In December 2024, I checked into the Deluxe Room at Habyt Kada at Maxwell, which opened its doors earlier this year. Occupying the 3rd level of Kada at Maxwell, a lifestyle hub set within a 101-year-old colonial building behind Maxwell Food Centre, the 18-room flexible living space is the flagship property of the brand’s Habyt Flex concept which offers an integrated lifestyle experience with essential amenities such as fitness facilities and working spaces. The property is conveniently located close to Maxwell, Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown MRT Station as well as shopping malls Chinatown Point and 100AM, while Changi Airport is about 20 minutes away by car.
For the uninitiated, Habyt is a European flexible living provider which was founded in 2017. Habyt merged with Singapore-based co-living start-up Hmlet in 2022, and Hmlet properties in Singapore (including Hmlet Cantonment and Owen House by Hmlet) have since been rebranded as Habyt spaces. The minimum duration of a stay at the property is six nights, and rates start from around S$180 per night.
Other notable serviced residences in Singapore include the Figment co-living properties which are housed within restored shophouses; Ascott Orchard Singapore; Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard Singapore; Winsland Serviced Suites by Lanson Place Singapore; Fraser Residence River Promenade, Singapore; and Fraser Residence Orchard Singapore.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Cosy Flexible Living Within Buzzy Lifestyle Hub In Maxwell.
The must-dos (if any): Take a ride in the oldest lift in Singapore; enjoy the wellness facilities at Shiruki Studio; have a coffee at Pacto by Parchmen.
HABYT KADA AT MAXWELL
Habyt Kada at Maxwell is set within a preserved heritage building designed by architectural firm Swan & Maclaren (who also designed Goodwood Park Hotel, QT Singapore, The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore as well as Raffles Hotel Singapore). The building’s most famous feature is its antique lift with wooden panels and collapsible “scissor” iron gates, said to be Singapore’s oldest fully functioning electric elevator. As my stay coincided with a flurry of media coverage from outlets such as The Business Times and The Smart Local, the street-level F&B concepts, viral elevator, common areas and stairwells were aflood with curious members of public roaming the grounds and, in one particularly amusing instance, taking videos in front of the elevator on the guest room level. Whenever I stepped in and out of my room, folks outside would peer inside with interest, making me feel somewhat Moo Deng-esque.
Comparisons to the recently-launched New Bahru are inevitable. Both lifestyle destinations are set within a heritage building (New Bahru repurposes the former Nan Chiau High School); offer an extensive variety of F&B concepts; feature accommodation on-site (serviced residence Alma House on the 3rd level); and house multiple wellness concepts – spin studio CRNK, functional fitness concept Mobilus and wellness centre Hideaway which offers massage, cold plunge and infrared sauna facilities. However, while New Bahru is decidedly more atas (sophisticated or elegant in Singlish – Linguistics Editor), Kada at Maxwell plays it more laid-back and wallet-friendly, and skews younger with its abundance of coffee joints and viral/Instagrammable moments, from the antique elevator to Origin Teahouse‘s buzzy online marketing campaign.
Upon arrival, Habyt guests check in at the Oasis Lounge on the 3rd level which also functions as a social space and working area set-up with computer monitors. Guest rooms are on the same level, and range from the Deluxe (13sqm), Studio (20sqm) and Deluxe Studio (29sqm) to the 2-Bedroom (38-40sqm) and 3-Bedroom (75sqm). Most of the rooms – including my Deluxe – have private bathrooms but share with the adjacent room a common living area and kitchen fitted with Midea appliances such as a washing machine and microwave oven. My room had windows facing the The Pinnacle@Duxton, and I appreciated that the windows could be opened for fresh air. The bathroom was fitted with a rainshower, with toiletries courtesy of American brand Vitaminspa.
An art club on the 4th level, Closed on Sundays, offers couples, families and friends a cosy space to create and experiment with paints and materials.
Wellness facilities are located on the 2nd level: Satori Pilates, which was closed during my stay; Limitless Performance Gym, which was impressively fitted with an extensive range of Life Fitness equipment, and well-suited for Personal Training sessions, individual use and Crossfit/Hyrox training alike; and Shiruki Studio, a wellness centre which offers ice bath, infrared sauna and ultrasonic bubble bath facilities.
I had my first ever ice bath at Shiruki Studio, and I must profess to have approached my virgin dip with a certain degree of trepidation. The owner, Zee, was very passionate and extremely helpful during the process, sharing preparation tips such as breathing work and how to optimise the benefits of cold therapy (muscle recovery, improved performance). I went easy on my debut expedition, only going as low as 14 degrees Celsius, and it actually felt less scary as compared to when I was preparing to enter the very hot ultrasonic bubble bath in the adjacent treatment room. I eventually went for multiple sessions of the bubble bath (as reservations were complimentary for Habyt guests) – who would say no to a (purported) 200-300 calorie burn for every 15 minutes soaked in addition to deep cleansing and body contouring benefits?
Unfortunately, as Limitless Performance Gym closes on 1pm during weekends, I was unable to try out the space during my stay. Or maybe that’s just an excuse.
DINING
Kada at Maxwell boasts a staggering ten F&B concepts: Pacto by Parchmen, a hole-in-the-wall coffee and matcha joint located on the mezzanine level which also serves takeaway customers via the street window along Erskine Road; Echo, a popular cafe with alfresco seating; Origin Teahouse, which specialises in all-natural tea beverages; Lavi Tapas Bar, a Mexican concept; Kyuukei Coffee, which offers coffee and dessert pairings; Haus, wine-and-cheese space; D’Penyetz Heritage, the Indonesian ayam penyet restaurant which offers outlet-exclusive dishes (including the spicy Double Mix Sauce Madura & Taliwang Sauce Chicken I had during my stay) not on the menu of other D’Penyetz outlets; rooftop Mediterranean concepts Proud Potato Peeler and Alani, which operate solely on a reservations basis; and Shou/Daikoku, a dual concept which operates as a dim sum restaurant by day and a Sendai-themed yakitori izakaya at night.
I had dinner at Daikoku, which serves happily-priced sashimi, meat and vegetable skewers as well as mini rice bowls. Highlights including the moreish Hotate Mentai Mini Don, the crunchy Heart Yakitori, the crispy Crown Yakitori and Skin Yakitori, the chewy Tail Yakitori as well as the lovingly sweet White Corn Kushiyaki.
Beyond the on-site F&B concepts, the iconic Maxwell Food Centre is not so much a stone’s throw as it is a mere Netherland Dwarf rabbit’s hop away – the queue for the Michelin Bib Gourmand Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is literally visible from the building’s entrance.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
While co-living spaces are not my usual go-to when it comes to accommodation choices, Habyt Kada at Maxwell boasts an interesting heritage angle, an incredible location and excellent room rates – what more could one ask for?
Habyt Kada at Maxwell
5 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore 069183
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