Journalists and influencers explored Robertson Quay on a hospitality and heritage tour organised by Millennium Hotels and Resorts, discovering how the historic riverside precinct has evolved over more than a century. The tour was led by Yong, an urban heritage guide.
The Stories
Beneath
Our Feet:
Tracing One
Historic River
Through
Four Hotels
A hospitality and heritage tour organised by Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) took journalists and influencers on a journey through Robertson Quay, revealing how the historic Singapore River precinct has evolved from a bustling trading hub into one of the city's most vibrant lifestyle destinations.
This article is contributed by Mr Santosh Kumar, Contributing Editor and writer for tabla!, an English-language newspaper serving Singapore's Indian community. He also previously served as Honorary Secretary of the Singapore Press Club, a longstanding partner supported by MHR.
How often do we walk through a place without knowing the stories beneath our feet?
On 8 June 2026, I joined a dozen journalists and influencers on a fascinating hospitality and heritage tour of Robertson Quay organised by Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR).
What I expected to be a hotel familiarisation trip turned out to be a journey through more than a century of Singapore's transformation.
Studio M Singapore, Singapore's first fully loft-inspired hotel, offers 360 contemporary loft-style rooms by acclaimed Italian architect Piero Lissoni, featuring private mezzanines, expansive bay windows and modern comforts near Robertson Quay.
M Social Singapore is a trendy 293-room urban lifestyle hotel along Robertson Quay, featuring advanced technology, and sleek, industrial-chic interiors by renowned French designer Philippe Starck.
Led by urbanist Yong (@urbanist.singapore), we learned how today's stylish waterfront district was once a muddy landscape of warehouses, boatyards and bumboats carrying spices, charcoal and rubber along the Singapore River.
The four MHR properties each reflected a different chapter of that story.
Studio M impressed with its loft-inspired design and sustainability initiatives. M Social added a playful touch with a welcome dance, a photo contest (I was delighted to win second prize and a $75 voucher!), and a fun mixology masterclass that proved making cocktails is harder than drinking them.
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel is an award-winning luxury and eco-friendly hotel offering 573 refurbished rooms and 24 stylish serviced suites with panoramic city or river views.
A nostalgic landmark, the 319-room Copthorne King's Hotel opened in 1970 as the first hotel by Hong Leong Group Executive Chairman Mr Kwek Leng Beng, laying the foundation for MHR’s global portfolio of more than 150 properties today. Its Princess Terrace restaurant remains a well-loved destination for authentic Penang cuisine.
At Copthorne King's Hotel, the legendary Princess Terrace Penang buffet was a feast of nostalgia and authentic flavours. We ended at Grand Copthorne Waterfront, where discussions on travel trends and the future of hospitality reinforced how guest experiences are increasingly about connection, culture and storytelling.
For a few hours, I wasn't just visiting hotels. I was travelling through Singapore's history. 
