Finding somewhere to stay while renovating your home can be really stressful. Singapore is a tough place to rent a home, and temporary accommodation isn’t always easy to come by. That’s why service apartments have become more common, catering to both expats and Singaporeans who need short-term (or sometimes even long-term) rental accommodation.
We previously visited and published a full review of Weave Suites. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Coliwoo Orchard, with service apartments at the heart of the city.
An overview of Coliwoo Orchard
What Coliwoo Orchard aims to provide is fuss-free rental accommodation, with an emphasis on comfortable living and working areas, communal spaces, exclusive community events for residents, smart technology, and of course beautiful design.
The rooms are suitable for singles, couples and apparently even small families – although we didn’t get to explore any units that would be suitable for more than two people, so we can’t vouch for the latter!
What we appreciate is that while some service apartments in Singapore have a minimum stay of a month or at least a couple of weeks, Coliwoo Orchard only requires a minimum booking of six nights, which makes it more flexible for short-term stays.
Of course, service apartments are suitable for lots of different people, but the hassle-free nature of renting these units makes them perfect for homeowners renovating their abodes.
Staying in a service apartment can take plenty of stress off your shoulders when you’re already dealing with a whole renovation back home. The units are always fully furnished and even come with housekeeping services, so you really don’t need to worry about anything on top of your renovation.
Central location at the heart of Singapore
As the name implies, Coliwoo Orchard is located in the Orchard area, which means you’ll have some of Singapore’s best malls at your doorstep, as well as straightforward connections to the rest of Singapore through the nearby Orchard MRT station.
Paragon, Ngee Ann City, 313 Somerset, Wisma Atria and Ion Orchard are just some of the malls in the vicinity, all within walking distance, with plenty of shopping and dining options.
The only downside is that the building itself is situated along a slightly hillier part of Orchard, so everything within walking distance requires a short uphill trek. Most bus stops are a few minutes’ walk away as well, so walking is unavoidable to some extent when staying here, which can be inconvenient in mid-day heat or on rainy days.
If Orchard isn’t your favourite neighbourhood but you like the sound of Coliwoo otherwise, check out some of their other locations: River Valley, Serangoon, Lavender, Beach Road, Balestier, Keppel, Lutheran and Boon Lay. Other highly anticipated projects currently underway will be located along Arab Street and in Pasir Panjang.
Sleeping, living and working: The Coliwoo units
All of the units at Coliwoo Orchard are fully furnished and come with hotel-style facilities. You will of course have a sleeping area with a comfortable bed, plus an en-suite bathroom, a kitchenette with a washer-dryer (in most units), a working zone, and lots of storage space.
The suite we got to experience up close is the popular Alcove Studio, small but comfortable and perfectly suitable for a busy working couple. While many of the Coliwoo Orchard units look fairly standard, the Alcove Studio has a rather unique design, with a semi-circular window that turns the work area into a light-filled balcony.
This abundance of natural light also makes the unit feel airy and not claustrophobic despite its compact size. Of course, the view of Orchard is absolutely gorgeous too.
The en-suite bathroom is relatively spacious considering the size of the unit, but most of the space is taken up by the shower cabin, so the vanity area with the bathroom sink ends up located outside of the actual bathroom, with a tiny countertop and very limited surface area for toiletries. This is down to personal preference, but we would have preferred a smaller shower cabin in exchange for more vanity space and some cabinets.
As for the kitchenette, it’s quite useful for casual snacks and drinks and even comes with a microwave and a small hob, so cooking can be done in the comfort of your own unit. Residents that don’t have an in-unit cooking area instead get access to a similar kitchenette located outside of the unit – the space is somewhat more public as it can be accessed by neighbouring residents, but the use of the kitchenette itself is exclusive.
Other available units include the Premier Studio, the Deluxe Studio, the Master Studio, the Standard Studio and the Grand Studio, all of which provide the same handy amenities. If you require wheelchair access, opt for the Grand Studio, which is located on level two with a wheelchair-friendly design and a bathtub.
As mentioned above, all units are professionally cleaned by Coliwoo’s housekeeping service, with flexible hours for extra convenience.
Communal facilities and amenities at Coliwoo Orchard
What makes staying at a service apartment more enjoyable than staying at just any rental accommodation is the wide range of facilities and communal spaces available. At Coliwoo Orchard, you can enjoy a large swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a lounge area perfect for quiet co-working, a small gym and an outdoor BBQ pit.
These areas aren’t just great for unwinding and relaxing by yourself or inviting friends over for a gathering, but they also make it easy to get to know your neighbours and immerse yourself in the communal spirit of Coliwoo Orchard.
We particularly liked the size of the swimming pool, as well as the tranquil lounge area, which has complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate for residents. The BBQ pit makes for a great event venue, especially given the proximity to the swimming pool. The only facility we weren’t taken with is the gym, which is very small – convenient for a quick treadmill run but limited otherwise.
As for bonding with fellow residents, exclusive Coliwoo events make this much easier than trying to approach strangers out of the blue. These events include group yoga classes, picnics, and cultural celebrations, such as the recent Deepavali party.
While not exactly a communal facility, it’s also worth noting that Coliwoo Orchard comes with a car park and provides convenient EV charging points on-site.
Handy storage facilities for Coliwoo residents
If you’re renovating your home, you may not only need a place to stay but also somewhere to store your belongings while your abode is getting a makeover. Coliwoo Orchard residents get lots of useful discounts and perks across various brands, but one we want to highlight is the 25% discount and special freebies at Work+Store.
A secure, temporary storage facility located at Kallang Bahru, Work+Store offers a few different storage plans to suit your needs. The basic plan will grant you a choice between different unit sizes with 24/7 CCTV, as well as round-the-clock access to the unit.
For air-conditioning (a must-have if you’re storing leather goods, for instance), extra privacy and digital locks with remote access, opt for a more premium plan.
Given the bright and beautifully designed rooms, the handy communal facilities, the lively location and the special storage perks, we think Coliwoo Orchard makes for a great service apartment with only minor downsides. It’s especially great if you need a temporary place to stay while renovating your home – which we are sure many of you will relate to!
If you like the sound of Coliwoo Orchard and everything these service apartments have to offer, head over to their website to explore and make your booking!
A version of this article first appeared in SquareRooms.
