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Renovating your home or looking for a place to rent? We visited coliving properties at Coliwoo around Singapore to review their rooms, amenities, and accessibility:
The heat has taken a toll on my family and I. We made the decision to replace all of the aircon units and the leaking aircon trunking after 8 years of use (combined years from the previous owners) in our house. Hence, we were looking for an alternative place to stay during the rather major renovation process.
Coliwoo Orchard Review
Some hotels and serviced apartments do offer renovation packages, and we decided to use Coliwoo co-living to stay, since we did not want to put our baby to go through the drilling, noise, and dust.
Coliwoo Orchard is located at 2 Mount Elizabeth Link, and the co-living property opened doors in 2023.
As one of the newest properties and the second largest Coliwoo property standing at 22 storeys, there are 135 multi-key units with 411 keys in total. This shared-accommodation facility, Coliwoo Orchard, was launched in early 2023 and was converted from the former Frasers Residence building.
The nearest shopping centre, Paragon is just a 3-minute walk away. We have sufficient food options since Coliwoo Orchard is nicely situated in the middle of Somerset and Orchard. It takes about 10 minutes to reach Orchard MRT, and 13 minutes to get to Somerset MRT if you walk. There are a myriad of bus options available that take you to different parts of Singapore in under 8 minutes.
Coliwoo Orchard Prices
Prices from $3,000 - $3,500 per month
Our family of 3 stayed in the Premier Studio room at Coliwoo Orchard for 3 days and 2 nights. Do note that the minimum stay period is at 6 days, with the charges prorated based on a $3,000 to $3,500 monthly rate across all room types from 200 to 450 sq ft. Note that there are additional fees for administration, utility, and deposit.
Read More: Affinity at Serangoon Review: From $2,250 per month by Habyt (previously Hmlet)
Coliwoo Orchard Check-In
Accessible location but with steep slopes
I arrived at Coliwoo Orchard via a Grab before my family to do some remote work first. My family also took the Grab, because it is tough to manage carrying a baby and pushing the luggage, while navigating steps and steep slopes.
At the reception, you will sign the necessary paperwork to provide your contact details, as well as a list of items for the handover. Along with the forms, you will also receive the inventory list with the cost of each item that will be required when an item is missing or damaged.
Check-in after working hours
If you are checking in beyond working hours for the reception, then you will experience the contactless check in process where the keycard will be available via the locker.
A digital copy of the tenant handbook will be emailed to you. In the handbook, there is general information and house rules which includes no pasting of items on the wall. Helpful step-by-step user manuals on how to operate electrical appliances can also be found in the handbook too.
Coliwoo Orchard Parking Rates
Basement Carpark ($150 per month)
If you drive, you will be pleased to know that the parking rates are reasonable, considering how it is a prime location in the heart of Orchard. For weekends and PH, the parking rate for cars or vans is at $3 per entry for 7am to 7am on the next day. If you would like to get season parking, it is at $150 per month.
Coliwoo Orchard Studio Review
Our family of 3 stayed in the Premier Studio room of 250 sq ft at Coliwoo Orchard for 3 days and 2 nights for this review, minimum stay period is at 6 days.
As I was trying to find out more information on the rooms on the Coliwoo website, I noticed that the rooms are mainly for singles or couples. Hence, I was concerned about having a baby with us.
Upon sharing my concerns, I was assured the Coliwoo Orchard team was able to provide a baby cot in the room for us. I checked and confirmed that requesting a baby cot comes at no extra cost. Thanks to the thoughtful ops team, the attached baby cot came with a bedding set - a baby pillow, 2 bolsters, and a baby blanket.
Compact Kitchenette
The kitchenette is readily equipped with a hood and 2-zone induction hob, microwave, bar fridge, kettle, utensils, dinnerware, and even cookware.
The sink on the side is shared by both kitchen and toilet. It is a little inconvenient, to be honest. And I also wished there were wall hooks around, so I could hang a hand towel, or perhaps a cup holder for our toothbrushes.
