Why Stay?

After opening 17 other hotels around the world since the 1991 launch of COMO The Halkin, London, the Singapore-owned lifestyle conglomerate made its much-awaited homecoming in late 2023 with COMO Metropolitan Singapore. This quiet, low-key urban retreat draws globetrotting wellness types for its spa offerings and high-tech hardware. The hotel is part of COMO Orchard, a one-stop lifestyle concept that also houses the COMO Shambhala spa, the flagship store of multi-label boutique Club21, and several dining options.

The Neighborhood

COMO’s mixed-use building is located in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping belt. It is steps from Paragon Shopping Centre, which houses luxury fashion brands and a wing tenanted to medical specialists. It’s also near the private Mount Elizabeth Hospital, an elite healthcare hub. (Well-heeled medical tourists from neighboring countries form a large portion of hotel guests.) Two blocks away is Ngee Ann City, whose Takashimaya department store sprawls across six floors. COMO Orchard also serves as a hangout for ladies living in the affluent residential areas nearby. They drop in during the day for their wellness classes or spa appointments at COMO Shambhala, and linger for tea or lunch afterward.

COMO Metropolitan Singapore - Lobby Lounge

The Feel

The neutral color palette and clean lines of the hotel’s interiors by Atelier Ikebuchi, OTTO Studio (helmed by Paola Navone, COMO’s longtime collaborator), and Modellus Novus create a calm, relaxing vibe. While the Lobby Lounge is anchored by Floral Dive, a striking digital installation by Norwegian artist Thomas Hilland, the general feel is largely residential chic. Staff dressed sharply in an all-black ensemble and Comme des Garcons Play Converse sneakers also convey a cool, minimalist style. Do not rush off to your room after checking in; tarry a moment at the lounge and enjoy a coffee. Bruno, the robot barista, whips up a decent cuppa.

Guest Quarters

Before one dismisses the rooms with a pared-back, contemporary aesthetic as too plain or austere, one should be reminded that COMO Metropolitan is more about wellness than glitzy interiors. In each room, there are thoughtful touches like a Slumber Pack. Part of the COMO Shambhala Sleep Dreams package, it contains sleep aids like essential oils. Guests can also use the SleepHub, a device that plays low-frequency sound waves to encourage deep relaxation.

Food and Drink

COMO Cuisine serves healthy and hearty all-day classics—think Southeast Asian favorites like a comforting soto ayam (Indonesian chicken soup)—while COMO Shambhala Cuisine does even cleaner fare. There are also two F&B options with big international names behind them. The Asian debut of French pastry chef Cédric Grolet, well-known for his beautiful confections, is on the first floor. Hotel guests need not join the queues for Grolet’s light and buttery croissants as they are served during breakfast at COMO Cuisine. Singapore’s COTE Korean Steakhouse marks the first foray into Asia for Korean-American restaurateur Simon Kim, whose outposts in New York and Miami both have one Michelin star. A dining experience at COTE is memorable from the moment one steps into the bar reception for a pre-dinner cocktail. COTE’s Old Fashioned is heady and invigorating, the marinated meats are well-balanced in flavors, and the service is smooth and exemplary. The spot-on wine pairing is the icing on the cake.

Wellness Factor

At 800 square meters, the Singapore outpost of COMO Shambhala is the group’s largest spa. The white- and eau de Nile–hued reception sets the scene with its soothing ambience. While there is a plethora of yoga, pilates, and other mind and body classes, they are sadly not offered to hotel guests as a complimentary daily activity. Instead, they’ll receive an in-room yoga mat and meditation videos on TV, as well as access to the cutting-edge gym. The latter features a red-light therapy room to optimize warm-up routines and post-exercise recoveries. Body treatments and facials are available at the spa, as well as sessions in a hyperbaric wellness pod and the contrast therapy rooms. There’s also a rooftop infinity pool for those who love to get their laps in.

Family Matters

While the hotel tends to attract solo travelers or couples, children of all ages are welcome. Cots can be added to some rooms on request.

Sustainability Cred

Refillable bath amenities, drinking water in glass bottles, and sustainable packaging are standard at the COMO Metropolitan Singapore. An energy-saving sensor system means the power is switched off when guest rooms are empty. To reduce waste, floral arrangements in the lobby have been swapped out for the aforementioned digital artwork.

What Else?

Christina Ong, founder of the COMO Group, began her business empire in Singapore in 1972 with Club21. At COMO Orchard, guests will find two floors dedicated to luxury brands such as French fashion house Jacquemus and American label Thom Browne. Personal shoppers are also available on request to help customers navigate the over 800 square meters of retail space and make recommendations.

Reviewed by Mavis Teo

comohotels.com
+65 6233 3888
30 Bideford Rd., Singapore

COMO Metropolitan Singapore: a Quiet Urban Retreat

Singapore Hotels

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