“Daddy, do you need a clue?” my daughter egged me to answer her riddle. Sensing my hesitation, she turned her attention to her Mom and asked the same riddle.
“Look a shoe! Look a present!” the younger one quipped excitedly as we drove down Orchard road after dinner. He had spotted the outlines of these Christmas light decor along Orchard Road.
Such are the little moments at a short family staycation we enjoyed at the start of the year end school holidays. Away from the cares of housework, homework and office work, we focused on reconnecting with one another before the year draws to a close. Riddles, Christmas lights and the gift of presence may seem trivial but they contribute to family memories.
Our family staycation was at the newly renovated Orchard Rendezvous Hotel. Conveniently located at the site of the former Orchard Parade Hotel right at the start of the Orchard Road shopping belt, the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel offers a refreshed experience for guests.
Here are highlights of our stay:
The first thing you will realize when you enter is that it lavishes a surprising amount of flowers motifs for a city hotel. Being among the few hotels situated close to Singapore’s Botanical Gardens, the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel prides itself by bringing the Garden City experience into its premise. Giving guests, like our busy family, a chance to reconnect with one another in the embrace of nature.
In fact, the hotel even has a hybrid Orchid named after it! Sitting proudly in our room is the hotel’s very own ‘Vanda Orchard Rendezvous‘, along with a kit on how to care for it! What a novel gift to help nurture the love for nature! The hotel’s signature bloom can be seen around the hotel’s interiors as well as at its poolside garden – adding an elegant touch to this bustling city hotel.
Despite being one of the more established hotels in Singapore, the rooms have been given a refreshed look while still maintaining that charm of its stately past. Our family room is extremely large and spacious (with an outdoor balcony that overlooks Orchard Road). There was ample space for families to lounge around, relax and take things slow while on a break.
The kids took to the 2-storey bunk bed like bees to honey. It helps that the bed was made extra appealing with soft-toys and even a chalkboard for them to doodle!
For dinner, we chose to dine in for dinner at Tung Lok Signatures Restaurant on the 2nd level within the hotel. We savored their signature dishes such as the succulent Peking Duck among others. Service was top-notch as with the quality of food. David and I absolutely loved the Curry Star Garoupa Fish Fillet that was served with ‘Mantous’. These lightly fried buns had a soft fluffy interior that soaks up the flavor of the curry. Accompanied by chunks of fresh Garoupa, this dish was an absolute delight. After dinner, we took a slow drive to admire the Christmas lights along Orchard Road. The Orchard Rendezvous hotel makes an excellent base for all guests who wish to enjoy the conveniences of shopping while basking in the festive atmosphere in Singapore!
The next morning, we took a quick simple breakfast after the large tourist groups have left. The spread was sufficient to kick-start a new day of activity.
The kids wanted to swim before we check out and we were happy to spend an hour at the hotel’s huge pool. It virtually an oasis in the midst of the bustling Orchard Road! Our swim was cut short by lightning and thunderstorm. You can imagine that the kids didn’t want to leave the pool! All in, this was a staycation well spent both in and outdoors staying at the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel.
A letter to the GM:
You have a cozy, comfortable hotel that’s full of charm. The location, facilities and amenities lend itself to be a very central hotel for city breaks where guests rendezvous with their inner-selves and their loved ones to rest, recharge and reconnect.
ORCHARD RENDEZVOUS HOTEL
1 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247905
Hotel: +65 6737 1133 / Reservations: +65 6881 8888
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