Banyan Group hopes its new Mandai resort showcases Singapore’s biodiversity, strength in conservation

[SINGAPORE] With the launch of its new resort – and 100th property – nestled in Singapore’s lush rainforest belt, Banyan Group hopes to showcase the “other Singapore” and spark more conversations about conservation.

Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree – the first Singapore hotel by the homegrown hospitality player – officially opened on Wednesday (Nov 26) at an event graced by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. 

The opening comes more than six months after the hotel’s soft launch in April. Owned by Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) and operated by Banyan Group, the resort has 338 rooms, including 24 treehouses.

While he declined to share occupancy numbers, MWG group chief executive officer Bennett Neo said the hotel has done well so far, “as good as any new hotel’s opening”. 

Early guests have mainly been locals, but tourist proportions have been going up over the months, and are expected to form the bulk of occupants over time, he said.

Citing its unique location, he said: “I wake up, I hear the birds chirping, (there’s) fresh air, a beautiful view of the reservoir, and you can see the sun… where else can you find this?”

And while some may gripe about its distance from the rest of Singapore, Neo argues that not only is it “not far”, it is “almost like a very unique integrated resort”, with attractions, dining options and other lifestyle offerings provided in the Mandai precinct.

Banyan Group is well known for its “regenerative hospitality” concept. Its co-founder and senior vice-president Claire Chiang hopes that Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree will expose guests to “the other Singapore”, which is “not just the urban oasis of Shenton Way, Orchard Road and the Marina Bay casino.

“We always try to look at the differentiating factor. And I think this is a differentiator,” she said.

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While Banyan Group previously mulled opening a resort in Sentosa and the city, this opportunity was ultimately the right fit, she said.

With 16 years of experience in Mandai – first as chairperson of Wildlife Reserves Singapore and then on the board of Mandai Wildlife Reserve – Chiang recognises the importance of the country’s biodiversity as “Singapore capital”, but believes that people are unaware of this.

When it comes to conservation and rehabilitation, “we might be winking in the dark”, she said. “So when the opportunity came to take this rainforest precinct and produce a product that can, over the decades, draw in people, to look at it from a nature connection and a biodiversity perspective, it was a remarkable opportunity, and so aligned with what (Banyan Group does).” 

The resort uses felled wood for some of its furniture, runs on solar power, and features many open-air spaces for natural ventilation.

And while it will serve all sorts of travellers, Chiang hopes to appeal to “the whole community of conservationists” as a space for conversations about the environment and a research laboratory.

She also wants it to be an escape for older people, who may struggle to travel overseas; the place is wheelchair-friendly by design, has well-being offerings, and can cater to their dietary needs.

To celebrate the opening and its “Singapore homecoming”, Banyan Group is hosting its inaugural Rainforest Festival, which will run from Nov 27 to Dec 3. The event will feature discovery trails, a weekend market, live performances as well as wellbeing, nature and family activities. 

Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to support the President’s Challenge, and matched dollar-for-dollar by Banyan Group.