Video Credit: Dishtravel【住宿@新加坡】Hotel Soloha 牛車水「紅燈區」住新潮熱帶風酒店
As avid foodies, we regularly frequent the Keong Seik neighbourhood and each time we visit are more in awe with the architecture, the vibe and the incredible array of unique restaurants and bars.
It is definitely a part of Singapore that has a real soul – a juxtaposition of heritage and trendy, a melting pot of cultures offering everything to eat from the humblest of noodles to the finest degustation menus.
Seeking a change from the usual poolside cocktail sipping staycation, we opted for a different experience – one centred on our love of food culture. We discovered a new 45 room boutique hotel called Hotel Soloha – a destination for dreamers and adventure-seekers located right in the heart of this pulsating neighbourhood.
With its striking indigo blue wooden shutters and panel doors, Hotel Soloha pops freshly out on Teck Lim Road while still retaining the old school glamour and charm of a shophouse.
The name Soloha combines 'so', the idea of 'to such a great extent' and 'aloha', the catchy Hawaiian greeting that is about living life. Hence, to be Soloha means living an expressive, #yolo life – a place for an adventurous journey or a funky weekend getaway.
Entering through the wooden panel doors, we are attracted by the bar cum reception – with its technicolour and neon expressions, it captivates the eye and pulls together the rest of hotel’s urban jungle chic design. The very Instagram-worthy entrance mural is a bold tropical pop art theme with an edgy interplay of the female form and some fierce felines by local artist Ethrisha Liaw. Further around the bar, there are complimentary snacks and beverages on offer as well as a guests co-working space. There’s even a small games room for those seeking a bit of active timeout.
Entering the lift, the urban jungle forest theme is further showcased by the huge 13m painted art installation by local artist Danielle Tay installed in the shaft. The artwork, aptly named ‘Spirit of the Forest’, seeks to take guests on a journey of curiosity and adventure in a mystical forest as they ride the elevator. Every floor of the hotel has its own dedicated “spirit animal” along with custom-made tropical carpet representing a different section of the rainforest. Level 1 is represented by the snail, followed by the tree frog, cicada and toucan.
We are in a loft room on level 4, with our spirit animal toucan guiding us to our well thought out duplex space. Compact yet clean and inviting with warm wood hues marrying with cool sleek marble which is then highlighted by pops of bright orange and tropical art. Room amenities cater to the sophisticated, tech-savvy social nomad – with automated controls offering lighting options such as “party” or “romantic” and the two oversized TVs providing all the digital binge options craved by today’s cordless generation.
The patented Hansgrohe Raindance shower is indeed indulgent – offering three different settings at a simple touch of a button. Our loft bed is reminiscent of a tatami mat style yet with an oversized 30cm thick mattress it was exceptionally comfortable ensuring a restful night’s sleep.
The hotel also offers a relaxing, tropical courtyard which can be enjoyed by guests or hired for private events. A unique birthday, stag or hen party idea would be to hire all five rooms adjoining the courtyard and enjoy your own private bar space.
Food options are in abundance here so be sure to save room for breakfast, lunch and dinner – staying within the hotel’s premise is the newly-opened fusion ramen establishment Takeshi Noodle Bar (where guests enjoy 15% off). Adorned with comfy indigo and blush pink velvet and rattan sofas, terrazzo tables and an interesting pop art wall, it offers three main types of exotic ramen – Sliced Wagyu Beef with Truffle Iberico Tonkotsu, Honey Roasted Iberico Pork with Burnt Miso Iberico Tonkotsu, and Seafood Szechuan Mala Iberico Tonkotsu.
Stepping out into the delights of Keong Seik Rd, we are spoiled for choice. For lunch we opted for the mouth-watering, juicy burgers at Three Buns (part of Potato Head).
Pre-dinner drinks we enjoyed some fine French wine at Bistro Gaston before walking over for a modern Japanese dinner at Flying Squirrel. The next morning, breakfast at Bread & Hearth was French café perfection according to my Parisian husband.
There are more than enough things to explore in the neighbourhood, from the arts and crafts of Chinatown, the temples, street art, food stalls and for something more adventurous one can even go time travelling at Virtual Room where Expat Choice readers enjoy a discount when you book Virtual Room experiences with code EXPATCHOICE15 and receive a 15% automatic discount when booked online at HERE
Hotel Soloha provides a unique, arty and foodie staycation destination while also being a highly recommended choice for guests coming back into Singapore who want to experience the wonders of this rich cultural neighbourhood.
Rebecca Assice is the Founder and Director of Virtual Room in Asia Pacific. The future of entertainment is now here with Virtual Room – the world’s best team-based virtual reality experience located right in the heart of Chinatown, Singapore. Expat Choice readers enjoy a 15% discount when you book Virtual Room experiences with code EXPATCHOICE15 and receive a 15% automatic discount when booked online at HERE
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