Right next to the mini fridge, there's a hidden compact washer-dryer with around 2 kg wash capacity. There is also a fire blanket for emergency use. Bedroom slippers are provided too.
Coliwoo Orchard En-suite Toilet: Weak water pressure
Having an en-suite bathroom is important for convenience, more so since we had our baby around. There were 3 sets of towels with bath and face towels, and sample-sized 2-in-1 hair and body shower gel - may not be sufficient.
The absence of wall hooks also meant we were draping all our clothes and wet towels over the studio's chairs and baby cot.
The water pressure situation was not the most best. It took 2 flushes for the toilet to be cleared, and the water did not spray out evenly from the shower head (see picture above). Benefit of doubt - maybe the weak water pressure was just in the room that I was staying in?
Full-Height Wardrobe
In the wardrobe with built-in LED, you will find the safe, as well as some clothes hanger and storage drawers. The spacious wardrobe fitted all our clothes and bags in, keeping the rest of the room pretty neat and tidy.
Coliwoo Orchard Wi-Fi
The floating desk in the room comes with 2 chairs, and sits 2 pax comfortably. There are sufficient electrical and USB charging ports available, which I used for my remote WFH (Work from Home) set up. However, the Wi-Fi was only working about 70% of the time - with some weak connection and even random disconnection happening from time to time.
Quiet night's rest
One of the house rules in the tenant handbook is to keep the volume down between 10pm to 7am daily. We do not have a neighbour staying with us in the next door unit (this was a joint 2-bedroom apartment concept), and we were able to have undisturbed rest throughout the night.
However, the height of the bed is pretty high to accommodate the under-bed luggage storage. Be careful when climbing out of bed at night to avoid bumping into the sharp corners of the floating desk that's positioned right in front of the bed.
If you're big on chilling on the bed, know that the bed does not come with a headboard so you can't exactly lounge around. However, even though the bed was flushed against the window, there was minimal traffic noise.
Coliwoo Orchard Weekly Housekeeping
There is a weekly housekeeping schedule. Every level is assigned to a cleaning day of the week. Housekeeping service will clean your floor only.
Your bed linens, towels, and consumables will not be changed or replenished. A co-living room is unlike a hotel room, but something like a serviced apartment that you will have to clean and treat as your home.
Coliwoo Mobile App: Digital concierge, make payments
When you are an active Coliwoo member, you will get access to the Coliwoo app. The app is something like the traditional hotel phones where you get the digital concierge feature to request for room maintenance, or even to borrow a hairdryer.
I did not have access to the app since I was there on a short stay, but I can imagine that it will be very convenient to communicate with the reception digitally, instead of heading down physically whenever there is a need.
As a one-stop service app, Coliwoo members are also able to make monthly payments and receive invoice notifications on the go. Essential functions aside, the Coliwoo app also gives its members access to redeem exclusive deals and join events. Coliwoo members are also able to chat and post freely on the app to share any interesting story.
Coliwoo Orchard Gym
Gym and lounge are accessible 24/7. The equipment in the gym looks clean and well-maintained, the best part? You do not have to book the gym, as it is on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Coliwoo Orchard Lounge
As for the communal lounge, it was mostly used by residents as a spot for working, according to my observation while I was there. The TV and sofa set are great if you want to just chill in the living room area.
Right by the door, you will find a pantry, equipped with a sink, coffee machine, water dispenser, microwave, and even a wine chiller. Do take note that there are no cups available and you will have to bring along your own from the room.
Coliwoo Swimming Pool and BBQ Pits
Our baby loved having the children's swimming pool all by himself. There were others at the regular swimming pool, and there was also a jacuzzi running and available for residents' use.
At the rest of the outdoor communal areas, you can also find the BBQ pit that you can book, along with some other outdoor seats and even a swing.
