View source for Copthorne Orchid Hotel

{{Short description|Hotel in Singapore}}
[[File:Copthorne Orchid Hotel, Singapore - 20060905.jpg|thumb|The hotel in 2006]]
'''Copthorne Orchid Hotel''' was a hotel at the corner of [[Dunearn Road]] and Dunkirk Avenue in Singapore. Opened as the '''Orchid Inn''' in 1970, it was renamed the '''Novotel Orchid Inn''' in 1972. In 1998, it was renamed the Copthorne Orchid Hotel when the hotel's owners, [[City Developments Limited]], acquired the [[Millennium & Copthorne Hotels|Copthorne]] chain of hotels. It was demolished in April 2011 to make way for a condominium.
==History==
The Orchid Inn was officially opened in July 1970, catering to expatriates working in Singapore.<ref name = "Roots">{{cite web |url= https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1146389|title= The Novotel Orchid Inn at Dunearn Road|author= <!--not stated-->|date= |website= Roots|publisher= [[National Heritage Board (Singapore)|National Heritage Board]]|access-date= 12 May 2024|quote=}}</ref> It housed the Vanda Bar,<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 5 September 1970|title= The background music makers in classy new bars|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19700905-1.2.57|work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> as well as the Topps Lounge, where prominent local singers such as [[Huang Qing Yuan]] and [[Wang Li (singer)|Wang Li]] performed.<ref name = "BT">{{cite news |last= Rashiwala|first= Kalpana|date= 5 October 2010|title= Hold-up keeps hotel from checking-in to history|url= |work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref> By October, there were plans for a $1.5 million expansion, which would introduce a tropical garden theme as well as two restaurants, with one serving Japanese cuisine and the other serving Malay cuisine.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 5 October 1970|title= PROPERTY|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19701005-1.2.63.4|work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> 150 [[Solar panel|solar panels]] were installed on the hotel's roof in 1980, making it the first hotel in Singapore to be solar-powered.<ref name = "New Nation">{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 21 October 1982|title= Solar power for Orchid Inn|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newnation19821021-1.2.10.3|work= New Nation|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> On 1 August 1982, it was renamed the Novotel Orchid Inn following the signing of a contract between French hotel chain [[Novotel]] and the hotel's owners City Developments Limited. In the same year, it underwent an expansion which added 158 more guest rooms, which brought the total number of guest rooms in the hotel to 479.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 4 September 1982|title= TIMES BUSINESS|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19820904-1.2.15.4|work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> In November, an additional 192 solar panels were installed on the hotel's roof, which made it one of the hotels with the largest solar power system in Southeast Asia. By then, the only other hotel in Singapore to have installed a solar power system was the [[Copthorne King's Hotel|King's Hotel]], which was also owned by City Developments Limited.<ref name = "New Nation"/> The hotel reportedly saved $10,000 a month through using solar panels to provide electricity instead of a boiler.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 17 March 1983|title= Sun saves hotel $10,000 a month|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19830317-1.2.34|work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> An extension which added 155 guest rooms and three function rooms was completed in 1984.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 5 April 1984|title= Novotel extension to be ready in June|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19840405-1.2.45|work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> In March of the same year, the hotel signed a collective agreement with the [[Food, Drinks & Allied Workers Union]].<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 20 March 1984|title= Novotel Orchid Inn signs collective agreement with union|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19840320-1.2.12.12|work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> In August, the Austrian restaurant Winnerwald, which was housed in the hotel's old wing, was replaced by Le Pescadou, a French seafood restaurant.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 23 August 1984|title= Wienerwald out, Le Pescadou in|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19840823-1.2.10.10|work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> The latter establishment received a positive review from Margaret Chan of ''[[The Straits Times]]'' in February 1986.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 16 February 1986|title= French provincial fare, with charm|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19860216-1.2.57.9.2|work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref>
