Lo & Behold Group’s latest venture into hospitality manifested itself with the opening of The Warehouse Hotel on Robertson Quay on January 1, 2017.
The hotel is the group’s first hotel, adding to their collection of popular bars and restaurants across Singapore, including Loof, OverEasy, Odette and Tanjong Beach Club.
Wee Teng Wen (managing partner, Lo & Behold Group) stated that venturing into the hotel space seemed a natural next step for the group in “creating a culture of hospitality” by expanding their relationship with guests from “just a few hours to overnight”.
“Hotels are a natural extension of our strengths a group, both in concept, design and guest experience. We strive to provide a service that is spontaneous, intuitive and informal – we want to evoke memories and personalised experiences that are rooted in our culture,” said Wee Teng Wen.
He highlighted its three-fold ambitions to: revive the space whilst paying tribute to its diverse history; make it a “portal to local culture” by working with local partners; and deliver quality hospitality by encouraging staff to “over deliver on concierge service” by providing insider tips and tricks.
The restoration of the hotel paid tribute to its complex history as a spice warehouse, distillery and night club.
Originally constructed in 1895, The Warehouse Hotel functioned as a ‘godown’ at the height of the spice trade with boats docked just outside along the river. Then, as industrialisation took hold, the building became home to an illegal distillery as well as being a meeting spot for secret societies. Finally, it operated as one of the island’s most popular discos, with a reputation preceding that of Zouk.
The two and half year restoration was undertaken by Zarch, with interiors designed by home-grown agency, Asylum. Founder and head designer Chris Lee pointed out that each of the 37 bedrooms were individually designed to complement the building’s original layout and maximise the use of natural light.
In continuation with the theme, Southeast Asian and locally produced snacks and products stock the mini-bar, ranging from salted egg yolk crisps to tiger balm. Rooms are also designed to be very tech-friendly without being overtly ‘hi-tech’, for example, sockets include USB charging ports (forgoing the need for specific plug adaptors) and guests can stream from their phones to the TV.
Beyond its bedrooms, the hotel also houses a cocktail bar in the lobby with drinks curated by Lo & Behold’s head bar mentor, Julian Serna. It is also home to famed Singaporean chef Willin Low’s latest culinary concept, Po, with a menu that pays tribute to local cuisine.