Recent high-profile hotel, F&B and lifestyle retail openings in Orchard Road have given the area a boost. But what would give the precinct an even bigger shot in the arm?
From the 1980s to the 2000s, Orchard Road was affectionately known to some as the “capital” of Singapore. It had everything a hedonist could want, from luxury shopping and fine dining options to high-end hotels and medical/aesthetic facilities. But over the last two decades, some of that shine was lost to Marina Bay, Dempsey Hill, Duxton Hill, and other new lifestyle enclaves. The upcoming New Bahru by The Lo & Behold Group is also another local destination to look out for.
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“Orchard Road used to be the centre of Singapore and then suddenly, [the attention shifted] to Marina Bay,” shares Oscar Postma, cluster (operations) general manager of Conrad Singapore Orchard and Conrad Centennial Singapore. There’s no doubt that Orchard Road continues to be a big draw for residents and visitors alike, but what would it take for the centre of gravity to shift back to the precinct?
Certainly, the recent spate of high-profile openings has refocused the public’s attention to the area. On the hospitality front, there’s Artyzen, Conrad Singapore Orchard, and The Singapore Edition. Over in retail, the district welcomed the world’s largest Richard Mille flagship, Asia’s (excluding China) largest Nike store, and a Marimekko concept store.
Leading the dining vanguard are French pastry chef Cedric Grolet’s inaugural Asian outpost, and Cote Korean Steakhouse, the world’s first Michelin-starred establishment of its kind. Rounding out the lifestyle assortment is Trifecta, Asia’s first integrated sports facility, and Como Shambala’s urban wellness flagship.
The Grand Hyatt’s phased opening and The Standard, Singapore’s upcoming debut in Q3 2024 will also attract more interest. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Several large-scale redevelopments, especially along the Tanglin end of Orchard Road, are set to revitalise the neighbourhood even further.