Oxford Suites
Overview & Key Facts
Oxford Suites is a compact freehold development at 21 Oxford Road in District 8, tucked quietly between the Farrer Park medical cluster and the Little India conservation belt. Completed in 2011 by Hiap Hoe’s Oxford Development Pte Ltd, it is a single-block boutique condo of 60 units rising 18 storeys — the antithesis of the mega-developments that dominate Singapore’s condo supply.
The development’s appeal is built on three pillars: a freehold tenure in a rapidly rejuvenating city-fringe district, genuine walking-distance MRT access, and a quiet residential setting that feels removed from the buzz of nearby Serangoon Road. At around S$1,735 psf on recent transactions, it sits meaningfully below the freehold benchmarks of larger D8 peers like City Square Residences, while offering a similar tenure and a more intimate community.
Oxford Suites will not suit everyone. With just 60 units, there is no sprawling clubhouse, no 50m lap pool, no tennis court. What it offers instead is a tightly-edited set of lifestyle amenities, exceptional walkability, and the kind of low-density privacy that boutique-condo buyers specifically seek. For singles, young couples, and investors targeting the medical-district rental pool, this trade-off is often exactly the right one.
Location & Connectivity
Location is Oxford Suites’ standout card. Farrer Park MRT on the North-East Line is roughly 390 metres away — a genuine 5–7 minute walk on sheltered routes. That puts Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront within a direct NEL ride, and Serangoon NEL–CCL interchange two stops north for onward connectivity across the island. Little India MRT (Downtown Line) is a short 1.1 km stroll, giving residents two MRT lines within easy reach — a combination that most freehold boutique condos in the area simply do not match.
The immediate neighbourhood has been reshaped over the last decade by the Farrer Park medical cluster, anchored by Farrer Park Hospital and One Farrer Hotel. This concentration of private healthcare has created a consistent rental demand base: medical professionals, visiting specialists, and long-stay medical tourists. Mustafa Centre, a 24-hour institution, is around 600 metres away, and City Square Mall offers a full suburban-mall experience within a 10-minute walk.
For drivers, Oxford Road feeds directly into Serangoon Road and from there to the CTE, PIE, and KPE. Raffles Place is around 12 minutes off-peak; Orchard Road is 10 minutes via Bukit Timah Road. Street-level parking is limited, but the development provides covered basement parking — a relief in this dense urban pocket.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Farrer Park Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace | primary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Secondary School | secondary | Within 1 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | ~1.0 km |
| LASALLE College of the Arts | tertiary | ~1.0 km |
| St. Andrew's Secondary School | secondary | ~1.3 km |
| St. Andrew's Junior College | jc | ~1.3 km |
| St. Andrew's Junior School | primary | ~1.3 km |
Facilities
Oxford Suites offers a compact but thoughtfully curated facilities deck: a lap pool and separate wading pool, a gymnasium, Jacuzzi, steam bath, BBQ pavilions, a reflexology path, fitness corner, and a small children’s playground. Twenty-four-hour security and covered basement parking complete the package. It is not a facilities-led development, and buyers looking for tennis courts, function rooms, or a clubhouse should look elsewhere.
What the facilities lack in breadth, they make up for in availability. At 60 units, you will virtually never wait for the gym, queue for a BBQ pit, or find the pool crowded. This is the quiet luxury of boutique living — a pool that actually feels like yours, amenities that are there when you want them. Residents consistently cite the peaceful, uncrowded atmosphere as a genuine daily benefit that larger developments cannot replicate.
Maintenance fees are correspondingly modest, which is a meaningful long-run advantage for investors. Smaller developments spread fewer facilities across a smaller owner base, but they also have dramatically lower upkeep costs. Over a 10-year hold, the difference between Oxford Suites’ maintenance burden and that of a facility-heavy mega-development can add up to five figures of saved holding costs.
Unit Sizes & Layout
Oxford Suites is built around a narrow set of unit sizes — from 893 sqft to 1,033 sqft — with the 2-bedroom, 1,033 sqft layout the most common configuration. This is an efficient, livable size by 2011 standards and remains generous compared to the 600–750 sqft 2-bedders typical of newer D8 launches. Ceiling heights are standard, and most units are oriented to catch either the city skyline or the quieter internal courtyard.
Layouts tend toward rectangular, regular footprints with minimal wasted corridor — an advantage of the single-block, double-tower configuration. Kitchens are enclosed rather than open-concept, which some buyers will prefer for wok-cooking and which is easily opened up with a light renovation. Bathrooms are of reasonable size, and most units come with a small balcony.
Finishings in the original handover were mid-to-upper-market by 2011 standards. Most resale units on the market today have been partially or fully renovated, and buyers should inspect condition carefully — the price spread between renovated and original-condition units can be significant.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 1 | $1,429 | $968,888 |
| 2 BR | 7 | $1,598 | $1,427,698 |
| 3 BR | 3 | $1,561 | $1,668,333 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 11 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $968,888 to $1,750,000, averaging $1,451,616.
