A new luxury boutique hotel by Sofitel will soon be opened at the heart of Singapore's central business district. Sofitel So Singapore will be located at 35 Robinsons Road, formerly The Ogilvy Centre.

The five-star hotel will retain its neo-classical facade and some of the existing building structures, while a newer five-storey wing is constructed at the back of it. Built in 1927, the iconic building has its roots as a telecommunications and postal building when it was first The Cable and Wireless Building, and then later the Telecommunications Authority of Singapore in 1992.

To preserve its heritage, some $130 million was spent to conserve the 84-year-old building's large columns and recessed balconies. The hotel is slated to open in the first quarter of 2013, making it the third international boutique hotel under Sofitel's expansion plans. The first Sofitel So hotel was opened in Mauritius in Dec 2010; the second will open in Bangkok in 2012.

With 135 room suites, Sofitel So Singapore is aimed at attracting the savvy business travellers looking for prime location and unique lifestyle offerings. The highlight is the top-of-the-line loft suite, measuring some 104 sq m, which was created because of the way the old building was structured.

Rack rates for high-end rooms will start from $350 and above. In line with the Sofitel So concept, each boutique hotel will combine Sofitel's style of living with a signature design of an international designer from the fashion, art or design fields.

While the designer for Singapore has not yet been decided, he or she will have the calibre of Kenzo and Christian Lacroix - fashion couturiers who designed Sofitel So Mauritius and Sofitel So Bangkok respectively.

35 Robinsons Road

Tel: 800 6161367