Singapore has always reinvented itself, but in doing so, it has also erased parts of its past. Across the island stood a generation of hotels from the 1960s and ’70s – modern for their time, full of character, and central to social life. From the hilltop Ladyhill Hotel to the international style of ANA Hotel Singapore, these places hosted weddings, business meetings, and everyday moments. Over the years, these hotels were torn down in the name of progress, which in Singapore parlance means building high-rise condominiums.
Here are 10 of Singapore’s notable lost hotels:
Ladyhill Hotel (1 Lady Hill Road in Tanglin)
Address: 1 Lady Hill Road, Tanglin | Completed: 1968
Ladyhill Hotel was owned by the Goodwood Group, which was owned by prominent banker and hotelier named Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat (you may have heard of a hospital named after him). The luxurious international-style hotel featured rooms with teak wall panelling, American-made curtains, lamps made in Hong Kong, and bedspreads made in Thailand. It was refurbished in 1980 and by the late 1990s when it became “tired and drab”, it was put up for sale. The hotel was eventually sold for $63.5 million, and by 1999 it was demolished to make way for a condominium called The Lady Hill (2002).
Boulevard Hotel
Address: 28 Cuscaden Road | Completed: 1968
Established in 1968 as the Cuscaden House Hotel, it changed hands – and was renamed – a few times. It closed down in 1974 before being acquired by Hotel Malaysia Limited (a subsidiary of the Goodwood Group), who reopened it as the Hotel Malaysia in 1976. In 1983, the hotel received an extension that featured an interior designed by Israeli designer Dora Gad, who produced over 500 aluminium artworks, including the tallest cast aluminium sculpture in Singapore.
The extension shifted the main entrance to Orchard Boulevard – that was when it was renamed the Boulevard until it closed down in 2000. The building was demolished to make way for a condominium called Cuscaden Residences (2002).
Sloane Court Hotel
Address: 17 Balmoral Road | Completed: 1962
The hotel was initially established as a 26-room boarding house in 1962, catering to British soldiers stationed in Singapore. When the British military left Singapore by 1971, the hotel began targeting Japanese engineers and industrialists, then Thai and Indonesian businessman. By the late 1970s, the hotel had a facelift and became known as Sloane Court Hotel. As far as hotels go, it’s pretty small.
The newly renovated building featured a Tudor-style façade, and by the late 1980s, the Tudor-style theme went into the hotel’s interior as well, featuring lace curtains, framed tapestries of the English countryside, and a mock fireplace. The hotel also housed the Berkely, a medieval-themed restaurant and pub. The hotel was sold in August 2017, and was demolished the following year to make way for Sloane Residences (2022).
Garden Hotel
Address: 12 Balmoral Road | Completed: 1971
Situated just opposite of Sloane Court Hotel, Garden Hotel was a prominent establishment known for its tranquil garden courtyard setting. It was sold to the Chua family (owners of the Cycle and Carriage automobile trading company) for $36 million in 1981. In the mid 1980s, the hotel’s management decided to discourage Singaporeans from checking in after it was discovered that many local guests were guilty of stealing hotel amenities, gambling or conducting illicit affairs on its premises.
In 1999, the hotel was sold to City Developments Ltd (CDL) but the hotel remained in operation until 2009 before it was demolished to make way for the luxury condominium Volari at Balmoral (2012).
Lion City Hotel
Address: 15 Tanjong Katong Road | Completed: 1968
Located at near the junctions of Haig and Geylang Roads, it was officially opened by the late Dr. Goh Keng Swee, the then Minister for Finance. It housed the People’s Emporium (a popular department store) and Hollywood Theatre, and was popular with Southeast Asian tourists right up to the 1990s. It also served as a popular hub near the former Paya Lebar Airport until it was closed down in 2011. It was then demolished to make way for KINEX shopping mall (formerly OneKM) in 2014.
Cairnhill Hotel
Address: Cairnhill Close | Completed: 1979
The hotel began in the late 1960s as Regency Hotel, which was converted from a block of luxury flats. However, the construction of the hotel was incomplete due to financial issues, and remained so for the next decade. In 1979 a Malaysian property develope acquired it and finished constructing the hotel, naming it Cairnhill Hotel. The newly-completed hotel was 11 storeys tall, and over time, it became famous for its Coffee Garden and buffets.
Cairnhill Hotel was taken over by Wing Tai Holdings in 1996 for another three years before it was closed for good. The building was then demolished to make way for a condominium named The Light @ Cairnhill (2004).
Hotel Equatorial
Address: Junction of Stevens and Bukit Timah Road | Completed: 1969
Hotel Equatorial was a luxurious 5-star hotel in its heyday. The highlight of the property was its numerous food and beverage outlets, which served Chinese, Japanese, French, Swiss, American, and continental cuisine. Their Club Crescendo lounge was known for its signature ‘Pussyfoot’ cocktail.
It closed down in 1998, having been acquired by City Development Limited to be redeveloped into a condominium known as The Equatorial (2002).
ANA Hotel Singapore
Address: 16 Nassim Hill | Completed: 1979
It was originally developed as the 465-room Tanglin Hotel, and then Connaught Hotel by a sister company of the Goodwood Group. However, due to funding issues, the half-completed property was eventually sold to All Nippon Airways for $59 million in 1977 who agreed to run the hotel as part of the international Sheraton hotel franchise.
The property was renamed ANA Hotel in 1990 following the termination of the franchise agreement with Sheraton, and it became known for its Japanese restaurant Unaki, the Cafe-in-the-Park coffee house, and the Europa Ridley’s nightclub. By 2004, it was sold to CapitaLand and demolished for redevelopment into the luxury condominium, The Nassim (2015).
Hotel Phoenix Singapore
Address: 277 Orchard Road | Completed: 1972
Officially opened in 1972 , it was part of Specialists’ Shopping Centre along Orchard Road and was known as a “superior 4-star hotel” owned by the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC). The hotel was unique among hotels in that it offers an Intelligent Keycard which allows prepaid access to the bus and MRT system (equivalent to the EZ-Link card).
The hotel and shopping centre were demolished in 2007 to make way for new, modern commercial developments as part of the ongoing urban renewal of the Orchard Road area. Today, it’s the site of Orchard Gateway (2014).
Omni Marco Polo Hotel
Address: Junction of Tanglin and Grange Roads | Completed: 1968
Omni Marco Polo Hotel, or Marco Polo Hotel, was one of Singapore’s famous hotels with a rooftop restaurant. Originally known as Hotel Malaysia, the hotel’s interiors were adorned with jade, green onyx, marble, and teak. Lobby lounge girls dressed in cheongsams added to the hotel’s exotic look.
In the 1980s, the hotel was consecutively voted as one of the top 10 business hotels in the world by Business Traveller. It was the accommodation of choice for many famous personalities during their visits to Singapore, including Sir Cliff Richard, Roger Moore, and former British Prime Minister Edward Heath. The hotel changed hands in 1989, and due to bad business, it was forced to close down (and demolished) in 1999. In its place was a luxury condominium called The Grange Residences (2004).
