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Regularly shaped units with many boasting good-sized dining areas Smaller sizes on paper but largely due to the GFA harmonisation where aircon ledges are now excluded from the unit’s strata area Kudos to Guocoland for developing a black and white house from scratch as the iconic clubhouse for Lentor Mansion Facilities include a 50m lap pool, a tennis court, 3 sky terraces and 6 BBQ pits Thoughtful and well-executed Lentor Modern’s mall will be within walking distance and should meet your everyday needs Guocoland has emerged as one of the most impressive developers in recent years Short, fully sheltered walk to Lentor MRT Easy access to CTE but not the closest to town Fairly priced and in line with the other Lentor launches today based on absolute pricing due to lower land bid price and exclusion of strata area for AC ledges Guocoland’s vision for Lentor is an ambitious one – to transform the area into a desirable private residential estate, complete with amenities, nature and transport connectivity. But looking at their track record so far, they have proven themselves capable of doing so, successfully revitalising Tanjong Pagar (Guoco Tower, Sofitel City Centre and all-in-one) and then Bugis (Guoco Midtown and ). It’s almost unheard of for private developers to shape a residential area in recent years single-handedly but Lentor was one such opportunity. While Guocoland is not the official Master Developer for this area, I would argue that they are the one.  URA’s plans to rejuvenate the Lentor estate have been in the works for more than a decade now, having first been revealed at a public exhibition for the Draft Master Plan 2013. In the years that followed, URA released plans to develop a new Lentor Hills estate in their 2019 Master Plan, with new homes enjoying Hillock Park at its centre while having enhanced convenience with Lentor MRT’s completion. Of the 6 GLS sites to be sold, Guocoland, Hong Leong and CDL have won 5 of them. While run as separate entities, you may possibly know that Quek Leng Chan (Chairman of Guocoland and Hong Leong Malaysia) and Kwek Leng Beng (Executive Chairman of CDL and Hong Leong Singapore) are first cousins. The shaping of Lentor as a new residential estate is special because it’s one of the first new estates with several GLS sites in recent years. As you might expect from Singapore, most things have been well thought out. You have enhanced transport connectivity, with Lentor MRT up since 2021 and nature in the form of Hillock Park. More importantly, all (if not, almost all) the GLS sites here have sheltered walkways to Lentor MRT, which is rare and desirable in our climate.   Lentor Mansion’s launch will be the second Lentor launch in quick succession, following a couple of weeks ago. Launch weekend sales of just 19% (50 units) will be hot on buyers’ minds but I suspect this was due to Lentor Mansion’s very launch, with buyers keen to play the wait-and-see approach before committing to a purchase. In any case, this is to be expected with new launches in 2024, as buyers have the pleasure of shopping around. My guess is that Lentor Mansion will sell more units than Lentoria (50 units sold) during its launch weekend. Before jumping into the Insider Tour, I would like to point out that Lentor Mansion will be the first development under the new GFA harmonisation guidelines. Essentially, you had to pay for the aircon ledge as part of your apartment’s strata area in the past but will no longer have to do so going forward. Typically, the aircon ledge would be about 5% of the total strata area but this will now be a part of the common property instead. That said, it would result in the PSF of Lentor Mansion appearing marginally higher – more on that later in the price review.   I’m sure you’re excited to find out what makes Lentor Mansion unique so let’s get right to the Insider Tour!  The concept of Lentor Mansion was inspired by its hilly terrain and thick foliage that used to occupy the site. Located amidst large swathes of landed developments at Teachers Estate and Thomson Green, this development was inspired to re-create the sprawling black and white mansions of the past, characterised by its iconic clubhouse, generous lawn spaces and even a long driveway leading to the drop-off point.  The entrance to Lentor Mansion is located along Lentor Gardens and is cleverly designed in my opinion. While it’s a standard 2-lane ingress, those heading to the car park will make a left turn while those looking to be dropped off or picked up will head to the right via the guardhouse. The path to the Grand Drop-Off is pretty impressive – it’s a long driveway lined with trees like a boulevard before getting to the verandah or car porch of your typical black and white bungalow. The other practical upside here is that if several cars are coming in on a rainy day, the long driveway will help accommodate traffic flow.  I wouldn’t blame you if you thought that this was a conserved bungalow (in fact, someone asked that during the media preview). This black and white clubhouse with a verandah and car porch ranks among the most interesting clubhouses among the new launches – as a matter of fact, I’d argue that this looks better than the one at , where the clubhouse is a conserved bungalow from the original site. If you like setting a good first impression, Lentor Mansion’s version is one of the better ones around. Pretty sure that many will be intrigued when they are here for the first time.  The Mansion, as the double-storey clubhouse is called, features 2 function rooms, namely, the Lentor Room and the Drawing Room, which can be amalgamated for larger functions. The former is about 49 sqm in size and can accommodate 13 people while the latter is about 33 sqm, with a capacity for 10 people.  The Mansion also features a business centre, The Chamber, for your WFH needs. It’s about 55 sqm and has its own private meeting room (the Chamber can accommodate about 20 people). I would personally use such a space during my WFH days – nothing beats getting some free aircon and working in an environment with spot-on aesthetics.  And what’s a black and white house without an outdoor setting? A verandah is pretty key to such a house and I’m glad that you can find one here. Great if you have been working at The Chamber for some time and just wanted a breath of fresh air. Now, let’s talk about the overall design of Lentor Mansion. As you can tell from The Mansion, the intention was to pay homage to Singapore’s iconic black and white bungalows, which were made famous by architect . When you talk about condos that aim to recreate that black-and-white bungalow theme, a few come to mind – The Verandah Residences, and . You can tell that Lentor Mansion has tried to keep the same design philosophy with the gym and various other pavilions spread across the development, with the orange-pitched roof being one of the more recognisable sites. There are also several lawns across the development to create the feel of expansiveness.  