SINGAPORE (CU)_Singapore has opened the world’s first quarantine-free business-bubble hotel that enables in-person meetings in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hotel named Connect@Changi was built within Singapore Expo Halls 7 to 10, using prefabricated room pods stacked on two floors, with a separate meeting room and a gym. The property is a Temasek Holdings venture which partners with Ascott Limited, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group, SingEx-Sphere Holdings, and Surbana Jurong. Temasek refers to Connect@Changi as a living laboratory.
Guests are tested with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival, with additional PCR tests expected on days 3, 7 and 14, if they remain that long. A Connect@Changi software handles the testing regime. Separate doors, exits and air-conditioning units are retained, and air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems have been designed for the safe flow of air.
The floor-to-ceiling glass panels make the self-service rooms air-tight, and only five people are allowed for business meetings. Guests order their food from the city, and there are shelves outside each room for contact-free delivery. The volumetric room frames, made of steel and concrete, were transported through the building on rails for stacking and service connections to avoid drilling into the flooring of the expo halls.
The company said, “The pandemic is an ever-evolving situation and being able to adapt and respond quickly to changes is key in this new normal. As such, Connect@Changi is also designated as a living laboratory. The innovative protocols and testing measures in place here are being constantly refined to ensure the safety of both guests and facility staff. Strategies found useful here may then be deployed in other initiatives across Singapore to support national efforts in progressively opening the economy up in a safe and controlled manner.”
