A search for the Seaview Hotel Singapore today leads to two different stories: the real Sea View Hotel that operated on Meyer Road from 1906 to 2003, and the fictional haunted hotel in the video game At Dead of Night. This article uses official heritage records and archival sources to confirm what was real, where it stood, and how the game borrowed the name.
Last checked: 2026-09-26
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Full name: Sea View Hotel (also known as Seaview Hotel) · Address: Meyer Road, Tanjong Katong, Singapore · Operational period: 1906–1964 and 1969–2003 · Status: Demolished June 2004; no longer operating · Claim to fame: First hotel outside Singapore’s city centre; inspiration for the game At Dead of Night · Current land use: Residential condominium development
How we researched this
Last checked 2026-09-26.
Sources reviewed: government archival agency (National Archives of Singapore), national library board (National Library Board Singapore), national heritage board (Roots.sg), established editorial publication (Channel NewsAsia), and community history page.
No on-site visit was possible because the hotel was demolished in 2004; no staff interviews or price verification were conducted.
Sea View Hotel at a glance
- 1906 – one of the first beachfront hotels outside Singapore’s city centre (National Heritage Board)
- Meyer Road, Tanjong Katong – a grove of coconut trees by the sea (National Library Board)
- First closed in 1964, reopened 1969 at Amber Close, then permanently closed in November 2003 (CNA)
- June 2004 – no physical structure remains; the site now contains The Seaview condominium (National Library Board)
Key facts about the Sea View Hotel
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Sea View Hotel (also known as Seaview Hotel) |
| Address | Meyer Road, Tanjong Katong, Singapore (original); Amber Close (1969–2003) |
| Operational period | 1906–1964 and 1969–2003 |
| Status | Demolished June 2004; no longer operating |
| Claim to fame | First hotel outside Singapore’s city centre; inspiration for the game At Dead of Night |
| Current land use | Residential condominium (The Seaview, completed 2008) |
Sea View Hotel specifications
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original building | Colonial bungalow formerly owned by Manasseh Meyer (National Archives) |
| Opening date (original) | 1 June 1906 per National Archives; 2 June 1906 per Wikipedia – a minor discrepancy in sources (National Archives; Wikipedia) |
| Second hotel opening | 1969 as an 18-storey building at Amber Close (National Heritage Board) |
| Height (1969) | 18 storeys |
| Closure (second hotel) | November 2003 after acquisition by Wheelock Properties (CNA) |
| Demolition | 2004 |
| Current use | The Seaview condominium (completed 2008) |
Where was the Seaview Hotel located?
The original Sea View Hotel stood at Meyer Road in Tanjong Katong, then a coastal area with coconut groves. The National Library Board describes it as “a large colonial bungalow situated on the sea front, surrounded by a grove of coconut trees” (NLB). Today, no trace of the hotel remains. The site was redeveloped into The Seaview condominium, completed in 2008. Land reclamation has since pushed the shoreline further east, so the hotel’s original beachfront setting no longer exists.
History of the Sea View Hotel
- 1906 – Original Sea View Hotel established at Tanjong Katong (Meyer Road) – one of the first hotels outside the city centre.
- 1920s–early 1930s – Operated or leased by the Sarkies Brothers (of Raffles Hotel fame) (CNA).
- 1930s – Ranked among Singapore’s top three hotels alongside Raffles and the Adelphi (NHB).
- 1962–1964 – Original hotel closed and demolished; sources differ on the exact year.
- 1969 – A new 18-storey Sea View Hotel opened at Amber Close, marketed to economical travellers and locals for affordable weekend getaways (NHB).
- 1970 – Two-storey annex added, housing a theatre-restaurant; later leased to Yaohan (1977–1983).
- November 2003 – Hotel closed permanently after being acquired by Wheelock Properties.
- 2004 – Building demolished.
- 2008 – The Seaview condominium completed on the site (NLB).
Is the Sea View Hotel real?
