Private pool or garage with your apartment?

NO MATTER how expensive luxury apartments become, they never seem to be short of eager buyers.

But what exactly makes these multimillion-dollar homes worth their hefty price tags, which can go up to $20 million - or even $30 million - for projects such as The Marq on Paterson Hill?

A prestigious location, spacious interiors and unblocked views are some of the essentials that push prices of luxury homes beyond the reach of most homebuyers.

The icing on the cake, however, are the designer fittings and special features that make each of these top-end developments unique.

Exclusive lines of imported furniture, $120,000 beds from Hasten Vividus and state-of-the-art entertainment systems help developers command large premiums for their residences, said Mr Ku Swee Yong, director of marketing and business development at Savills Singapore.

The new trend of hotel-branded properties, such as St Regis Residences and the Ritz-Carlton Residences, also gives homebuyers the option of having dedicated concierge and housekeeping services.

And as foreign buyers with sophisticated taste flock to Singapore, developers have had to up the ante even further.

Hayden Properties, a new entrant in Singapore, is setting the bar higher with its first Singapore development, The Hamilton, on 37 Scotts Road. The 30-storey condominium will feature a private carpark in each of its 54 units - a first in the region and the tallest project with "car porches" in the world, according to the developer.

Seated in the comfort of their cars, owners will be taken from ground level to their apartments in a special glass elevator large enough to accommodate a Rolls-Royce. They will also have parking space in the basement carpark if they prefer to leave their vehicles on the ground.

Those who want to take the passenger lift can even get a valet to park their cars for them.

Hayden is also responsible for bringing in the Ritz-Carlton Residences on Cairnhill Road, which will be the first such homes in Asia. A 24-hour concierge service, housekeeping and sommelier service will be provided for residents by staff trained and managed by the Ritz-Carlton.

Another must-have these days is a private pool. Two recent high-end launches boast this feature: Parkview Eclat on Grange Road, which will have an infinity-edge spa pool on the balcony of each unit; and, The Marq on Paterson Hill, with 15m lap pools in every apartment.

Both developments, not surprisingly, are commanding unit prices of more than $4,000 per sq ft (psf).

Meanwhile, the upcoming Hilltops on Cairnhill will be the first high-end project in Singapore to have a "resort-style steam spa room in every apartment", said developer SC Global, which is also behind The Marq.

"The spa experience has become a regular part of the lifestyle of our high-end buyers. We wanted to offer this indulgence as a standard feature at Hilltops to provide the complete luxury experience," said SC Global chief Simon Cheong.

For the creme de la creme, the Hilltops condo comes with an 11,000 sq ft, six-bedroom super-penthouse that will have a dedicated private lift bringing residents directly from the ground floor to their apartments. This is "a rare feature, even in the most well-designed of super-penthouses in the world", according to SC Global.

While developers are pulling out all the stops for these one-of-a-kind features, they are also lavishing their attention on the smallest details.

No expense is spared for fittings, such as wardrobes, kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures.

Bespoke kitchens by renowned German kitchen designer and manufacturer Bulthaup will be provided in apartments at St Regis Residences, Parkview Eclat and The Beaufort on Nassim.

St Regis Residences, in particular, is studded with well-known brands from around the world. It will feature DuPont's Corian countertops, Miele stainless steel kitchen appliances and a wardrobe system from Germany's Truggelmann. Residents will enjoy long baths in bathrooms designed by Kaldewei and fitted with fixtures and accessories from award-winning manufacturer Dornbracht, both German brands.

At The Orchard Residences - which holds the record for Singapore's priciest homes with one penthouse sold at $5,600 psf - wardrobes will come from Italian furniture maker Poliform.

Units will also be outfitted with kitchens by German luxury kitchen brand Poggenpohl, as well as sub-zero wine coolers with two separate storage zones for reds and whites.

Source : Sunday Times - 18 Nov 2007

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