Coliwoo Orchard Laundromat
When you need to wash your bedding linens and clothes all at once, there are large-capacity washer and dryer machines located at the basement area - each cycle is priced at $5 (cheaper than my HDB estate's laundromat which charges $7 per cycle).
In the basement, there are also 4 food and drinks vending machines that offer ready-cooked meal, snack, and beverages round the clock.
Coliwoo Orchard Room Service
We experienced some issues with our room fridge, and we got someone at the door to replace the fridge almost instantly. The staff were friendly and prompt to attend to any query or request that I had.
During my short stay, I observed that there is regular cleaning of the property by the staff. This probably explains how the communal spaces are always in a good to use state.
One night, we arrived back quite late past 11pm and the security guard on duty greeted us with a smile. It is a small touch of hospitality that really makes a difference in uplifting us after our long night out with our baby.
Coliwoo Orchard Review
The baby cot provided in the room meant a lot to us, since it was a safe space to have our baby while we worked or prepared milk or had to run errands, or pop by the bathroom.
The chic and stylish coliving room was a cross between a boutique hotel and budget hotel. It was also convenient that the room was equipped with a digital lock - except that room cards do not activate the lights and air conditioning. We had to turn off all the switches manually each time before leaving the unit, as it is part of the tenant rules too.
If you have ever stayed at an Airbnb or serviced apartment unit, then the experience of staying at a co-living space like Coliwoo is exactly what it is - there is minimal to no housekeeping service provided during the stay.
Any laundry and cleaning has to be done on your own, where you are also expected to buy your own consumables such as laundry detergent, paper rolls, and any other toiletries that you may need. It is ultimately for you to treat the space as your home.
Great for working professionals
The name behind Coliwoo signifies merging both co-living and co-working in one. I worked at a co-working space once, and I enjoyed every bit of my time in the lovely space. During my previous experience at the co-working space, I find myself at the communal co-working spaces, rather than being at my assigned desk, as it feels like working in a cafe for me.
Short commute to work
My partner travelled to the office in less than half the amount of time that it would take him if he was commuting from home.
Long-Term Stay: May not be suitable for children
While the short renovation stay was enjoyable, the small coliving studio may not be suitable for families with children in the long run. However, it will suit working professional couples since the location was central - which means shorter commutes for all.
HDB Home Improvement Programme (HIP) Coliving Space
If your house is undergoing a home improvement program (HIP) or any renovation work, you can still consider co-living spaces, even with children.
This can only work for children that are independent and can sleep on their own. You can opt to rent 2 sub-units to have more space to work and play for both the adults and children. Takeaway food can be consumed as a family in the lounge area before heading back to the rooms to have an undisturbed sleep.
Ironing school uniforms can be done easily since the ironing tools are provided. Just be mindful of the logistics, cleaning, and laundry part, where you have to allocate enough space to store daily necessities and cleaning supplies.
If you are still unsure if co-living is suitable for you and your family, you can always view and experience the space in person first, then try out the minimum 6-day stay before deciding for sure, since Coliwoo has a flexible lease arrangement.
Coliwoo Orchard is located at 2 Mount Elizabeth Link, Singapore 227973. Tel: 9790 8585.
Coliwoo Katong: Hotel Amber (Closed)
A co-living hotel is designed to cater to short-term stays – such as staycations and holidays – but it can also accommodate people who want to stay for longer. So some long-stay rooms have extra facilities, such as a kitchenette. There are also more common spaces in the hotel so long-term residents can get together and chat.
Located just 10 minutes drive to the City Centre, 15 minutes to Changi Airport, and just opposite East Coast Park, Coliwoo Hotel Amber is well positioned for working professionals or families who just want a break by the beach.
So what’s it like to stay in this new hotel? We packed our bags for a three-day two-night staycation at Coliwoo Hotel Amber to check it out.
