A Chinatown Escape

Located in the heart of Chinatown, The Clan Hotel aims to redefine the luxury hotel experience — for both locals and overseas guests

- Anton D. Javier

If there’s one thing most of us need right now, it’s a momentary escape. While we constantly moan about how travel deprived we are, painfully longing for the day we get to revisit our favorite destinations, a glimmer of hope materializes in The Clan Hotel, a new luxury concept from Far East Hospitality that opened in March 2021.

A stay at the 324-room property, which is located in the middle of the Far East Square heritage precinct and the Telok Ayer district, almost feels like going through a portal to a new yet familiar place. From a distance, the copper glass-clad skyscraper looms above the neighborhood, but up close, it is quiet and discreet — no grand driveways or entrances, just an unassuming doorway that will lead you to a world of new experiences.

You might be asking, “A new hotel? In such dismal times?” To that, Arthur Kiong, CEO of Far East Hospitality Management, says, “There is a sizable domestic demand for new staycation experiences in Singapore as long as international travel remains inaccessible. The modern-day guest is looking for authentic encounters… This is an opportune time for us carve a niche and address the market needs are we prepare for recovery.”