The ambitious transformation is designed to elevate every facet of the guest and hospitality experience (All photos: Marina Bay Sands)
In Celine Song’s Oscar-nominated Past Lives, the camera sometimes pans to the obdurate patina of a childhood photo, showing time frozen but also inexorably passing. A slow but relentless march of the seasons turns into a burning fuse for the relationship of the leads, Nora and Hae Sung. The director’s confident debut in the canon of great romances, one that oscillates between giddy crushes and the hungover aftermath of breakups, is also lauded for its poetic dialogue and luminous imagery. Through themes of travel and physical movement, the act of leaving one’s homeland becomes a profound journey of self-reinvention and navigating new cultural identity. The same cinematography that captures this freedom to explore — and how our surroundings can awaken us to new potential as well as opportunities — is recently echoed, not on the silver screen, but in the form of a welcome message when you step into the elevator or fling open the room door in one of Singapore’s swankiest hotels.
Song’s short film, A Place Beyond Time, is the first among a set of stories that present Marina Bay Sands as a universe teeming with possibilities. The acclaimed filmmaker joins a roster of world-class creatives — such as leading design consultancy Pentagram New York and Shanghai-based fashion photographer Nick Yang — who have been tapped to formalise the integrated resort’s latest brand vision, “Above Beyond”.
celing-song.jpg
First announced in 2022, the ambitious US$1.75 billion reinvestment programme, bolstered by the completion of the exclusive Paiza Collection across all three towers, aims to elevate every facet of the guest and hospitality experience. Refurbishment efforts are now focused on the Sands Collection in
Tower 3, due in the second quarter of 2025. Once completed, the hotel will eventually house about 1,850 rooms, including 775 suites.
“Our new master brand has been a massive, but critical, undertaking as we chart a new direction that embraces the ever-evolving needs and aspirations of the modern traveller of today. ‘Above Beyond’ embodies our ambition to uplift Marina Bay Sands as a global cultural icon and also position the integrated resort as a game changer. Every single detail, down to the service culture among our more than 11,700-strong workforce, is imbued with our new DNA to create a sense of belonging and build a stronger emotional connection with our guests,” says chief marketing officerIrene Lin about the makeover, which includes the Sands SkyPark, lobby and wellness facilities.
One of Marina Bay Sands’ principles is that an opulent stay should feel palatial but also personal enough to envelop guests with the kind of hospitality that leaves them feeling wistful after checking out. Its butler team, which undergoes rigorous coaching at the in-house academy, sees to that. Upon arrival, you will be led by your dapper assistant to your premium suite via a discrete VIP lounge with a private elevator commonly used by celebrities to avoid prying eyes and enthusiastic fans.
l-r_marina_bay_sands_chief_operating_officer_paul_town_marina_bay_sands_chief_marketing_officer_irene_lin_and_sands_global_ambassador_david_beckham_take_a_wefie_with_team_members.jpg
Since the intention is to remind guests of home — or the home they wished they lived in — a butler, with vivid watchfulness, is tasked with giving you a tour around your temporary abode, from introducing the six different bottles of water (one is called ‘Long Life’, which bagged the gold medal at the Fine Water Summit 2023 in Athens, mind you) in the bedroom’s mini fridge and the balcony view overlooking Gardens by the Bay to the ornate TWG tea canisters in the pantry that are, unfortunately, chargeable. Drawing a bath, arranging your clothes on satin hangers, and running last-minute shopping errands are expected of a stellar steward trained to read cues and anticipate one’s needs. Once in a while, you may luck out with a perceptive attendant who comprehends the precise level of microfoam a caffeine aficionado should prefer for a flat white. And if you do not want to be caught in a state of dishabille while scooping up the morning paper, it can be placed neatly and alphabetically next to your egg-white omelette on the dining table at breakfast.
The expectations of today’s traveller may have exceeded the capacities of traditional hotel personnel. That would explain why Marina Bay Sands cultivated an elite fleet of 160 butlers — the largest team in Singapore’s hospitality industry — in anticipation of round-the-clock demands by Paiza patrons, especially if there are more occupants in a room. The 630 sq m Chairman Suite, which can sleep up to 12 people, may require a few dedicated attachés to help set up a spa session in the en-suite massage room after a long day on the golf course or fashion a drink in the fully stocked kitchen.
Of course, the grass is not always greener on the range. If you prefer to practise your swings no matter the time of the day, the Presidential and Skyline suites are fitted with a state-of-the-art indoor golf simulator, loaded with more than 45 popular courses around the world. There is also the option of trading your putter for the microphone in the karaoke room, which gives you an endorphin rush not dissimilar to a session at the gym. Throw yourself into all manner of songs (there are 30,000 to choose from) and belt out anthems in keys that almost certainly have yet to be discovered. Impugning the memory of Whitney Houston may not be impressive but at least the walls are firmly soundproof, Marina Bay Sands assures.
the_presidential_golf_simulator.jpg
Suite talk
Discerning holiday-goers want a rarefied experience they can talk about, bring home and share. They are looking more for ideas and items, not just lavish spectacles by abstruse names, that speak to them as individuals. Inspired by the brand’s ethos of a thousand small gestures, Marina Bay Sands collaborated with local and international artisans, who inventively play with materials and proportions to dream up East-meets-West spaces adorned with unique objets d’art. Why just wear designers when you can live in them?