However, I would say that Lentor Mansion is a modern condo with elements which are not exactly inspired by the colonial houses of the past. The residential towers, for example, are not black and white but are instead coated in dark, textured paint, which is more reminiscent of the one I saw at . Those familiar with recent GuocoLand projects like Midtown Modern and will probably recognise the similarities in terms of design here. Don’t fix what’s not broken, right? You also have a mixture of both tall (16-storeys) and shorter (8-storey) blocks, which look out to different views. The sky gardens on the 9th floor of the 3 taller blocks allow those on the lower floors to benefit from views of Hillock Park and Teachers Estate. With 533 units across 235,000+ sq ft of land, Lentor Mansion is the largest land plot among the 6 GLS sites. As such, landscaping and amenities will cover about 73% of the site, which is very credible in today’s day and age. This is something that sets a bigger development apart from smaller ones – especially when the estate is well-landscaped. The basement car park will house a total of 480 parking lots, which is sufficient for 90% of the 533 apartments. Even though there are no 1-bedroom units, there are several compact 2-bedroom ones with occupants who may not drive. Moreover, considering the development isn’t far from Lentor MRT and the stubbornly high COE prices, I would think that car park lots for 90% of units will be sufficient. That said, I acknowledge that owners of 4 and 5-bedroom units may have more than 1 car, which may be challenging. Out of 480 lots, 5 of them will have electric charging docks and it will be interesting if the demand for it increases significantly come 2028.  There are 6 other car park lots here which include 4 accessible lots and 2 reserved for the childcare centre on site in the condo. As only certain segments will benefit from this, this is over and above the 480 existing lots. There are also 133 bicycle lots for those looking to embrace a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle.  The childcare centre will be situated close to the guardhouse near Block 58 and having one was a requirement by the authorities as part of the land bid. The one here supplements the one at Lentor Modern, giving you options if you have young children. The developers have also kindly included an outdoor play area close by for the children’s benefit. For parents, this is a very needed amenity, and it is a big boost in the convenience factor. Coming back to the main pool area, the 50m lap pool will be located between Blocks 52 and 64 and beside the black and white clubhouse. As always, this is the pool for the more serious swimmers and its 9m width should be able to accommodate 3-4 people swimming shoulder to shoulder with each other. There will also be a pool deck with deck chairs to lounge around if you prefer to skip the workout for the day.  There are several other pools close by, including the 20m leisure pool, which is not too shabby and can be good if you have just picked up swimming or recovering from injury. The spa pool and its surrounding spa alcove and spa deck are definitely more for leisure and will provide you with an avenue to relax in a pool-like environment.  Between these pools is the gym, which is housed in a standalone structure fronting the 50m lap pool. This is probably one of the better views you can enjoy from the gym, which is always better than some locations that seem to be more of an afterthought. On the theme of sports facilities, there is also an outdoor fitness park close to stacks 34 and 39. Being the area closest to Lentor Hills Residences, this fitness park will also provide slightly a further set back for units at Lentor Mansion. Surprise surprise, there is going to be 1 tennis court at Lentor Mansion (just in front of stack 4). It is a rarity these days but a much-appreciated facility considering its popularity in Singapore.  Near the tennis court is where you will find the Tots Club, which is a series of facilities that cater to the little ones. There’s a play garden and play pavilion, with both appearing to be ‘resting spots’ for parents and helpers. The pavilion also looks to be the larger of the 2 and being on the same level as the playground (to your left) and play pool (to your right), it allows you to keep watch over the kids better. It also boasts BBQ facilities so this would probably be the perfect one to book if you have young kids around. This coupled with the childcare facility really appeals to parents with young kids, and will certainly be a big consideration for families looking to move to the Lentor area. Being the part of Lentor Mansion closest to Lentor Hills Road, the side gate of the development will be located here. There is a sheltered walkway leading to Lentor MRT in about 5 minutes, giving you weather-proof accessibility to the rest of Singapore. This was essentially what Guocoland was buying into – GLS sites which are built around existing infrastructure, where condos get unhindered MRT connectivity, which is not always common in Singapore. On the other side of the development (near Blocks 58 and 60) is where you find more green spaces. You have the Grand Lawn, which has become a bit of a Guocoland signature. We saw it at Martin Modern and then at Meyer Mansion. Great place for the dogs and kids to run about!  It is quite an underrated feature to have, which I do like as a view for units here – seeing this amount of greenery is always a calming sight. That said, if you wanted an actual spot dedicated to the furry ones, there’s a pet-run area and an accompanying pavilion relatively close by as well. Interestingly, Lentor Mansion will also have a couple of glamping spots here too. Personally, the idea of this is pretty cool but I’m not sure if people would stay overnight in these tents, especially with our humid weather.  Around the area closest to Hillock Park is where you will aptly find the Fern Valley, Forest Trail and Wellness Deck. These are quieter, more secluded spots where you can engage in some time of reflection.  As mentioned earlier, there are 3 sky terraces on the 9th floor of each of the high-rise towers. Since Lentor Mansion faces Teachers Estate on one side and Hillock Park on the other, the 9th floor should provide sufficient clearance for unblocked views throughout.  