In 2022, an iconic Orchard Road hotel – Hilton Singapore – was rebranded as Voco Orchard Singapore, an IHG Hotel. Voco is the first of the brand’s hotels to open in Southeast Asia. With 423 guest rooms, a rooftop swimming pool and some of our favourite restaurants and bars in town – including Opus Bar & Grill, D9 Cakery and il Cielo – it was never going to be anything less than spectacular. We chat to passionate hotelier MARK WINTERTON about his many different hats, from Voco Orchard Singapore’s General Manager to father-of-one and repeat Singapore expat.
Interview with Voco Orchard General Manager Mark Winterton
What brought you to Singapore?
This is actually my third stint here! I was working in the hotel industry in the UK when the first opportunity arose and so, in 2007, I moved to Singapore for four years as the preopening General Manager at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport. It was amazing to watch the hotel and Terminal 3 being built.
I then moved to Bangkok to convert a Crowne Plaza there and then back to Singapore for another five and a half years to open Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay and then InterContinental Robertson Quay. A three-year stint in Australia followed (as Director of New Hotels for Japan, Australasia and Pacific) before I moved back to Singapore to take up the GM role at Voco Orchard Singapore.
I left the UK all those years ago thinking I wouldn’t be away for too long – that was 16 years ago and I’ve since lived in Bangkok, Australia and Singapore three times over!
Tell us a bit about your role at Voco Orchard Singapore, an IHG Hotel.
I joined the team in August 2021. During my early months – which coincided with pandemic restrictions – we focused on launch events, getting to know the team, building the brand name and creating a culture that would determine the path for years to come. We converted the hotel at 12.01am on the 1st of January 2022 and I took over as General Manager of Voco Orchard Singapore, an IHG Hotel.
What do you love most about your job at Voco Orchard Singapore?
To convert a hotel steeped in such history – one of the very first hotels on Orchard Road – and be a part of its legacy is such a privilege.
And, even after working in the hotel industry for 30 years, every single day is still different! While there are always regular things that need to be done, it’s the people that I meet every day and the team I lead at Voco Orchard that I really love.
What does a typical working day look like for you at Voco Orchard Singapore?
I normally get up at 5.30am and go for a walk. I try to get to the hotel by 7.30am, when I will catch up on the previous day’s events, walk around the hotel and check in on guests, and catch up with the various teams. Meetings are a daily occurrence – whether around leadership, operations, sustainability – and we plan well in advance for upcoming events. At the moment, the Singapore Grand Prix is a key focus, and it won’t be long before Christmas is upon us. All of this with about eight cups of tea per day!
Where are you from originally? What do you miss about it?
I’m from a small village near Kingston-upon-Thames in Surrey. I miss family and friends, naturally, as well as the day-to-day British humour, but I get my fix through UK TV shows and radio stations.
Tell us a favourite story about yourself.
I fell in love with hotels at the age of 12 when I was lucky enough to travel with my parents to Australia via Singapore. I was fascinated by what happened behind the “private” and “staff only” doors. When I moved back to Singapore this time and I told my mum which hotel I was taking over Voco Orchard, she couldn’t believe it – it’s the same hotel that we stayed at when I was younger and where my interest in hotels first began!
Where is your home in Singapore and how long have you lived there?
Each of my three stints in Singapore has been at a different stage of my life. The first was as a bachelor down by HarbourFront, long before any of the major condos that you see now. The second time, my partner and I lived in Tanjong Pagar near the bars and restaurants. We’re now in Upper Thomson near parks and nature as a family
Any particular surprises or challenges you’ve found living and working in Singapore?
It took me six months to get used to the weather. Now, even when I visit the UK during summer, I might still put a jumper on!
What are some of your interests and hobbies?
Catching up with friends is my number one. I also enjoy photography, travelling and walking.
What are a few things you like to do in Singapore when you’re not working at Voco Orchard?
Spending time with my family. Our five-year-old son tends to dictate our days but we enjoy going to places like Adventure Cove, Sentosa beach and cafés with play areas.
Quick questions with Mark Winterton:
Three favourite local dishes: Chicken rice, char siew bao, beef rendang
Favourite nearby holiday destination: Staying in one of our IHG resorts in Bali
Favourite nature space: I walk every morning in Bishan Park; Windsor Nature Reserve is another favourite
Top things to do with visitors: Gardens by the Bay, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Joo Chiat. I also love the Singapore River and the vibrance of the different quays.
Voco Orchard Singapore is at 581 Orchard Road. orcharddining.vocohotels.com
This article about Voco Orchard General Manager Mark Winterton first appeared in the April 2023 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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