From April 2020 and over a period of four months, I stayed at both the One-Bedroom Executive Suite as well as the Two-Bedroom Executive Suite at Winsland Serviced Suites by Lanson Place Singapore, a serviced residence which offers both short and long-term accommodation. Part of a mixed development which also includes commercial buildings Winsland House I and II, the 109-suite serviced residence is conveniently situated slightly off the Orchard Road shopping and entertainment district, with Orchard Central, Singtel Shop Comcentre, KPO Cafe Bar and Orchard Neighbourhood Police Post being surrounding landmarks. A short walk from both Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, you are also steps away from popular shopping malls such as Orchard Central, 313@Somerset, The Centrepoint, Takashimaya, ION Orchard and Paragon for all your shopping, grocery and dining needs. Changi Airport, Marina Bay Sands and the Central Business District are 25, 15 and 10 minutes away by car respectively.
Recently renovated in 2018, the serviced residence is one of eleven properties in Asia managed by Hong Kong-based Lanson Place, which includes serviced apartments in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai as well as a luxury boutique hotel in Hong Kong.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Discreet residential tranquility with unbeatable location along Orchard Road.
The must-dos (if any): Take a swim in the swimming pool and a soak in the jacuzzi on the rooftop level, make use of Cookhouse@9’s expansive kitchen facilities.
WINSLAND SERVICED SUITES BY LANSON PLACE SINGAPORE
Situated between commercial buildings Winsland House I and II, the 10-storey serviced residence plays it decidedly discreet for an Orchard Road property, boasting a low-key entrance and very unassuming signaging along the building’s facade along Eber Road. Curiously, the entire development does not have a dedicated drop-off point, supposedly because of security reasons due to Eber Road’s proximity to the late Lee Kuan Yew’s residence at 38 Oxley Road. Guests visiting the serviced residence or either of the Winsland House office buildings would usually alight next to the verdant open courtyard in front of the apartment, with the drop-off point signposted by a ‘Lanson Place’ roadside sign as well as the iconic aluminium-wrought ‘Love’ installation by American artist Robert Indiana.
Given the reputation of Hong Kong’s iconic boutique hotel Lanson Place, most might expect a certain chic swankiness from the similarly-branded residence. Instead, the Singapore property adopts a rather relaxed approach to its residential proceedings – think a classy but understated white marble reception lobby, resort-style open corridors on the guest suite levels as well as a lush and shady outdoor courtyard on the ground level. The courtyard has a soothing water feature and fish-filled pond along with tables and chairs for both neighbourly socialisation with expatriate residents as well as quiet moments with your novel or laptop alike. As night falls, the space springs to life, with the overhead suspended naked bulbs lending a certain warmth and merriment to the al fresco proceedings.
Recently renovated in 2018 and with sizes ranging between 21sqm and 139sqm, the property’s suites feature clean, modern designs inspired by nature, with the various room categories carrying different colour themes – the studios feature blue hues, the one-bedroom suites sport greenish hues, and the two-bedroom apartments are decked in rosy pink shades. The suites generally have large windows which welcome streams of warm natural light (although they are generally locked unless you expressly request for them to be opened and sign the relevant legal liability waiver). Each suite category has its own set of available rooms with different layouts and configurations – some suites enjoy private patios, while some are decidedly bigger than others by as much as 22sqm. For the One-Bedroom Executive Suite, the room I eventually picked enjoyed the most amount of natural light amongst other options within the same category due to its location within the building.
Despite the relatively high occupancy of the serviced residence during the period of my stay, the stay experience felt extremely private as I seldom crossed paths with any of the other residents, save for an American guest and her vivacious pink-ribboned Yorkshire Terrier, Zsa Zsa, whom I meet very regularly both within and around the premises.
An interesting thing about the property is that there are many locations within the premises with very striking and Instagrammable architectural features, from the pristine white walls, strong lines and free-standing arches of the outdoor deck on the 9th level to the menacingly moody perspective of the air well above the outdoor area of the gymnasium on the 2nd level.
