I booked The Vagabond Club on a whim. No research. Just scrolling on my hotel app and pressing “book.” And honestly, it’s been one of the strangest and most interesting hotel experiences I’ve had in Singapore.

From the moment you walk in, there’s a rhinoceros sculpture as a reception desk and walls wrapped in red velvet. Dramatic, theatrical, slightly ridiculous, slightly fabulous.

Then you open the door to your room and everything shifts.

There are hand-painted walls and these incredible linen wall panels with floral motifs. The panels, in particular, stopped me in my tracks. All I could think was: this would make such a beautiful skirt. Long panels. Vertical flow. Printed linen. A garment waiting to happen.

The room itself feels calm, artistic, and thoughtful with a touch too much. A lovely contrast to the wild lobby downstairs.

The hotel sits in a heritage Art Deco building from the 1950s, located between Little India and Kampong Glam, two of Singapore’s oldest and most character-filled neighbourhoods. Little India is full of spice shops, textile stores, and temples. Kampong Glam is home to colourful shophouses, cafés, boutiques, and the Sultan Mosque. It’s layered and very alive.

Stepping outside at night did give me a small oops moment. The street energy is… lively. Let’s leave it at that. But tonight there’s live jazz at the hotel bar, and suddenly everything makes sense again.

It’s the kind of hotel you’d want to stay in with someone special. A little bit strange. A little bit romantic. A little bit confusing.

Everything feels slightly wrong.
And somehow, very right.

Heveya has Belgian roots and a Bali soul, and they are well known in Singapore for their natural rubber mattresses and breathable bamboo sheets. They approach rest with an attention to detail that feels both intentional and refined. And next year, we will be creating a collection together. I cannot wait to share it with you.

But last night wasn’t about business.
It was about atmosphere. Taste. Ideas. And the pleasure of seeing a Christmas celebration done differently.

Instead of the usual festive clichés, Heveya served the most extraordinary 100 percent vegan spread. Elegant, surprising, and genuinely delicious.
Popcorn that made you rethink popcorn. A “foie gras” made entirely from tofu that somehow tasted like the real thing.
Smoked dragon fruit paired with cashew nuts. Hot chocolate that wrapped itself around you like a blanket.

Nothing excessive, everything intentional.

The setting was equally thoughtful. Guests lounged on their signature mattresses and soft sheets, turning the entire space into a living room of comfort. A carol singer arrived and filled the room with warmth. And the crowd, interesting, curious, creative and it reminded me how inspiring it is when people gather without pretense.

It was a gentle reminder that Christmas can be beautiful without the formula.
It can be simple. It can be thoughtful. And yes, it can be entirely vegan.

Here’s to Heveya, for the taste, the courage, and the inspiration.
And to the year ahead, where we will create something beautiful together.
Stay tuned.

There are places in Singapore that quietly take your breath away, not for their grandeur but for their grace. Kee’s, the restaurant inside 21 Carpenter, is one of them. From the moment you step in, it feels like a lesson in how design can whisper rather than shout. The space, conceived by WOHA Architects, has that rare balance of history and modernity. Once a 1930s banking hall, it now hums with the energy of a contemporary bistro. Brass details catch the light, soft tones make you linger a little longer, and everywhere you look there’s intention. It is not just a place to eat breakfast; it is a space that makes you pause and notice how beauty and function can live together.

The menu is thoughtful, the service unhurried, and the experience reminds you how much design can shape emotion. Even the way the morning light hits the marble counters feels orchestrated. It is not grand for the sake of it; it is human, warm, and quietly confident.

What truly set my morning apart was the incredible service. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warmth that felt entirely genuine. Glynn, one of the team members, welcomed me with such grace that it immediately set the tone for the day. She gave me a little tour of the space, explaining its story and the philosophy behind its design. Then she surprised me with a beautiful plate that read “Welcome to Singapore.” It was such a simple gesture, yet so thoughtful that it completely charmed me. In that moment, I understood what hospitality really means. Not just good service, but care translated into small, unforgettable acts.

The hotel that holds it, 21 Carpenter, is equally remarkable. Located between Clarke Quay and Chinatown, it began life in 1936 as a remittance house where Chinese migrant workers sent money and letters home. WOHA has transformed it into a 48-room boutique hotel that still carries the soul of that story. The architects kept the original four shophouses and added a modern extension on top, wrapped in a delicate aluminum façade etched with excerpts from those old remittance letters. The result is both poetic and precise.

What I love most is the reveal. From the street you see only the elegant old building, restored with quiet pride. But when you cross the road and look again, you notice the new structure floating above it. It is as if time has folded over itself. The old and the new coexist, not competing, just completing each other.

Every detail speaks of care: the timber floors, the subtle typography, the thoughtful quotes that appear when you least expect them. It is design that tells a story rather than shows off a concept. There is something deeply emotional about it, and I find myself wanting to stay there one day, to wake up in a place that feels both rooted and forward-looking.

Breakfast at Kee’s and a stay at 21 Carpenter are not just experiences; they are reminders that beauty, kindness, and thoughtfulness always go hand in hand.