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Most Singaporeans live in a typical HDB unit with a regular 2.6-metre ceiling height, and a loft-style concept is almost impossible to have in such homes, aside from those that stay in a maisonette or private properties. A handful of my millennial friends, myself included, flocked to Studio M Hotel, when it opened in 2010 to experience firsthand staying in a loft space. Studio M Hotel was the first hotel in Singapore to feature the concept of loft-style rooms, before M Social Hotel opened in 2016 to expand its loft room offerings.
Fast forward to 2024, Coliwoo introduced their new service apartment offerings at 268 River Valley Road with chic loft design units in August 2024. We were thrilled to have a go and experience the stay for ourselves.
Address: 268 River Valley Road
Contact Number: 9790 8585
Price: From $4,000 per month
Vibrant wall mural on Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley Co-Living Apartments 268, 288, 298
If you are as confused as we were initially, Coliwoo River Valley 268 is not the first serviced apartment property that the co-living brand launched, as Coliwoo River Valley 298 was introduced over a year ago in June 2023.
This year, Coliwoo will have 3 properties in the River Valley neighbourhood with a total of 85 keys, including the double expansion of Coliwoo River Valley 268 and Coliwoo River Valley 288 along the same stretch of the River Valley Road, together with Coliwoo River Valley 298. Like the other Coliwoo properties, all three serviced apartment properties in River Valley feature a series of signature building murals illustrating “The Three Graces - Empathy, Wisdom, and Humor”.
Entrance to Coliwoo River Valley 268, with a lift lobby on the side.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Near Fort Canning MRT
Accessibility is not an issue for those who prefer taking public transportation with Coliwoo River Valley 268, as it is conveniently located just a 5-minute walk away from Fort Canning MRT, and it is also well connected with a range of bus options available.
Since the units at Coliwoo River Valley are all located along the stretch of shophouses, it will be tricky for those who drive, and you will have to look for alternative public carpark options within the vicinity. Or you could also get to Coliwoo River Valley via a private hire transport, like what we did as it could be difficult navigating the narrow walkway and steps with luggage and heavy bags. We liked how the Coliwoo River Valley building stands out among the other plain-coloured shophouses with its iconic and vibrant wall murals, making it easy to identify them from a mile away.
Lift Lobby at Coliwoo River Valley 268, with a convenient side entrance to Luna Supermarket.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Contactless Check-in
There is no physical reception area at Coliwoo River Valley 268, so the necessary paperwork will be done virtually with a contactless online check-in process with the Coliwoo app. Keycards will be placed in the designated locker and the instructions will be given.
The contactless check-in process is almost similar to how most Airbnb operates, which is fuss-free with minimal interaction required. When you enter Coliwoo River Valley 268, you will walk straight into the lift lobby, with a door on the side for easy access to the Luna Supermarket, stocked with fresh groceries and produce. As the lift requires card access for security reasons, a thoughtful metal shelf is placed in the lift lobby, specially allocated for food and parcel delivery. The lift serves 4 levels on Coliwoo River Valley 268 with a total of 30 units.
Coliwoo River Valley 268 The Loft Room, featuring the queen bed.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Loft-style Rooms
Every room in Coliwoo River Valley 268 features a New York City-inspired loft interior style with a layout to fully maximise the high ceiling of the building. Like Coliwoo Orchard, Coliwoo River Valley 268 also comes with a similar duo- and trio- key concept at Coliwoo, which works as a great option for friends and family to have their personal spaces but still stay nearby. On the Coliwoo website, you will see that there are 2 room types to choose from. A queen bed is included for The Loft room at 200 sq ft, while the Pocket Loft at 180 sq ft comes with a single bed setup.
Every room in Coliwoo River Valley 268 comes with a dedicated workstation that fits 2.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Workstation for 2
A dedicated workstation is included in all of the rooms in Coliwoo River Valley 268, and you even have a choice between having the workstation on the lower or upper level for The Loft room type.
We were given The Loft room for the purposes of this review and it has a queen bed on the lower level, while the workstation is on the upper level. This setup works for us, as I prefer having easy access to the bathroom at night, without having to walk up and down the stairs in a sleepy state. It was a bit of a squeeze for the 2 of us on the bench at the workstation area, but it was the only desk space we could work with. We were able to place 2 laptops to focus on the work at hand, thanks to the ample sunlight coming from the full-height windows.
