Despite renting being an increasingly popular choice, many young adults are turning to co-living spaces to carve out a space of their own. After all, when properties like Coliwoo Orchard can provide an all-inclusive apartment in the heart of town, why should one trouble themselves with furnishing a temporary flat, figuring out the utilities, and being at the mercy of a landlord?
We recently had the opportunity to stay in a Premier Studio at Coliwoo Orchard, and here’s our review of our experience.
Room: Fully furnished with an en-suite & kitchenette
Image credit: Coliwoo
Coliwoo Orchard offers 6 types of rooms, and we were checked into a Premier Studio on the 20th floor during our stay. It might be 161sqft on paper, but we were pleasantly surprised by its spaciousness when we first entered. The large window that overlooked the backyard of Orchard Road definitely helped enlarge the space visually, and we had zero complaints.
The interior of the studio was decidedly minimalist and looked like a showroom for a Muji catalogue. And since it just opened in early 2023, the fixtures and appliances still had that brand new vibe.
A queen-sized bed sat in one corner of the long rectangular studio, while a desk and mounted television took up the middle third of the room. The rest of the space was filled by a kitchenette, housing the only sink in the apartment, plus washing machine. The en-suite bathroom was small, but it still had enough space for a standing shower, toilet, and a washing hose.
Image credit: Coliwoo
It’s essential to note here that Coliwoo Orchard’s apartments are dual-key, meaning that you’ll be sharing a common entryway—that boasts another kitchenette—with your neighbour. Keycards are also used here rather than traditional keys, which gave it a more atas factor and made us feel like we were living in a hotel.
The Premier Studio had more than enough space for one, but it would be a slight squeeze if 2 people were staying there. It also had almost everything you’d need, including basic utensils and pots to cook small meals.
There were also plenty of power outlets in the room, including USB-A and USB-C ports to conveniently charge our portable devices and smartphones. There were even some next to the bed for those of us who are chronically online and need to sleep with our phones by our sides.
Image credit: Coliwoo
At night, my colleague and I decided to dapao some salted egg pork from Far East Plaza to eat in our rooms as the queue to dine in at New Station Snack Bar was way too long. We then realised that there was only one chair in the studio. In the interest of time, one of us just decided to eat on the bed rather than request an extra chair, which is something you might want to consider if you’re staying in the room with a plus one.
There were also blackout curtains to block out the sunlight in the morning, which was a thoughtful feature considering how much light comes through the window during the day.
You also don’t have to worry much about housekeeping. Being a serviced apartment, Coliwoo Orchard has a fixed housekeeping schedule to keep your studio spick and span.
Amenities: Swimming pool, gym, lounge & BBQ areas
Image credit: Coliwoo
Don’t fret if you think the studio apartment is all you get with how much you’re paying at Coliwoo Orchard. Amenities at this co-living space include a swimming pool, gym, and an air-conditioned lounge for you to work from home.
Image credit: Coliwoo
The swimming pool is fairly large with daybeds and cabanas around for you to take a breather at during your downtime. The gym overlooks the pool, and has enough equipment for you to do a quick and easy strength or cardio workout. If you’re more of a fitness nut, you can even head over to Fitness First at Paragon, which is just a 5-minute walk away.
Image credit: Coliwoo
On the other side of the swimming pool is a large open space with 2 barbecue pits and some seats for gatherings. There weren’t any during our stay, but Coliwoo often hosts community events here for the residents so there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your neighbours.
Image credit: Coliwoo
We found ourselves spending most of our day in the lounge. It’s spacious enough that we weren’t struggling to find a seat with a power point, although it’s definitely not big enough for even half the residents at Coliwoo Orchard, should the need arise.
There’s free coffee and water in the lounge too if you’re going to be spending an extended period of time here.
Image credit: Josiah Neo
There was also a cosy nook for some additional privacy, although the afternoon sun really heated the space up, so much so we left after an hour. Still, we could see ourselves using this lounge more often than not, as working at the desk in our studio apartments got a tad claustrophobic after some time. Plus, it never hurts to have some distinction between your work and leisure spaces.
Location: 5 mins from Paragon, 10 mins from Orchard MRT
Image credit: Coliwoo Orchard
As its name suggests, Coliwoo Orchard is located in the heart of the shopping district. It’s just off Cairnhill Road and behind Paragon, which puts it within walking distance of Orchard and Somerset MRT Stations.
Image credit: Google Maps
Despite its proximity to the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road, there was barely any noise that came into Coliwoo Orchard. However, that might be because our studio was facing away from Cairnhill Road.
Compared to the other co-living spaces offered around the Orchard area, such as Figment and Habyt, Coliwoo has some of the biggest, and also the most, apartments on offer.
Price: From $133/night or $3,700/month
A common assumption of co-living spaces is that they’re not the most affordable, and Coliwoo does not prove otherwise. However, what sets them apart from other co-living providers is that a minimum length of stay at Coliwoo is only 6 nights, which makes it perfect for shorter sojourns of 2-3 weeks.
Image adapted from: Coliwoo
Stays at Coliwoo Orchard start from $133/night for a 96sqft Master Studio and $400/night for a larger 398sqft Grand Studio. Prices are discounted for monthly bookings, where the same Master Studio would cost $3,700/month and the Grand Studio would cost $5,800/month.
Who should consider staying at Coliwoo Orchard
Image credit: Coliwoo
During our short stay, we saw a whole diaspora of residents at Coliwoo, including international students, expats, and even HDB flat owners whose homes were undergoing the Home Improvement Programme (HIP).
Bearing in mind the price and minimum stay required by Coliwoo, these serviced apartments might also be suitable for those visiting Singapore for longer than a week and don’t want to shell out too much money for a swanky hotel.
Coliwoo Orchard review
Image credit: Coliwoo
With Coliwoo Orchard’s all-inclusive stay packages, you can get a taste of what it’s like to be able to wake up and walk to P.S. Cafe at Paragon for brunch in just 5 minutes. Sure, it’s not the most affordable, but you’re paying to live in a premium location and be housed in a relatively new apartment with all the bells and whistles.
We were also impressed that Coliwoo Orchard’s management is constantly taking measures to upkeep the property’s facade. During our stay, we found out that they were repainting some of the rooms, despite the property being less than 2 years old. Compared to some ageing hotels that charge an arm and a leg for a dilapidated room, this was most welcome.
Also, you can get $800 off per month when you book and stay at Coliwoo Orchard by 31st December 2024. If the shopping district is not up your alley, you can also check out the newly-opened Coliwoo River Valley and get $550 off per month when you book and stay by 30th September 2024. Terms and conditions apply for both deals.
Coliwoo Orchard
Address: 2 Mount Elizabeth Link, Singapore 227973
Contact: +65 9790 8585 | Coliwoo Orchard website
Read other related articles:
- 5 co-living studios you can rent from as low as $1.4K/month
- You can rent co-living spaces at lyf Farrer Park from $120/night
- Would you pay $3K to rent a room in an Orchard or Joo Chiat shophouse?
Cover image credit: Coliwoo
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