Singapore’s Duxton Hill

Singapore’s Duxton Hill is renowned as a good place to stay while on a business trip to Singapore where the Berjaya Hotel Singapore is but a stone’s throw away from busiest business center. Unlike most other hotels in the CBD (Central Business District), it sits in a neighborhood with building structures reminiscent of the early 1900s.

Who would have ever thought that a nutmeg plantation would one day be transformed into one of the most sought after niche real estate properties in Singapore? This is even more incredulous given that this plantation was later sold off and regressed into a crime-riddled slum. But thanks to the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore, all the shop-houses in this area were selected for conservation and allocated for commercial use.

From it’s humble beginnings as a modest nutmeg plantation with nearly 2,000 trees, Duxton Hill has come a long way. No longer do people reside above the terraced shop-houses that comprise this small estate. A segment of these shop-houses have been procured by a hotelier while the rest of the units have been taken up by both day and night time businesses.

Singapore's Duxton Hill - a Distinctly Different Ambiance in the CDB

After Hours Entertainment

Duxton Hill is lined with 2 rows of small pubs. These refurbished double and triple-storey terraced shop-houses provide the ideal stopover for those that seek relief from a maddening day at the office. From secretaries to upper management, these individuals form the 1st shift that patronize these pubs between 5 to 7 PM – happy hours.

Duxton Road Pubs - A Place To Unwind After A Hard Day

As “clubbing” (patronizing pubs) has become a part of the lifestyle of Singapore’s elite, the ambiance of these outlets also attracts the young and affluent in Singapore’s privileged citizenry. This group of patrons make their appearance well into the night and hop from pub to pub until the wee hours of the morning where they have to be coaxed to allow pub owners to close shop. The variety of pubs in this location makes it more convenient to do this. But the night scene is not the only thing that Duxton Hill is renowned for.

Niche Restaurants

Also within this alcove on the outskirts of town, you will also find some exceptional restaurants. The Universal is perhaps the most famous restaurant reputed to serve some of the finest European dishes anywhere on the island.

Another well known restaurant would be the BROTH Bar Restaurant. BROTH, which stands for Bar Restaurant On The Hill, serves classic and novel Australian cuisine. They also have a wide selection of Australian and international wines.

The Uluru is another Australian restaurant that specializes in gourmet beef cuts and steak grills that reach 1,500 degrees C. These are but a few of the restaurants found in this area.

Office Space

Businesses such as architectural and advertising firms have flourished here at Duxton Hill. These pre-World War 2 units possess a distinctive charm unlike any office in a modern skyscraper. Such units are tastefully decorated to cater to the image that companies want project to their clientele.

A part of the CBD and yet distinctly different, Singapore’s Duxton Hill stands out as the location of choice when one seeks to set up shop and make an impression that lasts.