All 3 sky terraces will comprise the same facilities with 5 main sections each – the Cabana Terrace, Sky Lounge, Chill Out Terrace (BBQ pits will be here), Social Terrace and Work Terrace. The developers had envisioned each sky terrace as an extension of the living room, hence catering to a myriad of needs from dining and exercise to WFH.  With that, let’s move to the show flat units! Lentor Mansion is the only development among the 5 existing GLS sites launched to have a 5-bedroom option, giving larger families or those looking for more sizable units the option of getting one. In terms of choices, 5-bedroom units are either 1,485 sq ft or 1,507 sq ft and makeup 8.4% (45 units) of the development. Do note that there are no private lifts in this development, even for the largest 5-bedroom units. Prices start from $3.176m ($2,138 psf).  Ceiling height is average at 2.8m for all units (no penthouses or ground floor units with higher ceiling heights) while the floor would be laid in vinyl throughout the apartment, supposedly for sustainability and easy maintenance. However, unlike most other new launches, the bedroom windows at Lentor Mansion do not extend from floor to ceiling but are about 3⁄4 length instead. The developers have attributed this to more sustainable practices and to be more in line with the retro theme of the development.  Entering the unit, there’s a bathroom by the entrance which I feel ought to be more normalised across all large units in Singapore. It is referred to as Bath 4 on the floor plan. Most of these are usually powder rooms i.e. just the w/c without a shower in other new launches, but the one here has added practicality with a shower stall included. It’s compact at 2.7 sqm but typical of ‘powder rooms’ which allow you or guests to wash up before entering or leaving the home. Coming through, you won’t be seeing much of the unit as there is a long foyer along the way. Units of this size can probably afford some space for more privacy and it is quite wide, so you could always line it up with some storage cabinets or a photo wall along the way. Towards the end of the corridor is the 4.6 sqm Household Shelter, the storeroom for Singapore homes and a must-have for 5-bedroom units.  The enclosed kitchen at the end of the corridor has a glass panel, which to me, creates the illusion of a seamless transition between spaces. The main kitchen area is a squarish space, with 2 L-shaped countertops, providing sufficient room for several people to work simultaneously. There are also ample top and bottom storage cabinets which are befitting of a larger family living here. What I thought could have been a small but practical addition would be a wider 2-bowl sink inside of a single-bowl one as I think that would be more functional for a larger-sized unit.  Appliances will be supplied by the developer and will comprise a 2-door fridge, oven, 3-zone gas hob and hood. All of these will be from Smeg, the Italian home appliance maker best known for its stylish, more retro look. Towards the end of the kitchen is the yard that comes with a window. The washer cum dryer is also placed here, so you can have the option of hang-drying your clothes if you prefer.  Just outside the kitchen will be where the dining area is. Based on the show flat units at Lentor Mansion, it’s clear that Guocoland made dining spaces a key priority. The dining table here seats 8 comfortably. According to Guocoland, this space can accommodate up to 12 people for parties, presumably through an expandable dining table. This is pretty impressive for 1,485 sq ft of space, which is not the largest 5-bedroom out there in the market. Between the living and dining areas is a ceiling fan, which will be provided by Guocoland as standard. These are all part of Guocoland’s push for Lentor Mansion to be its 1st Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) residential development. This isn’t anything new if you’ve been visiting show flats in the previous few months, although I did find the placement of the fan a little awkward (even if it is in the centre). There’s a degree of flexibility when it comes to the living room. Many families in Singapore do not require 5 bedrooms so if you prefer more living and dining space than what a 4-bedder would provide, you can do what the developers did here, which is to hack the walls of Bedroom 5 (adding 9 sqm to the living room area). You can postulate that this may have been the plan anyway since the balcony does extend the width of the living room to Bedroom 5. However, do note that there’s a structural beam between the 2 areas that cannot be hacked away and you will have to work around this creatively.  If you choose to retain the original configuration (without any hacking), the living room will span ~3m in width and ~3m in length. That is identical to what you will find in the 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom show flats. Probably sufficient for a 3-4 seater sofa and an acceptable distance to the TV console if you have one. In short, this is not a great amount of space for a 5-bedroom unit, especially if you intend to host a bigger crowd.  However, you will recall that the dining room was particularly impressive, with capacity for up to 12 people at a usable length of almost 4m. You can’t have your cake and eat it – with 138 sqm (1,485 sq ft) of space, you probably either have a larger living room or dining room and I would personally prefer the latter as well. The balcony is pretty sizable at 10.6 sqm, and for reference, it is larger than the Junior Master Bedroom in this unit. With that amount of space, you can have an al-fresco dining area as well as an outdoor garden or workout area. The balcony extends from the living room to bedroom 5, so if you have kept the original bedroom configuration, its occupant will also benefit from a breath of fresh air outdoors.  As with many other 5-bedroom units in the new launch market, this unit features a dumbbell layout, with the Junior Master Bedroom situated away from the other 4 Bedrooms. This layout grants more privacy for the occupants of the Junior Master, be it your occasional guests, parents or adult children. The Junior Master Bedroom is 9.7 sqm in size and comes with an ensuite bathroom. They have a queen-sized bed with 2 side tables here and you do get slightly more space than the common bedrooms (8.8 sqm). As mentioned earlier, there are no floor-to-ceiling windows at Lentor Modern – and I think it’s neither an expectation nor a deal breaker for most, it’s something you should be aware of in any case.  The room also comes with an ensuite 4.2 sqm Junior Master Bath. It’s a simple design, complete with sanitaryware from renowned European brands Hansgrohe and Roca, both of which are higher-end names. Some of these include the wall-hung w/c and the rain shower, with the latter being available only for the Junior Master Bath and the Master Bath.  