Particularly over the last decade, Singapore has evolved into one of Asia’s most vibrant and attractive cities. Now world-famous for its distinctive architecture, outstanding dining, unique culture, and vibrant nightlife, the city-state is also fast becoming the leading finance and business hub of the region.
The majority of the highlights that Singapore is now famous for — the attractions and attributes that have seen this country’s international reputation, respect and status skyrocket in recent years — are situated within a short distance of GuocoLand’s luxurious, elegantly designed new developments, Midtown Modern and Midtown Bay.
Collectively known as Guoco Midtown, these remarkable new properties couldn’t be more perfectly located. Here, you’ll dwell in the epicentre of everything that makes Singapore such an exciting city today.
Welcome to Midtown, your new neighbourhood… featuring Singapore’s best restaurants, bars, museums and theatres, five-star hotels, excellent shopping, and of course, the city’s business district.
Good neighbours
As it stands, eleven of Asia’s 50 Best Bars and nine of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants are located in Singapore, and most of those, you’ll find within a short distance from Guoco Midtown.
The head of F&B at the nearby Swissôtel The Stamford and Fairmont hotels, Emmanuel Benardos oversees an array of renowned dining establishments, including the two Michelin-starred Jaan by Kirk Westaway, Skai bar and restaurant, the famed Japanese eaterie Mikuni, and beloved Italian spot, Prego.
“It’s such a great area around here,” he says. “That’s why so many tourists are drawn to staying in this part of town. There’s a lot of history and culture to explore, so I always suggest our guests check out the Armenian Church, pay a visit to the wonderful Peranakan Museum, and try True Blue Peranakan restaurant. And be sure to walk around Chijmes, the beautifully converted convent with some terrific restaurants and bars, as well as the church famously featured in the movie Crazy Rich Asians.”
Across the road from Chijmes is Singapore’s iconic Raffles Hotel, where you can enjoy a crafted cocktail at the Writers’ Bar, a stunning degustation dining experience at La Dame du Pic or Butcher’s Block restaurants, have afternoon tea in the elegant lobby, or enjoy some of the city’s best Indian food at the Tiffin Room. Afterwards, residents of Guoco Midtown can simply stroll home.
Singapore’s most exclusive bespoke tailor, Kevin Seah says he has often dreamt of having an atelier on Seah Street, which runs behind Raffles. This isn’t simply because he shares a name with the shophouse-filled avenue. “I like going to Sing Swee Kee Chicken Rice there, it’s very good, a classic, and then heading across to the Bras Basah Complex,” he explains.
“There’s some interesting watch shopping to be discovered there, but the main reason I go is to browse Basheer Graphic Books, which is one of the best sources for fashion, design and photography books in Singapore,” Seah says. “That’s a fantastic source of inspiration.” For an even richer trove of literature, of course, the National Library is mere moments away.
Residents of Midtown Modern and Midtown Bay seeking a dose of culture will find precisely that at the National Gallery (which also houses the Michelin-lauded restaurants Odette and Art), the Victoria Concert Hall, Asian Civilisations Museum, and the ArtScience Museum, all of which are within easy reach of the Guoco Midtown development on Beach Road. So too is Singapore’s home of live performance, the Esplanade.
Since its opening two decades ago, the architecturally striking Esplanade has played host to more than 53,000 performances, drawing over 110 million visitors. On the building’s second floor, at Restaurant Labyrinth, Chef LG Han practices a different type of art — the culinary kind, serving innovative ‘New Singaporean’ dishes such as chilli crab ice-cream, earning this establishment a Michelin star and 11th place on the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best list for its locally sourced, locally inspired cuisine.
“My favourite part of being located in the Esplanade is being right in the heart of Singapore’s musical and cultural centre,” Han says. “As an avid theatre- and concert-goer myself, I love being amongst the vibe of what Esplanade stands for, and the performances it hosts and organises.”
Similarly, those living in this neighbourhood will be right among the action during the city’s biggest international drawcards, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix Night Race and National Day Parade. Plus, with Guoco Midtown positioned above Bugis MRT interchange, as well as offering a network of underground pedestrian pathways accessing the city, getting around from here could not be more trouble-free.
Good living
Clearly, Guoco Midtown is enviably located, set amongst Singapore’s most exciting attractions and events, with smooth access to the CBD and its surrounds. But its appeal goes far beyond a great address. A ‘placemaker’, GuocoLand espouses a philosophy merging “Location, Concept and Community,” setting out to create top-quality developments with unique, well-thought-out ideation and aesthetics at their core, which will in turn attract the right community of buyers and tenants.
Integral to the design of Guoco Midtown was the concept of creating a nature-filled oasis in the city’s heart, to ensure that despite dwelling amidst the energy of the metropolis, residents would come home to a serene, green sanctuary. GuocoLand sees the provision of ample green space — more than 400,000 sq ft in fact, across the development’s 20 plazas and gardens — as essential to ensuring the quality of life of Midtown’s residents, bringing a key benefit of suburban living to a central, urban setting.
The sibling developments of Midtown Modern and Midtown Bay offer homes tailored to individuals and families at different stages in life, with a range of tastes and requirements. In one- and two-bedroom, plus two- and three-bedroom duplex configurations, the 219 units in Midtown Bay have been designed to deliver the nimble flexibility today’s lifestyle demands.
Fulfilling the needs of dynamic modern professionals, spaces can be adapted to working from home, entertaining, and comfortable living. Duplex units can easily be segmented to function as a small office with a separate living area, the perfect set-up for start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners, or simply those who need privacy for work-from-home Zoom conferencing or in-person meetings.
The 558 luxury garden homes at Midtown Modern equally possess the versatility to cater to intelligent live/work situations. Here, in addition to one- and two-bedroom apartments, larger three- and four-bedroom units of a rare scale and layout will appeal to affluent family-oriented buyers, seeking the expansive living spaces one might typically experience in the suburbs, while enjoying a handy inner-city location minutes from the CBD.
Both properties feature crisp, modern interior design and the highest quality fittings, with ‘smart home’ tech accoutrements and gorgeous views of gardens and the city skyline.
What Guoco Midtown presents is the opportunity to live right in the centre of all Singapore’s best attractions, with the convenience and enviable lifestyle that facilitates, while at the same time dwelling in a verdant environment that lends a sense of suburban serenity — minus the hassle of long commutes, waylaid in traffic or crowded MRTs. It’s truly an incredible combination.
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