In 1988, the hotel underwent a $3 million facelift which extended the Moby Dick coffeehouse, converted six guest rooms into three meeting or function rooms and refurbished 100 guest rooms in the hotel's main wing. The hotel's garden and swimming pool areas were also landscaped. The facelift was done in stages, with work on the guest rooms in the main wing beginning in March and completing in June, the conversion of guest rooms to meeting rooms completing in February, and the extension of the coffeehouse occurring from April to June.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 23 March 1988|title= $3m face-lift for Novotel Orchid Inn|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19880323-1.2.14.2|work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> In January 1989, Cheers! The Music Pub opened in the hotel. The pub's waiting staff were required to sing and dance.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 9 December 1988|title= Waiter, may I have a song?|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19881209-1.2.23.5|work= [[The New Paper]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> The staff performances were removed in early 1991,<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 30 March 1991|title= Cheers, Jeffrey|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19910330-1.2.33|work= [[The New Paper]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> but they were returned later that year.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 19 December 1991|title= Cheers to the return of the singing staff|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/timeszone19911219-1.2.15.2|work= Timeszone Central|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> On 1 February 1990, the hotel installed double-decker beds in family rooms.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 5 March 1990|title= Hotel puts double-decker beds in some rooms|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19900305-1.2.6.2|work= [[The New Paper]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref>
In 1998, the hotel was renamed the Copthorne Orchid Hotel, following City Developments Limited's acquisition of the [[Millennium & Copthorne Hotels|Copthorne]] hotel chain. The group's two other hotels in Singapore, the King's Hotel and the [[M Hotel|Harbour View Dai-Ichi Hotel]], were also renamed the Copthorne King's Hotel and Copthorne Harbour View Hotel respectively.<ref>{{cite news |last= Ang|first= Wan May|date= 24 November 1998|title= Millennium & Copthorne eyes S'pore listing|url= https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19981124-1.2.34.4|work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= Singapore|access-date= 12 May 2024}}</ref> In May of the following year, [[Kwek Leng Beng]], the executive chairman of the [[Hong Leong Group]], which owns City Developments Limited, denied that there were any plans to redevelop the hotel into a condominium.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date= 28 May 1999|title= Hong Leong denies turning Copthorne Orchid into condo|url= |work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref> In June 2005, City Developments Limited was successful in seeking approval from the government to redevelop the hotel into a condominium. However, the plans were not finalised. By then, its tenants had included the Charming Garden restaurant and the Dragon City Sichuan Restaurant.<ref>{{cite news |last= Teo|first= Joyce|date= 4 June 2005|title= Orchid Hotel to be replaced by condo|url= |work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref> In February 2010, City Developments Limited announced that the hotel would be demolished and replaced with a condominium.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tham|first= Irene|date= 28 April 2010|title= Copthorne Orchid to go ahead with condo plans|url= |work= [[The Straits Times]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref>  At the time of the announcement, it housed the Palm's Asian Brasserie, which served [[Peranakan cuisine]], the Topps Lounge and the Heritage – The North Indian Cuisine restaurant, which had opened in September of last year. Among its tenants were the Anne Salon and the Nice Express, an express bus service.<ref name = "BT"/> However, in October, it was announced that the hotel's closure had been delayed, and that bookings would continue to be taken until 31 March of the next year.<ref>{{cite news |last= Rashiwala|first= Kalpana|date= 19 October 2010|title= CDL to launch condo along Dunearn Road|url= |work= [[The Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref> The hotel closed on 1 April 2011. It was then demolished to make way for The Glyndebourne, a 150-unit luxury condominium named after the [[Glyndebourne]] opera house in [[East Sussex|East Sussex, England]].<ref>{{cite news |last= Tam|first= Su Ferne|date= 7 March 2011|title= This Orchid fades away|url= |work= [[The New Paper]]|location= |access-date= }}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{coord missing|Singapore}}
[[Category:1970 establishments in Singapore]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in Singapore]]
[[Category:Hotel buildings completed in 1970]]
[[Category:Hotels in Singapore]]