Originally from Hungary, Dóra Csóka and Péter Koczák hold roles as the Executive Director at the Central and Eastern European Chamber of Commerce, and Director of Operations at YouAppi respectively. We talk to them about their condo and what they like about living on River Valley Road in Singapore.
About this River Valley condo:
Name: Stellar RV
Facilities: Pool and gym
Apartment size: Around 40 square metres
New or old: Built in 2015
Walking distance to supermarket: Four minutes
Community vibe: Small and relaxed
Dóra and Péter’s neighbourhood
What’s the name of your street? River Valley Road.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your neighbourhood? That it’s a default target of new expats – our case is reaffirming this stereotype; however, this is not just an expat bubble.
Closest MRT station? Great World (brown Thomson-East Coast Line).
How long have you lived here? Why here? 11 months. We are new to Singapore, and this is our first apartment here. The central location was a non-negotiable, although it has its trade-offs: the apartment size and noise. We love it here though!
River Valley Highlights
When you walk out of your place, what’s the first thing you see? The bustling and busy River Valley Road, but also the trees and greenery.
What’s the closest store to your front door? A 7-Eleven is almost opposite us. Perfect for emergency snack cravings
If your street was chosen for a remake of a film, which would it be? Fast & Furious. We hear fast and furious motorbikes multiple times a day – and night.
We’re sure your neighbours are great, but is there anything you wouldn’t mind a little less of? A washing machine spinning at midnight.
What’s the unofficial uniform of your street? Activewear and business attire.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on your street? A giant cable reel, about three metres tall, placed casually on the grass under the trees.
Things to do around River Valley Road
What are your three favourite places to eat or drink in the neighbourhood? Great World food court for our favourite pickled vegetable fish soup; Umar Ali Cafe for paneer butter masala or mutton masala; and Grace Espresso for coffee, brunch and banana bread – our very common afternoon treats.
What are some of the best places to go shopping near your home? Great World shopping centre has everything you’ll need, from Cold Storage to Uniqlo. It would be good if it had more indie Singaporean brands, too. Valley Point is even closer to us – that’s where we usually do our grocery shopping, and we’ll often grab a focaccia from the bakery.
What are some fun or interesting things to do in the neighbourhood? Evening walks by the river – this is almost a daily ritual for us to “get the steps in”. We sometimes walk all the way to Tiong Bahru for an ice cream, otherwise we reward ourselves with an açai bowl at Robertson Quay.
What’s one thing you’d never change? The location: being in the centre of everything.
How about one thing you would change? Enforce the speed limit.
If the city gave you a million dollars to soup up your street, how would you use it? We’d build an underground motorway for the traffic, so that street level becomes quieter
Favourite things to do in Singapore
What are your must-visit Singapore spots for taking out-of-town guests? The view from Marina Bay Sands is to die for; everyone must see it. Apart from that and all touristy attractions, we really like showing Tiong Bahru – the architecture and the whole atmosphere is very unique. For history lovers, we recommend the Former Ford Factory.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, where do you go? To the National Gallery or for a stroll to Chinatown, reading the signs on the streets describing the life in the past there.
If you’re missing home, what do you do? We improvise and cook something Hungarian – did you know that green marrow with dill makes a perfect “tökfőzelék”?
Fact File: River Valley Road History
The street that Dóra and Péter live on dates to 1841 or earlier. River Valley Road takes its name from its position in the valley between Pearl’s Hill to the south and Fort Canning to the north. There were two River Valley Roads initially, running along either side of the Singapore River. The one on the south bank is today known as Havelock Road.
The Stellar RV condo is next to the intersection of River Valley Road and Kellock Road, the latter named after Captain JK Kellock. He was the Singapore agent for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) from 1875 to 1877. P&O first sailed to Singapore in 1845, and by the 1870s was well entrenched as a provider of cargo and passenger routes around the world. At the time of Kellock’s post, a berth in a general cabin from Southampton to Singapore was £87.
P&O is also notable for developing a wharf and warehouses at what was then called “New Harbour” in Singapore. Today, it’s known as Keppel Harbour.
Share your neighbourhood highlights with us
If you love your little corner of Singapore, let our readers know about it. Just email us at contribute@expatliving.sg with “Street Talk” in the subject line. Include your name and street, and we’ll be in touch.
This article first appeared in the June 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest mag or an annual subscription, or read the digital version free now.
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