6 Condos That Are Quiet And Peaceful Yet Still Near An MRT

Some of us want MRT and mall access, while the rest of us just want a bit of peace and quiet. Given that we live in one of the world’s most densely packed countries, it’s not surprising that some buyers are desperate for a bit of an escape – and it may also be helpful for tenants who are struggling to adjust. Here’s a look at some condos that provide an escape from our concrete jungle:

1. Cashew Heights

The main highlight of Cashew Heights is the amount of space you get: at 953,301 sq. ft., this project is of comparable size to some mega-developments today. And yet, there are only 596 units spread out over this massive land area.

This means most units are around 1,650+ sq. ft., a size that by today’s standards, could be considered a four or five-bedder. But the quantum has managed to stay at around $2.3 million, making this one of the more affordable ways to own a large extended family home (especially so close to the pricey Bukit Timah area). 

Because the unit count is so low relative to the size, this also means the project has extensive landscaped areas, rather than the tiny garden plots more common in newer condos. If that isn’t enough, this condo is also in close proximity to nature zones like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Gombak Hill, and Dairy Farm – this is one of the “greenest” areas in Singapore.

Cashew Heights is also within walking distance to Cashew MRT (DTL), and while it is an older condo (built in 1992), the 999-year lease offsets that drawback. As of 2024, we’d say some parts of this condo are in need of a facelift, but maintaining grounds this huge is bound to be challenging. 

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2. Guilin View 

This condo has many units that offer a view of Little Guilin, a former quarry that’s also one of the most photographed places in Singapore. As the name suggests, proximity to Bukit Gombak Hill Park (right next door) is the highlight of this project. You can see a picture of the view in this article. 

However, we should caution that not all the units have equally good views here, and some may be slightly impeded/not as directly facing the quarry. The units not facing Little Guilin will be instead facing the MRT tracks. This obviously means a less than peaceful view as well as higher noise levels.

This being said, Guilin View is actually closer to the neighbourhood’s centre than many condos on this list. You can walk to Gombak MRT (NSL) from this condo; and the neighbourhood centre is rather busy. You’ll find a lot of eateries there, as well as multiple supermarkets and the town’s sports hall. 

We don’t feel this is a big compromise on the peace and quiet, as Gombak is not a dense or heavily developed town. But for the puritans who refuse to see a single HDB block nearby, it may be considered less “peaceful” than other condos on this list. 

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3. The Marbella

This condo saw a record-breaker last year, when a 1,475 sq. ft unit on the 19th floor sold for a profit of $2.47 million. Marbella’s main appeal, besides the prestigious District 10 address, is the solid range of facilities despite being a smaller (239-unit) condo. We previously covered it on this list. As such for a smaller development, to still have a sizeable swimming pool plus tennis court is getting increasingly harder to find today.

Marbella also appeals to families, due to the proximity to Singapore Polytechnic; this is next to Dover MRT (EWL), which is within walking distance. Besides this, Henry Park Primary and the School of Science and Technology are both in enrolment priority distance. 

Dover is just one stop from Buona Vista, where you’ll find The Star Vista mega-mall, and two stops from Holland V or the One-North tech and media hub. 

This gives Marbella a rare combination of being very private and having a lot of greenery, with no compromise on accessibility. Coupled with its freehold nature, all of this is reflected in the price – it may be resale and dates back to 2005, but expect the quantum to cross $3 million regardless. 

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4. Gallop Gables

Despite sitting on around 250,000+ sq. ft. of land, Gallop Gables has just 140 units; a combination that you can only find in older condos. And while this project does date back to 1997, its freehold status mitigates some of the ageing. 

Gallop Gables had a record-breaker in early 2021, when a unit was sold for a $3 million profit. It’s not too surprising given the prices that some of the earlier buyers had purchased these units at. Naturally with the greenery, and size of the units, Gallop Gables was a popular choice during peak pandemic days.

As you might expect from the combination of low unit count and large land space, homes here can be absolutely gargantuan; even the smallest units tend to be over 1,180 sq.ft., while some units easily exceed 2,000 sq. ft. 

The other main highlight is proximity to the Botanic Gardens (visible from some units), and walking access to Farrer Road MRT (CCL). Note that rather than walking the entire way to the Botanic Gardens, access is easiest from Farrer Road MRT to Botanic Gardens MRT (CCL, DTL), which is just a single stop. 

The only issue we have with this project is the facade and aesthetic, which makes it visibly dated. It does have a surprisingly modern gym, which gym-goers will definitely appreciate.

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5. Botanic Gardens Mansion

We went a bit back-and-forth on this one, as someone is bound to debate the “peacefulness” of the location; but it’s included for its proximity and view of the Botanic Gardens. Given the number of developments along the road, you don’t get that much road traffic here.

The stickler here is the presence of Gleneagles Hospital, just next door. Some people will never consider anywhere near a hospital to be peaceful, even if it’s a private hospital along Cluny Road; but we’ll leave this up to you. 

This project is very private, with a low unit count of 112 units. It was also built way back in the 1970s, so as characteristic of old condos, unit sizes are large – over 1,750 sq. ft. Coupled with the low-density location, this gives you a combination of both a central location (this is in Tanglin), with a high degree of exclusivity. 

We don’t think the age is a particularly huge drawback by the way, as it’s well maintained (although it doesn’t need much with no facilities to speak of), and it’s in a prime freehold area close to Orchard. The value is likely to hold for decades more.  

Also note that Napier MRT (TEL) is within walking distance, and this is two stops from Orchard MRT station. So even though the crowd is kept at a distance, residents have access to almost any amenity they need.

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6. Chiltern Park

Chiltern Park may not have a lot of greenery surrounding it, but it is in a low-density area surrounded by landed housing. 

Most of these areas come with the tradeoff of being inaccessible; and that used to be true for Chiltern Park. Then in 2009, Lorong Chuan MRT (CCL) went operational – and suddenly Chiltern Park had the best of both worlds. The project is just minutes from Lorong Chuan station, which is one stop from Serangoon (CCL, NEL, and NEX Megamall), which means residents now have easy access to food, retail, entertainment, and a second train line. At the same time, their privacy isn’t compromised, because they’re not directly in the busy areas.

Being an older condo (1995), Chiltern Park also has the larger units common to that era; most units are over 1,200 sq. ft. And while a unit count of 500 is not small, it’s within the “sweet spot” of 500 to 600 units, which can lower maintenance fees without becoming overcrowded. 

Overall, the opening up of Lorong Chuan MRT has done wonders for this project, and it won’t be long before more people start noticing. 

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