While most don’t have formal tours, Hotel Telegraph (formerly SO/ Sofitel) – a century-old conservation building on Robinson Road – has designed activities for guests to discover Singapore’s cultural heritage in the heart of the CBD. Two walking tours are led by history-steeped guides. Another option is a microbrewery visit.
One walking route passes the unique Lau Pa Sat food court, Cavenagh Bridge and Esplanade Park to the Civilian War Memorial. The other, a Chinatown trail, gives an appreciation of Taoist, Hindu and Muslim places of worship and buildings dating back to the mid-1800s.
The educational tour of Lion Brewery’s microbrewery, set in a 1928 art deco-style building on Club Street, concludes with a sampling of six refreshing craft beers.
“The two-hour tours are great for business travellers with tight schedules and small groups of fewer than 10 people, providing an intimate experience at a comfortable pace. They see significant historical locations in Singapore, giving a sense of the city’s rich culture,” said Priscilla Pey, director of sales and marketing at Hotel Telegraph.
The walking route can be customised to be more interactive, such as ending with the microbrewery tour accompanied by a beer-tasting flight.
PARKROYAL on Beach Road not only leverages its proximity to Suntec Singapore and Marina Bay Sands but also its location opposite the Kampong Glam Malay-Arab precinct. It offers a two-hour private tour and buffet dinner at its halal restaurant, Ginger. Although the minimum number is two pax, it is more cost-effective when done as a small group, such as for business event attendees.
Quaint Katong on the city fringe draws locals and tourists alike. Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy has produced a self-guided tour map for guests to discover the rich Chinese Peranakan heritage – along with the heritage of others in the area, as well as food and beverage and the retail assortment in restored shophouses. Private tours for corporate meetings and incentives groups are handled by DMCs.
The hotel is also helping to promote the second season – July through October – of the innovative ‘Katong Dreaming’ musical-tour which combines a fascinating narrative, songs and dance moves along a two-hour walking route.
