Prevue July/August 2013 - (Page 67)

Far left: SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands Left top: Sky on 57 Restaurant Left bottom: Pan Paciﬁc Singapore the 30-pax bar is filled with antiques from China. It’s dark, moody and totally exotic with colorful paper lamps overhead and Chinese lithographs on the wall. Ask owner Jenny Tan for her lobster meat dim sum, complemented by a cocktail menu ranging from a bowl of Tsingtao to a ’94 Chateau Lafite. The buzzy Tiong Bahru neighborhood is the Brooklyn of Singapore, filled with hipster bookstores, design boutiques and one of our favorite restaurants this trip, Open Door Policy. The sliver of a restaurant is squeezed into an alley between two buildings, serving amazing “modern bistro fare with a rustic twist.” Order the pancakes with blackberry chocolate sauce and the roasted field mushrooms on a toasted brioche with truffle puree. This is where locals bring guests. Less than 15 minutes from the Suntec convention hotels, Chinatown is a heady cataclysm of mid-20th century “shophouses” originally designed for families to live upstairs and operate shops below. Today they’re stridently protected by the government. Inside of each, there are so many interesting restaurants and shops that I needed another week here. Go for breakfast at the New Majestic Hotel owned by local boy Loh Lik Peng, who’s arguably the world’s most innovative hotelier right now. He builds high-concept design hotels in distressed neighborhoods to rejuvenate the local economy. Inside the lobby, “The Space Program” is part art installation, urban think tank, design museum and boutique. It’s a great place to shop for local guidebooks and gifts. For inspiration, some of the world’s top chefs come to Chinatown to explore the local street food in the famous “hawker stalls,” such as Maxwell Hawker Stand. Chicken and rice with spicy chili sauce is a national dish so someone should get that. I recommend the guy at Hong Xiang Hainanese Chicken Rice (#52), as long as you respect local custom and take photos after you buy your food. From there head up Ann Siang Road (aka Club Street) day or night for an eclectic melange of French bistros, English pubs, Arab tea shops and an ultra-luxury men’s haircare boutique. Keep walking to the Lai Chun Yuen Opera House built in 1887, which is now a hotel promoting Chinese opera history. In the interest of sustainability, its Bar 25 restaurant “may” charge you extra if you don’t finish your meal. Singapore Tourism: yoursingapore.com Suntec Convention Centre: suntecsingapore.com Marina Bay Sands Hotel: marinabaysands.com The Fullerton Hotel: fullertonhotel.com The Fullerton Bay Hotel: fullertonbayhotel.com Capella Singapore: capellahotels.com Pan Pacific Singapore: panpacific.com 62-67_Singapore.indd 67 Just Breathe... The 367-room PARKROYAL on Pickering opened this year in the Central Business District. It is one of Asia’s greenest hotels with 165,000 sf of “sky gardens” cascading from the hotel’s exterior. The ground floor with double-height ceilings is enclosed in glass and greenery from the lobby through to LIME restaurant. A market-style scene pervades the restaurant with dishes prepared in open kitchen stations. Items range from John Dory fish n’ chips to chicken/prawn nasi goreng. Four meeting rooms and two ballrooms— the largest hosting 600 pax—are located on the 2nd floor. The 2-story height with floor-to-ceiling windows provides stunning views of the adjacent park and a wonderful energy throughout. “Our meeting spaces are filled with light,” says Lee Kin Seng, director of marketing. “Our urban resort design sets us apart from other business hotels, evoking a balance of business and pleasure.” At the outdoor infinity pool, everyone raves about the “birdcage” cabanas, especially the one hanging over the edge of the building. In the guest rooms, the walls are natural wood complemented with wood desks and extra large windows. The emphasis is on calming neutral tones, simple layout and a strong connection to the outdoors. You’ll sleep well here. “Again, our guest rooms are comfortable and relaxing with as much natural light as possible,” says Seng. “Most of all, it’s just very peaceful here even though we are so centrally located, which is the ultimate luxury for a business traveler.” parkroyalhotels.com 7/3/13 2:01 PM http://www.yoursingapore.com http://www.suntecsingapore.com http://www.marinabaysands.com http://www.fullertonhotel.com http://www.fullertonbayhotel.com http://www.capellahotels.com http://www.parkroyalhotels.com http://www.panpacific.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue July/August 2013

Planner's Pick: New Zealand
Fresh Meets: Autograph Collection
Bureau Buzz: Monterey County
Good Business: South Africa
sea Shores: Small Ship cruising
The Local Kitchen
Special Section: Caribbean
Dominican Republic
On Location: Hilton/LXR, Puerto Rico
On Location: The Broadmoor
The South, Florida & Las Vegas
Singapore
On Location: Starwood Resorts, San Diego
On Location: Travaasa Austin
On Location: Moon Palace Cancun
On Location: IRF Cancun
Check Out: Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana

Prevue July/August 2013