How the Capella can help ‘crazy rich’ Singapore keep its edge in 2019

Feb 9 , 2019

Acres of landscaped gardens surround the Capella Singapore, one of Singapore’s most iconic hotels, on Sentosa Island. Photos: Cedric Tan

After Trump-Kim summit and the glory of Hollywood, the Lion City can learn from its grand dame of hotels, which blends old and new while keeping up with the times

What a bumper year 2018 was for Singapore: the island state was chosen as the setting for the Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians, and was the venue for the momentous summit between US president Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

Often, the most challenging consequence of achieving resounding success is the oblivion that follows. While Singapore is far from facing such a drop, can it live up to the hype after a year of non-stop international attention?

A blend of old and new, primitive and modern, makes up the Capella Singapore.

In this nation of nearly 6 million people, the shining glory of Hollywood and politics can easily be tarnished by the annoyance brought on by great – and hard to meet – expectations. Now, more than ever, Singapore is constantly being compared with other cities on all manner of things, from its food to architecture.

Ironically, the tourism slogan of the past decade was “Uniquely Singapore”. Now, however, the country is in the limelight because of its super-rich denizens, not unlike Tokyo, New York or Paris.

Perhaps 2019 needs to be the year Singapore returns to its roots, renews its aspirations and updates its image. A good example of such reinvention is Sentosa Island’s Capella Singapore hotel, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Century-old colonial army barracks on Sentosa Island were developed into the Capella Singapore.

Like the Lion City, the ultra-luxe Capella Singapore was tremendously golden in 2018, when Trump and Kim Jong-un chose it to host their first conference. It was a historic occasion, but despite the fame and popularity it brought, the hotel is firmly looking to the future with newly announced renovation plans.

A magnificent white edifice erected in the 19th century, the former British army barracks stood derelict for more than 100 years before it was developed and restored as the Capella Singapore by renowned architect Norman Foster, who added strikingly modern curves while preserving the stately colonial buildings that anchor the property.