Singapore’s most hipster hotel
Let me introduce you to Singapore’s coolest new hotel – Hotel Indigo in Katong.
If you have ever spent any time debating over what hotel to book in Singapore you will notice the vast majority are centred around a few hot spots such as Orchard Road or Sentosa Island. However, when you move your cursor across to the Katong part of the map there is a sudden sparsity in places to stay.
In fact, when I visited Singapore in 2015 I hadn’t even heard of Katong, but the cute photos of Hotel Indigo and the knowledge of taxis being cheap in Singapore won me over and I decided to give it a shot.
Did the risk pay off?
Totally!
Katong turned out to be such a hip, up and coming neighbourhood, with a really interesting background. Historically the neighbourhood was associated with the Peranakans, a name given to those descending from marriages between Chinese or Indian men and local Malay women. The Peranakans were known as traders or shop keepers, with the main road in Katong being dotted with colourful two story shop houses, most of which remain today.
Hotel Indigo pays tribute to the vibrant Peranakan heritage of the area with its artistic interior design and Chinese inspired decor.
I just loved all the Batik printed pillows and cushions in the room and the ceramic tiles in the bathroom. It made Hotel Indigo so unique from anywhere I have stayed in before.
There were also plenty of added touches in the room such as the old school sweets and red Chinese clogs. Apparently the clogs were just for show but of course I had to try them on.
In truth I don’t think I will be stomping down the street in Chinese Clogs any time soon as comfort didn’t seem to be the shoe makers priority, but they still looked cool.
I realise I am raving excessively about this hotel, I promise this post isn’t sponsored, I just really liked the place! Plus how could you not when there is a rooftop pool?
A far cry from its police station past.
In terms of dining in Katong you are spoiled for choice, literally every second building is a food outlet. The neighbourhood is especially famous for its laksa with “328 Katong Laksa” being the most well known spot after Chef Ramsay showed up wanting to learn the tricks of the trade.
Katong is primarily inhabited by middle class Singaporeans so the majority of restaurants in the area serve Singaporean dishes at very reasonable prices. Though if you are in the mood for some western food check inside the malls such as 112 Katong. Or you could go to the crazily popular “Toast Box” cafe and order a pile of boiled eggs… seriously, the queue was out the door.
Speaking of malls, I found shopping in this area great for finding more unique Chinese inspired items. If you want to do hardcore, shop-till-you- drop type stuff, then of course Orchard Road is the place to go, but if you are just looking for the odd little boutique piece then Katong provides a nice alternative.
All in all I would highly recommend a trip to Hotel Indigo and Katong. If it is your first time in Singapore and you want to see the tourist attractions such as Marina Bay Sands or Gardens at the Bay it is worth noting that it is about a 20 minute taxi away, but as I mentioned before taxis are relatively cheap in Singapore and easy to find.
If you have already covered the main tourist hotspots then definitely Katong should be next on your list!
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