First look: Stunning views, luxury amenities & wildlife encounters aplenty at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree

Pining for a unique, nature-themed staycation?

Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree is accepting reservations for its upcoming opening on Apr. 2.

We managed to get a sneak peek, about a month ahead of its opening, of some of the resort's unique offerings.

Here are some of our first impressions of Banyan Tree's first resort here in Singapore.

Quite close to Mandai attractions

Firstly, the resort is pretty close to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve attractions.

It took me less than ten minutes to slowly saunter over from the designated drop-off point at the Singapore Zoo carpark to the resort itself.

The resort, however, does feel like a little oasis of calm; not too far from the wildlife reserve, but removed enough to seem like a sanctuary.

Parts of the walk from the zoo to the resort are still under construction, so the path there was framed by hoardings and workers buzzing about.

Walking further on, however, one is greeted by the resort’s signage:

A calm, zen vibe

The design of the resort is fairly quiet and pared back.

The place has a meditative atmosphere, helped by the ample greys and browns predominating the interiors.

The calm hues were a relaxing complement to the greenery outside:

It was a hot and stuffy day out, too, so I was struck by how cool and shaded the lobby felt while still remaining open to the exterior.

Banyan Group representatives pointed out that the furniture in the lobby, including the chairs and benches, was in fact repurposed from trees.

Even the light fixtures, which you can see hanging from the ceiling in the photo above, are supposedly inspired by the drooping branches of a liana, a long-stemmed woody vine.

Strolling through the various corridors of the resort, I was struck by the verdant settings and the picturesque views of Upper Seletar Reservoir.

Some of the walls sport a tree bark texture, reminding you of how interwoven the resort feels with the rainforest around it:

This seamless blending together of the “natural” and the “synthetic” appears to be a running theme of the resort.

Speaking of "natural"...

Just as I was getting accustomed to the zen of the resort, one of the Banyan Group representatives guiding us stopped us, and warned us to keep our belongings close to us.

Just ahead, it turned out, a troupe of macaques had come out of the forest, and were perched on the railings just in front of the Banyan Tree spa:

Monkeys are a regular fixture of the resort, it would seem.

The resort's eye-catching treehouse rooms, for instance, are protected with nettings to prevent monkeys from getting into them:

...and mosquitoes

In addition to the monkeys, there's also mosquito netting all along the windows so guests can be reassured they won't become a feast for the insects.

Nevertheless, if you're a mosquito magnet like me, do bring along some spray to the resort.

Beautiful views from the treehouses

That being said, the treehouses are dazzling to behold, and offer a spectacular view of Upper Seletar Reservoir.

You can even catch a glimpse of the Mandai Boardwalk in the distance:

There are 24 of them, each with a private patio — suitable for couples.

As compared to the rest of the rooms, the treehouses feature a larger patio for guests to marvel at the greenery outside.

Near the treehouses is also a really snazzy pool, inspired by the shape of a bird's nest. It reminded me a little of a cenote too:

Fancy rooms

The other rooms at the resort come with pretty nice views too.

We were shown the Family Room, for instance, which comes with a little kid's corner:

According to the Banyan Tree representatives, you can sometimes see various wildlife settle on the tree just outside the room's window:

The Sanctuary King room also offers a pretty idyllic view of Upper Seletar Reservoir.

Apparently, you can catch a glimpse of monitor lizards from there, if you pay attention:

In each room is also an interactive display that shows energy consumption levels and gives guests reminders when the recommended levels of usage are exceeded.

Rainwater is also collected and reused for each room's flushing system.

Rooftop trails

We were later led upstairs to the fifth floor of the resort, where the "Discovery Forest" is located:

The rooftop features a trail you can stroll through, replete with flora.

The "forest" is just one of the many trails and nature walks in the resort.

There's also a pretty stunning rooftop pool, which looks over the reservoir. Given the heat, I was tempted to take a plunge:

How do I stay there?

In short, the resort offers a pretty interesting mix of wildlife encounters, sensory experiences and luxury.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can look up room availabilities at the Mandai Rainforest Resort website here.

A total of 338 guest rooms and suites are available for booking.

Prices for a one-night stay start at around S$305, according to the website, while a one-night stay at a treehouse will set you back by at least S$1,025.

All photos by Tharun Suresh