PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts launches a new brand experience enticing guests to go beyond the guidebook and explore the culturally rich precincts of its properties. The ‘All Things Local’ experiences exemplify PARKROYAL’s network of properties as a gateway to vibrant locales, from Singapore and Malaysia to Japan and Australia, and beyond.
Ms. Cinn Tan, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, said, “The tradition of these local crafts and cuisine should continue to be appreciated today. With PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts positioned as a gateway to vibrant locales, we invite guests to join us in keeping cultures alive through discovering local stories, engaging in activities to understand local art, and supporting local businesses. Through this brand experience, we hope to provide our guests with authentic, immersive and novel ways to connect with people and places when they stay with PARKROYAL.”
Kicking off the programme are PARKROYAL’s All Things Local stay packages at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore, a thoughtful curation of hands-on and interactive experiences for guests, ranging from culinary experiences discovering the rich heritage of the destination to artisan workshops led by local entrepreneurs. The hotel is situated in the historic and vibrant precinct of Kampong Gelam – while famed for its larger-than-life street art, heritage businesses, and Malay traditions, a lesser-known fact is that Haji Lane is the narrowest street in Singapore. Guests booking a stay at the hotel will now be able to select from stays that include a ketupat/bazhang leather crafting workshop or an intimate visit to the home of local kueh mould collector Jasmine Adams.
Available from 6 October 2023 to 6 April 2024, PARKROYAL on Beach Road’s All Things Local stay packages are priced from SS$380++ and include a 2D1N room stay with one activity of choice for two persons. The activities are provided in partnership with local curator Culturally, creating inroads into rare, immersive experiences in the destination.
Discovering Vibrant Locales
Singapore’s heritage as a hub for leather tanning reaches as far back as the 1940s, most notably on Tannery Lane. The small city-state used to be the main exporter of the world’s fashion houses, with the famous Heng Long Leather now jointly owned by LVMH. Inspired by stories such as this, PARKROYAL on Beach Road now bundles a stay with a leathercrafting workshop by local atelier Crafune, located along the lively Haji Lane. Participants can try their hand at creating a leather coin pouch, using weaving techniques inspired by the woven palm leaf packets of iconic local foods ketupat (a traditional Malay dish) and bazhang (a Chinese-style glutinous rice cake).
Savouring Local Flavours at PARKROYAL on Beach Road
Also known as “chili sauce with chili” and a popular condiment in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, sambal balado is rich and complex in flavour, and a symbol of the region’s diverse culinary traditions. Ginger restaurant celebrates this with timeless dishes enhanced by Chef Low’s signature childhood-inspired sambal balado, whether paired with a humble tin of keropok crackers or with a hearty plate of crab bee hoon (rice vermicelli). Ginger’s sambal balado is also available for sale at S$8++ per jar.
Club 5 is best known for its signature cocktails inspired by the district’s rich history of spice trading dating back to the 1950s. Through a menu creatively designed by its resident mixologist, Club 5 transports guests on an enriching journey through the past and present cultures of areas located in the neighbourhood of Kampong Gelam: Beach Road, Arab Street, and Bugis.
Examples of the interesting variety of concoctions from each precinct include Beach Road: High Tide Swizzle – A refreshing and tropical vodka sour that transports guests to those sandy shores of Beach Road when it was a shoreline until 1843; Arab Street: Merchant’s Old Fashioned – A spiced rum old fashioned featuring spices that were once heavily traded in Singapore in open air markets, Nasi Lema’rgarita – A margarita with all the flavours of the popular local nasi lemak breakfast; Bugis Junction: Pasar Malam Sipper – A rum sour inspired by the spice food one can find in a pasar malam (night market) and Calm Waters: A refreshing non-alcoholic dark n’ stormy with tropical spicy notes.