ONE-BEDROOM EXECUTIVE SUITE
Boasting large windows which face the Eber Road/Oxley neighbourhood, my 51sqm One-Bedroom Executive Suite offers distinct living/dining, bedroom and bathroom areas. The combined living and kitchen area features sofa seating, a coffee table as well as an island kitchen counter with high chairs, while a portable standing lamp is on hand to provide extra illumination beyond the suite’s inbuilt ceiling lights. Apart from carrying the obligatory assortment of chinaware, glassware, utensils and cutlery, the kitchen is equipped with household appliances such as WMF pots and a cooking pan, a kettle, a toaster oven and a Nespresso-compliant Bonmatic coffee machine (although coffee pods are not provided). In addition, guests have access to various Electrolux products, ranging from an electric induction hob with double induction rings and a microwave oven to a sizeable refrigerator and freezer. An iron/ironing board and a Electrolux laundry machine with washer and dryer capabilities can be found in the closet next to the entrance.
The bedroom features a king-sized bed with a teal headboard against a soothingly dreamy, nature-inspired design wall and a sliding door wardrobe with a personal safe. While the curtains may not be capable of completely shutting out all sunlight, the relatively quiet traffic situation along Eber Road means your sleep is rarely interrupted by external factors. Elsewhere, the spacious bathroom offers a single vanity with an attached lighted makeup mirror, an abundance of shelves and drawers for your toiletries and for storing the hair dryer set (which needs to be used elsewhere given the lack of power outlets in the bathroom) as well as an enclosed shower space, with the hot water supply powered by an external heater (i.e. the supply isn’t infinite).
Both the bedroom and living/dining room are fitted with Daikin air-conditioning units as well as Samsung smart television sets which offer access to a range of cable channels such as Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Asian Food Channel, AXN, STAR Chinese Channel and various FOX and National Geographic options alongside the usual local free-to-air channels. The living room has its own bluetooth-friendly Samsung sound system with external subwoofer for an enhanced aural experience.
Guests are given a welcome hamper upon arrival comprising cup noodles, fruits, snacks as well as a small number of coffee pods for your Bonmatic machine.
TWO-BEDROOM EXECUTIVE SUITE
Eschewing the 1BR Executive Suite’s calming blues, the Two-Bedroom Executive Suite instead adopts a more soft, rose gold approach to its warm, inviting stylings. Large windows along the length of the expansive living area overlook the building’s open-air atrium and welcome generous amounts of natural light into the premises. Guests can choose to dine at either the large four-seater dining table with its overhanging white lamp that conjures Kinfolk feels or the island counter with two high chairs which separates the living room and the kitchen. In terms of amenities, the 2BR Executive Suite has what the 1BR Executive Suite offers and then some – aside from having substantially more storage space in the kitchen, the 2BR Executive Suite boasts an additional induction ring on the stove, a dishwasher as well as a window facing the corridor for greater ventilation.
In contrast to the 1BR Executive Suite’s traditional curtains, the bedrooms of the 2BR Executive Suite employ adjustable blinds and sheers. The master bedroom has a cosy sleeping area with its own sizeable bathroom as well as a walk-in closet space, while the second bedroom is fitted with twin beds and an open concept wardrobe. Like the bathroom of the 1BR Executive Suite, both the master bathroom as well as the standalone second bathroom near the living room have enclosed shower spaces.
I really enjoyed my time spent in the 2BR Executive Suite, especially the calming view of the atrium area where endless daily activities take place – think Japanese kids frolicking, a man training his dog to respond to commands as well as a salsa instructor who used the atrium for filming dance videos for her social media channels and owned her hair flips and K-Pop snappy moves like a boss.
FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES
In terms of services and amenities, the property offers complimentary housekeeping services several times a week, with specific days each week rostered for your apartment should you choose for your room to be made. Long-staying guests enjoy complimentary season parking in the building’s basement car park. The serviced residence provides 24-hr concierge services, which means your deliveries are always received safely and you would be notified personally by call whenever these arrive. The management accommodates most requests by long-staying guests for additional furniture and other household items such as work tables, an extra shelf or even a rice cooker. (I appreciated that, within a week after my request, I was furnished with a work table for my work-from-home purposes.) In addition, the management organises various community activities for its residents throughout the year, ranging from Christmas parties, World Cup screenings and mooncake-making workshops prior to the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival to Bukit Timah hiking trips, yoga and zumba classes.
Facilities-wise, the 24-hr Gymnasium on the 2nd level boasts not just an extensive selection of cardio machines, equipment and free weights (including an outdoor TRX setup with a punching bag) but also a snazzy Tanita body composition analyser machine which calculates your metabolic age and body fat percentage and is able to spit out a paper report which explicitly informs you whether you are a healthy horse or morbidly obese (whichever applies). Guests in suites without fitted laundry facilities can use the complimentary Launderette facilities – comprising both washers and dryers – located on the 4th and 8th levels. With a seating capacity of 12 people and available for bookings, communal kitchen Cookhouse@9 is fitted with all the flourishes of a Nigella Lawson-esque dream kitchen – think island table, wine glasses for whatever type of grape juice you fancy, a 46″ TV for entertaining guests, induction cooktops, conventional oven, steamer, dishwasher, sous vide machine, bread maker, juicer, blender, coffee machine, refrigerator, wine cooler fridge and even an urban cultivator for you to grow your own herbs, microgreens and vegetables.
The crown jewel of the property’s list of facilities is their unobstructed rooftop deck, which showcases a standalone Jacuzzi pavilion with adjustable temperature controls and an assortment of seats which features differently-positioned jets; a Swimming Pool suitable for both laps and languorous soaks which is lined with daybeds for your sun worship purposes; and a BBQ pit and bar available for private bookings and social gatherings.
One of the serviced residence’s best assets is its convenient location. The Winsland mixed-use development is diagonally across the road from Orchard Central, which connects directly to Somerset MRT station via 313@Somerset, and a short walk down Orchard Road in the opposite direction would bring you to Dhoby Ghaut MRT station within minutes. There are various supermarkets in the vicinity, including an NTUC Fairprice outlet along Killiney Road; an NTUC Fairprice Finest outlet at Triple-One Somerset; Cold Storage outlets at Takashimaya (Ngee Ann City), The Centrepoint and Plaza Singapura; Paragon Market Place at Paragon; and Japanese lifestyle store Don Don Donki at Orchard Central. The serviced residence is steps away from the Killiney Road food stretch which offers dining options such as the newly-open Thai restaurant 87 Just Thai and vegan concept The Kind Bowl; Chinese roast meat joint Fook Kin; Korean concept Korea House; Halal-certified cafe Rocky Master (with whom the serviced residence has a partnership for food delivery); the famous Killiney Kopitiam known for its local coffee as well as popular Indonesian diner Warung M Nasir.
Beyond the Orchard Road stretch with its infinite shopping and dining possibilities, residents can take a walk in the direction of the nearby Clarke Quay, Robertson Quay and River Valley areas for even more dining options. Running enthusiasts can enjoy uphill calf burns at the nearby Fort Canning Park, venture along the quay for a possible sighting of Singapore’s famous otter family, or run towards Marina Bay for breezy waterside beats.
It really is an amazing location.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
While the abundance of serviced apartment choices along the Orchard Road stretch leaves one spoilt for choice – notable ones include Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard Singapore, Oakwood Studios Singapore, Ascott Orchard Singapore and Fraser Residence Orchard Singapore – it must be said that while not being the most luxurious, Winsland Serviced Suites by Lanson Place Singapore does hit that sweet spot between discreet residential tranquillity and convenient accessibility, boasting one of the best locations amongst the above-mentioned options. A very attractive option for those who seek accommodation in the heart of Orchard Road.
Winsland Serviced Suites by Lanson Place Singapore
167 Penang Road
Singapore 238462
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