Bedroom 3 is positioned along the corridor to the 4 other bedrooms and is 8.8 sqm, an average size in today’s context. You can fit a Queen size bed as expected but this would mean that you won’t have room for a study table if you require one. Another thing I should point out is that the windows here only occupy half of the room, which means that this room will have the least amount of natural light compared to the other bedrooms.  Bedroom 3 comes with an ensuite bathroom (Bath 3 at 4.2 sqm), which is also accessible via the corridor and likely shared with Bedrooms 4 and 5 (if you retain the original configuration). If you think that’s insufficient for the occupants of 3 bedrooms, there’s also Bath 4 close to the entrance, which the 2 other bedrooms can share. That said, Bath 4 is much more compact and further away from the bedrooms. For Bath 3, it’s a standard size and comes with sanitaryware and fittings from Hansgrohe and Roca, both of which are household names in Singapore’s private property market.  Bedroom 4 is similarly sized at 8.8 sqm, but this one has been done up with a Single bed instead. Personally, this is the more functional layout I would prefer since it allows you to have a study or dresser for your everyday needs. Finally, we get to the Master Bedroom, which is double the size of the common bedrooms at 15.6 sqm. Upon entering, it’s evident that there’s just much more space here, and you get a his and hers walk-in wardrobe beside the bathroom as well. As such, having a king-sized bed will not be an issue, along with bedside tables of your liking. In the 5.3 sqm ensuite Master Bath, you get additional features such as a his and hers sink (no more rushing in the mornings), rain shower (only available here and in the Junior Master Bath) and windows for natural ventilation. Besides them, you get the same quality fittings from Roca (wall-hung WC and under-counter basin) and Hansgrohe (shower and basin mixer).  All 4 Bedroom units at Lentor Mansion are the same size at 1,227 sq ft and there will be 75 of them here, making up 14.1% of the development. Ceiling height is standard at 2.8m for all units, with the development being unique by having vinyl floors for the entire apartment, instead of the usual porcelain tiles in the common areas.  Entering the unit, you are greeted by a foyer area that shields the rest of the unit from your line of sight. For owners, this means more privacy and for visitors, it entails a sense of anticipation. The area around the entrance is also beneficial for those looking to build more shoe cabinets or a bench. Speaking about storage spaces, the DB box by the entrance also doubles up as a smart vacuum storage space underneath.  There’s a pantry in the dry kitchen area, a concept which I appreciate and feel should be done across more new launches. It allows you to either have your everyday necessities – coffee machine etc – or your trophy wine bottles to display. You also get more top and bottom storage cabinets with a built-in pantry area. Besides the pantry, the 2-door fridge from Smeg will also be placed here.  As for the 8.4 sqm enclosed kitchen, it will include several top and bottom storage cabinets while lining the L-shaped countertop space. With them come Smeg kitchen appliances which include a 3-zone gas hob, hood and oven here. Personally, gas hobs are a must-have for the larger units as the occupants are often families who may engage in more varied styles of cooking.  At the end of the kitchen are windows for ventilation as well as the Franke sink and Hansgrohe mixer.  In the kitchen is also where you will find the 4.3 sqm Household Shelter, which, as we all know, is often used as a storage/helper’s room. This is something to be expected in large units, so there are no real surprises here. Similar to the 5-bedroom unit, there is a powder room (Bath 3) in this 4-bedroom unit. It’s located conveniently at the entrance, which is especially helpful for guests who may wish to use it before heading off. Unlike the one in the 5-bedroom unit though, the one here does not have a dedicated shower stall and shares the shower area with the w/c area. I understand the practicality of this, because the lack of one would mean 3 common bedrooms sharing just 1 shower.  That said, I feel that the idea of a powder room for larger units is to give the unit a touch of luxury – I think back to a similarly mass market development in , where the developers installed a rather iconic Gessi teardrop mixer to create that impression. Hence, personally, to cram a shower here may not be the most ideal aesthetic I would like. In fact, if one was to shower there before another uses the bathroom, I can expect the area to be quite wet, which isn’t very practical.  On to the dining area and similar to the 5 Bedroom show flat, the one here is quite impressive in terms of its seating capacity. While not the widest, its length makes up for it as it can comfortably seat 8 people. On special occasions, an extendable table would do the trick in expanding it to up to 12 people. My dream dining area would involve being beside the balcony to enjoy some natural breeze or views but as with most things in life, you can’t have the best of all worlds.  As for the living room, unbelievable as it may be, it’s roughly the same amount of space as the one found in the 2, 3 and 5 Bedroom show flats. It’s 3m wide and about 3m in length – you can accommodate a 4-seater couch, a coffee table and a TV console but you just have to be mindful of the size of each of them (hence the mirror on the ceiling to help extend the sense of space). You do have the addition of a fan too, but again, the placement in the middle of both spaces is a little neither here nor there. It’s a different story for the balcony though. At 9.4 sqm, this is more spacious than all the common bedrooms. It’s only this size because it stretches from the living room to Bedroom 4. While it was possible to knock down the wall in the 5-bedroom unit, my prima facie understanding is that this cannot be done for the 4-bedroom unit.  Quite typical of PPVC developments, all the common bedrooms are identical in size at 8.8 sqm. They have been designed differently to showcase the various ways you can look to do up your room. As a baseline, you would be able to have a Queen-sized bed in each of these rooms.  Starting with the room closest to the living room, Bedroom 4. It’s been designed a bit like a minimalist study and kept rather sparse with a built-in platform and table. The raised platform is a good way to mask the lack of floor-to-ceiling windows at Lentor Mansion, or possibly have more underfloor storage.  