LOWLIGHT

The in-room lighting system is annoyingly and unnecessarily complicated to use, especially after arriving from a long flight.

THE LOCATION

A hotel located in the middle of a medical precinct wouldn't normally be the most desirable location, unless you have business at one of the surrounding hospitals. But let's not jump to a hasty diagnosis. As it eventuates, the 428-room Oasia Hotel Singapore is extremely well, if unexcitedly, situated, in Novena, an area named after a landmark Catholic Church founded in the 1930s. And Oasia is the only hotel in Singapore with purpose-built access to the city state's outstanding MRT underground rail system with the popular Orchard Road shopping precinct and the lively Little India neighbourhood just a few stops away. The hotel is also conveniently connected to the mid-market Square 2 and Velocity Shopping Centres and, in the unlikely event you need them, with medical facilities such as the Mount Elizabeth at Novena and Tan Tock Seng Hospitals nearby.

THE SPACE

The newest brand of the Singapore-based Far East Hospitality group, on arrival the 428-room Oasia doesn't make much of an impact with a confined, low-key lobby and reception desk. But most, if not all, of the public space action takes place much higher up at The Living Room, a pleasant communal dining and lounging space on the 22nd floor. The Living Room is adjacent to a partly-enclosed swimming pool with panoramic views of the city and its generous green belts. On the 8th floor is the Oasis, an attractive landscape area with a large swimming pool as its centrepiece along with a well-equipped 24-hour fitness centre.

THE ROOM

Far East Hospitality appointed Super Potato, a high-profile Japanese design firm, to design Oasia's unusual décor with its work nowhere better on display than in my 50 square metre Club Suite. Twice the size of the hotel's entry-point superior room, my suite, with a separate bedroom and living room, is unusually designed with rough-hewn timber-panelling, marble flooring and a rustic stone bathroom and bathtub. Booking a Club Suite like this one comes with a host of benefits including complimentary breakfast, all-day coffee, tea, juices, drinks, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks (6pm to 8pm) WiFi access is free.

THE FOOD

Singapore is a south-east Asian food capital with no shortage of decent dining opportunities. Inside Oasia itself, there are a trio of relaxed eating options, namely Marmalade Pantry, Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant and The Living Room (which comes into its own at breakfast with good espresso coffee flowing freely). For something cheap and cheerful, the two adjoining shopping centres provide a large choice of eating outlets, as do easily-accessed areas such as Little India and Orchard Road.

STEPPING OUT

Aside from the two large shopping malls, there's not a lot to do in the immediate neighbourhood, which is particularly quiet on weekends. But, really, from Oasia, Singapore is your hawker-stand oyster omelette. These days with Singapore full of guest workers from the sub-continent performing the sort of work Singaporeans no longer want to do, Little India has never felt livelier or for that matter more authentic.

THE VERDICT

In a city still not known for its levels of extreme excitement, Oasia is located in one of Singapore's least exciting neighbourhoods. But with the convenience of the Novena MRT station beneath the hotel there is always an easy means of escape. And despite its relatively large number of rooms, the low-key Oasia manages to feel like a much smaller hotel and with its deceptively good location it is a good accommodation choice for both leisure and business.

ESSENTIALS

Doubles start from $SGD204. 8 Sinaran Drive, Singapore. Phone +65 6664 0333; see oasia.com.sg, stayfareast.com