Fully equipped kitchenette space with washer-dryer at Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Kitchenette & Ensuite Bathroom
Almost everything we need in a small 200 sq ft The Loft is provided, especially with the fully-equipped kitchenette with the essential cooker hood and hob along with cutleries and utensils, mini fridge, microwave, kettle, and even a washer-dryer machine. There is no door between the kitchenette and the rest of the room, so it may be challenging to cook and keep the smells out.
Thankfully, the ensuite bathroom comes with a door for privacy. It is a compact bathroom with a dark-themed walls, which may feel claustrophobic to some. Similar to the bathroom at Coliwoo Orchard, the wash basin is separated from the closed bathroom, which explains the smaller enclosed bathroom space.
Separate wash basin infront of the wardrobe at Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Room Amenities
The wardrobe is situated right in front of the bed which features a full-length mirror. It also comes with an open and closed-door wardrobe area, with space at the bottom to fit your luggage and bags. Since it is a full-height wardrobe, there are more storage spaces on the upper levels, which will be useful for longer-term stays. A shared clothing iron and ladder is thoughtfully provided at the entrance of the doory.
A smart TV hangs at the side of the queen bed, which can be swiveled out for easy Netflix and chill sessions. On the other side of the queen bed, you can find a row of cubby shelves that fully utilises the staircase space. I like how the layout is efficient, which enables everything to be within easy reach.
Like the other Coliwoo properties, a once-a-week housekeeping service is also included in part of the rental cost, with simple floor cleaning. Changing bed linens, bath towels, and replenishing consumables will not be covered in the service.
Space is fully optimised at Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: The Loft Review
Everything was great on the first day of our stay, as both of us really enjoyed the accessibility that Coliwoo River Valley 268 offers, thanks to the central yet serene location. I could get to the bustling Chinatown in just 10 minutes with public transport, and return to the peaceful River Valley neighbourhood at the end of the night.
The real test of the loft room came when we were navigating around it to do our daily routine - sleep, work, and eat, which ended up being less ideal than what we imagined. Sleeping on a queen bed sounds alright, but in reality, we found that it was rather confining as there were boxed-up carpentry all around. We would also love to have an alternative desk space at the lower level of the loft that we could use for either work or meals, so that the upper workstation area would be less of a squeeze for 2.
In one of the nights past 10pm, our next-door neighbours in our duo-key room turned up the TV volume for quite a bit and it really bothered us, as we were trying to wind down for the night. Dust and mess naturally build up quickly when living in a small space, and I wish we brought along a vacuum cleaner to clean up as we go, so that there is no need to wait for the weekly housekeeping service.
Improvising by eating the dinner on the steps at Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: No Communal Lounge
Coliwoo River Valley 268 does not have a communal lounge area, unlike Coliwoo River Valley 298 or the other Coliwoo properties. It would be perfect if there was an alternative co-working or living/dining room space within Coliwoo River Valley 268, especially for instances where both of us had to take calls, as we realised that it was challenging to be stuck in the 200 sq ft room for the whole day. We checked with the Coliwoo staff and we were advised that it would be a better option to work from a cafe, rather than walking a distance to Coliwoo River Valley 298’s lounge space to work from, and it is also not intended as a shared space for Coliwoo River Valley 268’s guests.
The kitchenette is great for preparing a simple breakfast, but the problem comes when you want to sit down and have the meal, as there is no proper table and chair space to use. We ended up sitting on the stairs of the loft to have our takeaway meals, which we thought was a clever idea since we got the best view of the TV, but it ended up being uncomfortable and not ideal, since the steps are tiny. Alternatively, a foldable table would have come in handy to make full use of the bed space.
Top view of The Loft room at Coliwoo River Valley 268.
Coliwoo River Valley 268: Rental from $4,000 a month
Like the other Coliwoo properties, there is a minimum stay of 6 nights with the monthly rates starting from $4,000 for a Pocket Loft room with a single bed at Coliwoo River Valley 268. The loft room costs $4,200 a month in rental. The monthly rental is on the higher side, when compared to Coliwoo River Valley 298 which starts from $2,900 for the Standard Studio room with a queen bed.
Families with younger children may also want to look at renting Coliwoo River Valley 288 or 298 instead, as the limited space with loft stairs design might pose potential fall accidents for the little ones. Coliwoo River Valley 268 is best suited for students or working professionals who require a daily commute using public transport to get to the school or office, as well as for those who would enjoy having a huge window for the occasional work-from-home scenario. Those who do not mind having a smaller window space, but prefer the option of having an additional lounge space for regular remote work needs, should consider Coliwoo River Valley 298 instead. Alternatively, you can also wait for Coliwoo River Valley 288 to be open and ready for rental, which features a modern monochromatic interior design.