Location

No. 11 Cairnhill Rd, Singapore 229724
Ascott Orchard Singapore

Aparthotel in Singapore Orchard

Ascott Orchard Singapore is located in the center of Orchard Road, the city’s most famous shopping belt. This area is home to world-class shopping malls and restaurants, making the hotel an ideal base for both tourists and residents. Both Somerset and Orchard MRT Station are within a 10-minute walking distance, giving you convenient access to the rest of the city.

Getting to Ascott Orchard Singapore from Changi Airport

You can get to Ascott Orchard from Changi Airport by public transportation but I decided to take a taxi. Getting a cab at Changi Airport is super straightforward—just follow the signs to the taxi stand, where cabs are lined up; no need to book in advance.

The taxi ride from Changi to Orchard Road took around 40 minutes on a Saturday afternoon and cost about SGD35. But my return trip from Orchard to Changi on a Tuesday morning only took 25 minutes and cost just SGD19. FYI Singapore taxi fares vary a lot due to different surcharges depending on the time, day, and pickup location.

Singapore Taxi App

When getting a cab in the city you can always rely on taxi stands in shopping malls or buildings but for this trip I also downloaded the CDG Zig app, Singapore’s official taxi app by ComfortDelGro. The best feature of this app is the “Pay Onboard” option, which lets you call a cab without registering a credit card or payment method in advance—you can pay the driver directly in cash or card.

One-Bedroom Deluxe Suite

Ascott Orchard’s One-Bedroom Deluxe Suite combines the spaciousness of an apartment with the comfort of a hotel. The 60 m² suite comes with a living area, a well-equipped kitchen, a bedroom with a king-size bed, and a bathroom. It’s a serviced apartment so guests have the flexibility to cook meals, do laundry, and live more sustainably compared to a standard hotel room. The living area had a 3-seater sofa and a dining table, and the kitchen was also equipped with a stove, microwave, fridge, and basic cooking utensils.

The view from my suite was not the typical city skyline but instead overlooked condominiums and apartments in Orchard’s residential area. I actually found this view quite homely and pleasant because it made me feel like I was living in Singapore, blending into the everyday lifestyle of the city rather than being just a tourist.

Pricing

I booked the One-Bedroom Deluxe Suite through Trip.com at a total cost of ₩1,766,366 for 3 nights, which was a non-cancellable rate. Considering how expensive Singapore hotels can be (especially those located in the Orchard Road area) I felt the price was reasonable and worth the experience.

Facilities at Ascott Orchard

Swimming Pool & Gym

All facilities at Ascott Orchard were conveniently located on the 4th floor. The outdoor swimming pool was always pleasantly quiet and never crowded, which made it perfect for a refreshing rewind after a day of shopping in the heat.

The gym is open 24 hours a day and equipped with various TechnoGym machines. Despite the compact size, it was always well maintained like a private workout space, stocked with fresh towels and drinking water.

Resident’s Lounge

The resident’s lounge was another feature I found quite useful. Open from 7am to 11pm, it offered a Nespresso coffee machine along with a selection of TWG tea bags. Disposable cups also made it easy to grab a hot coffee-to-go in the morning.

Link Bridge to Paragon Shopping Centre

You can also access the link bridge to Paragon Shopping Centre (one of Orchard’s most upscale malls) from the 4th floor of the hotel, near the playground area. Once you pass through the exit door, take the elevator to the P3 Link Bridge floor where you can go through another door and cross into the mall.

Breakfast Near Ascott Orchard

Early Breakfast in Orchard Road

Since my room rate did not include breakfast, I went to Ya Kun Kaya Toast in the basement of Paragon Shopping Center for breakfast every morning. Thanks to the link bridge it only took me five minutes to get there from my room. The Ya Kun branch in Paragon opens at 7:30am, making it ideal for an early breakfast in Orchard.

Best Kaya Toast in Singapore

Just like how Hong Kong is known for its cha chaan teng culture, Singapore also has its own distinctive breakfast culture and Ya Kun Kaya Toast is one of the most iconic places to experience it. My go-to order was Set A (Kaya Toast with Butter Set) which comes with kaya toast, two soft-boiled eggs, and a cup of coffee or tea. The kaya toast is a quintessential Singaporean breakfast, toast bread sandwiched with kaya (a sweet coconut jam) and cold butter.

The soft-boiled eggs are served separately in a small bowl, with soy sauce and pepper available for seasoning. You can dip your sweet kaya toast in the savory mix of silky whites and creamy yolks for the perfect combination. For drinks, I usually opted for kopi (coffee with condensed milk) or teh (tea with condensed milk). Ya Kun also offers variations such as kopi-o (black coffee with sugar) and teh-c (tea with evaporated milk).

Every morning I took my Ya Kun breakfast back to the hotel. Of course the toast is always at its crispiest when you eat it fresh at the shop, but the experience of eating kaya toast and sipping kopi in the comfort of my suite gave me the cozy glimpse of life in Singapore.