Hotel Singapura Inter-Continental

The Hotel Singapura Inter-Continental's interiors were designed by Neal Prince.

It housed the Pebbles Bar (or Pebble Bar) on the ground floor to the left of the main lobby which was Singapore's iconic gay bar during the 1970s and first half of the 1980s.

Pool monogram designed by Charles Alvey, which remains today as the Hotel monogram and this image after 50 years is still imprinted on the bottom of the pool.

Location:

Singapore, Malaysia

Architect:

Interior Designer:

Rooms:

195 guest rooms, which each room had their own private terrace overlooking the gardens. Each room was air-conditioned, carpeted from wall to wall and furnished in teak.

Interiors designed by Mr. Neal Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D (1963)

Singapure Inter-Continental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia

Interiors designed by Mr. Neal Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D (1963)

Later, the Pavilion InterContinental Singapore Hotel was built and this property held 433 completely air-conditioned guestrooms.

How does Mr. Prince's identify an outstanding Hotel?

Response: When you arrive at the Hotel, telephone room service and order a club sandwich to be delivered to your room. Once the room service had delivered your requested club sandwich, take a moment to access how it was prepared, what materials they used to create your club sandwich and then taste the sandwich. Mr. Prince firmly believes, from 55 years of travelling around the world that if a Hotel is able to prepare the "simple" club sandwich correctly, then that Hotel is being operated correctly.

Restaurants/Lounges:

Pebble Bar - which was an informal piano bar, with ceiling fans.

Raya Cocktail Lounge - which was one of Hotel's popular elegant spots in Singapore. This Lounge was an authentic recreation of a plantation verandah, with chamadora palms, bamboo screens, ceiling fans and emperor-sized exotic drinks.

Singapure Inter-Continental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia

Interiors designed by Mr. Neal Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D (1963) Four Lions Restaurant - Dining, dance, and entertainment in a grand manner. Singapure Inter-Continental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia

Interiors designed by Mr. Neal Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D (1963)

Singapura Coffee shop -

Singapure Inter-Continental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia

Interiors designed by Mr. Neal Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D (1963)

Meeting Facilities:

The name “Singapura” comes from the Sanskrit, “Singa” and “Pura” meaning Lion City. So it is that the ancient and honored lion is the symbol of our Singapura. You will see the Singapura lion as the crest on our private air-conditioned taxi at the airport. Four enormous lions guard our Four Lions restaurant and supper club. (and guard they might, for under their noses dine some of the most beautiful women in the world.) Just outside the louvered shutters and beaded curtains of the restaurant, at the bottom of our sparkling pool, reposes another lion, giant, blue and mosaic.

For centuries, Singapore has been a magic mecca for tourist. Rightly so. On the waterfront, ocean liners and freighters are surrounded by a tangle of Chinese junks and sampans, Malay “prahus” and the swift “tong kangs.” (At the foot of modern office towers, you will see fortune tellers, snake charmers, fun fairs, and bargains, bargains, bargains.) Other sites worth seeking are Empress Place, Chinese temples, the Sultan Mosque, and the Sri MariAman Hindo Temple. One of the finest bargains in travel is a tour of Malaysia. Just an hour by air from Singapore is the bright capital of the federation, Kuala Lumpur; known for its graceful Moorish-style architecture and its picturesque streets of thatched “kampongs” (houses) on stilts. Be sure to see the cathedral-like Batu Caves containing a shrine built by Hindu pilgrims. Nearby is the pleasant seaside city of Malacca with relics and customs of the Portuguese and the Dutch.

Images held by the Collection:

Singapura Inter-Continental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia This earlier image is another example of the detail graphics and designs that were created by the talents of Charles R. Alvey and Richard Simpson, of the InterContinental Hotel Corporation's Department of Interior & Graphics Design. This image is another example of InterContinental Hotel's competitors copied for their own Graphic's applications. In some hotels, this image is used to this day. This earlier image is another example of the detail graphics and designs that were created by the talents of Charles R. Alvey and Richard Simpson, of the InterContinental Hotel Corporation's Department of Interior & Graphics Design. This image is another example of InterContinental Hotel's competitors copied for their own Graphic's applications. In some hotels, this image is used to this day.

Sample of a how the Mr. Charles Alvey and Mr. Richard Simpson incorporate the Graphics of the Hotel into the luggage labels for the Hotel:

=See also=

=References=


 * Neal Prince, InterContinental Hotel Corporation Digital Archives, Singapura InterContinental Hotel, Singapore, Malaysia (1963-1986).

=Acknowlegdements=

This article was written by Roy Tan.