A 5,662 sq ft, single-floor mega unit on the 15th floor of Ritz Carlton Residences in Cairnhill is for sale at $22 million ($3,955 psf). This unit used to be two separate three-bedroom units; however, KOP Ltd, the developer, decided to rebuild it into a larger single unit.

“We did this because we feel that there is a demand for big units,” says Leny Suparman, CEO and executive director of property and hospitality group KOP. “A lot of penthouses are typically over two to three floors, but this is for those who are looking for a single-floor spacious home.”

Designed for luxury living

The outcome is a five-bedroom unit with spacious rooms, furnished with luxury fittings. The mega-unit was designed by Edmund Ng, of Edmund Ng Architects. Altogether, the renovation and interior design costs were close to $1 million. The attention to detail is noticeable even before one enters the unit – the main door is made of American oak, which went through six different processes and treatments in the US, Singapore and China. “They had to do a lot of bleaching and sanding to get a very distressed look,” shares Phoebe Teo, sales and marketing executive at KOP.

All the bedrooms are en suite and fit a dehumidified walk-in closet by B&B Italia. The master bathroom stands out for its Ann Sacks-Selvaggio feature wall, which alone costs $15,000, shares Suparman. The vanity top, flooring and wall are made of Palissandro Classico marble from Italy. The shower wall, meanwhile, is made of Thasso white marble from Greece.

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The flooring of the bedrooms is made of white oak timber in a herringbone pattern, which is more intricately fitted than the typical wooden floorings placed either vertically or horizontally in other developments, says Teo. The living room flooring is made of Moca Cream limestone, while the flooring on the balcony is made of Balau wood, also in a herringbone fit. The entertainment room comes with its own balcony and a junior pantry, which houses its own wine cellar, oven and Subzero fridge. There is also a bar, a dining area, as well as a main kitchen with two large ovens, a wine cellar and Subzero fridge. A barbecue pit is also provided at the main balcony.

Draw for the wealthy

Suparman believes the strongest draw at Ritz Carlton Residences is the round-the-clock concierge service. “What differentiates us from other condos is actually the fact that it is managed by Ritz Carlton. It’s like coming back to a hotel every day, yet this is where your home is,” she says. The concierge service provides services such as limousine, catering, laundry, housekeeping, collection of parcels, events management, and reservations for restaurants. The maintenance fee costs $3,050 a month.

The lifts at Ritz Carlton Residences are said to be the most expensive in Singapore. An English artist was commissioned for a Lionhead centrepiece artwork, which was hand-laid manually and cost $60,000. The lift handles are made of real ostrich skin, with clover-shaped handles.

The freehold development occupies 59,000 sq ft, and is on elevated ground so homeowners can enjoy unblocked views. On the ground level, there is an elaborate maze garden, a children’s playground, tennis court, and swimming pool with depth up to 1.2 metres. Meanwhile, the fourth level houses a 34-metre lap pool, hydro pool, steam room and gym. Some of the residents hire coaches to hold swimming lessons for their children, while others have their weekly yoga sessions together on the yoga deck, says Teo.

The 14th floor houses a cafe, which provides complimentary breakfast and afternoon tea daily. There is also a games area, where homeowners can play pool or board games, and a library, which boasts bookshelves lined with genuine calf leather and Alcantara. On the 24th floor, the bar counter is made of lapis lazuli, a deep blue semi-precious stone. There is also a function room that can fit 100 people.

With such an extended range of facilities and services, “you can imagine someone being able to live here with their extended family”, says Suparman.

Demand for luxury living

To date, Ritz Carlton Residences is 72% sold. There are 17 remaining units available, with the selection ranging from three-bedroom apartments of 2,831 sq ft; four-bedroom units of 3,057 sq ft; a penthouse of 6,501 sq ft, to the mega-unit. The three-bedroom units occupy the lower floors, while the four-bedroom units start from the 25th floor. The two penthouses occupy the 35th, 36th and 37th floors, with the sky terraces on the highest level. The two 3,574 sq ft junior penthouses, on the 34th floor, are both sold. There are only two apartments on each floor, where each unit will have access to a private lift.

The residents occupying the development are predominantly Chinese, and to a lesser extent, Indonesians and Singaporeans, says Teo.

The most recent transaction at Ritz Carlton Residences was for a 2,831 sq ft, three-bedroom unit on the 12th floor, which was sold for $10.4 million ($3,673 psf) in December 2018, based on caveats lodged with URA. In August that year, a similar-sized unit on the 17th floor sold for $9.38 million ($3,313 psf). The most expensive psf price fetched to date is $5,146 psf – the owner paid $15.73 million for a 3,057 sq ft, four-bedroom unit on the 31st floor in December 2007. So far, prices have averaged $3,650 psf at the development.

KOP intended to “build the mega show unit to allow viewers to imagine what it is like to live here”, says Suparman. “For anyone else who wants it, we can customise such another unit for them.”

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