The Vagabond Club, Singapore

The Vagabond Club, Singapore, a Michelin Guide-selected property, stands out as a luxurious and uniquely designed boutique hotel offering a distinctive experience in Singapore. Its opulent interiors, celebrated hospitality, and vibrant location have garnered generally positive guest feedback.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for The Vagabond Club is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently praising its unique character and exceptional service. It consistently receives "Very Good" to "Excellent" ratings across various platforms, often scoring highly for staff performance, cleanliness, and comfort. Many guests express a strong desire to return, highlighting a feeling of being at home due to the attentive staff.

2. Key Highlights

Guests are consistently captivated by the hotel's distinctive design and atmosphere. Key highlights include:

• Design & Art: The hotel's interiors, crafted by celebrated French designer Jacques Garcia, are a major draw, featuring an opulent Parisian-chic aesthetic with bold colors, plush velvets, and a diverse collection of art. Notable artistic elements include a gleaming brass life-sized Rhino sculpture at the reception, golden elephant statues, a golden baboon, and hand-hammered metallic Banyan Trees. Video installations, such as Marco Brambilla's "Civilisation" in the elevator, add to the unique ambiance.
• The Whiskey Library: This impressive feature boasts a staggering collection of rare whiskies and doubles as a jazz club, contributing significantly to the hotel's sophisticated social scene.
• Artist-in-Residence Program: The hotel is Singapore's first to host an Artist-in-Residence program, inviting writers, musicians, and visual artists to live, work, and interact with guests in its salon-inspired space.
• Service: The friendly, caring, and efficient staff are frequently mentioned as a highlight, contributing to a personalized and welcoming stay.
• Location: Its position nestled between the heritage districts of Little India and Kampong Glam offers an authentic cultural experience.

3. Room Quality

The 41 rooms and suites are elegantly designed, embodying Garcia's signature style with a blend of dark woods, plush textures, and rich hues. Rooms typically feature comfortable king-sized beds with 400 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose-down pillows, ensuring a luxurious sleep. Amenities often include a mini-bar, Nespresso machine, quality bathrobes, and Etro or Diptyque toiletries. While some guests note that rooms are smaller than typical American hotels (Classic Rooms starting at 22 sqm, Junior Club Suites around 34 sqm), they are described as well-appointed and comfortable, with thoughtful layouts that can make them feel more spacious. Bathrooms often feature Italian marble, rain showers, and quirky elements like red tiles. Some rooms, like the Courtyard Executive Club rooms, offer shared courtyard access.

4. Dining Experience

Dining at The Vagabond Club is primarily centered around The Vagabond Salon, which houses the Chinese restaurant Yellow Pot and the Whiskey Library.

• Breakfast: Served in The Vagabond Salon, guests can typically choose one main item from an à la carte menu (including local and American options) along with unlimited beverages like coffee, tea, and juices. The quality of breakfast is generally rated as good, though some specific dishes might not impress everyone, with one reviewer finding a Nasi Lemak good but not worth its $22 price if not complimentary.
• Executive Club Lounge: Platinum Elite and higher Marriott Bonvoy members, or guests with club access, enjoy complimentary alcohol and finger food (e.g., dim sum platter, chef's special) from 5 pm to 7 pm. Non-alcoholic drinks are available all day until 10 pm. While some find the evening finger food to be mediocre, the unlimited servings of tasty stewed chicken fungus with rice, for example, have been appreciated.
• Bar Vagabond: The hotel bar offers a range of cocktails, with some guests highly recommending trying the hotel's own concoctions.

5. Service & Staff

The service and staff at The Vagabond Club consistently receive high praise. Guests describe the staff as friendly, caring, efficient, professional, and proactive. There are instances of staff going above and beyond, such as offering to bring up late-night food orders or addressing guests by name throughout their stay. This attentive and personalized hospitality contributes significantly to the overall positive guest experience.

6. Location & Accessibility

The hotel is strategically located at 39 Syed Alwi Road, in the Jalan Besar area, perfectly positioned between the culturally rich neighborhoods of Little India and Kampong Glam. This "alternative locale" offers a vibrant, authentic experience with numerous local cafes and food centers, including Bersah Food Centre. While not in the immediate vicinity of major shopping malls, it offers easy access to attractions like Haji Lane, Sultan Mosque, and Mustafa Centre.

The Vagabond Club is well-connected by public transport, with several MRT stations within walking distance:

• Jalan Besar MRT Station (Downtown Line) is just 330-500 meters away.
• Bugis MRT Station and Bencoolen MRT Station are also a short walk away.

Major attractions like Orchard Road and Marina Bay Sands are about a 15-minute drive, and Changi Airport is approximately 20-23 minutes away by car. The hotel also offers onsite parking.

7. Value & Pricing

The Vagabond Club offers a luxury boutique experience. Room prices average around $320, which is higher than the overall average hotel room price in Singapore ($198). However, for a "Michelin Key Selected" property, guests often consider it to provide "exceptional value for money" due to its unique design, personalized service, and distinct atmosphere. Rates can start from approximately S$273.19.

8. Common Complaints

While largely positive, some recurring criticisms include:

• Room Size: Rooms are often described as smaller compared to standard American hotel rooms or larger business hotels, which might be a consideration for guests with a lot of luggage.
• F&B Consistency: While breakfast is generally good, some feedback indicates that the evening finger food served in the Executive Club Lounge can be mediocre, and alcohol orders might not always be fulfilled exactly as requested.
• Noise: One review noted that music from surrounding bars could be annoying, depending on the room's location.
• Minor Amenities/Facilities: Occasional mentions of limited countertop space in bathrooms, the lack of power points in some dining-like table setups, and the absence of a swimming pool (though there was a past agreement with a nearby gym). There was also a complaint about the lack of staff to assist with bags in the lobby.

Overall, The Vagabond Club offers a truly unique and memorable stay, celebrated for its artistic flair, intimate ambiance, and outstanding staff, making it a "very special stay" as recognized by the Michelin Guide.

Sources

1. booking.com
2. agoda.com
3. iwandered.net
4. momondo.com
5. michelin.com
6. thehoteljournal.com
7. michelin.com
8. theshutterwhale.com
9. secretlifeoffatbacks.com
10. Current time information in Singapore.
11. luxurylink.com
12. flyertalk.com
13. kayak.com
14. marriott.com
15. youtube.com
16. agoda.com
17. expedia.com.sg