In September 2022, I checked into the One-Bedroom Premier Suite at Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore (formerly the Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore), which offers 268 luxury service apartments and suites within the OUE Downtown mixed development in the heart of the Central Business District in Singapore. Conveniently located near Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, the aparthotel concept is directly connected to lifestyle space Downtown Gallery which offers a variety of dining and fitness experiences. Other nearby destinations for dining and shopping include International Plaza, Guoco Tower, Icon Village and 100AM.
Notable hotels in the area include Sofitel Singapore City Centre, The Clan Hotel and Hotel Telegraph Singapore (formerly the SO Sofitel Singapore).
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Luxurious lifestyle-centric aparthotel experience In Tanjong Pagar.
Must Dos: Relax in your spacious suite, enjoy evening cocktails and snacks at The Living Room, have dinner at Collective, enjoy a dip in the Infinity Pool, go for a fitness class within Downtown Gallery.
DAO BY DORSETT AMTD SINGAPORE
The aparthotel is situated within the OUE Downtown mixed development, which comprises an office tower as well as the Downtown Gallery dining and shopping complex. Food options within the complex include Ya Kun Family Cafe, Marutama Ramen, Patisserie G, Lunar Coffee Brewers, Venue by Sebastian, Wafuken and Chen’s Mapo Tofu. Weekday guests have access to the full range of CBD dining options, with notable candidates being the nearby Amoy Street Food Centre and Maxwell Food Centre.
The pet-friendly aparthotel’s key facilities are located on the 7th level, from the check-in area, restaurant Collective and lounge space The Living Room to the 24hr fitness centre and outdoor infinity pool.
The Dao brand focuses on three key pillars: Custom Fit, which caters to customisaton; Social, which connects you to the local community at large; and Harmonious, which strives to make sure your stay strikes the perfect balance of benefits, activities, options and privacy. To achieve these pillars, the property has partnered with wellness partners such as Avo & Co, Boulder Movement, Absolute Cycle and Haus Athletics to offer more options for guests looking for something beyond a bed to sleep in during their stay.
ONE-BEDROOM PREMIER SUITE
Offering calming panoramic harbour and sea views via the bedroom’s L-shaped windows, the 58sqm One Bedroom Premier Suite plays it like an expat female banker’s bachelorette pad, possessing a simultaneously sophisticated and understated elegance with its dark, neutral colour palette. The living room is furnished with a TV console with an abundance of storage space as well as a sofa and coffee table, while the dining room doubles up as a work station with its power points. The suite’s well-equipped kitchen offers Smeg appliances (including a dishwasher and washing machine) as well as Nespresso coffee and TWG tea-making facilities. In a luxurious twist, the pantry also offers satchets of Bacha coffee bags (I haven’t seen any other hotel in Singapore offer Bacha coffee).
The bathroom comes fitted with a rain shower, with lemongrass-scented bathroom amenities from Australian beauty brand APPELLES. The window in the enclosed shower space offers a lovely harbour view for your appreciation (whilst you’re buck naked) and is able to be opened partially for ventilation, which allows for more comfortably steamy moments.
An interesting thing about Dao is that their “Custom Fit” promise means you are able to make certain customisable room requests such as adopting a plant from the lobby’s plant library to spruce up your room; install a spin bike and participate in a virtual class courtesy of Absolute Cycle; and indulge in a selfcare session using In-room Red Light Therapy (RLT) and an Infrared Sauna Blanket. Yes, I do not know what the latter means, but it sounds pretty restorative.
DINING
Breakfast is served at Collective, a contemporary dining concept located on the 7th level. The buffet breakfast is more club lounge than continental (think Egg Toufu with Broccoli & Black Fungus, Vegetarian Yellow Noodle, Chicken Cheese Sausage with Pan Gravy and Thyme, Herb Roasted Cherry Tomato and Grilled Bacon with Maple Syrup), with a state-of-the-art self-service Nespresso machine that is simultaneously futuristic, frustrating and complex. (I ended up making a cup of overflowing milk with just a little bit of coffee.) However, the restaurant’s a la carte menu, which offers a variety of appetisers, soups, burgers, pastas as well as both Eastern and Western mains, proved to be surprisingly impressive, with dishes like the gently devilish Mala Xiang Guo, sledgehammer subtle Truffle Beef Hor Fun and the buttery Baked Chilean Cod with Signature Celery Pesto being highlights.
Guests with club privileges have access to evening cocktails and canapes at lounge space The Living Room which sits adjacent to Collective. Bites are pretty comfort fare (think Chicken & Mutton Satay, Chicken Nuggets and Fries and Crispy Chicken Wings with Truffle Maple) and paired with a selection of cocktails and wines.
CONCLUSION
The rebrand appears to have done the property some good, with the guest experience now incorporating various lifestyle elements that often exploit the location’s many advantages. The most elaborate and complete night-stay aparthotel concept in Singapore.
Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore
6 Shenton Way, OUE Downtown 1,
#07-01, Singapore 068809
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