Bedroom 3 is adjacent to Bedroom 4 and comes with a similar size of 8.8 sqm. As standard, you get your 2-door wardrobe and enough space for a queen-sized bed. However, if you prefer more practicality, you could opt for a Single bed instead coupled with a study table. Bedroom 2 has direct entry to Bath 2, which is a jack-and-jill bathroom accessible via the common corridor as well. At 8.8 sqm, Bedroom 2 fits a Queen-sized bed just as they have done here.  As previously mentioned, all bedrooms at Lentor Mansion do not have floor-to-ceiling windows and the one here at Bedroom 2 will be half height as the aircon ledge is located here. Just to highlight again, Lentor Mansion is the first development to be launched under the revised URA guidelines which will exclude aircon ledges from the strata area which you pay for.  Bath 2 is averagely sized at 4.5 sqm and will likely be shared among all 3 common bedrooms because of its convenience to the bedrooms. However, if you think this is a squeeze, there’s Bath 3 (although that is way more compact at 2.2 sqm) near the entrance. Bath 2 comes with fittings provided by Guocoland, including the wall-hung w/c from Roca and the shower and basin mixer from Hansgrohe. On the more practical aspects though, there is no rain shower or windows in this bathroom.  Moving on to the Master Bedroom, which is sized at 14.6 sqm. As you can tell, it is certainly more spacious than your common bedrooms. It can fit a decent dresser alongside a queen-sized bed without much trouble. There’s also a walk-in wardrobe just beside the ensuite bathroom and having 2 panels on each side means you get double the wardrobe space, a much appreciated commodity in today’s new launch market.  The Master Bath is 5.3 sqm and comes with his and hers basins from Roca, as well as a wall-hung w/c and rain shower from Hansgrohe. Only the Master Bedroom in this unit gets the rain shower option. This is also the only bathroom to have windows for natural ventilation, so yes, special treatment here indeed. At Lentor Mansion, 3-bedroom units make up 37% (199) of all units with the smallest unit starting from 786 sqft to 1,023 sq ft. They are divided into a standard 3 Bedroom unit, 3 Bedroom + Flex and 3 Bedroom + Flex + Household Shelter. This show flat unit is the largest 3 Bedroom + Flex unit. The ceiling height is standard at 2.8m for all units with no penthouses or ground floor units having higher ceiling heights.  The choice of floors will be vinyl throughout the unit, unlike many new launches which have a combination of porcelain tiles for the common areas and vinyl for the bedrooms. I appreciate that synchronised approach for the apartment as it provides a more seamless transition between spaces.  Like the other units here, the bedroom windows at Lentor Mansion do not extend from floor to ceiling but are about 3⁄4 length instead. Entering the unit, you will notice that there’s a nook to the right of the door, which is where the DB box and some storage shelves are situated. I think this is a good space to have as it provides a dedicated spot for some shoe racks or stools for you to get ready. You could even have a full-length mirror on 1 side here as the developers have done here. Since it’s out of view from the rest of the house, you won’t have to fret as much over the aesthetics of this space.  To the left of the entrance is where you will find the pantry as part of the dry kitchen area. I like the idea of this as it gives you a space to place your everyday appliances such as your coffee machine. The top and bottom cabinets will come in handy especially if you intend to host often. The fridge from Smeg will be placed in the dry kitchen area for easy access.  The wet kitchen has windows for ventilation and an L-shaped countertop area. Top and bottom storage areas come as standard, as with the 3-zone gas hob, cooker hood and oven, all of which will be from Italian maker Smeg.  It isn’t the largest kitchen around, but you do have a decent amount of storage even if the useable countertop space is a little lacking. While this apartment does not have a dedicated household shelter (which is usually used as a storeroom), there are 3 Bedroom layouts which have one. Instead, there’s a Flex room that is linked directly to the kitchen. At 4.8 sqm of space, it’s not a great deal of space but can serve various functions.  First, you can do it up as a study/WFH setup as the developers have done here. Alternatively, if a storeroom is absolutely necessary for you, this room could also serve as one. If you have a stay-in helper, this could potentially be a room for you too. During the rental boom in recent years, I know that some Flex rooms have also been converted into a bedroom to enhance rental yield. As they say, “willing landlord, willing tenant.” Moving to the dining area is where you currently find a 6-seater setup. Regardless of whether you intend to place your table horizontally or vertically, I think 6 is the minimum you could place in this area. If you tilt horizontally instead (vertical at the moment, but this depends on the perspective you are viewing it from), I think it has the potential to accommodate more seats if you don’t mind it intruding on your walkway.   Like the other units so far, there is a ceiling fan included here. It is in the centre too, but given that this is a smaller space it would likely be able to cover both spaces adequately. As with the living area, it’s about 3m in length and width and there seems to be little difference between the 2 to 5 Bedroom units, which could be attributable to the PPVC construction method. In any case, I would say this is an acceptable amount of space for a 3-bedroom unit, with room for a 4-seater sofa, coffee table and a TV console.  The balcony, when compared to the 4 and 5-bedroom show flats, would immediately appear to be much smaller – and it is. At 5 sqm, however, it is the right size for most owners. It is big enough for a couple of stools, a compact coffee table or a mini-garden to enjoy the outdoors and yet small enough for you to keep your unit size (and quantum) reasonable.  Both common bedrooms are sized at 8.8 sqm, as with all common bedrooms at Lentor Mansion. This consistency makes comparison across units much simpler. All rooms also have the same floor material as the rest of the apartment, which is going to be vinyl. Do note that, unlike most new launches, the windows at Lentor Mansion are not floor to ceiling, but rather about ¾ height (this was supposedly done for energy conservation).  Bedroom 3 showcases what I would do personally if I had a room of this size. You can have a Single bed along with a study table and perhaps build some shelves or cabinets on top to store your books away. Practical for those with school-going children.  