Opened in 2014 as the third outpost of Accor’s SO/ brand (following Bangkok and Mauritius), this boutique hotel brings a bit of glam to a staid part of Singapore. Set in the heart of the financial district, in a Neoclassical limestone heritage building that once housed advertising giants Ogilvy & Mather, the 134-room property counts Karl Lagerfeld among its designers (he was responsible for the library, front-house staff uniform, and hotel emblem). The SO/ doesn’t take itself too seriously, displaying a kind of Ian Schrager-meets-Philippe Starck postmodern whimsy and flair: think chairs with antlers protruding from the top, curvy couches in bright shades, and blingy, crystal-beaded light fixtures. Rooms meld France and Singapore—the former via high ceilings, crown moldings, and small statues of the Eiffel Tower, the latter via a country map on a mirrored table, or a coffee-table book of Lion City history—and come with iPads for controlling the lights, heat, and curtains. The rooftop 1927 bar borders a criminally underused gold-tiled pool, while the vibrant Xperience Restaurant serves an all-day menu of modern European and Asian-accented fare, plus a popular afternoon tea.
