Discover and Experience the Katong – Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Connection

By Staff Writer | August 4, 2015 0 Comments

Planning your next staycation? Check out what the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy has to offer alongside the top five things you can do at Katong.

Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy, is nestled in the heart of historical Katong, a heritage area along the East Coast of Singapore. Amidst the quaint old-school charm of Peranakan heritage and culture, the hotel is also a short walk away from East Coast Park and surrounded by a myriad of dining and shopping options.

The hotel offers over 500 guestrooms and suites with six different types to choose from – Superior Room, Deluxe Room, Executive Room, Business Suite, Studio Suite and Junior Suite.

 

Deluxe Rooms are available in three categories – the standard Deluxe Room, Deluxe Ocean View or Deluxe Poolside with Terrace. With its contemporary furnishing and earthly tones, the Deluxe Rooms exude a homely ambience that are ideal for families. For those staying on the 4th floor, the poolside terrace rooms open right up to the newly refurbished swimming pool and baby pool. Perfect for those looking to relax over a swim or with a magazine, or simply to soak up some sun.

Executive Rooms are located on the top two floors of the hotel and offer guests a peek of heritage Katong alongside a lovely view of the sea. The spacious suites are designed to exude chic minimalist flavours and are well-equipped with bathtubs, over-mattress, mini-bar, amongst other comfort amenities. The Junior Suite is most ideal for families and configured with an apartment layout complete with a living room.

Executive Rooms and Suites’ guests can enjoy exclusive access to the Executive Lounge (17th floor) where they can enjoy all-day refreshments and a quiet read while taking in a panorama of the Marine Parade neighbourhood and the spectacular sea view.

The hotel also offers facilities such as a 24-hour Launderette as well as a spacious 24-hour Fitness Centre with an extensive range of gym equipment.

The hotel’s only halal restaurant – Breez Bistro.Bar – located on the swimming pool level serves local and international delights. The hotel also plays host to two other restaurants – Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant which serves Cantonese cuisine, and Feast@East Buffet Restaurant which serves nostalgic Singaporean and Peranakan cuisine. The lobby’s Wave Café on the other hand, is great for guests who want to grab a quick bite before heading out.

 

Besides providing standard guest perks such as complimentary free Wi-fi, Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy also offers complimentary daily shuttle services to and from Changi Airport every half an hour, and daily shuttle services to Big Splash from 8.30am to 10.40pm. Complimentary one-way shuttle services to Paya Lebar MRT station are also provided from Mondays to Fridays, while one-way shuttle services to the Marina Bay area, Esplanade and ION Orchard Shopping Mall are available on weekends and public holidays from 10am to 12nn.

With all these facilities and services provided at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy, you’ll be more than entertained having a staycation here!

However, staycations are also about doing fun and interesting activities in the immediate neighbourhood. Less than a 10 minute walk away from the hotel is the quiet neighbourhood of Katong. While Katong may seem more like a historical neighbourhood than anything else, you’ll be surprised by the many undiscovered gems it has to offer.

 

Apart from its rich Peranakan heritage and culture, Katong also offers an eclectic mix of contemporary restaurants, malls and entertainment to cater to your needs. We have taken a walk through and curated a list of places, restaurants and activities for you to get your dose of shopping, dining and entertainment. Here’s our list of the top five things you can do around Katong to enjoy the most of your staycation.

Breakfast at Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

Nothing beats waking up to some comfort food in the morning and thankfully, you can find this at the nearby old-school coffee shop, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery. Start your morning right with a cup of hot coffee to go along with some of the coffee shop’s popular homemade kaya toast with some soft-boiled eggs on the side. Chin Mee Chin Confectionery also serves other local favourites such as egg tarts, custard puffs and cream cones that will not disappoint.

Address: 204 East Coast Road, Singapore 428903
Opening hours: Tues – Sun, 8am-4.30pm

Immerse in Katong’s rich Peranakan heritage and culture

At Katong, it’s hard to miss the colourful and quaint Peranakan shophouses lining the streets. If you’re interested in discovering more about Peranakan culture and food, there’s the prominent

Kim Choo Kueh Chang opposite 112 Katong selling all sorts of traditional Peranakan fare. Best known for its Nyonya rice dumpling with meat filling, Kim Choo Kueh Chang also offers a selection of Peranakan delights ranging from pineapple tarts, ondeh ondeh and nine-layer kueh.