As for Bedroom 2, it is designed with a Queen-size bed in mind. As you can tell, while the room can accommodate that, you won’t be able to do much else with the remaining space. Hence, your practical considerations (number of kids, age, types of occupants etc) will determine if you are able to enjoy a bigger bed or not. Storage space comes in the form of the standard 2-panel sliding wardrobe, so no surprises there. Both Bedroom 2 and 3 will share Bath 2, which is of an average size of 4.2 sqm. While it does not have a rain shower, the developer will provide quality fittings such as the Hansgrohe shower mixer and tap and the Roca wall-hung w/c. This bathroom also comes with windows for natural ventilation (very important). Finally, the Master Bedroom. At 11.2 sqm, it’s not the largest master bedroom around but it does an adequate job. After all, this unit is just 904 sq ft with 3 bedrooms. You can still fit a King size bed here but doing so would mean taking up the entire room so it may be more practical to have a Queen and include a dresser or any other fixture to your liking.  I would still prefer a floor-to-ceiling window in the Master Bedroom, but I don’t think this is going to be a dealbreaker for most. Unlike the bigger units that you might have seen, storage space isn’t likely going to be enough for most people (which is an issue at all new launches anyway). The Master Bath is 4.7 sqm, which is slightly larger than your common bathroom. This particular stack has the benefit of having windows for both the common and master bathrooms, a rarity in today’s market. It comes with European brand fittings from Hansgrohe and Roca, with the Master Bath also coming with a rain shower for your enjoyment.  As with many other developments, 2-bedroom units are the most predominant unit layout at Lentor Mansion, making up 40.2% (214) of all units. Units range from 527 sq ft to 657 sq ft, so the one we are reviewing here is the largest layout you can find in this development (the smallest 2-bedroom layout only has 2 Bedrooms and 1 Bathroom). The new GFA harmonisation rules mean that aircon ledges are now excluded from your strata area, so the amount of usable space may not have changed that much despite units having fewer sq ft. Moreover, the dumbbell layout, which is common for 2 Bedroom units also helps with efficiency since there is no wasted corridor area.  Ceiling heights are standard across all floors at 2.8m, the average for new condos and the choice of floor material is vinyl across the entire apartment.  In most 2-bedroom units, there is an open-concept kitchen for space efficiency purposes. Most will be placed along the corridor leading into the living and dining areas while some will form an L-shape counter fronting the dining area. The one here is also L-shaped but occupies the corner instead, which gives you the versatility of having an extendable table as the developers have done here.  On paper, this dining area can already fit 6, but because you are not hindered by any kitchen countertop, you can extend it further when friends come by. It’s been some time since I saw a layout like this, with the last I recall being at the 2 Bedroom + Study show flat at .  It is certainly good to see the emphasis on proper dining spaces here at Lentor Mansion, as this gets typically overlooked in the smaller units. As for the kitchen, it’s pretty standard for smaller units. You don’t get windows and will be reliant on the cooker hood for any remnant fumes and smell. As such, there’s a 2-zone induction hob instead (3-bedroom units get gas hobs) where you are not expected to engage in as heavy cooking as the larger units. The developers have installed a track here to show how this open-concept kitchen can have a sliding door installed to enclose this space.  Appliances are supplied by the developer and they include a Smeg fridge, washer-dryer, induction hob, hood and oven. This is in addition to the Hansgrohe tap and Franke sink which will be pre-installed for you.  Across from the kitchen is a very useful pantry area. I’ve mentioned it above and will mention it again – it’s great for your everyday items – coffee machine, wine glasses etc and has additional storage space below – for a compact unit such as this, any additional storage area is much appreciated! The living area is about 3m wide and 3m long, similar in size and shape to the other units. It’s an acceptable amount of space, sufficient for a 4-seater couch, coffee table and compact TV console, as they have shown here. For a 2-bedroom unit, I have no complaints at all.  As for the balcony, I think it is fairly sized at 4.9 sqm. If it’s too small (like a planter box in years past), it defeats the purpose of having one. If it’s too big, it may be a white elephant for some who do not appreciate the outdoors. Here, the developers could fit 2 outdoor chairs and a small table for you to enjoy a morning coffee before work. The common bedroom is 8.7 sqm, which is almost identical to the common bedrooms in the larger units at 8.8 sqm. The best thing about this room is its direct access to the common bath, which also has another door for guests. This is the most ideal layout as it effectively makes both bedrooms ensuite, which is very convenient.  Bath 2 is averagely sized at 4.3 sqm and comes with your usual bells and whistles – quality European fittings from Hansgrohe (shower mixer, tap) and Roca (under-counter basin, wall-hung w/c). Note though, that there are no windows in this bathroom.  Even though this is the Master Bedroom, it is only marginally larger than the common bedroom at 9.7 sqm. If I don’t recall wrongly, this is one of the smaller Master Bedrooms, even among its new launch peers. Lentor Modern, for example, has it at 11 sqm in its 2-bedroom unit. Of course, developers can always build larger bedrooms and units but the question will be if buyers are willing to pay for it? I’d say that practicality is more important than size and my opinion is that for a typical buyer in this category, 9.7 sqm is sufficient. You can still fit a King-size bed, but a Queen would be more practical since it gives you more room for a bedside table or compact dresser.  It’s the same story for the Master Bath at 4.7 sqm, which is just marginally larger than the common bathroom. The only difference between the 2 is the addition of a rain shower here. You get well-known European brands Hansgrohe and Roca supplying you with the bathroom fixtures such as the wall-hung w/c and tap so you can rest assured that they should last you for some time.   