. An urban oasis located at level 21 right in the heart of the city. There was no queue and I was immediately helped by Wati. She is a gem and her service throughout my stay was excellent! I’m actually glad to have booked a club room and being able to check-in on the club floor. On the other hand, the main lobby was awfully crowded when I went to get some pictures.
The main lobby does look pretty chic as well, minus the crowd. With the artificial lawn being the centrepiece here. This is also where yoga classes are conducted for guests.
Checking in was pretty fast and my room was ready. Wati gave me a brief introduction to the club floor and the lounge which includes the outdoor seatings by the side. My late check-out was also further extended till 3pm. An awesome 26 hours break over the weekend! Wati then escorted me up to the room. There is a separate set of lifts to access the floors from 21 to 26 and these are all the club rooms and suites are located. Suffice to say, by booking a club room, you are assured of having one on the higher floors with a view.
Club Room
I was assigned room 2520, located on level 25. The club floors are pretty intimate and chic. The common corridors look really classy with the deep bronze colour and shimmering under the dim warm lights. Club floors are also kept pretty quiet given that kids below the age of 12 are not allowed to be staying in them. This is partially due to the high amount of glass used in the room as well.
While measuring only 28 Sqm, I love how nicely the rooms are, the design is pretty good for a room of this size. The bathroom area was made with glass sliding doors to act as “walls” which can then be open up, making the room feel much more spacious. The bathroom is immediately located to the left of the entrance. You can find both a standing shower as well as a separate bathtub.
The bathtub was lovely and pretty spacious. You can have a little side view of the TV when soaking in the tub too. With the taps in the middle, the tub is conducive for soaking with your partner. Do note that there aren’t any locks for the bathroom. Amenities from Biology Smart Skincare are provided, an Australian brand, they were pretty good! Water pressure and temperature are excellent.
You can find the wardrobe on the right and inside it, the usually amenities such as bathrobes and bath slippers could be found. What really caught my eye was a yoga mat left inside, which is pretty unique. I’m sure the yoga fanatic will love this! Oasia Hotel host yoga classes for guests in the morning by the lawn on the main lobby area. Refuel and recharge!
The minibar setup is next to the wardrobe, housed inside a little cabinet, you can find a Nespresso machine with 3 capsules provided, including one of my all-time favourite, the Ispirazione Venezia. You can also find a kettle and a good selection of TWG package teas. I am glad to see another of my favourite as well, the Grand Jasmine and Moroccan Mint tea. These are replenished during daily housekeeping as well as during turndown service. The clubrooms come with a complimentary mini-bar, while limited, it’s a nice touch. Inside the fridge, you can find some sparkling water, coke, coconut drink and H20. No bottled water is provided in the room, keeping in line with the eco-friendly theme. Instead, reusable tumblers are provided so you can fill them up. I won’t mind this concept given that Singapore water is perfectly drinkable and a kettle is provided. However, this might not be suitable during this heightened period of health concerns.
Entering the main space of the room itself, which is in a typical squarish layout. You are able to see the entire room in one look. The king size bed is located in the middle. Right next to the minibar area and you can find the desk alongside the wall. It’s pretty spacious for working and the chair provides decent back support for a brief period. Outlets can be easily found. Wifi was easy to connect but it was pretty patchy at times in the room. Weirdly no care kits can be found on the desk which is a norm these days in hotels.
A luggage storage platform is installed next to the desk, alongside the wall and below the wall-mounted TV. A pretty good concept. The TV was a pretty good size for the room and high quality. You can find a selection of Cable TV channels including Fox Movies, Fox Sports and Mio Stadium. It only supports casting from Android platforms. The traditional HDMI port works too if you would like to connect your laptop.
At the far end of the room, you can find a little table and a single couch. The furniture looks odd and out of place. It certainly doesn’t blend into the entire place. The colour doesn’t help things too. Left on the table was a welcome amenity consisting of a lovely fruit platter, a box of chocolates and some teas. It’s quite a nice touch.
