Situated at the corner of Bukit Timah and Stevens Roads, the Hotel Equatorial was one of the many properties established around the outlying city area during the hotel construction boom of the late 1960s and 1970s. Officially opened in December 1969 by then Minister for Labour and Foreign Affairs S. Rajaratnam, the luxury hotel was the first in Singapore to be managed by an Asian international hotel chain – the Orient Hotels group. The 15-storey property housed 224 air-conditioned guest rooms, four bars, a sky lounge, swimming pool, banquet and convention rooms, and a shopping arcade selling Asian arts and craft. The highlight of the property was its numerous food and beverage outlets, which included: the Golden Phoenix Room, which served Szechuan and Peking delicacies; the Madam Oko Japanese Restaurant, later replaced by the Kampachi Japanese eatery; the Rouge et Noir restaurant specialising in French cuisine; the Laksamana Steak House that served continental fare; Steven’s Corner, a 24-hour American-style coffee house; and the Club Crescendo lounge, which played soul music and served its signature ‘Pussyfoot’ cocktail. The hotel was closed down in 1998 and the site was sold to City Developments for redevelopment into the Equatorial condominium complex.
