ART MEETS ECLECTIC DESIGN AT HOTEL VAGABOND, SINGAPORE
Housed in a 1950s heritage Art Deco building in the middle of a historic district in the very heart of Singapore, Hotel Vagabond is a luxury boutique hotel by the world renowned French designer Jacques Garcia, and is his first concept in Asia. It’s eclectic and immersed in the arts.
Art meets Eclectic Design at Hotel Vagabond Singapore.
Recently opened, Hotel Vagabond is Singapore’s first experience-driven luxury boutique hotel with a Salon area designed to immerse guests in the theatre of art, food, drink and conversation as well as the only hotel in the country to feature an Artist in Residence program. The hotel is also the first and only hotel in Asia to feature interiors by the celebrated French designer Jacques Garcia. Garcia is best known for his design of Hotel Costes in Paris, Hotel Danieli in Venice, Hotel Mamounia in Marrakech, and most recently the Nomad in New York.
Art meets Eclectic Design at Vagabond Hotel Singapore
During our recent trip to Singapore we had the chance to be invited for an Art Tour at Hotel Vagabond, hosted by Suzy Goulding, their Communications Director. And it was one amazing afternoon. Hotel Vagabond is not suitable for everyone though, as it not offers the regular 5 star experience a tourist seeks in Singapore. If you are a fan of the large hotels like Marina Bay Sands, then Vagabond Hotel is not for you. But if you are into more sophisticated travel experiences and you enjoy design hotels (like Karl Lagerfeld Sofitel So Singapore for example), then Vagabond can be exactly what you are looking for.
From the striking gold Banyan trees in the foyer to the handcrafted animal sculptures, Hotel Vagabond is immersed in the arts. Among the lavish dark wood and gold themed guest rooms are two Atelier suites, hosting artists in residence throughout the year. Spend the day taking in pieces by featured artists, including photography by Julia Calfee and Marcos Lopez. You will be surprised to find amazing and equally strange Video Art Installations made by Marco Brambilla also in the elevator or while washing your hands at the bathroom of the Vagabond Bar.
The reception desk is not usual at all and it consists in one golden replica of a real-size Rhino, made in India by a family who have been making armoury for the Rajasthani royal families for generations. The same family has produced also the golden Banyan trees that cover the pillars of the Vagabond Salon. This delicate metalwork is simply beautiful. Also striking are the life-size elephants, made by the french artist Franck Le Ray, with whom Jacque Garcia has a strong collaboration. Franck Le Ray has also made the impressive monkey sculpture that forms the centrepiece of Vagabond Bar.
Seek out the Vagabond Salon to meet and mingle over cool cocktails and creative cuisine from the 5th Quarter Restaurant. Then watch as the Salon transforms: you could find yourself watching a fashion show, the latest play, an independent film, or listening to a jazz quartet. The heart and soul of Hotel Vagabond is the Vagabond Salon – a modern interpretation of a Parisian salon – where guests will have the opportunity to mingle with resident artists over a beautifully crafted cocktail, dine amongst a performance, watch an independent film, or listen to a jazz quartet.
With 5,000 square feet of luxurious interiors, superb acoustics, and dressed in thick red velvet curtains, the Vagabond Salon is also designed to work as a fully integrated, adaptable event space. A plus reason to stay at Vagabond Hotel at least for a few nights are the rates. A Classic Double Room starts from EUR 180 per night.
The Rooms
The luxury accommodation at the Vagabond consists of 42 rooms and suites, each individually designed by Jacques Garcia in vernacular reflecting his award winning Parisian chic style. His mix of color, texture, fabric and dark woods is perfectly showcased in the well-appointed rooms and suites in his new Singapore hotel.
The Classic rooms feature all the standard in-room amenities to create a romantic chic enclave. Luxurious interiors in vibrant colors make the Classic rooms perfect for an intimate stay.
You will enjoy king sized beds, egyptian cotton sheets and turkish towels, indulgent goose-down pillows and comforters,
high speed fiber optic WiFi, Jacques Garcia curated selection of in-house films,hardwood mahogany writing desk, Etro bath amenities and in-room bar stocked with artisanal alcohol and eats.
For a more sophisticated experience you can choose to stay in the Art Suite, Junior Suite and Vagabond Suite.
Restaurant &Bars
Guests of Vagabond Salon can enjoy a five star dining experience courtesy of 5th Quarter, a collaboration between Satinder Garcha and celebrated restaurateur Loh Lik Peng, run by award-winning Executive Chef Andrew Nocente and offering cuisine using traditional methods of curing meats with the aid of modern instruments to maintain the integrity of flavours.
Drinks are served from the Vagabond Bar, conceptualised by renowned drinks collective Proof & Company and offering an eclectic rotating selection of handcrafted cocktails, artisan spirits and wines, and a curated collection of rare and exotic teas and coffees. Craftsmanship will be the central feature of Vagabond Bar’s style, with drinks that blend an unexpected attention to detail with a generous measure of theatre.
Artist in Residence Programme
Hotel Vagabond is the only hotel of its kind in Singapore to offer a rotational Artist in Residence programme. With an emphasis on writing, photography and performance art of all kinds, artists are invited to apply for residencies of up to three months.
Artist Cocktail Hour in the Vagabond Salon will start each evening at 6pm; a time for hotel guests and other Vagabond folk to talk and interact with the artists in residence.
The Art at Vagabond Hotel
Hotel Vagabond will also be a space for art – both for pleasure and function. Every piece has been personally sourced and commissioned by Satinder Garcha.
● The solid brass Rhino reception desk, took 8 months to create across 15 villages in Rajasthan. The family who made it have been making armoury for the Rajasthani royal families for generations.
● The pillars in the Vagabond Salon are transformed into golden brass banyan trees through delicate metalwork created by centuries old artisanal techniques.
● Life-size elephants ‘hoisting’ up the main elevator are iconic of Jacques Garcia’s style and made painstakingly in France by the artist Franck Le Ray.
● An impressive monkey sculpture forms the centrepiece of Vagabond Bar – the workmanship of French artist and sculptor Franck Le Ray.
● Video art installation by Marco Brambilla, a Milan-born, New York City-based video collageand installation artist, known for his elaborate re-contextualisation of popular and found imagery, will entertain guests in the elevator.
● Iconic photography by Julia Calfee, known for her images depicting the glamour and excess of New York’s Chelsea Hotel, adorn the walls.
● Satinder Garcha’s original photography from his international polo team wins to his world travel adorn the walls throughout the hotel, including each guest room.
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Facilities
- internet
- Complementary WI-FI for all the guests and all the visitors in the public areas.
- dining
- Enjoy the creative cuisine of the 5th Quarter Restaurant
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