With the room being so high up, the view was pretty amazing. It is rather unblocked and you have a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding Tanjong Pagar area. The blinds were good at blocking out light but they are manually controlled only.
The bed was comfy and to my liking. I’m a person who prefers a firmer mattress that provides better back support. I appreciate that the pillows here were not paper-thin as well. On both sides of the bed, you can find light switches for the room. Sadly only one side has a power outlet. So, pillow fight it is! HAHA! Turndown service was offered in the evening, it was a basic one but still appreciated, especially when this is only a 4-star hotel. I love those cute towel art! They were so special and unique! This is much better than the usual swans!
Suite
Thanks to Wati who insisted on showing me the suites, I got a chance to take a look at the 2 elusive suite in the entire hotel. Both of them are located on level 24 and they measure 54 Sqm in size. The suites are pretty lovely and provide much more spacious accommodations than the rooms. While it does not have a view due to the facing, it does face the lovely infinity pool below. According to Wati, they are popular for parties like hen nights or birthday celebrations. With only 2 of them, I will really recommend you to book direct if you want them, upgrade opportunities are close to zero. You can check out some of the pictures below. You have a spacious living room as well as a freestanding bathtub.
Club Lounge
The club lounge opens at 7am and closes at 10pm. The club lounge extends beyond the air-conditioned area and include the outdoors seatings as well. All-day refreshments are provided in the lounge in small recyclable biodegradable brown paper bags currently and only reservations are required during evening cocktails. Breakfast is served in the morning and throughout the day various snacks, coffees, teas, juices & soft drinks are provided. You are allowed to bring the drinks and snacks up to your room. I really commend their generous policies.
The indoor lounge area is pretty lovely and comfortable to work or chill. It is a lovely space to bring down your laptop or a book, relax with a glass of coffee. There are a couple of proper dining tables in the main indoor area and at the far end, you also have some sofa seats. The lounge serves up some pretty awesome coffee. You have to try it with some of their flavoured syrups as well. They also have a nice selection of TWG teas, including my favourite Moroccan Mint.
If you do prefer, you can seat by the outdoor seats, especially with the chilly breeze in the evening. You get a little view of the pinnacle and the infinity pool, I love the soothing music that they play by the pool.
Evening cocktails starts from 6pm to 8pm. Due to the capacity cap right now, reservations are required and you can choose your preferred 1-hour slot. Either 6pm to 7pm or 7pm to 8pm. From my experience, these are loosely enforced during low occupancy periods, I was never asked to leave given that there are still tables available. Furthermore, the outdoor seats adds up a little capacity to the lounge. Canapes are served which changes day to day and you can order unlimited drinks. You can check out the menu below.
During my stay, canapés of the day include some chicken wings, passion fruit cake and prawn cocktails. They were alright! Wati also very kindly brought over a delicious cheese platter and some nachos chips. These were amazing! I love the nachos which brings back the good old days of having them in the cinema.
Refills and service were prompt at the lounge. I had a couple of gin tonics and the Chardonnay which was really delicious as well.
They also have a cocktail of the day drink and I tried a mango based one which was pretty good. It may seem nothing at first but the booze does kicks in much later.
Gym
The gym is located on Level 12, just off the main lobby area. With the “usual” safe distancing measures, the gym allows a maximum of 2 pax at a time and you can register for your preferred time slot at the Level 12 reception counter. Sadly, due to the tightening of COVID-19 measures during my stay, I wasn’t able to check out the gym which is closed.
Infinity Pool for Club & Suite Guests
The hotels actually have two pools, the main pool is located on the rooftop for all hotel guests while the Infinity Pool is exclusive for the usage of Club and Suite guests. I will first share about the Infinity Pool. Being a club guest, I had access to them, which is located on the club floor at level 21. The entire club floor concept is built around the infinity pool and it is the highlight. With an open-air concept, you can find the pool immediately behind the reception and check-in counters. There are plenty of poolside seats that make up part of the club lounge. I love how tranquil and peaceful the entire place! The perfect spot for relaxation or perhaps some yoga.
