Mandarin Oriental Singapore is back in action, bringing a slice of paradise to Marina Bay. Nestled within the iconic Marina Bay skyline, this exquisite hotel has undergone a spectacular six-month makeover, inspired by the lush tropics.
The Heart of the Cityscape
A Look Back at Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s Roots
In the 1980s, the late American architect John Portman set the architectural standard with his neo-futuristic designs for Marina Mandarin (now Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay) and the Mandarin Oriental. Both featured sleek concrete exteriors and awe-inspiring light-filled atriums. Portman celebrated the Mandarin Oriental group’s fan logo by creating a central court shaped like a quadrant of a circle with a broad base tapering gently towards the ceiling.
The Hotel’s New Identity
The transformation turns the hotel into a burst of colors, florals, and greenery, perfectly in tune with its tropical setting. The lobby is a vibrant gathering spot, featuring the Mandarin Cake Shop with a playful pastel palette. A specially commissioned mural behind the reception desk pays tribute to the Nyonya and Baba heritage with fresh colors representing tropical flowers and greenery.
The hotel’s dining and drinking spaces have also received a facelift. Embu, the all-day international restaurant, draws inspiration from the Tembusu tree with stylized timber frames. MO Bar now serves cocktails like ‘Reclaimed Slings’ in a dark blue and ruby red space, adorned with rich velvets, leathers, and retro lamps.
Vibrant Guest Rooms
The guest rooms come alive with a new color scheme, each category representing a different shade that symbolizes Singapore. The Marina Bay View Room, for example, features a palette inspired by the bay’s steely blue waters, while the magenta suites take cues from Singapore’s national flower, the orchid.
As the hotel reopens its doors, it’s part of the iconic Marina Bay landscape, a downtown area built on 360 hectares of reclaimed land. Think Marina Bay Sands, designed by Moshe Safdie, with its three dramatic sloping towers linked at the top by the expansive SkyPark. You can’t miss the Lotus-inspired ArtScience museum, also a Safdie creation, and the Esplanade Theatres, affectionately known as the ‘durian’ buildings due to their spiky outer shell resemblance.
A Fresh, Vibrant Transformation
During the recent six-month overhaul led by Kuala Lumpur-based DesignWilkes, the iconic atrium was given a new lease on life. It’s now adorned with clay cladding that lightens in a gradient effect as it climbs higher, paying homage to Singapore’s traditional roof tiles. Jeffrey A. Wilkes, the firm’s principal, drew inspiration from Singapore itself, using colors, textures, and a tropical vibe.
In collaboration with Mandala Club, a local private members’ club, the executive lounge has been transformed into a floral oasis with a dedicated wine cellar and a library.
These colors are the backdrop to floor-to-ceiling windows framing iconic views, accompanied by details like batik patterns, chinoiserie branches on the walls, and palm shadows underfoot. Jeffrey A. Wilkes explains, “The Mandarin Oriental brand embodies contemporary sophistication with a sense of belonging. We wholeheartedly embraced our tropical location with an explosion of color, florals, and greenery.”
Travel Plan→
The newly refurbished Mandarin Oriental Singapore slots into the city’s skyline with a look inspired by the tropics.