Address: 109/111 East Coast Road, Singapore 428800/428801
Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm

Just beside Kim Choo Kueh Chang is a Peranakan heritage boutique, Rumah Bebe, offering you one-stop access to all things Peranakan. A visit to Rumah Bebe is just the right step to take you back in time to the period of Peranakan history. The shop features handmade traditional snacks, intricate beaded items, traditional Peranakan kebayas and accessories that you can purchase. They also offer classes for those looking to learn how to make Peranakan favourites such as beaded slippers, bookmarks and handbags.

Address: 113 East Coast Road, Singapore 428803
Opening hours: Tues – Sun, 9.30am – 6.30pm

Nostalgic local cuisine at Sinpopo

Just around the corner is retro style eatery, Sinpopo which serves food and beverages reminiscent of the laidback 1950s to 1960s. The restaurant serves savoury local dishes such as Rojak Slaw, Nasi Lemak for Two and Sinpopo Short-rib Horfun. For dessert, Sinpopo offers a selection of locally inspired cakes and desserts including Gula Melaka Cake, Chilled Pandan Souffle and Durian Pengat. Alternatively, you can always sit down for a good chat over nostalgic beverages such as the ever-popular Sng Muay Pop (sour plum ice balls) and Katong Jelly – a local favourite from the 1960s.

Address: 458 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427671
Opening hours: Tues – Thurs, 12pm – 10pm;
Fri – Sat, 12pm – 12am;
Sun, 12pm – 10pm

Shop and dine at 112 Katong

Katong shines with heritage and tradition. However, for those looking for a more contemporary face, they need look no further than the revamped shopping mall – 112 Katong. Located at the intersection of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road, the shopping mall offers six levels of retail and lifestyle shops, a cinema and a rooftop landscape garden with wet playground to satisfy all your shopping, dining and entertainment needs. The supermarket at 112 Katong also offers all-day convenience for those who need to pick up drinks or healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts or salads.

Address: 112 East Coast Road, Singapore 428802
Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm

Sing your heart out at Teo Heng KTV Studio

Head down to the popular family-owned KTV Studio, Teo Heng for some late night entertainment! A visit to the studio is great for some relaxation and recovery after a whole day spent walking around and shopping in Katong. Teo Heng boasts some of the lowest room rates in the East, starting from just SGD 8 an hour for a small room (two to four pax). So be sure to sing to your heart’s content with the studio’s attractive packages and wide selection of English and Mandarin songs!

Address: Katong Shopping Centre, 865 Mountbatten Road #01-75-82/90/92 Singapore 437844
Opening hours: Mon – Fri, 1pm – 1am;
Sat / Holiday eve: 12nn – 2am;
Sun: 12nn – 1am

*****

On top of the recommendations we have provided, the concierge at Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy has helpfully recommended some activities that you can consider as well.

Just opposite the hotel, is the popular Marine Parade Food Centre which houses over 100 food stalls selling local favourites at affordable prices. Besides 112 Katong shopping mall, you can also drop by Parkway Parade Shopping Centre just opposite the hotel for more shopping and dining options. For some leisurely fun, the concierge recommends walking over to the nearby East Coast Park which offers recreational facilities at the beach, bicycles and in-line skates for rent, and water sport facilities. Just along East Coast Park, you may also stumble upon East Coast Food Centre, which is another popular food centre offering local favourites and a wide variety of seafood.

Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hotel is located at 50 East Coast Road, Roxy Square, Singapore 428769. Rooms and reservations can be made online on the hotel’s website.

______________________________________________________________

Contest

We are giving away a 2D1N weekend stay in a deluxe room at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy hotel with buffet breakfast + A weekday lunch voucher for two at the “Feast @ East ” Buffet restaurant.

To win, you just have to answer the following question: “What are three things you can do at Katong when having a staycation?”

Like our Facebook page and send your answers by email – by 23:59 21 August – to hello@activeage.co with your name, age and contact number and subject line entry of ‘Grand Mercure Staycation’. Contest is open to Singapore-based readers only.

Clues can be found in the article above, good luck!

 

Comments

comments