Get transported back in time when stepping into The Vagabond Club. The opulent property, set in Art Deco shophouses in Jalan Besar, offers a unique Parisian boutique hotel experience. What used to be an illegal dormitory and brothel in the yesteryears has since been transformed, under the hands of celebrated French designer Jacques Garcia, into the splendid location today that oozes old-world charm and sultry glamour.
The place is decked out to impress; the renowned architect imbued within the walls of the hotel a touch of opulence: shiny, bold rhinoceros double up as reception desk, and stunning banyan trees (which collectively took some 100 craftsmen to construct and complete) branch out from the shophouse pillar and adorn the ceiling.
Even the rooms, there are 41 of them, come drenched in luxury. The layout differs slightly between rooms and suites, but almost all come with bold wallpaper, stunning artworks, plush velvet seats, goose-down feather bed, and mahogany furniture. In-room facilities, thankfully, remain modern and up-to-date, and features a Nespresso coffee machine, minibar, and a Smart television that comes loaded with films curated by Jacques himself.
Equally impressive is the hotel’s bar – The Whiskey Library. It plays home to some 1,000 bottles of fine dram, ranging from top-dollar varieties to award-winning ones, where you can sip, savour, and unwind with silky jazz tunes. Feeling peckish? Drop by Yellow Pot, an innovative Chinese restaurant previously located within the now-closed Six Senses.