It is no wonder that Ku De Ta nightclub and the adjacent roof top pool area have been voted numerous times as some of the most beautiful locations in the world. The rooftop of the Marina Bay Sands, where Ku De Ta is located, boasts one of the most spectacular al fresco bar/club areas and one of the best panoramic rooftop views to look out onto the Singapore skyline.
Ku De Ta is not for everyone. It is as far from low key as a club can get and it reeks of pretentiousness and exclusivity. The admission fee is more than a little pricy, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, when all those who want to see and be seen rush to Ku De Ta for a debauchery-filled night out. But if debauchery and exclusivity are your cups of tea, then look no further than the lavish and opulent Ku De Ta atop of the Marina Bay Sands casino.
Ascending up on an elevator to the top of the most memorable buildings in the world, you cannot help but feel a little like you might just before a first date. You will inevitably feel even more butterflies in your stomach as you step out out of the elevator and through the heavy, concealing curtain directly onto an open, smoke-filled dance platform right in the middle of the nightclub.
Ku De Ta is certainly a place for the rich, those who want to appear that way and few chance visitors who come up to the club to experience a glimpse of what it might be like to party like the rich and glamorous do. Chances are that on a regular weekend night, you will find the reserved tables packed with investment bankers, finance moguls and their dates. At Ku De Ta, it is in poor taste to ask for the drink prices, and if you do so, you will immediately be ousted as a tourist. The regulars, those that do not have to look at their credit card receipts before signing them, reign supreme here.
The service at Ku De Ta is up to par, without exceeding the reasonable expectations. The bartenders do not go above and beyond their duties to accommodate their clientele, unless the said clientele has paid for one of the tables and ordered a couple of bottles, but they are, nevertheless, pleasant and cheerful enough. Don’t expect any freebie drinks from the staff though; they will simply shake their heads to decline the requests and point to the overhead cameras documenting their every move. The staff firmly draws the line between serving the customers and being friends with them. That line, it seems, is never blurred or crossed.
The drinks, as mentioned before, are quite expensive, especially for the size of the provided cocktail and wine glasses. On the upside, however, the staff really knows how to make a mean margarita or a refreshing mojito, along with a countless number of other beverages. The perk of getting a drink at one of the several bar areas is that there is not a huge wait for the drinks to be made and your thirst for alcohol can be quenched almost instantly after your request. That is just one of the consequences of the drinks being on a pricier side. The tourists pay the exuberant entry fee and do not shell out too much more money on the alcohol but simply walk around and enjoy the views.
If you came to dance, however, you will be severely disappointed as the dance floor rarely gets much use out of it and remains fairly empty for most of the night. Despite the resident DJ’s playing some of the hottest Top 40, dance and hip hop mixes, you will rarely see people dancing, perhaps due to the somewhat-awkward location of the dance floor right by the club’s entrance/exit. Sure, you might notice one or two overly inebriated couples doing a drunken version of swing, but this display of moves can hardly qualify as a ‘good night of dancing’.
Ku De Ta is, without a doubt, a gorgeous club with gorgeous views and (mostly) gorgeous people. But this beauty overload comes at a price. You may indulge and party with the rest of them but, chances are, your wallet will regret your decisions in the morning. For the price that Ku De Ta charges for admission and drinks, there are many other choices in Singapore to experience the skyline views and the nightclub vibes. To sum it up, if you are a tourist, go to Ku De Ta at least once to check it out and to check it off your bucket list, but if you are looking for a regular drink and dancing hangout, look elsewhere. Other options are not hard to find.