The first thing you should know is that Hotel Jen is that adorable kid sister of the Shangri-La chain of hotels. And like every adorable kid sister, there’s something magical about this place.

The concierge of Hotel Jen is sort of like the closet leading to Narnia.

It’s simple, and sparsely decorated, with a couple of large armchairs, and a minimalistic concierge desk encased in aluminium and wood. To a casual passerby, it would have been so easy to overlook this gem that’s crammed in the middle of the Orchard Gateway stretch.

But like the magical closet, the concierge is merely the doorway to a sprawling treasure trove that is 20 stories high (high enough for you to catch a glorious bird’s eye view of the whole of the city, all the way to the sea), with an infinity pool overlooking the city. You’ll quickly realise you’ve arrived at an exclusive clubhouse that’s smacked in the middle of the city.

I think everyone should be familiar with the mundanities of checking in to a hotel, finding your way to the room, unpacking, etc. So let me just get right into the juicy bits.

First, the hotel room.

My staycation room was located on the 20th level, and I got the Superior City View room. I mentioned earlier that the view was glorious, and it really was. In fact, the first thing I did was to dash over to the window, throw the curtains wide open and send a photo to all my friends, my family, the boyfriend and the cat.

When I got over the heart-thumping experience of having a room with such an amazing view that also came with a bay window seat to boot, I started exploring the room.

A gripe I had was the room layout. It’s rather strange. Instead of the typical bathroom layout, the shower area, toilet (bowl) and wash basin/sink are all in three separate compartments. There’s little privacy, and you’re not able to do stuff that you would normally do in a bathroom (i.e. wandering around butt naked while washing up at the sink, doing your business, then getting into the shower). While the bathroom and toilet are enclosed separately, the sink is located right beside the corridor, directly in front of the wardrobe, and is entirely open.

While the bath area isn’t the most comfortable, the rest of the room is large and airy, and more than makes up for that minor bit of awkwardness.

The full-length windows are perhaps the best feature in the room. They even came with a super comfy bay window seat. This means that you’ll be getting a generous amount of natural sunlight, and a spectacular view. For light sleepers, don’t fret, because the curtains are superb with the light cancellation. There’s also a sliding door with cozy wooden panels that doubles up as a divider for the sink area.

I later found out that the room came with other little luxuries and comforts upon further inspection. To quote the hotel’s website, the room comes with:

• Tea and coffee station
• 24 hour in-room order-In
• 40-inch Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system
• Fast, free WiFi to keep you connected
• International direct dialling service for when you just need to talk to someone
• PressReader access to over 2,500 newspapers and magazines
• Steam iron, ironing board and hairdryer to keep you looking sharp
• Electronic safe to protect anything precious

Here’s a pack of complimentary biscuits – a very sweet surprise! A little gesture goes a long way, and I felt instantly warmed by the simple generosity of Hotel Jen.

This being a staycation, I was determined to make the most out of my stay. And Hotel Jen (or just Jen for short) makes it so easy for you to want to just lounge around. In the evening, we wandered (with some reluctance) out of the comfort of our room for some dinner at Makan@Jen, the hotel’s signature restaurant.

It was a Saturday night, which meant that it was Seafood Buffet day! On Friday and Saturday nights, Hotel Jen whips up a wide selection of seafood for $60++ per pax. For other nights, the restaurant serves an international buffet which, unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to savour.

The seafood buffet is contained in this area, lining the entire row while chefs busy themselves behind the seafood counters. If you don’t fancy yourself much of a buffet eater, you can also order from the a la carte menu.

There are numerous stations at the seafood buffet. It’s a local-themed buffet, which means you’ll get to savour lots of local flavours, such as laksa fried rice, chana masala, fish curry, braised vegetables, black peper crab, and a DIY rojak station. These local delights are cooked with a gourmet flair. On the flip side, if you’re a local yourself, you might find it a little redundant to be paying a premium price for food that can be found at most places around the island.

After your main course, kick back, relax, and enjoy a round of dessert. There’s a wide selection of desserts to choose from, but I could only manage to get yam ice cream (I was too full), which is coincidentally a hot favourite amongst the guests.

If you’re not up for swimming at night, grab a drink at the poolside bar and relax on these comfy deck chairs (or sofas). It’s a beautiful place to just chill with friends, and I spent an absolutely romantic evening lounging by the pool, soaking in the sights and the cool night air.

The next day, just before check-out, I went out for a stroll around the compound and found other ammenities that I was really keen on exploring, but didn’t have the time for.

The club lounge was where our complimentary American breakfast buffet was held. I got there late, and there weren’t many people left. I’m guessing everyone was at the star attraction – the infinity pool — and I’ll get to that in just a bit.

The club lounge is lovely, airy and spacious, in a cafe-like setting with the most comfy armchairs and cheery oranges and greens. As with the hotel rooms and other parts of the hotel, the club lounge has large windows that let in all that glorious sunshine and natural light, something that I absolutely adore.

