Finally making its debut on home ground, the Singapore-founded Como Hotels and Resorts fully opened the Como Metropolitan Singapore in February.
Set in a building that was formerly a serviced apartment, the hotel has the same feel to it, with a fashion retail space, new urban wellness space, an all-day dining concept, a Korean steakhouse and a renowned patisserie. And the best of all is that it is a hop, skip and jump to Orchard Road.
Como Metropolitan Singapore or Como Orchard is spread over 19 floors with 156 rooms and suites, and a rooftop pool that offers great views of the city. The Emerald Room has minimalist design and comes with a kitchenette and a day bed. Though missing is a bathtub from which to enjoy the city views.
Though you won’t be spending much time in your room, unless you’re making good use of the yoga mat and the in-room meditation videos, because the entire building is a treat!
The rooftop pool is home to amazing sunsets and has an indoor bar open to hotel guests only, which includes a small work area. Good for when the sun gets too hot. A real temptation, especially for coffee lovers is Bruno, the hotel’s robot barista. Bruno brews the perfect cup of coffee at the push of a button. Great for IG content, too.
But I am here for the wellness and Como Shambhala. The brand occupies an entire floor, which is a calm, contemporary space designed by Milan-based designer and architect, Paola Navone of Otto Studio, to reflect the flow and palette of healing water. Apart from housing a 1,500m² gym, there is also a red light therapy room, yoga, pilates, a gyrotonic studio, contrast therapy rooms with an infrared sauna and ice bath, oxygen therapy space or a hyperbaric airpods and spa treatment rooms.
I tried the red light therapy, generally done pre- or post-workout as it enhances performance and promotes muscle recovery utilising wavelengths within the red and near infrared spectrum. Since I am recovering from a torn meniscus, the red light therapy was good for my knee. It is a bit like sitting in a sauna pod, but with a small screen where you can either listen to music or access YouTube.
What’s all the rage these days are ice baths and at Como Shambhala you can go a step further. This is not just ice in a tub that you get into. There is a Brass Monkey ice bath, which is the world’s first that makes its own ice sheets in the wooden bath. Submerge in water that is anywhere between 0-10°C to enjoy health benefits ranging from weight loss and muscle recovery, to improved immunity and resilience.
Though ice baths are not for me, I was all up for the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. A first in Singapore, the Hyperbaric Airpod delivers a unique blend of oxygen and molecular hydrogen to support the body’s natural healing processes by delivering up to 50% increase in oxygen, promoting sleep and mental acuity, while increasing energy levels. Choose between the sitting pod, where you can work while being exposed to clean oxygen, or lie down like in a tanning bed. Finish off your treatment with the signature massage, which uses blended massage oils to calm the mind and rejuvenate the body.
Once the body has been taken care of, it was time for the mind and I took a mindfulness class with meditation teacher Tan Cheen Chong. Chong mixes meditation with sound therapy to make the most of the hour.
Once body and mind are fully content, it is time for some tummy worship, and Como Orchard doesn’t fail to deliver.
The all-day dining Como Cuisine serves up favourites from the Comos around the world and even offers a Como Shambhala healthy menu, which isn’t the usual “healthy” fare. It is here where the hotel’s breakfast is served. Apart from a buffet spread of what is best described as continental and an a la carte menu, mornings can also begin with a freshly-baked croissant from the Cédric Grolet patisserie. A great start to any morning, if croissants are your thing!
The steakhouse, Cote is Korean but the interiors don’t say that. The most modern-looking Korean steakhouse I've been to has cosy spots for intimate dinners, which can be for couples or for groups. I think it is best described as a speakeasy Korean BBQ. Cote is the first overseas outpost of the Michelin-starred steakhouse from the US and has a bar, a cigar lounge and a music room, though the prime focus is on USDA Prime Black Angus, Australian and Japanese Wagyu beef. Salivating yet?
Though you may drool further when in patisserie Cédric Grolet, where creations are a feast for the eyes, as well as the mouth. At the first Asian outpost of the award-winning French pastry chef, Cédric Grolet Singapore also offers afternoon tea. The high tea includes a range of creations inspired by fruits and flowers, featuring pastries, sandwiches, cookies and an exclusive tea menu. Though, if you’ve got a savoury palate, there is little respite. If afternoon tea isn’t your thing, you can stop here for breakfast, sweet or savoury, or a Viennoiserie.
For a change of scenery at night, drop into the new HighHouse. The day-to-night rooftop bar and culinary destination spans Levels 61 and 62 of One Raffles Place and in September will see the opening of Singapore’s highest rooftop bar. Offering one of the best views of the Lion City's skyline, HighHouse's two levels consist of a restaurant and bar, which becomes a nightspot as the moon rises.
The perfect lunch setting out of the hotel would be a trip to the Botanic Gardens. Here you’ll find a gem (if you haven’t already discovered it) called Roia. The restaurant, inspired by executive chef Priyam Chatterjee’s culinary journey from Bengal to Paris, showcases progressive Indian cuisine reimagined with French flair and is named after the river Roya in France. Roia is housed in E. J. H. Corner House and offers a luxurious setting within the lush greenery of Singapore’s Unesco World Heritage Botanic Gardens.
Since we have indulged body and mind, there is only one thing missing — retail therapy. That comes in the form of Club 21 back at Como Orchard. Offering curated fashion experiences (you can book a personal shopper or stylist), Club 21 brings the best of international fashion and dynamic pop-up partnerships every season. And, we all know how fashionable Singapore is!
The indulgence doesn’t stop there. In-house guests receive 15% off at Como Cuisine. Email the hotel to get preferred access to the hottest tables in Singapore, when staying at Como Orchard. And, if you book a room or suite seven days in advance, you get 10% off the daily rate. Don’t wait too long!