Due to current restrictions, the pool is limited to a maximum of 10 at a time. You are able to register your preferred time slot at the club floor reception. Throughout my stay, despite it being on a weekend, I had no trouble getting a slot. I will still recommend you to make advance reservations to make sure that you get your preferred timings. It surely helps that even at full capacity, you are only sharing it with 89 other rooms and suites rather than the full 314 rooms and suite in the hotel. You can find sunbeds and cabanas around the pool. The regular shape also makes it conducive to get some laps done. Sadly, they do not allow food or drinks by the pool. It would be lovely to enjoy some of those awesome iced coffees or a glass of chardonnay while lazing by the pool. While obstructed, you can still get a little view of the Pinnacle＠Duxton building.
Pool
The main pool is located on the roof, at level 27. It is actually made up of 2 little pool on each side, separated by the restaurant in the middle. Due to current safe distancing measures, each pool can only have a maximum of 5 pax at a time. So that is 10 pax for the entire hotel. I am sure it will be super challenging to use the pool during peak periods. However, on second thoughts, perhaps no one is interested in this pool at all.
I am glad I got access to the Infinity Pool because the main pool simply couldn’t make it. I wasn’t sure if I would even call it a pool! These are atrocious! I will just leave this as it is, you guys can infer my sentiments.
Breakfast
For club guest you can have breakfast either at the club lounge or at Marmalade Pantry. Given my encounter at Marmalade Pantry, I didn’t even border to head there. Breakfast is served from 7am to 10.30am daily. Furthermore, it is much cosier to dine at the peaceful club lounge with more attentive service as well. It was pretty busy when I was down at around 9.30am but still, I have no issue getting a seat. Drinks order were promptly taken. You have a choice of coffees, teas or juices. Soft drinks are available as well if you want something fizzy. No bubbles are available. They do make a fantastic cup of cappuccino!
The menu is pretty small but should fit the requirements of almost everyone, from the usual breakfast plate to salmon bagels and avocados. You are allowed unlimited orders. You can find the breakfast menu below.
We got the breakfast plate which was pretty good. While it may seem boring, I love how everything was fresh and the food items were cooked to order rather than being a plated buffet! You can tell it from the silky scrambled eggs and moist omelette. The salmon was pretty good as well and I got an additional side of avocados. The meat items were unmemorable though, I wish they would have bought better quality sausages and salami.
Marmalade Pantry
Service was extremely bad and rude at the Marmalade Pantry! I was planning to have lunch at the restaurant and I decided against it after the encounter with the waiter. Upon approaching the restaurant, I was informed that the restaurant is fully booked. That is fine! I inquire about the abundance of empty seats and was given a super rude shock, the waiter simply shot back with a “THEY WILL COME LATER RIGHT!”. That left a sour taste in my mouth! I will never come back again! Usually, when such things happen, the staff will just say “they are all booked” and with some laughter. Never had I gotten such a rude reply before and in that tone. I will not hold it against the hotel as the restaurant is independently run!
Conclusion
I had an amazing experience at Oasia hotel! It exceeded my expectations. I was assuming that it will be another Grand Park City Hall, especially when I am staying on the weekends. But Oasia does lives up to its reputation. I had a 5 star experience being a paid club guest. They have a solid hard product and the service from the hotel staff was excellent. Wati at the club lounge was a gem! You should only go for the clubrooms and suites over here, especially when doing a staycation. Only these comes with a bathtub, access to the “actual” pool and better service for breakfast at the lounge. Let me stress once again, the service at Marmalade Pantry was atrocious! Even the McDonald’s below my house have better hospitality training than them! While Oasia Hotel Downtown may be a 4-star hotel! It definitely could be a 5-star one in my opinion! Everything was well executed. I will certainly be back one day!
Seeing The World In Steps stayed in Early May 2021
Seeing The World In Steps 
i wanna be here too
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