Unfortunately, there’s no ventilation window here either, but it’s to be expected for smaller units usually anyway. What will be the Lentor of the late 2020s will be completely different from the Lentor that we grew up with in the 2000s. Many would identify Lentor as a sleepy, out-of-the-way estate, most commonly associated with the . This is set to change quite dramatically upon the completion of Lentor Modern and its neighbouring condos. By then, you will get a full-fledged mall at its integrated estate, while enjoying the seamless (and weather-proof) connectivity to the Thomson East-Coast line.  Guocoland’s vision when bidding on these sites was its ability to etch its status as the de facto Master Developer here, shaping the landscape for generations to come. With the Thomson East-Coast Line, just 5 minute’s walk away, 9 stops (~18 minutes) will take you to Orchard, 14 stops (~28 minutes) to Shenton Way and 17 stops (~34 minutes) to Gardens By The Bay. As mentioned during the media launch, even those staying in the East Coast may potentially consider Lentor given the newfound connectivity via the Thomson East Coast Line. As an example, Lentor is 22 stops (~44 minutes) from Marine Parade, where I grew up.  What makes Lentor Mansion stand out from a location perspective is also its 1km distance from Anderson Primary School and the ever-popular CHIJ St Nicholas Girls School. Not all the 6 Lentor developments (present and future) have this advantage. Just 2 blocks of Lentor Hills Residences and Lentoria are within 1 km of CHIJ St Nicholas. That’s a big advantage over Lentor Modern and Hillock Green as parents can get rather fixated on getting their children into brand-name schools. Lentor MRT (400m, 5 mins walk) 1 – onto Yio Chu Kang Road, where a left will take you to the major expressways (CTE, SLE, TPE) in 5 minutes and a right will get you to Upper Thomson.  Listed on the SGX since 1978, GuocoLand is a premier regional property company with operations in Singapore, China, Malaysia and Vietnam. Headquartered in Singapore, the principal business activities of GuocoLand are property development, property investment, hotel operations and property management. As of the end of 2021, the Group’s total assets amounted to approximately $11.3 billion. In Singapore, the Group has successfully developed more than 35 residential projects yielding ~11,000 homes. GuocoLand’s flagship Guoco Tower at Tanjong Pagar integrates premium Grade A offices, F&B retail space, Wallich Residence, the 5* Sofitel Singapore City Centre and a landscaped urban park. Guoco Midtown, comprising Midtown Modern ( ) and Midtown Bay ( ) is also expected to rejuvenate the Bugis precinct. Guocoland has also developed a sizable portfolio of properties spanning the major cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Tianjin. ADDP is no stranger to Guocoland and the Singapore condo scene. Founded in 1986, with a workforce of almost 200 today, they pioneered the prefabricated construction method in Singapore. ADDP’s philosophy emphasizes vibrant growth through the production of innovative and quality designs. Among the projects which they have completed include Guocoland’s The Avenir and Martin Modern, as well as Seaside Residences, Botanique at Bartley and Cliveden at Grange amongst many others.  Lentor Mansion’s lack of 1-bedroom units and presence of 5-bedroom ones imply that this is a very family-focused condo. This is currently the only new launch in Lentor to feature 5 Bedroom units. It’s clear that the development seeks to leverage its more expansive land area to focus on larger families and take advantage of its 1km radius to Anderson Primary and CHIJ St Nicholas. Not a bad choice in my opinion, especially when Lentor Mansion is well put together with full facilities and what I think will become an iconic clubhouse. As mentioned several times throughout this review, units here appear to be of a smaller size due to new GFA harmonisation rules, which now means that unit sizes are only based on liveable areas and exclude “non-liveable” ones such as the aircon ledge.  Stacks are either north-east or south-west facing. South-west facing stacks can expect direct afternoon sun towards the end/start of the year. You have the option of choosing from the 3 8-storey blocks (52, 56 or 58) or the 3 17-storey blocks (60, 62, 64) and given the number of options available, it will be down to your preference in terms of views. For starters, the good thing is that every unit will be North or South facing, hence avoiding the West sun for most parts of the unit.  The shorter 8-storey blocks will front Lentor Gardens for the outward-looking stacks and face the Teachers’ Housing Estate. Since it is a low-rise, landed enclave, I believe units above the 5th floor should get relatively unblocked views, especially since Teachers’ Estate slopes down as you get more inward if memory doesn’t fail me. As for the taller blocks, the outward-looking units for Blocks 60 and 62 will front Hillock Park, which will form the central green zone for all the neighbouring condos. It’s always quite nice to look out at nature, so those who appreciate it may wish to consider these units. For Block 64, units will be sandwiched by the Green Link but I think ultimately, it’s the closest block looking out to Lentor Hills Residences while getting some views of Hillock Park.  If you prefer the inward-looking stacks, there are several options for you. For the quietest option, I would say stacks 27 to 30 and 15 to 18 are the most ideal, since they avoid the swimming pool (which can be noisy, especially on weekends) and face the Grand Lawn instead. For the other inward-facing units, you would likely be facing either the 50m lap pool or the leisure pool, which is nice if you would like to look out towards some water elements.  If you are considering Lentor Mansion, you will undoubtedly compare it against its neighbouring developments. So here is how it stacks up! The indicative prices for Lentor Mansion have been released as follows: 2 Bedroom (527 – 657 sq ft) from $1.149mil ($2,180 psf) 3 Bedroom (786 – 1,023 sq ft) from $1.702mil ($2,165 psf) 4 Bedroom (1,227 sq ft) from $2.635mil ($2,148 psf) 5 Bedroom (1,485 – 1,507 sq ft) from $3.176mil ($2,139 psf) Considering the starting prices, I have estimated an expected average of $2,250 psf at the launch weekend for Lentor Mansion. As mentioned earlier in this review, Lentor Mansion will be the first development under the new GFA harmonisation guidelines, meaning that aircon ledges will no longer be part of the strata area (or in simple terms, no longer what you will have to pay for). As such, there’s expected to be a small uptick in the psf prices and also lead to a more confusing analysis of prices.  For the purposes of this price comparison, I have taken out Seasons Park and Castle Green, both of which were condos built in 1997 and were included in my recent . The gulf in psf is becoming increasingly wide (especially with the new GFA harmonisation) and potential buyers are unlikely to be considering Castle Green and Lentor Mansion in the same breath anyway.  