Those familiar with Demi Moore’s dress at the 2024 Met Gala in New York would know of its maker — the sculptural gown was constructed by London-based fashion designer Harris Reed using patterns derived from the archives of luxury wallpaper brand Fromental. The latter, founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Tim Butcher and Elizabeth Deshayes who specialise in hand-embroidery and gold gilding, was enlisted by Marina Bay Sands to curate a series of bespoke backdrops highlighting Singapore’s unique flora and foliage for its ultra luxe Paiza Royal Collection. Painted on metallic strata silk, climbing orchids — the country’s national flower — entwine around panels in the living room while chinoiserie bird motifs crowd an elegant armoire.
fromental.jpg
Hotel beds have been the subject of comment and complaints as many a vacation has been ruined by sagging, lumpy mattresses. But there is a way to win this nightly skirmish. Book the Harbour Suite, which offers an extra-wide 240cm super king mattress supplied by Savoir Beds, whose best-selling No 2 was first made in 1905 for Richard D’Oyly Carte, owner of London’s Savoy Hotel. Details of a good night’s sleep are under wraps, literally, where horsetail hair, the king of upholstery fillings, is key. Sourced sustainably from South America, the material is steam-cleaned, twisted tightly and passed through a carding machine to produce spring fibres, which act like millions of micro-springs.
The promised bliss of uninterrupted sleep is also aided with goose-down pillows, provided by Singapore-based bedding specialist Ploh. Its exquisite duvets, mattress toppers, bed linen and towels have found their way to more than 250 luxury lodgings globally, including the very selective Aman Group, Mandarin Oriental and Raffles. Business partners Richard and Charlotte Loh source the best down from Hungary, the Czech Republic or Poland, and sheathe them in fine German silk.
“Storytelling has always been part of Marina Bay Sands ever since we opened our doors in 2010,” explains Stephanie Sentell, executive director of interior design. “In addition to the choice of furniture, we also try to engage our guests with art pieces that bring a sense of regionalism. A lot of stories are woven through the suites, like this bronze sculpture in the shape of ‘8’ by architect-turned-sculptor Karl Geckler. Obviously, eight represents good fortune and longevity in Asia.”
savoir-beds.jpg
But with the proliferation of hotels in the city, how else can Marina Bay Sands evolve further? “I don’t think anyone has seen this: The touch points from technology down to the service and staff. I just don’t think [this level of precision and attentiveness] exists anywhere else,” says Sentell.
“What you see today is built upon relationships, especially with homegrown talents, to push local craftsmanship such as Ploh or Bynd Artisan, which makes our leather notepad holders and stationery boxes topped with hand-stamped logos using traditional techniques honed from a rich heritage spanning 70 years. These are little details that make you feel you are part of something special.”
Taste makers
You may have spotted the Singapore Flyer or city skyline from a different high-rise, but spying this giant whirligig from a dining enclave at 55 storeys high is something else. Borrowing visual cues of the regal Summer Palace, the Paiza Sky Residence has been reimagined as an incarnation of an imperial residence, with gilded accents juxtaposed against a neutral palette. The private club lounge entices late risers to partake in a leisurely brunch, tea enthusiasts to deep dive into the art of cha dao or the restless to unwind with a nightcap at its signature Whisky Bar. Sinking into the velvety cradle of a loveseat and nursing a glass of Macallan can be an instant passport to relaxation.
paiza_sky_residence_the_conservatory.jpg
A metropolis that has awakened to the pleasures of food and Michelin-appraised fare also offers culinary options that can keep you happy over several days. Choices are aplenty at Marina Bay Sands, whether you prefer seafood prepared Aegean-style at the newly opened Greek restaurant estiatorio Milos or sashimi sliced at Koma, the modern Japanese establishment that hosted Taylor Swift and her entourage when they were in town for The Eras Tour. Should you want to replicate the singer’s dining experience, order the Star of the Show, a champagne-based cocktail tinged with Brass Lion Butterfly Pea Gin befitting her megawatt status.
The Grammy regular is not the only A-lister who has been enamoured of the integrated resort that seems to have it all. Even former football champion David Beckham, a Sands global ambassador, is a fan of the resort company’s outpost in this Little Red Dot.
estiatorio_milos.jpg
“Even though I have travelled around the globe, I always look forward to coming back,” confesses the legend on the pitch, who attended the unveiling of Marina Bay Sands’ new campaign.
“I had a quick walk around the hotel, and what I love about being part of this partnership and family is it reminds me of [my time with] Manchester United. When I joined the team at 11, I met so many people who are now still part of the club. It’s the same here. The staff I met 11 years ago are still the same friendly people. Marina Bay Sands always aspires to be the best in everything it does. The luxury transformation of the property is truly remarkable.”
Bay watch
Bells and tinsel populate the hotel’s luxury fashion hub The Shoppes, just in time for the gifting season
Chanel Winter Tale
The French fashion house has transformed the Grand Colonnade into a wintry wonderland, showcasing emblems such as the No 5 bottle, lion and camellia flower as part of a light installation. But that is not all — an immersive pop-up, The Magical House of Chanel, has been erected at the Event Plaza to help you pick out presents for everyone on your list. Meander through a snowy forest and marvel at miniature landscapes before you end up at the “Apartment”, where unique interpretations of Chanel’s most famous fragrances await. Registration slots are limited to a first come, first served basis. Alternatively, join the walk-in queue on site.
Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton
Pralines stacked like leaves on a Christmas tree, cocoa bars in the shape of luggage tags, and sculptural edibles that mimic the house’s adorable mascot Vivienne — these are just some of the seasonal sweets you will find at Louis Vuitton’s first chocolate shop outside of France. Frédéric, a renowned master chocolatier and pastry chef at Cheval Blanc Paris, is one of a select few who has joined the brand’s expansion into dining over the last two years, which includes the opening of a café and restaurant in Bangkok helmed by chef Gaggan Anand. The best Yuletide gift comes down to the gesture itself; so, what better way to surprise your loved ones than with confectionery — embossed with the iconic LV monogram — nestled in that familiar orange box?
This article first appeared on Nov 25, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
