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6 Nights at Novotel Living Singapore Orchard: What It’s Like to Live, Not Just Stay, in Singapore
Orchard Road isn’t where you expect to find a slow stay. It’s built for movement. Malls stacked beside malls, traffic that never quite stops, people carrying shopping bags toward the next air-conditioned doorway. Everyone here seems to be on their way somewhere else.
Novotel Living Singapore Orchard is a serviced apartment stay near Orchard Road, designed for longer visits with spacious apartments, fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, and a minimum stay of six consecutive nights. For travellers who want a calmer, more home-like base in Singapore—especially couples and families who value space and convenience over a standard hotel setup—it offers a different way to be in this part of the city.
The property requires a minimum stay of six consecutive nights. At first, that felt like a rule. By the end, it felt like the whole point.
Six nights changes the question. You stop asking what you can see before checkout. You start asking what it feels like to live here for a while.
The Apartment: Is Novotel Living More Comfortable Than a Hotel Room?
Novotel Living Singapore Orchard offers an Executive Studio and a one-bedroom apartment, both 35 square meters. Larger groups can book the two-bedroom at 85 square meters or the three-bedroom at 125 square meters.The 170-square-metre Penthouse accommodates up to six guests.
For couples, I’d suggest the one-bedroom. The separate living space is what makes the stay feel residential. For families, you can choose the two-bedroom when you want extra bathrooms and dining space. It better suits different travel needs, with real room to spread out.
The bed was firm, which suited me. If you prefer something softer, it may take a night or two to adjust. The apartment was clean throughout, and housekeeping was thorough without being intrusive.
The air conditioning took some fiddling. I adjusted it more than once before finding a comfortable setting, and a few other guests have mentioned the same thing. My nights were quiet, though some reviews mention corridor or lift noise. Light sleepers should ask for a unit away from the lifts.
One more practical note: some apartment layouts require a few stairs after you leave the lift. If you’re traveling with a stroller or have limited mobility, confirm your unit before arrival.
Day 1: Checking Into a More Residential Side of Singapore Orchard
The taxi turned off the main road and climbed Claymore Hill, a short, leafy slope tucked behind the busiest stretch of Orchard. The noise thinned almost immediately. Trees, a quiet driveway, a building that looked more like a residence than a hotel.
That’s roughly what it is. Novotel Living has 85 apartments spread across 25 floors, and the scale feels deliberate. There’s no grand lobby trying to impress you, just a front desk and someone ready to help.
Check-in opened at 3 PM and took only a few minutes. The staff member showed me how the washer-dryer worked before she mentioned the Wi-Fi password. It was a small thing, but it told me what kind of stay this would be.
I’d booked a one-bedroom apartment of 35 square meters. A compact kitchen sat near the door, then a living area, then a separate bedroom behind it. That separation mattered more than the size. You could sit somewhere that wasn’t the edge of a bed.
I did something I rarely do in hotels: I unpacked completely. Shirts went on hangers and socks went in drawers. The suitcase disappeared into a cupboard, and I didn’t see it again for six days.
By late afternoon, I went down to the pool. Then I took a slow first walk toward Orchard Road as the lights came on.
For families or couples settling in for a week, few Orchard hotels offer this much living room. If you’re still comparing different styles of stay, read more here.
Day 2: What It Feels Like to Actually Live in Singapore
The night before, I’d bought bread, eggs, fruit, and coffee from a supermarket a short walk away. So the morning began in the kitchen, not a breakfast queue.
There’s an induction hob, a fridge and freezer, a microwave, pots, pans, plates, and a coffee maker. I fried two eggs and ate by the window in a T-shirt. Nobody brought me anything, and I didn’t need them to.
Then I walked down the hill into Orchard. I didn’t shop much. I browsed, stepped into side streets, and had a cheap lunch at the food options around Shaw Centre. In the evening, I went back out for dinner.
You don’t have to leave at 8 AM and stay outside until bedtime just because you’re visiting Singapore. It took me a full day here to really believe that.
Day 3: Finding a Singapore Routine
No alarm. Coffee first. Breakfast second.
Then I walked toward the Singapore Botanic Gardens with no particular plan once I got there. I found a bench near the water and watched joggers, families, and a heron that didn’t move for twenty minutes. Neither did I.
I was back at the apartment by early afternoon. I read, made tea, and spent a little time simply being there.
Can a serviced apartment change the way you move through a city? By the third day, I’d stopped thinking of my days as outings from a hotel. They felt like errands and walks that began and ended at home.
Day 4: Exploring Beyond Orchard Without Rushing
On day four, I left the neighborhood, but only for one place.
I chose Tiong Bahru. I had kopi at a coffee shop, wandered past the curved Art Deco flats, and spent a slow hour around the market. Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Gelam all stayed on the map, untouched.
That felt strangely freeing. Six nights gives you permission to leave some of Singapore unexplored.
