Amara Undertakes Its Biggest Asset Refurbishment Singapore Over 20 Years

Amara Holdings, the renowned hotel and property developer, is on track to complete the revamp of its 38-year-old flagship hotel, Amara Singapore, by September. This project has been in progress for the past 12 months at the 389-key hotel located at 100 Tras Street in Tanjong Pagar.

The first phase of renovations was completed in April, with all rooms receiving upgrades that incorporate energy-efficient features such as motion sensor lighting, an energy-efficient air-conditioning system, and an in-room filtered water tap. The interiors of the revamped Amara Singapore were designed by the highly acclaimed hospitality design firm Studio HBA, a division of Hirsch Bedner Associates, taking inspiration from the vibrant neighborhood of Tanjong Pagar, including the traditional hawker stalls, the conservation shophouses, and the heritage trees in the nearby Duxton Plain Park.

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Marina Gardens Lane Residences is an upcoming development situated in the heart of Marina South, developed by Kingsford Development. Being at the highly-sought after Marina Gardens Lane location, the project received four competitive offers from various parties. Ultimately, the top bid of $1.034 billion was made by a consortium consisting of Kingsford Huray Development, a subsidiary of China-based Kingsford Group, Obsidian Development, and Polarix Cultural & Science Park Investment. This bid translates to a land rate of $1,402 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr). With its prime location and impressive offerings, Marina Gardens Lane Residences has already generated great interest from potential buyers, including those looking for a Marina South MRT Station Condo.

Additionally, the hotel’s ballroom and function rooms, specially designed to cater to “bleisure” travelers who blend business with leisure travel, have also undergone renovations, which were completed in May. According to Dawn Teo, COO of Amara Holdings and the daughter of Albert Teo, the CEO, director, and substantial shareholder of the company, the renovated Amara Singapore aims to be the “social epicenter” of the neighborhood, capturing its cultural and historical significance.

Dawn Teo also mentioned that the revamped Amara Singapore is designed to cater to the new breed of “bleisure travelers”, who blend business and leisure travel. The hotel also hosts meetings, incentives, conventions, and events in the CBD, and hence, the ballroom and meeting rooms have been refurbished as well.

The latest refurbishment of Amara Holdings’ flagship hotel is not just a routine asset enhancement exercise but a “reinvigoration of our commitment to luxury and innovation while remaining true to our roots as one of the first hotels in Tanjong Pagar to cater to business travelers,” says Dawn. Amara Singapore was designed and built by Dawn’s grandfather, Teo Joo Lai, and opened its doors in 1986. The name “Amara” means “eternity” in Sanskrit. Dawn is the first member of the fourth generation to join the family business, with her father taking over the reins after Teo Joo Lai’s passing in 1988.

Besides, Amara Holdings was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1997, and a voluntary cash offer by Amethyst Assets, a consortium led by Albert Teo, secured 88.39% of shareholders’ interest at the close of Jan 16. However, it fell short of the required 90% for Amethyst Assets to make a compulsory acquisition. The original Amara Singapore, which included a 25-storey hotel block and a four-storey retail podium (Amara Shopping Centre), underwent a major renovation in 2000, with the addition of a 12-storey corporate office block in 2002.

In 2011, the former Amara Shopping Centre was rebranded and revamped as 100 AM, with anchor tenants like Muji and Don Don Donki, among others. With the upcoming residential projects in the vicinity, including One Bernam, Newport Residences, and TMW Maxwell, Dawn sees 100 AM enjoying higher footfall on weekends.

While Amara Singapore caters to business travelers in the CBD, the 140-key Amara Sanctuary Sentosa is the group’s flagship resort hotel. Situated on Sentosa Island, the resort hotel recently underwent a facelift and is set to reopen on July 18. The multi-disciplinary design studio Farm was appointed to revamp Amara Sanctuary Sentosa, which integrated contemporary aesthetics with biophilic elements. Further, the group’s hotels in Bangkok and Shanghai are the Amara Bangkok and Amara Signature Shanghai, respectively. According to Dawn, the group is “selectively looking” for expansion opportunities in the Asia Pacific region.