I have a standard outfit for travelling on this trip. It involves wearing the heavy, cumbersome items that are also generally the most comfortable so that I don’t have to try and squeeze them into my rucksack which is already heavy enough please and thank you. I arrived at the Pan Pacific in this uniform: ripped mom jeans, trainers, a hoody tied around my waist and no make-up and instantly stood out as ‘the backpacker’.
The lobby is vast; it’s cavernous interior opening all the way up to the umpteenth floor, cocooned in by a swirl of rooms. Cosy but giant pods held guests settling in to wait for a cab, have a drink, or catch up on emails in the soft lighting and cool air con away from the intense Singaporean heat. My initial unease was short-lived as I was given my key and my bags were whisked away to later magically appear in my room.
And my room? Just peeking over the balcony back into the lobby, I knew how high up I was before even opening the door, but for the second time on this trip I was greeted with a stunning view.
Looking out over Marina Bay and with a clear vantage point of the famous hotel of the same name, I got my first feel of the modern aesthetic that Singapore is well known for (however, I was to discover that this only scratches the surface of what the city has to offer). Should I look out of the window from the sofa (complete with the most recent edition of Time), the desk or the bed covered in a beautiful geometric print blanket?
The real answer is, from the bath. Oh yes! Separated by glass, the bathroom had a tub that was deep and luxurious which, once I’d sprinkled some of the complimentary salts in, I sank into and peeked out to the blue skies outside. My ripped jeans were hung up and replaced with a soft robe; I was out of my travelling clothes, feeling at ease and almost ready to start exploring Singapore.
