A holistic experience that combines historical teachings with modern-day offerings awaits guests
When unforgiving hectic schedules kick in, we tend to rely on the city we live in for a quick escapade. Staycation options are aplenty here, but when it comes to acquainting guests with Singapore’s colonial history, nothing comes close to what heritage hotels such as The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore have to offer. While most think of the former as the ‘the one with heritage’, a recent stay at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore proved it isn’t playing second fiddle either.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is a 100-key property that sits in the heart of the Central Business District and across The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Waterboat House, One Fullerton and The Fullerton Pavilion. Hospitality, unquestionably, is executed in superlative forms. Case in point: I opted for the pick-up service expecting a Mercedes-Benz S Class, but along came a dashing olive green vintage Rolls-Royce to whisk me away glamorously to the doorsteps of The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore.
The lobby is kitted out in contemporary fashion: grey-streaked marble floors and pillars are accentuated with furnishing in olive green, burnt orange and dark aubergine tones. Keep your eyes peeled en route to your room — mellow, carpeted hallways are decked with framed sketches and photographs of historical buildings from the city’s bygone era.
Interested in finding out more about the hotel? The hotel’s maritime journey tour, which happens every Friday and Sunday, takes you around iconic landmarks such as Customs House, Fullerton Waterboat House and Merlion Park, with a resident guide on hand to answer questions.
Many other hotels in the precinct brag — deservingly so — about the stunning panoramic views of the city their high-floor rooms have to offer. The same goes for the hotel, which grants guests a surreal, unobstructed view of the surrounding urban landscape. The room’s predictable, slightly dated decor doesn’t excite me, but its outdoor sundeck — my go-to spot for sundown — definitely makes up for this. As evening falls, illuminated bumboats cruising down the waterfront add some sort of hypnotising exuberance to the still backdrop of skyscrapers.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel doesn’t have an in-house spa, but a pampering session or two can still be booked at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, a short five-minute walk away, accessible through the underpass. Treat the journey there as a mini heritage tour — you’ll come across landmarks that have witnessed the city’s transformative changes from its humble beginnings. Take the Clifford Pier for example: the grand, majestic-looking restaurant was once a landing jetty for ships back in 1933, marking the crucial arrival point where Singapore’s forefathers began a new chapter of their lives.
Culinary options are abundant in the hotel, with various partnerships throughout the year. For the month of August, The Clifford Pier has partnered with New Ubin Seafood to craft a special lunch set menu, serving modern interpretations of tze char favourites. Keep your eyes peeled for the Slow Cooked Egg Foie Gras with Truffle-Soy Vinaigrette, an entree that will prep your palette with savoury, piquant flavours of truffle and foie gras.
For mains, I’d recommend the Pan-seared Sea Bass with Chincalok Sambal Petai & Steamed Jasmine Rice. Hats off to the chefs here for demonstrating sea bass as a successful alternative to stingray, the most common choice of fish used in chinchalok dishes. The most talked-about dish, Heart Attack Rice Bowl with Angus Beef USDA “Choice” Rib Eye, surprisingly fell short of expectations; the rice was bland and the beef, mediocre.
But all things aside, I leave the hotel armed with knowledge of the city’s past. While it may not stand out as much as The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, it doesn’t pale in comparison either with unblocked views of the bay, gorgeous restaurants to dine in (the Afternoon Tea Sessions won’t disappoint) and rooms that are a home away from home.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
80 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049326
Tel: +65 6333 8388
