More than a heritage-rich precinct frequented by locals and tourists, Little India is also home to many international staffers who live and work in nearby hospitality and retail establishments.
For Ms Cheyeon Park, 24, Little India showed her a different side of Singapore. She felt that the temples and historical monuments represented a form of tranquillity, which contrasted with the high-rise buildings and fast-paced city culture.
She likened this duality to her hometown of Busan, South Korea, where she relocated from at the start of this year to work as a guest experience ambassador at Varel Singapore – a newly built 128-room boutique hotel located diagonally across the road from Tekka Place.
As part of her day-to-day duties, Ms Park manages the front desk and assists guests from all over the world with their queries, which often include giving out travel tips and suggestions.
“Koreans (guests) normally don’t know that Little India actually has a lot of good food, so I will recommend them to eat at Tekka Market,” she said.
For her own meals, Ms Park usually heads to the 24-hour “mamak” or Indian Muslim stall near the hotel, where her favourite dish to order is the thosai.
“I go there every day, and they (the staff) recognise me. I remember there was one time I forgot to pay for my meal, but they didn’t say anything until I returned the next day to pay after I had realised,” Ms Park recounted.
Through her Indian colleagues, Ms Park also learnt more about the Deepavali celebrations in Singapore. “I think it’s really beautiful. I feel Koreans will really like it because it’s a historical festival and we also like to see pretty lights,” she noted.
She likened the Deepavali festivities to the Haeundae Lighting Festival in Busan, which takes place in the winter months and attracts many tourists each year.
Another similar celebration is Thailand’s Loy Krathong, which is also named the Festival of Lights, noted guest experience supervisor at Varel Singapore, Ms Nantawadee Ouito, 28.
One of four siblings, Ms Ouito hails from Chachoengsao, a province in eastern Thailand.
She studied in Northern Thailand, which is known for celebrating another festival called Yi Peng, or the annual Lantern Festival in late November. “We also use the light as a symbol of light over darkness and to usher in good beginnings,” Ms Ouito explained.
At the hotel, Ms Ouito oversees a team of 10 staffers, who are from different cultural backgrounds and describes her Indian colleagues and guests as “outgoing” in personality.
As part of its inaugural Deepavali celebrations, Varel Singapore, which officially opened on April 1, 2026, and sits on the former site of Selegie Centre, developed a festive-themed special menu that ran from Nov 6 to 8.
Ms Liu Shu Han, 24, the bartender at Saga Bar, located in the hotel, created a spiced mojito with curry leaves and a house-made tamarind syrup.
“I was thinking curry leaves are similar to Japanese curry, but it’s very different. It was more peppery and had a punch to it,” Ms Liu said.
The Taiwanese native experimented with Indian herbs and spices common in masala chai, such as cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. She confessed that she had a low spice tolerance and had never sampled many of the ingredients before.
“My hometown is famous for its mountain tea, and Taiwan is known for its bubble tea as well. I already had basic knowledge of milk tea and tea flavours, so I just included some of the spices like star anise to make new flavours.”
“Little India is one of Singapore’s most vibrant cultural districts, reflecting the diversity that makes this area so special,” said Mr Vinson Keefe Anggasaputro, owner of Varel Singapore, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
“We chose to establish Varel Singapore here because we wanted to be part of that story, not simply alongside it. This location allows our guests and team to experience the neighbourhood’s cultural richness every day.”
