[Review] Staycation at Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore – 20% Off, Opening Special

Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is a new hotel in Singapore by The Ascott Limited. It is the group’s seventh Citadines property in Singapore, following the launch of its flagship property, Citadines Raffles Place Singapore in 2022, along with the global unveiling of a refreshed Citadines brand.

With 135 rooms spread over four levels (levels 4 to 7) and the main lobby located on level 2, the hotel caters to both short and long stays and is conveniently located near the Buona Vista and one-north MRT stations. It is also part of an integrated development at the newly built Rochester Commons.

While the appetite for staycations would have fallen following the lifting of Covid travel restrictions, Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore still offers something different that merits a stay for locals. Here are some reasons why this newest Citadines hotel is an ideal place for a staycation in Singapore:

Convenient Location to Explore the West Side of Singapore

Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is situated in the heart of Singapore’s life science, education and dining hub at Rochester Park. It is located near many dining and entertainment options, such as restaurants within the neighbouring conservation bungalows, Timber+ at one-north, Holland Village and Star Vista (Theatre).

During our stay, Asher and I took a short 5 minutes walk to Star Vista for dinner at Fat Burger restaurant. There are plenty of food options available.

The hotel is also close to well-known parks and sights like the Rail Corridor, The Green Corridor, Kent Ridge Park, Haw Par Villa, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Prior to dinner, Asher and I went on a long jog around the area to explore.

With the Buona Vista MRT station just 5 minutes away and the one-north MRT station 13 minutes away, guests will have easy access to the rest of the city, particularly the west side of Singapore.

Smart Services and Amenities

Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is designed for travellers who want to stay connected and productive while on the road. This applies to staycation too. You can book a one-night stay, but still have access to amenities, even after you checked out.

The hotel provides guests with a comfortable and productive space to work, rest and play. Asher and I love the spacious shared space at the lobby floor on level 2. It is a great place to hang out for communal work or play.

While I sat around to do some personal work on my laptop and read the free local newspapers, Asher could read his comic books or play games on his laptop at the same time.

Featuring a mix of studio units, including premier units with a well-equipped kitchenette and washer-dryer as well as deluxe units with garden access, you can choose the appropriate room type that best suits your needs.

Facilities at the property include a swimming pool and a 24-hour gymnasium.

A ‘Refresh & Recharge’ lounge provides an area of respite for guests to rest and relax should you arrive prior to your check-in time or are expecting a late departure. I didn’t get to check out this feature as someone was using it when I was there, but I really love the concept.

Technology-Enabled Services

Guests at Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore can look forward to a slew of technology-enabled services, such as ARIA (Ascott Robotic Intelligent Assistant) that can perform a variety of tasks such as delivery of amenities upon request. The robot butler can be activated using Ascott’s Discover ASR mobile app to retrieve items like paper napkins, cotton buds and other hotel amenities from a vending machine, and then send them to your room directly.

The rooms are also equipped with energy-saving smart occupancy sensors to automatically switch off the lights if it is detected to be unoccupied. For instance, the air-conditioning will automatically adjust back to the optimal room temperature of 24 degrees every time you leave the room and come back again.

Ascott Star Rewards

If you are a member of Ascott’s loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), you will also be able to make reservations, perform self-check-in and check-out, request for services, manage your membership, make contactless payment conveniently and provide feedback via the Discover ASR mobile app.

You can also earn additional ASR points if you opt out of housekeeping service as part of Ascott’s Go Green initiative.

Sustainable Designs

Further expanding on Ascott’s Go Green initiative, there are lots of sustainable design features in place for the hotel’s products and services that will appeal to eco-conscious hotel guests.

For instance, there is no bottled water provided. Instead, you will be provided with a water pitcher in your room which you can fill up with water from a common water dispenser on each room floor. The rooms are also equipped with energy-saving smart occupancy sensors to automatically switch off the lights if it is detected to be unoccupied. This is in line with Ascott’s sustainability commitment.

The property’s interior is thoughtfully designed by Ascott’s Product & Technical Services in-house design team to project greenery in an otherwise concrete environment. Using various tropical plants and foliage motifs as the design inspiration across all spaces, the reception features preserved moss and saga seeds with monochrome backprinted fluted glass images of dew drops and monstera leaves while foliage pattern runs along the corridor carpet into rooms that feature a monochrome banana leaf pattern above the bedhead – accentuating a single cohesive collage of tropicality.

Winding down to the day, guests can retreat to the Garden Sanctuary or the Garden Terrace, where nature unfolds in all its glory to calm the mind and soothe the tired soul:

Shared Executive Learning Centre

An adjoining Shared Executive Learning Centre, Catapult, is a first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

It provides guests with the opportunity to sign up for courses as well as a shared space to work and learn in an experiential and immersive way, equipped with the latest learning technologies.

Citadines Brand Signature Programmes

Citadines offers a myriad of programs and activities for guests to lead a well-balanced lifestyle through Citadines signature programmes – activ∞ (pronounced as ‘activate’) and For the Love of Coffee.

Guests can enjoy curated programmes to jumpstart city living with key places to explore within the neighbourhood with the help of Citadines’ activ∞ digital toolkits or participate in residents’ programmes such as yoga or networking sessions. Find out more via the official website.

Overall, Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is an ideal place for a staycation in Singapore. With its convenient location, smart services and amenities, Shared Executive Learning Centre, technology-enabled services, and Citadines Brand Signature Programmes, guests can enjoy a comfortable and productive stay while exploring the west side of Singapore.

Citadines Connect Rochester Singapore is now open and available for bookings. To mark its launch, the property is offering an opening special of 20% savings for bookings and stays till 30 June 2023.