1920s Boutique Retreat
Location: Labrador Nature Reserve, Singapore
Style: Colonial Chic
Budget: ££
Part of the Samadhi Retreats group, Villa Samadhi Singapore transports guests to an oasis away from the urban jungle of Singapore. Enter this 1920s colonial boutique hotel hidden within Labrador Nature Reserve and you’ll soon leave your worries behind after a dip in your very own plunge pool. Take a leisurely stroll through the forest to dine on delicious Asian fusion dishes at the renowned Tamarind Hill restaurant before retiring to The Library for a nightcap and your day is complete! Near enough to the sights and sounds of central Singapore yet far enough away to feel away from it all, Villa Samadhi is a great staycation option for Singaporeans and a nice break from city-life for those visiting from afar.
Staying at Villa Samadhi Singapore
Each of the 20 rooms in this adults only hotel has been designed in a luxury heritage style with tranquil living in mind. Slide back the latch and enter through the garrison double doors into your personal haven as you relax on plush king size beds and hide away from the bustle of downtown Singapore. With a simple monochrome colour scheme, the only splashes of colour come in the form of vintage colonial pieces including old suitcases collected from around Southeast Asia, and floral touches merging nature outside with a celebration of the building’s past role.
We stayed in one of three Sarang rooms located on the ground floor complete with an indoor plunge pool. The pools are heated for certain periods during the day, meaning you can come back from a busy days sightseeing around the city to immerse yourself in a good old soak with some relaxing bath salts.
What Villa Samadhi does perfectly are the little touches – the letter waiting on the bed when you arrive welcoming you to Villa Samadhi’s retreat, the copper water jug and glasses, the lovely old-school blue and white soap dispensers in the bathroom, the complimentary cocktails on offer during happy hour and the port decanter and chocolates waiting for you on the bed when you return for the evening.
Venture out of Villa Samadhi into Singapore city to explore Singapore’s famous Gardens by the Bay or treat yourself to dinner at one of many Michelin star restaurants. You can rely on the Handy phones provided in each room to be your guide and most importantly book your taxi back to your retreat at the end of a busy day.
Dining at Villa Samadhi Singapore
Breakfast at Villa Samadhi is a leisurely affair, served on the outdoor terrace, a short walk from your room through the forest. There is a generous spread of Western and Asian options laid out, with an a la carte menu also included for made-to-order dishes, expect common breakfast dishes with a subtle and delicious Asian twist.
Located just outside of Villa Samadhi hotel is their well-known and respected restaurant, Tamarind Hill, serving Thai fusion flavours by award-winning Pin. We didn’t have chance to sample their dishes, although we’ve heard it’s incredible, and with only a short walk back to your bed at the end of the night why miss out! It is worth checking with the hotel before you head over for dinner if you haven’t made a prior reservation as the restaurant is often booked out for private events.
Key information about Villa Samadhi Singapore
How to get to Villa Samadhi Singapore?
Villa Samadhi sits just inside Labrador Nature Reserve, a mere 10 minute drive from downtown Singapore, and around 30 minutes from Changi International airport. You can arrange a transfer through Villa Samadhi Singapore who will collect you from the airport for a seamless and stress-free experience to your room for SGD $100 each way. The nearest MRT, Labrador Park, is only a 10 minute walk away, although majority of this is uphill and therefore not practical for those with luggage!
Be aware that with Villa Samadhi Singapore being relatively new to Singapore’s hotel scene and being so well hidden from the outside world, this retreat is not known by all taxi drivers! Make sure you have the address with you whenever you go out and about, and tell your driver to take the first right as you enter Labrador Nature Reserve (if you get to a cluster of hotels and restaurants with a large car park, you’ve gone too far!).
What are the Villa Samadhi room rates?
There are four different rooms on offer in Villa Samadhi Singapore: Cribs, Luxe Cribs, Sarangs and one premium Luxe Sarang. Even the ‘basic’ Crib level rooms at SGD $338 per night welcome you with luxury, and if you’re lucky (or in the know and request one whilst booking) you’ll check in to a crib with a very large, relaxing wooden bathtub.
Luxe Cribs, SGD $376 per night, offer more square footage, Sarangs, SGD $517 per night, offer either an indoor or outdoor bubbling plunge pool, and the Luxe Sarang, SGD $846 a night, offers the ultimate luxury with dual sinks and showers, a large outdoor plunge pool and private garden area to chill outside soaking up the environment.
Keep your eye out for deals as Villa Samadhi will often feature ‘Hot Deals’ online. If you’re headed to Villa Samadhi for a relaxing couples staycation I would thoroughly recommend splurging on a Sarang room – the plunge pool is divine.
Our final thoughts on... Villa Samadhi Singapore
Samadhi retreats have transformed this old garrison into a chic boutique hotel, where traces of colonial charm remain carefully blended with the modern touches every discerning traveller needs. My one gripe however would be the Wifi was a touch patchy – although to truly experience ‘Samadhi’ you’ll want to put your phone down!
With acres of unspoilt greenery, and the sound of birds to wake you up in the morning you cannot feel further from the busy downtown centre of Singapore, yet it’s a mere 10 minutes’ drive away. Villa Samadhi has been built with relaxation in mind, from the plush king beds to the bubbling plunge pools and nightcaps at turn down service every detail has been considered. Unfortunately our schedule during our visit to Villa Samadhi Singapore was so hectic I feel that the tranquil vibes were a little lost on us, I would love to return for a more relaxing stay in the future to fully take in the beautiful surroundings, and soak in that plunge pool a little longer!
Find Out More…
Villa Samadhi Singapore – https://www.villasamadhi.com.sg
Explore more from Singapore and discover our Singapore Travel Guide.
Many thanks to Villa Samadhi for hosting us during our time in Singapore. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely our own, we wouldn’t recommend something if we didn’t love it!