First impressions and checking in
Upon arriving at the hotel, we were greeted by beautiful vibrant murals painted across the walls. The building itself was also very charming, with many of its architectural designs from the 1950s being preserved. Situated in the middle of Katong – an area with rich Peranakan culture and history – the hotel fits right in.
Checking in was a quick and smooth process. All we had to do was provide one of our ICs to the receptionist for registration. We got an envelope containing our key cards and other information such as the wi-fi log-in, and were shown to our room.
Queen Suite room
The room we were staying in was a Queen Suite. Stepping through the door, we were greeted by a kitchenette fully-stocked with pots and pans, cutlery and utensils, an induction stove, a kettle, and a microwave. The cabinets below contained a fridge and a 2-in-1 washer-dryer. So you can live in this room for longer, if you choose.
If you don’t need a kitchen, take a Deluxe Queen room – it has no kitchenette, and looks like a regular hotel room.
But back to our Queen Suite: Besides the kitchenette, we got a queen-sized bed, a closet, a study desk, a Smart LED TV and blazingly fast free wi-fi. The room was spacious for the two of us, but we would recommend families to take a bigger room. The hotel has rooms with king-sized beds, and also offers additional beds and baby cots if you inform them in advance.
Bathroom
The bathroom was fairly spacious, and the Peranakan-inspired tiles on the floor were a nice touch. Toiletries are also provided.
Cooking in the room
In our room, we also found the ingredients and recipe to make the traditional Peranakan snack, kueh pie tee, which was something that we really appreciated. By the end of the second day of our staycation, we were a little drained from all the running around. Cooking was a fun little activity that we could do without leaving the room, and it makes a delicious late-night snack.
Co-living spaces
The hotel has deliberately been designed with more common spaces to foster a sense of community between long-term residents.
Throughout the hotel, there are common areas for people to sit down and eat, chat, or read together. There’s also a lounge with board games, books, and vending machines. Apart from that, the lounge also has facilities such as bigger washing machines, and a water dispenser.
While these spaces are designed with longer-term residents in mind, everyone is free to use them. We definitely appreciated having them around during our stay there. The vending machines made things more convenient (and the one dispensing hot drinks was free), and the common areas made for nice spaces to relax.
Exploring the Katong area: Peranakan shophouses
One of the best parts of the hotel is its location. It’s situated in such a happening area in Singapore, with so much to do. The colourful Peranakan shophouses – a popular sight on Instagram – is located near the hotel. Parkway Parade and i12 Katong are only about a 10-minute walk away. There are also plenty of alleys lined with beautiful murals that make the area worth exploring.
East Coast Park, with its playgrounds, beach, and water sports facilities, is also close by, which is good news if you are staying with children.
The hotel provided us with a guidebook and a list of recommendations on things to do around the area – we couldn’t check all of them out, but we did tick a few off the list.
Eating out in Katong: No room service
Coliwoo Hotel Amber doesn’t have an in-house restaurant or room service – and that’s because the hotel is surrounded by places to eat. You can go out to eat, order delivery, or use your kitchenette to whip up a meal. We chose to eat out for almost every meal and we were very much spoilt for choice.
From cute cafes to Korean barbeques joints to Italian restaurants to steakhouses, the area around the hotel is filled with dining options. There are also smaller eateries such as the famous Katong laksa. Some of the most popular places to get Nyonya kueh in Singapore are also situated around the area.
Checking out: Drop off key cards
Checking out at the end of the three days was as easy as the check-in process at the start. We just dropped our key cards off at the counter, and then we were on our way.
The three-day staycation afforded us plenty of exciting things to do, with many moments in between to take a break and relax. It was a very enjoyable “getaway” experience that gave us the chance to explore a very special part of Singapore at our own pace. We felt like we’d gone on a holiday in our own city.
Coliwoo Hotel Amber was located at 40-42 Amber Road, Singapore 439878.
*This media stay was kindly offered by Coliwoo in March 2023. Part of this article was from The Singapore Women's Weekly. Article has been updated with formatting.