Singapore is well known for its painstaking efforts to conserve its history alongside its development. Its location within Singapore’s CBD and Far East Square – a collection of conserved shophouses that are over 170 years old – the AMOY Hotel is no different. A boutique hotel hidden within Fuk Tak Chi Museum, the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore, it truly feels like you’re stepping into the past. Within a world of modern comfort, of course.
Each rooms is said to be one of a kind, but an underlying theme remains consistent; history welcoming guests from start to finish. My deluxe room’s bed and flip-out wall TV sat amongst furnishings with heritage accents like a porcelain basin in the bathroom and traditional Chinese stools rather than bedside tables. Throughout my stay I looked forward to just falling into the king-sized bed, knowing that I was going to sleep comfortably snuggled within its warm covers on a mattress and pillows that were just right in terms of comfort for me.
I had free access to the room’s mini bar and much to my delight: the room’s Nespresso machine with pods sourced from Australia’s Tripod Coffee, a cup of which was a great start to my mornings (especially since I’m quite the picky coffee drinker). Upon entry into my room, I also found a box of traditional Chinese pastries along with possibly my favourite aspect of staying with Far East Hospitality – personalised, handwritten notes.
While AMOY lacks an in-house café/restaurant, guests can enjoy complimentary breakfasts around the corner from the hotel at the Dean & Deluca café. A special breakfast menu is given to guests rather than a buffet spread, ranging from homemade granola to breakfast tacos, which is served alongside yoghurt, fresh fruits, orange juice and a choice of coffee or tea. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy my breakfasts during my stay – the food always seemed to arrived cold and their Americano left a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, the location of the hotel means that I had a big list of places to eat at – so I encourage you to search out some alternatives.
A 10 minute walk gets you to pretty much anywhere you’d need, food-wise, as the Amoy Street Food Centre is just down the road. Chinatown is a stone’s throw away and at the end of that 10 minute walk would get you to Clarke Quay. Telok Ayer MRT station is just across the street from the hotel, connecting you to the blue line and Raffles Place MRT station, connecting you to the red and green lines, is just a 5 minute walk away. The options are endless!
While AMOY lacked some facilities, like a pool or a gym, it makes up in style, location and comfort. I wasn’t too far away from great eats and I knew that I would come ‘home’ at the end of the day for a good night’s sleep in a comfortable, one-of-a-kind room.
AMOY Hotel by Far East Hospitality
Address: 76 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 048464
Book a stay via their website or through booking.com
The writer stayed as a guest of AMOY Hotel. Photos provided by the hotel.
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