Villa Marina Siglap: Our 2023 Apartment Viewing 🏛️

During our apartment search in January 2023, Villa Marina made a strong impression. After looking at Singapore high-rise towers, we found a whole estate of low-rise buildings, a large pool and rather more Roman decoration than I had expected from a place in Siglap.

The development was built in 1999. The apartment we viewed was on the ground floor: 154 square metres, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, high ceilings and a huge terrace.

The asking rent was S$6,500 a month on a two-year contract. That was the price at our viewing, not a listing available today.

The space was the attraction

The pool was not simply a rectangle of water. There were columns and statues, as though the architect had decided that swimming should involve a small visit to Rome.

I also liked the residents’ club: a generous shared room for working and meetings. Between the apartment, the terrace and the common areas, space was the attraction.

We were nearly convinced. Two things held us back. Parts of the development looked worn, and the location would mean longer journeys towards the centre. I liked the space. I was less enthusiastic about spending extra time getting to and from it.

We were almost ready to move to Rome. The commute was the part we still had to think about.