The Scarlet Hotel

I was in Singapore from the 14th till the 16th of this month. I was only supposed to stay ther for a day but due to unforeseen circumstances, I overslept and missed my 2pm flight on the 15th. I stayed at The Scarlet which is a boutique hotel located on Irskine Road in Singapore. A friend of mine hooked me up with a corporate rate which was good although I can’t recall how much I paid right now. I left in a rush that morning and forgot to take my camera with me, which I seriously regretted upon arriving at the hotel. So sorry, no real visuals, we are going to have to rely on my idiotic exploitation of adjectives (but I did pinch a few off the net to add some color).

Although I did live in Singapore, once upon a time, I hardly ventured too far beyond Holland Village, Orchard Road, or Dover Road. I never cared much for Singapore as a city and have even devised ways to steer clear of her. Most of my trips there, if not all, have been driven by necessity. I usually get done with work ASAP and only hang around long enough to get a calzone from Rockies Pizza. But this time I actually saw a different side of the city which I really liked.

Once we got off the freeway and started heading towards the hotel, I noticed that most of the building were older and colonial styled. We were entering what some people call China Town and the area seemed to have been given a new lease on life. Right next to an aging old shop you could see a renovated art gallery. The style remained the same but the colors were brighter and the locations exhibited mostly minimalist design themes. The Scarlet, nestled between these interesting shopos did not look so big when I got there but what she lacked in grandeur, she made up for in awesome, plush, styling. This was evident as soon as the doorman let me out of my cab. He wore a long black coat with red trimmings and on his head a nifty hat. He also sported a long black pony tail.

The small foyer/lobby seemed to be dominated by the colors red, black, and gold. Large gold chandeliers also hang from the ceiling not so far above eye level giving the room a some what over the top Victorian vibe. The couches were not uniform but rather all unique bearing wild prints and off beat shapes, even leading into the lobby bar. At that moment I felt I had landed up at a pretty funky hotel. I quickly shifted tracks on my iPod to Jameriquai. I could see that all the facilities in the hotel were bearing very unique names as well.

The staff was extremely friendly and it took me less then 3 minutes to get checked in, after which the stylo-milo doorman led me to my room. They had put me up on the ground floor in the room furthest away from the lobby. It was a bit of a stroll to get there but I like my privacy anyways. As we walked down the corridor he pointed out the gym to my, which is called FLAUNT. And another shop called SODA. I could see some serious planning had gone into this place. Even the font used every sign seemed to fit the overall feel of the place. He also explained that this was the only floor of the hotel with natural lighting. Above us, there were translucent windows in the ceiling through which the sun shone in. On all the other floors, the lighting is simulated by a computer and software program that adjusts the intensity based upon the actual time and weather conditions outside.

The room I was assigned to was very comfortable with twin beds, a lounge chair, small bathroom, TV, and even a DVD player. Movies were made available at the front desk, with no charge. There were no widows in the room but in one area there was some light coming in from a source I could not see. Maybe it was some of that simulated lighting. I quickly made my self comfortable and head out for my work. I took a quick stroll around the area before heading to Orchard Road. I wished I had not forgotten my camera. The streets were sloping and all the shops and bars lining them seemed so quaint. Between all the new developments I would occasionally see a neglected property that reminded me this area must have some interesting history. Before long I noticed a sign that read Club Street, but it was late and I had to head out to get to work already.

The trip only got better from there and this is “to be continued”. Plus I will be back in The Scarlet next month, where I will take pictures to post up. If you do venture to Singapore any time soon, you must head there to catch a glimpse of what I am talking about. Tomorrow, it’s all about Club Street. Also, Archie’s wedding was great. It has been a wild weekend and I am still falling behind with work. I really wish you made it here Ro. It just ant the same without you…