A chic city retreat for stylish urbanites, boutique Naumi Hotel gets you up close and personal to the Singapore action.
In this super central district of city-slickers and business babes, you’ll find your hustle, bustle, food and culture with a side of sexy design courtesy of Naumi. Artsy and playful it certainly is, but for femmes who like their luxury served up with a good dose of personality, lower your expectations now. While there’s lots to love about Naumi, service sadly doesn’t make the list.
The Neighbourhood
As far as location goes, Naumi has a pretty sweet spot. You could easily explore the happening neighbourhood within a day, and still fit in some retail therapy at nearby Raffles City Mall. Dedicate the rest of your stay to munching your way through the hundreds of local eateries, all within walking distance. Without exaggerating, there are probably more restaurants in a square mile than residents, and all will deliver full flavour. Feeling thirsty and fabulous? Cross the street for a reviving cocktail at the iconic Raffles hotel, birthplace of the Singapore Sling.
When you’re ready to expand your horizons beyond the Central Business District, hop on the MRT at nearby City Hall and head to Marina Bay Sands or the likes. At Naumi, you’ll only ever be just a stone’s throw from almost anywhere you could possibly want to visit.
The Design
Clean lines and neutrals are the canvas upon which Naumi expresses its artistic side. High-end furniture from the likes of B&B Italia and Artemide keep things chic and sexy, while specially commissioned installations like the lobby-dwelling hippos add a splash of spirit. From street level, Naumi brings some Southeast Asia rainforest vibes to the concrete jungle, its metal façade suitably alive with vines and creepers.
The Rooms
As far as the rooms go, all 73 of them are sleek and contemporary – if a little rough around the edges – with stylish suites for femmes who require no frills, right the way through to crash pads for design divas. Design-inspired rooms include two spacious Coco Chanel style suites (read: monochrome and mint palates featuring giant camellias) and two Andy Warhol-esque rooms, winners of the “Best Interior Design for Suite” award at the inaugural Asia Hotel Awards back in 2015.
Coco Chanel room
Warhol room
Interiors aside, Naumi’s in-room experience is nicely designed too. Essential oil diffusers allow you to set your chosen mood while complimentary minibars help you to satisfy any midnight munchies – not that’ll you’ll ever feel peckish in Asia’s food capital. Rooms are teched up too with smart glass ensuring bathroom privacy and Apple TV to keep up with what’s going on in the world. In the bathroom, we are big fans of the SOAK superfood-infused hair and skincare products but far less enthusiastic about the mirror situation. Petite femmes, prepare to crane your necks when you’re applying make-up – the vanity mirrors are high up, randomly angled and poorly lit. We didn’t find a full length mirror in the Coco Chanel suite either – bizarre. Some designers apparently don’t try living in their rooms.
The Experience
We wish we could tell you about all the incredible experiences that await you at Naumi – sadly we cannot. A pretty face is Naumi, but below the surface there’s not a lot of substance. One thing we will give the hotel credit for though: their Cloud 9 Infinity Pool. You’d do well to swap the touristy scene at the iconic Marina Bay Sands (don’t be fooled by Instagram – the pool is always packed with kids) for the more insider infinity pool crowd at Naumi. The city views are pretty spectacular from here, our only complaint is that you’ll have to enjoy them from the waters. Naumi’s sun loungers just aren’t designed with practicality in mind. You can forget poolside cocktails too – there’s limited bar service during the day, apparently in an attempt to make guests feel “at home”. We personally like to feel like we’re at a luxury hotel, but you can make your own mind up on that one.
The Verdict
Naumi could be a great urban resort experience. We say stay for the fantastic location, for the stylish infinity pool and for the chic rooms, but go out for food, breakfast included. Keep your hospitality expectations where they should be for Singapore (service is mediocre at best nationwide) and you’ll be fine. Worth the money? Yes. But if you’re after a little added glamour, we suggest looking to the Raffles over the road.
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