New boutique hotel 21 Carpenter has transformed from a former remittance house into a design-forward house of slumber.
When you’re headed to the Lion City you’ll always spoiled for choice when it comes to where to stay. There are plenty of big, luxurious chain hotels to choose from, but the city has also outdone itself in its promotion of cool little boutique hideaways as well, and another just joined their ranks.
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Heritage hotel 21 Carpenter, a former remittance house — hailed as the birthplace of banking in Singapore — has opened, offering guests a blend of heritage and modernity after a contemporary update by architectural firm WOHA. Located between Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, the new hotel, which sits across four historic four-storey shophouses and one five-storey extension, boasts easy access to the bustling streets of Singapore’s CBD and Chinatown.
The property really is a living piece of the city’s history. Its facade’s Shanghai plaster dates back to the 1930s, and on the building’s exterior, Chinese characters list cities and regions to which the remittances were sent while poetic details reference the building’s history, with the Urban Wing’s aluminium art facade featuring excerpts from original remittance letters.
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Within, all rooms are thoughtfully designed spaces incorporating old and new. Employing a warm and inviting palette with Asian design influences, all furniture has been custom-designed by WOHA. The Heritage Wing comprises 26 rooms over the first four floors, including the Heritage 2-Bedroom Suite spanning 55 sqm. The top five levels, known as the Urban Wing, feature 22 contemporary, light-filled rooms, such as the 30 sqm Urban Luxe room, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the city and the bay. Unlike many converted shophouse hotels, WOHA has also ensured every room has a full-sized window.
Above the bustle, 21 Carpenter offers exclusive spaces for guests to unwind and relax. The intimate Garden Terrace on level 3 is ideal for small events and intimate gatherings while the Rooftop Infinity Pool & Lounge, with the first exposed stainless-steel pool in Singapore, gives way to skyline views of Marina Bay.
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Foodies can also look out for Kee’s, a neo-bistro and bar headed by Michelin-recognised chef Andrew Walsh, the hotel’s Culinary Director. A nod to the building’s 1936 incarnation as Chye Hua Seng Wee Kee, coupled with a playful reference to its location between the two Quays, Kee’s will be a magnet for epicureans when it opens next month. The street-level venue will offer European-inspired bistro fare with a tight selection of local classics.
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