Stay in Style: Singapore – Wanderlust Hotel

Not just a “strong desire to travel” or a soon-to-be-released romantic comedy, Wanderlust is a quirky hotel in Singapore with lots of charm and a healthy dose of sex appeal.  Located in Singapore’s “Little India” district and developed by hotelier, Loh Lik Peng, this boutique hotel is a true feast to the senses.  Wanderlust is a multi-floor showcase of works by award-winning Singapore design agencies: Asylum, phunk studio, fFurious, and DP Architects. Each agency was given free reign over one of the hotel’s four levels.………….

Wanderlust Hotel Exterior – Photo courtesy of Wanderlust Hotel, Singapore

The lobby, designed by Asylum’s Chris Lee and Sara Ang, is filled with a mix of eccentric seating options, ranging from refurbished shopping carts to vintage barbershop chairs.  The colorful stools, by Trent Jansen, are crafted out of recycled street signs: a perfect example of creating high design pieces from reclaimed materials.  The exposed ceiling and cement floors add an industrial touch, while the colorful montage of print ads near the entrance evoke the neighborhood spirit.

Wanderlust Lobby – Photo courtesy of Wanderlust Hotel, Singapore

The bar area has a sleeker look with worn wooden floors, cafe tables, and a sprinkling of potted plants.  The space feels a bit busy, and dare I say, flirts with excess.  However, I appreciate the strong use of primary colors, which give the area a clean-cut, slightly masculine feel.  The well organized drink displays are pleasing to the eye, as are the squares of colored glass above the windows.

Wanderlust Hotel Bar – Wanderlust Hotel, Singapore

The hotel offers a variety of funky rooms, allowing guests to choose between origami, Pop-Art, tree house, and outer-space themes (and the list goes on).  I happened to stay on the Pantone floor, designed by William Chan and Jackson Tan of phunk studio.  Intertwining bright colors and pop references, guests are offered a chance to sleep in “The Yellow Submarine,” or lucky for me, “The Purple Haze room,”  which I interpreted as a lovely chance of fate, considering my undying adoration for the one and only Jimi Hendrix.  Turning the lights out but keeping the sign on sets a fun mood.  Just be quick to enjoy it before the neon gives you a headache.

The Purple Haze Room – Wanderlust Hotel, Singapore

Though guest rooms are on the smaller size, the space is maximized by an intelligent layout.  On the Pantone floor, showers and toilets are separately incased in frosted glass, but very much remain in the living space.  A sink with basic bathroom amenities (a shelf for toiletries, blow dryer, magnifying mirror, etc) is centered between the two.  The bed is raised a few steps and tucked just beyond the shower, providing for a cozy and intimate sleeping nook.  Suites on higher floors are slightly larger, and feature bathtubs and a lofted sleeping area.

I’d like to give Wanderlust bonus points for their smartly designed selection of stationary and paper goods.  The in-room dining menu, along with the letters and envelopes, are quite attractive and seem to be printed on recycled paper.  The best of the bunch is the small itinerary booklet which includes a map of the area, hotel information, a section for notes, and even a page that demonstrates how to make a paper airplane, amazing:

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An added environmental shout out should be given to Wanderlust’s effort to lower their energy use.  In each room, laminated cards suggest changing the sheets and towels sparingly, reminding guests of their environmental impact and encouraging reuse.  Of course, daily sheet and towel change is available upon request.

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If you find yourself in Singapore, be sure to check out this hip and affordable boutique hotel.  I’m a big fan.