If you look closely, you’ll see Marina Bay Sands and the seaport just ahead. I got really excited about the view, but the boyfriend had to be a wet blanket and said – very pragmatically – that “it’s just a port, it’s not even the sea”. Well without a sea, how can there be a port? I retorted, rolling my eyes at him.

Here’s the rest of the club lounge. I didn’t manage to get a shot of it, but further left is a Mac station, and next to it, is a charging station for your mobile devices. I should also add that apart from being a spot for holidays and vacations, Hotel Jen also caters to business people with its complimentary function/meeting rooms. The Mac station will be a nifty bonus for all you workaholics out there. Fancy catching up on some work whilst having a magnificent view of the entire city right before your eyes? Now you can.

I had a lovely time at breakfast. It’s food, glorious food with all that bacon and eggs, assortment of sausages, plenty of pastries, all sorts of cereals, milk, juice, coffee, tea and other beverages. There’s even a section dedicated to our local home-cooked morning delight – porridge with pickled lettuce, preserved olives (I’m not sure what it’s called) and preserved peanuts. I’ve missed these so much!

After breakfast, I made my way to the star of the show – the infinity pool, otherwise known as Baywatch@Jen. Furnished in the same lively orange and greens, the pool side was a brilliant splash of colours and patterns. It screamed “HELLO SUMMER!” here at the pool, as the water sparkled brilliantly in the sun, and the trees waved gently in the breeze.

It’s the perfect place to laze around in the ice cold water whilst being surrounded by the open city view, chatting with friends as they perch on emerald, batik patterend rattan seats. Or just sprawl out in the sun and get a lovely tan on the deck chairs. The Singapore sun is merciless, so remember to slather on the sunblock!

These cheeky, gorgeous loveseats are innovatively designed, a blend of modern architecture with a traditional Balinese spa touch. The perfect way to idle the afternoon away with your honey bun.

It’s also a nice place to scope out a couple of chicks catch up on some reading.

There are several massages available for you to enjoy, such as the Reviving Leg Massage, Scalp, Neck and Shoulder massage, Aromatherapy Massage and even a Singapore Massage (huh?). Be sure to check these out too. They are rather pricey though, ranging from $50++ for 30 minutes to $190++ for 90 minutes.

And finally, what’s a pool without a poolside bar? Treat yourself to a lovely glass of wine or a can of beer under the hot afternoon sun. With yet another mobile charging station, you can be assured that you’ll still be contactable by the outside world.

For the health buffs or the bored (or if you’re a ‘dry duck’), hitting the gym might be the way to go. It’s a 24-hour gym so you won’t be missing out on any part of the action even after a long day of shopping and activities.

Here’s the Bamboo Sky Terrace, and a gorgeous Zen garden for an indoor nature reserve experience.

Finally, I returned to the hotel room. I had a couple of hours to go, so I whipped out my laptop, boiled some water and made myself a hot cup of tea. I sat by the window for a final glimpse of the view outside.

In spite of its state of the art equipment and amenities, the hotel doesn’t attempt to dazzle you with fancy interior furnishings, overtly lavish decor, or pompous hotel staff (not exactly impressive, but mostly inevitable). At Hotel Jen it’s the painstaking attention to the thoughtful little details that will capture your heart. Somewhere between finding that little bag of sweets tucked away in my hotel room cabinet drawer, and realising there are charging stations at every amenity area, I quickly got a sense that the hotel’s number one priority is not to impress you, but to ensure that you’re comfortably settled, and very well taken care of.

I was so totally reluctant to leave at the end of it all. A staycation for me is nothing more than a short rejuvenation retreat to pamper myself, and Hotel Jen has certainly met my expections and beyond. It’s well worth the price for 4-star price with 5-star quality ammenities and services. I’ll definitely be back for more.

Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore 
277 Orchard Rd
Singapore 238858

This article was first published on Alvinology and written by Dresden Ling.

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GIVEAWAY

We are giving away a 2D1N Superior Club Room stay at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore, including two River Cruise Tickets and two Cocktails/Mocktails at Hotel Jen’s infinity pool, to one lucky reader! To win, simply follow the below steps:

Step 1. ‘Like’ the Asia 361 Facebook page and/or the Alvinology Facebook page.

Step 2. ‘Like’ the Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore Facebook page.

Step 3. Share this post on Facebook, tag up to three friends and tell us why you want to win. (Make sure your post is public so we can find it!)

This contest ends on 19 July 2015. The winner will be notified via email/Facebook. Good luck!

Contest terms and conditions:

• The prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts, privileges or gift certificates. Any incurred amount exceeding the prize value can be settled by cash or credit card. 
• The stay must be redeemed within the period of 1 August 2015 and 31 October 2015, subject to availability.
• Prior reservation is required. 
• Black-out periods may apply and include eves of public holidays and public holidays.
• The winner is responsible for transportation from place of origin to the hotel. 
• This contest is open to all, and not limited to Singapore residents.
• The prize is not exchangeable for cash in part or in whole.