Just a brisk walk from the trending New Bahru is InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay. If you’re looking for luxury somewhere apart from Singapore’s typical hospitality hotspots in Orchard and Marina Bay, let me tell you why this may just be the perfect place. 

My colleagues and I have been invited to indulge in some of these pleasures, which have given us a firsthand taste of the refined comforts that make staying here an experience worth savouring.

Stepping into the hotel is already an experience in itself. Space is at a premium in the hotel, so many of its areas have been meticulously designed to give it that extra oomph. The level 1 lobby has an extremely tall floor-to-ceiling shutter design, while the main lobby on level 4 is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows. Many of the spaces in the hotel have copper tones along the walls and accents, which I’m told is inspired by the copper roofs used in the warehouses that used to populate Robertson Quay in a bygone era.

These factors, plus a thousand other little yet purposeful touches reflecting the area’s heritage, make the space feel a lot bigger in real life and, more importantly, a lot cooler. Surrounded by these exquisite marble surfaces, you can’t help but feel like a jet-setting business mogul at the peak of luxury.

But we’re not here to just wander around the lobby. Before long, we are escorted into the King Junior Suite River View room, which I am delighted to find out has just as many trimmings. Every time I explore some new corner of the room, I find another thoughtfully crafted detail that invites me to linger and appreciate its craftsmanship.

But even amidst the plush leather chairs that embrace you and exquisite stone-topped luggage benches, the bathroom’s speciality filtered water tap is what elicited the most gasps from me. I am told that it’s an eco-friendly feature to help do away with single-use plastic bottles. But having a dedicated tap just for filtered water on-demand rather than needing to order it from the front desk and wait for several minutes (or, god forbid, scurry down to a convenience store myself) feels so indulgent that I can’t believe it’s not the standard for all luxury hotels.

More holistically, the hotel’s guest services also incorporate eco-friendly measures that don’t compromise on luxury. Think Byredo bulk bath amenities in place of single-use plastic bottles and an option for guests to opt out of housekeeping services (for stays 2 nights or longer) in exchange for bonus IHG One Rewards points.

As we walk through the rest of the hotel’s facilities, I realise that the details are really where the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay shines. The showers and ladders at the pool serve the same function as any other hotel’s, but they’re still so well-crafted to fit the hotel’s aesthetic.

The gym is compact but offers a holistic range of equipment for a daily workout. For anything else, a suite of wellness offerings and exclusive privileges can be found at neighbouring studios, from yoga to ice baths, that pander to every wellness need.

Swimming and gymming will have to wait, though. After a quick elevator ride, we find ourselves in the hotel’s basement carpark, where a GetGo car stands elegantly. Here, hotel guests hankering for a drive can book the exclusive GetGo BMW X3.

Unlike most GetGo cars, the InterContinental Hotel’s X3 is decal-free, with a small windshield sticker and an unobtrusive plate text being the only indicators of it being a carsharing vehicle. The car itself strikes a silhouette that’s both sporty, yet luxurious. Its butter-smooth handling and roomy interior made it feel even grander, and was the perfect complement to our stay here.

Next, our voyage puts us in front of Publico Ristorante & Garden, the hotel’s Italian restaurant where we’ll be served lunch today.

While the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay is luxuriated in a modernist charm, Publico expresses its opulence in a more venerable manner. The second I step in, I’m bathed in golden light. Publico was originally designed by award-winning New York design firm AvroKO, inspired by the al fresco piazzas in Italy’s coastal towns. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer tons of natural light and allow diners to peek into the leafy garden and sprawling riverfront.

Until 31 January 2025, Publico is running a weekday set lunch menu for GetGoers. My colleagues and I came to sample a few of the menu’s mains, but before that, we’re greeted with a basket of fries to whet our appetite. Already, there is a certain mastery of craft on display here. The fries are thick and maintain an incredibly hedonistic, oily flavour without ever becoming soggy. Small wonder of chemistry, I think to myself.

The first main we’re given is the Piadina, which is an Italian flatbread stuffed with ingredients in a taco style. I’ll be frank — every word I know has left my brain now because this dish is so fabulously smoky. Not only is the flatbread slightly charred from being scorched on the grill, but the veggies have also absorbed the smokiness of the burrata cheese so perfectly.

It didn’t take me too long to notice the restaurant’s centrepiece: a couch-sized pizza oven that’s attended to by at least 2 chefs at all times. Our last main, the Diavola Pan Pizza, is yanked from its flames, and we pick it apart with glee.

The signature ingredient of the Diavola Pizza is the spicy soppressata, which is basically a leaner, drier version of salami. The crust is thin, and the whole thing is exceedingly easy to chew. The soppressata strikes the perfect balance—soft enough to cling to the pizza yet crispy enough to crackle with each bite.

To finish off, we had a salad and house-made Cannoli. The salad is elevated above standard restaurant fare by a dash of goat cheese, but what we’re really here for is the Cannoli. The creamy cheese at its centre has been licked by a blowtorch just a touch, which gives it a nice, caramelised flavour, and further emphasised by the pistachio nougatine.

Publico was a grand way to end our tour of the InterContinental, and at $25 for a set lunch this fine, you really can’t go wrong. If there is something to regret about this meal, it’s that it’s not closer to our office, so I could indulge in more Piadina on work days. Oh well, guess I’ll have to pencil that staycation into my planner.

To a memorable staycation,
Amanda 🛀