A modern take on luxury: Inside The Singapore Edition, the city’s hottest new hotel

Walking up to the entrance of The Singapore Edition, you’ll find that the interiors of the city’s latest luxury hotel is concealed by a veil of white curtains. You can’t peep in, but that’s what makes the experience of stepping inside all that more magical.

Once the doors swing open, you walk into a white marbled lobby, framed by a backdrop of greenery. Look up and you’ll see a stunning domed ceiling covered in gold leaf. On the right is the Edition hotel chain’s famous sculpted spiral staircase, cascading elegantly down to various entertainment spaces on the lower level.

Located in the Cuscaden enclave, The Singapore Edition,  the brand’s first hotel in Southeast Asia, is conceived as a tranquil green escape from the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road. Indeed, the hotel feels like a destination in itself – once inside, it is easy to forget that you are right on Singapore’s most famous retail and entertainment street.  

For the uninitiated, Edition Hotels is the brainchild of hotelier and nightlife icon Ian Schrager. Schrager, who is also the founder of the legendary Studio 54 nightclub in New York, co-created the brand in collaboration with Marriott International. With this latest opening in Singapore, it currently operates 17 hotels globally in cities such as London, Barcelona, New York, Miami, Shanghai, Tokyo and Rome.

“Edition Hotels is an unexpected and refreshing collection of customised, one-of-a-kind hotels that redefines the codes of traditional luxury. We aim to curate the best of dining and entertainment, services, and amenities “all under one roof” – ensuring each property is unique, reflecting the best cultural and social milieu of its location and time,” said Josh Fluhr, global managing director of Edition Hotels.

On why Singapore was chosen for its first Southeast Asia location, Fluhr commented: “We are very selective about where we open Edition hotels. We want to be in interesting sought-after places that in and of themselves are destinations. Our goal is to continue to create a globally diverse portfolio of hotels. Singapore is renowned for being a melting pot of culture and diversity – a congregation of cultures co-existing in one space. We hope that Edition is a microcosm of the dynamism of this great city. For us, it was the obvious entry point to Southeast Asia, and the optimum gateway to the region.”

The silhouette of The Singapore Edition was designed by Safdie Architects, led by renowned architect Moshe Safdie (of MBS and Jewel Changi Airport fame), together with local firm DP Architects. The hotel is connected to a pair of residential towers belonging to the Boulevard 88 apartment complex, although the two have their own entrances and spaces.

The interiors of the hotel – masterminded by Schrager and interior design firm Cap Atelier – stay true to the Edition brand's DNA of sophistication and timeless style. Local touches are incorporated throughout, such as abundance of greenery, a nod to Singapore’s reputation as a garden city. Floor-to-ceiling windows are sheathed with broad planes of plantation louvres, evocative of a tropical resort.

The entertainment and F&B spaces are designed to evoke a fun and energetic atmosphere. While the typical hotel lobby can be rather standard, the one at The Singapore Edition is intended to be a gathering place, complete with a bar and a pool table. The bar is bathed in a pink glow, styled with Lalique-inspired crystal decanters and sculptures. Made of Calacutta marble, the rose-coloured pool table is a showstopper. Christian Liaigre's leather chairs and lamps accent the space.

From the lobby, guests walk through a leafy, light-filled conservatory ending with a soaring biophilic green wall. This indoor garden features over 300 plants and 162 suspended preserved fern spheres, all from Southeast Asia. A curved glass roof brings in views of the sky and outdoor greenery.

The conservatory also leads to the hotel’s signature restaurant, helmed by international culinary sensation Josh Niland. Niland is known for his sustainable approach to seafood with his innovative gill-to-tail concept, which honours the entire fish in the same way that a butcher prepares, cuts, dry-ages and cooks with meats. His restaurant, Saint Peter, is considered one of Australia’s finest dining establishments.

Aptly named FYSH at EDITION, this is Niland’s first overseas restaurant. With a “seafood steakhouse” concept alongside responsibly sourced vegetables and meats, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Highlights include the Dry Aged Yellowfin Tuna Ribeye, Free-Range Chicken and Demarne Turbot Chop.

Anchored by a custom-made bar in green scalloped Antico Verde marble, the main dining room of the restaurant seats 80 guests across intimate jade-coloured velvet banquettes and booths with Calacatta white marble tables. Guests can also choose to dine in the conservatory or at the outdoor pergola.

The spiral staircase at the entrance of the hotel leads down to Edition’s signature bar, the Punch Room, serving a unique punch cocktail menu inspired by Southeast Asian spices and imaginative bar snacks. The intimate, speakeasy-style bar is swathed in a shade of Yves Klein blue, while the wall and ceilings are lined with oak panels. A sculptural blue ceiling pendant, designed by Parisian artist Eric Schmitt, punctuates the space.

“In addition to delivering a personalised hotel stay experience, we are committed to creating world-class food and beverage concepts for our restaurants and bars that stand out as unique destinations within the market, enticing guests to return time and again. Our goal is to ensure every guest enjoys an impeccable evening at The Singapore Edition – from light bites and drinks at the Lobby Bar to an amazing dinner at Fysh at Edition to a late night at the Punch Room,” said Ranim Ben Romdhane, general manager of the hotel.

Through Punch Room, guests can access the hotel’s expansive courtyard garden, brimming with tropical foliage. Remarkably, the entire building wraps around the garden courtyard on all four of its internal sides, allowing light to flood into the corridors and public spaces. This space is also ideal for outdoor celebrations, such as solemnisations, and further leads into the hotel’s event spaces.

There are a total of 204 guestrooms spread across six floors. Rooms and suites are designed to exude a calming and soothing feel, with minimalist design and a neutral colour palette. Guests can also head to the spa on the second floor for a pampering treat, featuring seven treatment rooms, his-and-hers changing suites, vitality thermal pools, an ice fountain, relaxation lounge and sauna and steam room.

The hotel’s swimming pool and rooftop terrace is one of the highlights of the property. Situated on a bridge, the pool stretches 43m from tip to tip, framed with languid day beds. A surprise awaits in the pool. Diving in, guests will find a transparent oculus that provides a view into the garden courtyard below.

“The Singapore Edition encapsulates the essence of Singapore while presenting it in a fresh and contemporary way. It is a convergence of music, art and culture, offering a blend of distinct experiences and original concepts, complemented by stunning architecture and personalised service,” Romdhane said. “We understand the importance of embracing and involving the local community to infuse the hotel with an energetic, buzzing atmosphere,” he continued, adding that the hotel will be introducing a series of arts and cultural programming that will “solidify its reputation not only as a leading hospitality brand but also a vibrant lifestyle destination”.

In the next two years, the Edition hotel brand “will undergo its most extraordinary growth surge yet, expecting to double in size to 30 hotels across three continents”, shared Fluhr. Beyond its latest opening in Singapore, two new locations will officially launch in January 2024, one in Mexico’s Riveria Maya, located within the luxurious Kanai development, and the other in Ginza, Japan, the brand’s second outpost in the country.

“Each hotel will remain original and authentic to uphold our brand promise. The goal is always to celebrate a location's spirit, sense of community and soul, providing guests with experiences that feel of the place but continue to challenge the status quo and maintain our position as the world's hottest hotel brand,” said Fluhr.