Back at Novotel Living, I cooked rice in the apartment’s rice cooker and threw together a simple stir-fry with vegetables from the supermarket. It wasn’t a remarkable meal, but it felt like mine.
Day 5: The Day You Don't Need a Plan
This was the slowest day of the trip, and probably the best.
I slept in and made breakfast. More laundry went into the machine, and I sat with a book. In the afternoon, I took a spot under one of the poolside cabanas, where it was easy to relax and let the city wait.
Later, I walked back to a small café I’d found on day two. The person behind the counter recognized me, which happens surprisingly fast when you stay put.
This is where the apartment’s biggest advantage becomes obvious. You don’t have to constantly be somewhere.
Day 6: The Luxury of Having Time
On the last full day, I revisited instead of discovering. I took one more walk through the Botanic Gardens and spent a slow afternoon along Orchard Road. Lunch had no time limit.
That evening, I asked myself the question this kind of stay invites. Not “Was the hotel nice?” but “Could I actually live here for a week?”
I realized I already had.
Day 7: Leaving a Place That Started to Feel Like Home
Checkout is 11 AM, a little earlier than many Singapore hotels, so I woke without an alarm and gave myself time.
I made one final breakfast, rinsed the plates, and took a last loop down Claymore Hill and back. I packed the suitcase I’d forgotten about.
Did it feel like somewhere I’d stayed, or somewhere I’d temporarily lived? The fact that I washed the coffee cups before leaving probably answers that.
Swimming Pool, Gym and Other Facilities at Novotel Living Singapore Orchard
The outdoor swimming pool is full-sized, with poolside cabanas and a water slide that families clearly enjoy. These are part of the property’s wider amenities. For me, it became the afternoon pause, the place I went when the heat outside asked me to stop.
The gym is open 24 hours. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. It was affected by renovation work during 2026, and one lift was out of service for upgrades scheduled to finish on October 7, 2026. Recent guests mentioned longer lift waits during that period. If you’re booking around renovation dates, it’s worth checking that everything is fully running.
Breakfast is served at the Clubhouse from 7 to 10 AM. It costs extra and isn’t included in the room rate. It’s basic but convenient. With a kitchen upstairs and Orchard below, I only went once. Barbecue facilities are also available for guests gathering with family or friends.
Living in Singapore Orchard: The Location and Orchard Road
Novotel Living Singapore Orchard sits just off Orchard Road on Claymore Hill, and Orchard MRT is about 750 metres, or roughly a 10-minute walk away with Orchard Road shopping and restaurants just steps from the property. ION Orchard is a seven-minute walk away. The walk down is easy. The walk back up Claymore Hill, in the afternoon heat with groceries, is a different matter. Factor that in if you’re carrying shopping or have mobility concerns.
That hill is also the reason the property feels quiet. Located just off the main strip, you’re close to Orchard Road, Shaw Centre, supermarkets, and food courts, yet you sleep on a calm residential street. It’s a balance most hotels on the main strip can’t offer.
Complimentary on-site self-parking is available, but terms vary across booking sites, so confirm details directly with the hotel.
The Service
Staff scores 9.6 out of 10, and that matched my experience perfectly. Every request I had was handled quickly and with genuine warmth. The front desk team seemed accustomed to guests who stay for longer periods, and they treated me less like a transient visitor and more like a neighbor settling in. This made the stay feel more personal and welcoming, adding to the overall comfort of living in the apartment rather than just staying in a hotel.
What Could Be Better
The breakfast is functional rather than memorable. Air-conditioning control can be finicky. Some layouts aren’t stroller-friendly, and the uphill return isn’t for everyone, so the property may not suit all children equally because some units include stairs and stroller access can be awkward. Noise complaints exist, though they aren’t the majority view. And the six-night minimum simply rules the property out for short visits, so check the booking page carefully for stay rules and room-specific details.
If you need to confirm accessibility, family, or layout concerns before booking, contact the hotel directly.
Is Novotel Living Singapore Worth Six Nights?
I rated it highly. I gave it an 8.7 out of 10 with a 9.6 for location and 9.4 for comfort. Cleanliness also stood out to me, scoring a solid 9.0 out of 10. Value felt a bit lower, at 8.2, and that felt honest based on my experience.
A Place to Settle Into Singapore
Novotel Living Orchard isn’t luxurious in the traditional sense. Its gift is domestic comfort. There’s a kitchen so you don’t have to eat out, a washing machine so you can pack less, and a living room so you can actually sit down. The pool gives you somewhere to pause.The property also highlights sustainability measures as part of its operations.
It reminded me of something I first understood in Japan, where a stay can teach you to stop counting sights and notice small rituals: https://unrushedstays.com/what-is-a-ryokan-hotel-japanese-stay-that-teaches-you-to-slow-down/
A short hotel stay helps you visit Singapore. Six nights here gave me enough time to settle into it.
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