Orchard Road Vibes at Hotel Jen
For those that may not be familiar with the Hotel Jen concept,it’s actually the 4 star creative cousin of the Shangri-la. It’s mission is to cater to a new generation of independent travelers and this property on top of the Orchard Gateway shopping center on Orchard Road was the first of this series of lifestyle hotels for the group. With 502 keys this Jen is quite a sleek, upscale property that is conveniently located next to the Somerset MRT Station in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping district which will offer you direct access to the likes of 313@Somerset and Orchard Central with the Paragon and Ion a stones throw away.
The reception is on the 10th floor and not exactly obvious from Orchard Rd but it is sign posted so that should help. Once you arrive you’ll be whisked up an elevator to the main check in area and greeted by some pretty friendly staff. If you’ve pre-booked, especially on the App, the check in should be completely stress free and super quick and with that you’ll be off to explore your room and the property.
There are seven room types from Superior through to Family and the Club Rooms, each offering their own style and space depending on your needs.
Club Rooms
The club Rooms are the higher end suites with the Panorama Club Room being the highest category of guest room available at the property. With a focus on affordable quality, comfort and value, all of the guest rooms include flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and electric kettles, while Club Room guests gain extra squares and of course access to a lovely Club Lounge with extra perks and spectacular views.
To be honest it is nice but despite all of its contemporary style, the rooms do lack a little pizazz and come off as being a little plain, especially when compared to sister property Jen Tanglin with it’s super cool and funky vibe. The Panorama Club Room that we stayed in features a slight upgrade in finishes to offer a more refined feel as well some neat angled windows that allows you some great views down to Orchard Road. Its reasonably spacious but a little clinical.
As with other properties of similar category, you’ll find that the bathroom is definitely compact but well appointed with everything that you'll need including a rainfall shower. It features Jen branded toiletries which are quite nice.
There are of course some nice personal touches when you stay in these rooms, with one being getting a little surprise in the mini-fridge courtesy of a well positioned post-it note suggesting to check the fridge out. In the fridge is two bottles of water, a fruit salad and some chocolates. Who doesn’t love a welcome treat?
Of course you’ll find a writing desk, a plush king size bed and plenty of space for storage. Importantly, there are USB ports conveniently located on the desk, so you can charge your energy starved devices without having to having an electrical socket located in some weird spot in the room.
Another great gesture is being welcomed to a pre-happy hour gathering with some of the staff where some beverages and finger food is dished up amongst jovial conversation and introductions. It’s a great way for the hotel to get to know guests and their experiences and conversely, for visitors to have a great time with their hosts. This is where the Shangri-la service offering really shines through.
As with all Club Room stays, you’ll also be able to jump on board the happy hour train in the Club Lounge located on the 19th floor for drinks and canapes. The cocktail hour is from 530pm to 730pm. This is a great spring board to then go and explore the city or perhaps to go and check out the shopping below.
Dining
Dining probably isn’t the main stay of this destination, there is a single all day dining restaurant serving local and international fare in a stylish setting as well as two bars. With so much going on around it, this really comes as no surprise. The hotel's restaurant is a stylish, modern space illuminated by walls of windows, and utilizes a color palette of cool gray tones with a few pops of chartreuse and pale orange. The equally hip lounge pairs cream and gray shades with vivid turquoise accents, and offers some pretty nice views over the city. For those that are going to skip that there are vending machines on every floor with snacks and pot noodles. Oh and they also vend adapters if you don’t have the UK-style plugs that are used in Singapore.
The bottom line from a culinary perspective - aside from the Club Lounge, you’ll probably be best served by hitting one of the hundreds of local food stalls, eating centers or restaurants that are scattered all around the property.
Roof Top
One of the draw cards for this Hotel Jen is absolutely the rooftop infinity pool that offers some of the best views in the city and is a truly stunning hotel pool for Singapore. There are also two smaller pools here, so there’s something for every type of traveler on the roof deck. It’s a cool spot that overlooks the Marina Bay Sands and has it’s own bar called BayWatch@Jen where you can keep refreshed and relaxed in the sun or even on a typically overcast day.
The Bottom Line
I’ve been to a few Jen’s now and I really dig the proposition.
With two Jen’s actually pretty close to each other, split by the Shangri-la Hotel, it’s kinda hard to make a decision on which one is better. I think it comes down to personal preference and your planned activities for your stay.
The service at Orchard is pretty good and this location is perfect for those wanting to be a part of the Orchard Road area of the city. It is slightly more expensive that Jen Tanglin - a property that I really love but Orchardway is more of a base to explore than a camp to stay.
That said, I really did enjoy Orchardway and it’s close proximity to the metro and the labyrinth of shopping opportunities below but I would personally prefer Hotel Jen Tanglin if you are thinking about spending a lot of your vacation time at the hotel.