Having reviewed a couple of past new launches I have reviewed, I have noticed that aircon ledges typically make up 5% of the apartment’s strata area. As such, I have simplistically included an additional column on “est. actual price gap” that factors in the additional 5% of space that Lentor Mansion would have included in the past.  With the new numbers at play, the initial 6-7% paper difference in terms of the average psf for the other new Lentor projects would now narrow significantly to 1-2% instead. Moreover, this is based on my estimated average psf of $2,250 and if it turns out to be any less, this would mean a flat line growth compared to the previous developments. At the same time, it’s also important to highlight that even if you want to purchase a unit at some of these developments, there would barely be an opportunity to do so. For example, Lentor Modern is 98% sold while Lentor Hills Residences is 77% sold. That said, you still have Hillock Green and Lentoria to compare against before making a purchase.  Lentor Mansion stands out among the Lentor developments in my opinion since it has the largest land plot and yet does not have the most number of units. Besides the less dense environment you will enjoy, there will also be more generous facilities. Interestingly, the latest 2 launches just ahead of Lentor Mansion, Lentoria and Hillock Green, both do not have a tennis court. Lentor Mansion, on the other hand, has 1, which makes it similar to Lentor Modern and Lentor Hills Residences. Additionally, all units at Lentor Mansion will also enjoy a 1 km radius of CHIJ St Nicholas’ and Anderson Primary, with the former being one of the most popular in Singapore. Lentoria is the only other development that can boast of having all units being 1km from CHIJ St Nicks.  We have a full pricing review that would be out shortly, so stay tuned for that. Lentor Mansion is the 5th Lentor condo to be launched in 2 years and the 4th by the Guocoland / Hong Leong group. Being the development with the largest land plot, Lentor Mansion will boast of being the only launch thus far to feature 5 Bedroom units. Its clubhouse may also turn out to be iconic and have people identifying Lentor Mansion as the condo with clubhouse, hence also indirectly supporting its demand. With all units within a 1 km radius of both CHIJ St Nicks and Anderson Primary, Lentor Mansion will also be keenly watched by young parents as well.  The NSC will connect the North to the City and help ease the ever-crazy congestion on the CTE and arterial roads such as Thomson and Marymount Road. At 21.5km, the NSC will feature dedicated bus lanes, cycling trunk routes and pedestrian paths. I wouldn’t call this a point that would directly lead to a capital appreciation for Lentor Mansion, but having less congestion and reducing drive times (especially considering its distant location) will go a long way in helping residents have a better overall experience.  Lentor Mansion will be launched hot on the heels of Lentoria, which sold just 50 units or 19% of the development. That said, I would say that Lentor’s new launch performances have been credible thus far considering that there have been 5 launches in less than 2 years in a new area. How then, will Lentor Mansion differentiate itself? It bills itself as the only new launch thus far to have 5 Bedroom units. That’s definitely a selling point for those looking for larger units here at Lentor. Despite having the largest land area, it does not have the most number of units and 73% of the land is dedicated to landscaping and facilities. Put simply, it should mean that you get a less densely populated development, although the units here are generally larger with the presence of 4 and 5 Bedroom types. Coming to the aesthetics, Lentor Mansion also stands out with its clubhouse. A black and white house built from scratch, this is another feature that does allow the development to stand out among its peers.  Practically speaking, Lentor Mansion ticks all the right boxes as well. As with every other development here, it will benefit from the Lentor Modern Mall that will come with everyday conveniences such as a supermarket and eateries. You can see that the press release of the confirmation of anchor tenants of CS was well-timed, as buyers look at the 2 new recent launches. Lentor Mansion will have a childcare of its own, but you also have the option of one at Lentor Modern. This condo also has a sheltered walkway through to Lentor MRT, which is also similar to the rest of the competition. Where Lentor Mansion stands out more is its unique proposition as one of 2 developments (the other being Lentoria) with 100% of units being 1 km from CHIJ St Nicholas Girls School. While Anderson Primary and Mayflower Primary are within 1 km for many of them, these schools are arguably not as popular as CHIJ St Nicks. I’m a proud beneficiary of that as my partner not only attended the school and also topped her PSLE cohort way back in 2008. I brag but being 1 km from a well regarded primary school not only allows you to benefit personally if you have children (daughters in this case), but also for future resale and rental demand. To conclude, there’s little not to like about Lentor Mansion, if you are one that is eyeing the area as a destination for you. Aside from pricing and the issue of supply, buyers who are looking at Lentor but have missed out on Lentor Modern would probably see this as a very viable alternative from an own-stay perspective. it’s quite clear that there’s been quite a bit of thought that has gone into the planning of Lentor Mansion, which is especially important considering the competition here. I think they have done enough to make themselves stand out among its neighbouring developments (many of which are their own anyway). You may choose to downplay it if you do not have a daughter, but you should not underestimate what parents will do to get their children into their dream primary school. Homes are an important part of that due to the 1km rule. Thus, even if you do not have a child and are not a direct beneficiary, there will always be rental or resale demand for your unit in the future. make no mistake, this is top of mind for all market watchers and you don’t need to be a property enthusiast to know this. Property agents can sing a different tune but the writing has been on the wall – while Lentor Modern and Lentor Hills Residences hit great sales figures on its launch weekend, growth is slowing with Lentoria having sold just 19% of units a few weeks ago, although I think a big part could have been due to potential buyers wanting to compare it against Lentor Mansion itself.