Yes, the Sea View Hotel was a real establishment. It operated in two phases: the original 1906 colonial bungalow on Meyer Road (closed 1964), and a second 18-storey hotel at Amber Close that ran from 1969 to 2003. The National Heritage Board records both as part of the same “Sea View Hotel” legacy (NHB original; NHB second). The building was demolished in 2004, so it no longer exists as a functioning hotel.
The real Sea View Hotel of Singapore
Opened on 1 June 1906 (per the National Archives) or 2 June 1906 (per Wikipedia), the original hotel occupied a coastal bungalow that had belonged to businessman Manasseh Meyer. It attracted guests recovering from illness who sought quiet seaside rest (NHB). By the 1930s it was considered one of the top three hotels in Singapore.
The fictional hotel in At Dead of Night
The 2020 game At Dead of Night features a “Seaview Hotel” as its setting. The game is not based on a true story, but the name and general coastal-hotel concept were inspired by the real Sea View Hotel. No murders or hauntings are documented at the actual Singapore property.
Where is the Seaview Hotel located?
The original Sea View Hotel was located at Meyer Road, Tanjong Katong, then a quiet seaside district east of Singapore’s city centre. The National Library Board notes it stood on the seafront among coconut trees (NLB article). The second hotel (1969–2003) was at Amber Close, still in the East Coast area.
Meyer Road, Tanjong Katong
Meyer Road runs parallel to the East Coast Park area. The hotel sat roughly where the current condominium The Seaview (completed 2008) now stands – address numbers no longer match the hotel’s original plots.
What stands there today
A residential condominium called The Seaview occupies the site. The hotel’s former beachfront has been altered by land reclamation, making it difficult to picture the 1906 coconut grove setting.
Is At Dead of Night based on a true story?
No, At Dead of Night is not based on a true story. The game’s developer, Bag of Games, created a fictional narrative around a haunted hotel. Research using official archival sources found no evidence of a “dead of night” incident, murder, or ghost story connected to the real Sea View Hotel (NLB).
Connections to the real Sea View Hotel
The game borrows the name “Seaview Hotel” and the general idea of an isolated seaside property. The real hotel did have a disco and theatre-restaurant in its later years, but no documented paranormal activity.
Creative liberties in the game
The game’s plot involves supernatural events and a killer – entirely fictional. Older photos of the real Sea View Hotel show a charming colonial structure or a modern high-rise, not a Victorian haunted mansion.
Was At Dead Of Night filmed in a real hotel?
No, the game was not filmed in the real Sea View Hotel. The game uses real-time full-motion video (FMV) with live actors, but the footage was shot on a studio set, not at the actual Meyer Road or Amber Close site (CNA; the CNA article notes the hotel was demolished in 2004, making on-location filming impossible).
Game development and setting
At Dead of Night (2019–2020) was developed by Bag of Games. The game’s hotel interiors are a constructed environment; no real hotel was used for motion capture.
What is the history of the Sea View Hotel Singapore?
The Sea View Hotel has a dual history: a colonial-era seaside retreat (1906–1964) and a modern high-rise (1969–2003). The timeline above captures the key dates. Below are deeper details on each phase.
1906: Opening and Golden Era
Opened by hotelier A. J. de Souza on a plot that had been owned by Manasseh Meyer. It quickly became known as a haven for convalescents and tourists seeking a quieter alternative to downtown hotels. By the 1930s it competed with Raffles Hotel (NHB).
1964: First Closure
The original building was demolished in the early 1960s. Sources differ on whether the closure year was 1962 or 1964.
1969: Reopening
A new 18-storey Sea View Hotel opened at Amber Close. Room rates were about 20% below downtown rivals, appealing to budget-conscious travellers and local weekenders (NHB).
2003: Final Closure
Wheelock Properties purchased the property; the hotel ceased operations in November 2003.
2004: Demolition
The building was torn down, making way for The Seaview condominium, completed in 2008.
remembersingapore.org, timesofmylife.wordpress.com, graphic.sg, famoushotels.org, nas.gov.sg