Situated near the Tanglin end of the Orchard Road tourist and shopping belt, the Singapore Hilton was a 26-storey luxury hotel managed by the Hilton International hotel franchise headquartered in New York. Plans for the Singapore Hilton were disclosed in 1963 together with that for the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, with both projects initially being financed by Malaysian entrepreneur Cho Jock Kim to the tune of $42 million. However, the Singapore Hilton was eventually owned by Far Eastern Hotels Development Limited, a subsidiary of the property development company Far East Organization, founded by businessman Ng Teng Fong. Designed for “maximum operational efficiency” by architectural firm Booty, Edwards and Partners, the architectural styles of both Hilton hotels were a blend of Western and Eastern influences that sought to retain an element of the local cultures. Completed in September 1969, the 450-room Singapore Hilton had a roof-top terrace, swimming pool and restaurant with panoramic views, as well as other facilities such as a ballroom, an American-style coffee shop, and an underground carpark.
