Singapore is one of those cities that gets everything right. The hotels are spectacular, the bars are some of the best in the world, and you can go from a skyscraper to a rainforest trail in about twenty minutes.
Here’s where I’d stay, what I’d do and where I’d go for a drink, from the Long Bar at Raffles to the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands.
Where to Stay
Mandarin Oriental: For the View
The Mandarin Oriental is sleek and polished, with some of the best views over Marina Bay in the city. The rooms are stylish and comfortable, but the pool is the star: an infinity pool with front-row seats to the Marina Bay Sands skyline. The location makes it an easy base for exploring, too.
Raffles Singapore: For the Experience
Staying at Raffles is less like checking into a hotel and more like stepping into a piece of history. The colonial building is gorgeous, the suites are enormous and the service is effortless. It’s one of the best hotel stays I’ve ever had.
Don’t skip the history tour, which is included in your stay. The stories are brilliant, from a tiger shot by a headmaster in his pyjamas to Michael Jackson bringing orangutans up to his suite.
Breakfast at Raffles is one of the best hotel breakfasts I’ve ever seen. Take your time over it.
And then there’s the Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling was invented. There’s normally a long queue, but hotel guests get priority access. Use it.
Things to Do
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay looks like something out of a science-fiction film. The Supertrees are the famous part, giant vertical gardens that light up at night, but the Cloud Forest was my highlight: a misty indoor mountain covered in greenery, with a huge waterfall at its centre.
The Flower Dome is worth adding, with plants from all over the world under one glass roof. Go in the day for the domes, then stay for the Garden Rhapsody light show in the Supertree Grove after dark.
Sentosa Island
Sentosa is Singapore’s resort island, home to Universal Studios, the S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark. If theme parks aren’t your thing, there’s a quieter side too. I went hiking in Sentosa’s forest trails, which feel a world away from the city.
For something more adventurous, ride the SkyHelix, a rotating open-air gondola, or go zip-lining at Mega Adventure Park.
Where to Drink
Atlas Bar
Atlas is pure Art Deco glamour, like stepping into a 1920s European grand hotel lobby: soaring ceilings, gold everywhere and one of the biggest gin collections in the world. Even if gin isn’t your thing, the cocktail list is outstanding. Order a martini. They’re perfect.
Spago at Marina Bay Sands
For the view, go up to Spago Lounge on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands, overlooking the famous infinity pool and the whole skyline. The cocktails are pricey, but you’re paying for the setting as much as the drink. Go for sunset.
Lena’s Tips
- Stay at Raffles at least once. Book the history tour and use your Long Bar priority access.
- Split your stay. A few nights at Marina Bay for the views, then Sentosa for the pools and beaches.
- Time Gardens by the Bay for late afternoon. See the domes in daylight, then stay for the light show.
- Go to Spago at sunset. Arrive early to get a seat by the glass.
- Travelling with kids? My luxury family itinerary for Singapore has the family hotels and Universal Studios tips.
- Add a few days in Indonesia. Bintan is a 50-minute ferry ride away. Here’s my Bintan Island guide.
The Verdict
Singapore does luxury better than almost anywhere. Stay at Raffles, swim at the Mandarin Oriental, have a martini at Atlas and watch the sun go down from the 57th floor. It’s a city I’d happily go back to again and again.
“Singapore is the city that makes a stopover feel like a holiday. Give it three nights, not one.” – Lena
