Nestled within Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree is a luxurious resort which providing guests with an immersive nature experience at Mandai.
This new resort was officially opened on 12 April 2025. It is located within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, along with the other zoological parks—Bird Paradise, Night Safari, River Wonders, Singapore Zoo, and Rainforest Wild ASIA. Guests living in this resort will have access to all these attractions during their stay here.
The resort features 338 guest rooms and suites, including 24 unique treehouses, each designed to offer unobstructed views of the Upper Seletar Reservoir.
It’s my second time here at Mandai Rainforest Resort. I was here before the opening for the media tour and this time I had a chance to tour this space again on their opening day.
How to get to Mandai Rainforest Resort?
There are 2 major zones at Mandai Wildlife Reserve – Mandai Wildlife WEST and Mandai Wildlife EAST. The resort is located at Mandai Wildlife EAST, together with Singapore Zoo, River Wonders and Night Safari.
You can any of the buses which enters to Mandai Wildlife Reserve and alight at Mandai Wildlife EAST. From the bus-stop, you can take the escalator up and follow the signboards that would lead you to the resort. It will take you about 5 to 10 minutes to walk to the resort. If you are driving, you can also park at the resort’s carpark too.
Mandai Rainforest Resort is like a maze
It will definitely take you a while familiarise yourself with the surroundings here. I could not find my bearings during my first visit here. But after exploring the whole resort on my own during the second visit, I was able to navigate around the resort with ease. Also, there aren’t sufficient signages as well.
This whole place is like a maze because some of the paths are interconnected while some are not. You may have to take certain paths to walk from one building to the next.
The Architecture of the building is stunning.
The resort’s architecture is inspired by the rainforest’s intricate layers, with rooms reflecting the layers of the forest – forest floor, understorey, canopy, and emergent layers.
It is worth exploring the whole resort and view the resort from various perspectives and angles.
Hotel Lobby
The open-air lobby allows natural lighting to flood in, illuminating the whole space. The downside is that it can be rather warm in there as there isn’t much ventillation. I remembered getting bitten by mosquitoes here too.
The Rooms
There are a total of 338 rooms and 13 types of rooms available. The biggest room is the Grand Mandai Treehouse which occupies 63 sqm while the standard rooms like the retreat king is 36 sqm in size.
The 24 treehouses resembles the seed pods; each equipped with a private patio overlooking the Upper Seletar Reservoir. I checked out the Grand Mandai treehouse and explored the whole space.
Grand Mandai Treehouse
The room is well-ventilated, with windows that fully open to mimic the cool rainforest temperatures. The room has interactive displays promoting eco-conscious practices. It is equipped with both air-conditioner and ceiling fan.
There’s a plush King-sized bed placed in the middle of the room. It comes with a pillow menu. Behind the bedboard is the bathroom equipped with 2 sinks, bathtub and separate shower area.
Patio
The room overlooks upper seletar reservoir and it is lovely just lying on the sunbed during sunset and sunrise hours. There’s netting that forms the protective barrier to prevent monkeys from invading the room.
You can watch sunrise and sunset here if the weather is all good and the skies are clear.
Coffee and Tea Making Facilities
There’s a Nespresso Coffee machine as well as a water dispenser which dispenses both hot and cold water.
Spacious bathroom with exclusive Banyan Tree toiletries
There are 2 sinks and 2 wardrobe spaces. To me, this makes the perfect honeymoon suite for couples. All bath amenities like bath soap, toothbrush and even bath salts are provided.
There are umbrellas in the room because the walkways between the treehouses and the buildings are not sheltered.
Bathtub
They also provide bath salts and foaming bath soap for that ultimate bubble bath experience.
Toilet with auto-bidet
Private pool for those staying at the treehouses
Only treehouse guests have access to this private pool which overlooks the resevoir.
Rooftop Infinity Pool (for all guests)
This rooftop infinity pool offers panoramic views of the Upper Seletar Reservoir. They are deck chairs submerged in the pool where you can lie down and chill on it.
State-of-the-art 24-hours Gym
You can stay active with state-of-the-art amenities including a fully equipped gym which has all the basic gym equipment. Next to the gym is Banyan Tree Spa which houses 3 wellness pods and 3 treatment rooms. The spa offers invigorating spa treatments to restore both mind and body.
There are 2 dining establishments within the resort – Forage and Planter’s Shed.
Forage
Located on the fourth floor is this specialty restaurant overlooking the reservoir. Forage offers a ‘Trust the Chef’ menu featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. It includes produce from the resort’s rooftop edible garden. You can enjoy afternoon tea and dinner here.
Planter’s Shed
This is an all-day dining restaurant (located on B1 level ) serving Singaporean and international cuisine, Planter’s Shed features buffet options for breakfast and dinner. There are live cooking stations, and roving tableside service.
Hotel breakfast is served right here at this restaurant.
Rangers’ Club with outdoor playground
There’s a kids club called Rangers’ Club which is an inviting space for kids to play and have fun. Children can participate in eco-conscious educational programmes. This club is also the gateway to the outdoor playground inspired by Cannon ball trees.
Besides all these amenities, there are also ballrooms and event spaces for weddings and corporate events. There’s a grand 300-seater ballroom and 2 meeting rooms that can be configured to your specific needs.
Our Verdict
In short, it’s a mix of luxury, nature, and adventure all rolled into one, with a focus on sustainability and connection with the rainforest environment. The room rates start from $500++ (for standard rooms) and from $1200++ (for the treehouses). There’s an ongoing opening special promo where guests can enjoy 20% off the accomodation (for selected rooms).
Is it worth paying $1200++ for the Grand Mandai Treehouse? I would say yes if you aren’t able to travel out of Singapore and just want to be close with nature. There isn’t any resort or hotel quite like the Mandai Rainforest Resort in Singapore.
Mandai Rainforest Resort
Address: 60 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729979