Rents range from $2,200 to $7,900 per month across 106 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 3.0%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2025, the average PSF has appreciated by 15.7% (from $1,499 to $1,735 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
Against D8 peers, Oxford Suites occupies a specific niche: freehold, boutique, MRT-walkable, mid-priced. City Square Residences (freehold, 910 units, ~S$1,889 psf) is the direct tenure peer but trades the boutique feel for mega-condo scale and higher density. Kerrisdale (99-year from 1998, ~S$1,395 psf) is cheaper but burning through lease; Sturdee Residences (99-year from 2015, ~S$1,999 psf) offers newer construction but at a ~15% premium and a leasehold clock.
The sharpest comparison is against new launches like Piccadilly Grand (~S$2,164 psf, 99-year from 2021). A buyer choosing between the two is really choosing between freehold tenure and compact size (Oxford Suites) versus brand-new construction, larger facilities, and a 99-year lease (Piccadilly Grand) — at roughly a 25% psf premium. For buy-and-hold investors focused on tenure value, Oxford Suites is the more defensive bet. For own-stay buyers who value new-build finishings and integrated retail, Piccadilly Grand is the obvious draw.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OXFORD SUITES | Freehold | 2011 | 60 | — |
| PICCADILLY GRAND | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2021 | 2022 | 407 | $2,167 |
| CITYLIGHTS | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2004 | 2007 | 600 | $1,767 |
| CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2009 | 910 | $1,891 |
| STURDEE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2015 | — | 305 | $1,999 |
| KERRISDALE | 99 yrs lease commencing from 1998 | 2006 | 481 | $1,395 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates OXFORD SUITES across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“One of the best condos to grace the Singapore skyline. Decent amenities and super clean. Plus it’s got the location advantage as well!”
— Resident review via Singapore Expats
“Farrer Park MRT is just a 5-minute walk and you’re 15 minutes to the CBD. For a freehold boutique this close to the MRT, the price is still reasonable compared to newer launches nearby.”
— Resident review via PropertyGuru
The pattern across platforms is consistent: residents value the quiet, the walkable MRT, and the sense that the development is “right-sized” for urban living. Frequent compliments focus on cleanliness, low-key management, and the absence of the crowding that plagues larger condos nearby. Criticisms tend to be narrow and predictable — facilities are limited, Oxford Road can be noisy at peak hours, and the area’s night-time ambience is less polished than Orchard or Novena. For a buyer who knows the trade-off going in, almost none of these are deal-breakers.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold tenure in a rejuvenating city-fringe district
- Genuine 5–7 min walk to Farrer Park MRT (NEL)
- Two MRT lines within reach (Farrer Park NEL + Little India DTL)
- Low-density boutique feel — 60 units total
- Resilient medical-district rental catchment
- Spacious 2-BR units (1,033 sqft) vs new-build equivalents
- Modest maintenance fees due to compact facilities deck
- Meaningful psf discount vs leasehold new launches
- Close to Mustafa Centre, City Square Mall, Little India
- 15-minute drive to CBD and Orchard Road
- Limited facilities — no tennis court, function room, or clubhouse
- Thin resale liquidity given small 60-unit pool
- Modest 2.88% gross yield despite strong location
- Oxford Road traffic noise on lower front-facing stacks
- Serangoon Road neighbourhood ambience uneven at night
- Original-condition units require renovation budget
- No meaningful primary schools within 1 km for P1 balloting
- Proximity to hospital campus deters some buyers
- Limited street parking overflow if guests visit
Verdict
Oxford Suites is the kind of quietly-competent freehold boutique that rewards buyers who know exactly what they want. It will not win beauty contests against amenity-rich mega-condos, and it will never be the “wow” purchase that dominates dinner-party conversation. What it delivers is a durable combination that is increasingly rare: freehold tenure, genuine MRT walkability, a resilient rental catchment, and a low-density community — all at a meaningful psf discount to larger freehold peers in the same district.
At current pricing around S$1,735 psf, the value case stacks up well against leasehold new launches like Piccadilly Grand (S$2,164 psf) and Sturdee Residences (S$1,999 psf), both of which are 99-year tenures. The gross yield of 2.88% is modest by HDB standards but competitive for a freehold city-fringe asset, and the medical-district tenant base provides unusual rental stability.
The honest caveats: 60 units means thin resale liquidity — you may wait months for the right buyer at the right price. The absence of extensive facilities will turn off families accustomed to resort-style condos. And while the neighbourhood is rejuvenating, parts of Serangoon Road still feel rough around the edges at night. For the right buyer — a single professional, a young couple, an investor with a long horizon — these are features, not bugs.