Singapore boasts a captivating melting-pot culture that has made it one of the best destinations in Asia. The city is famous for its gorgeous gardens, lip-smacking cuisine, shopping markets, and wonderful attractions. What’s astounding about this glass-and-steel city is that two of its world-famous attractions are lush green ones. These include the Singapore Zoo, which is one of The 12 Most Fascinating Zoos in the World; and the Singapore Botanic Gardens, one of The 10 Most Beautiful Botanic Gardens in the World. With all the green spaces, it’s no wonder Singapore is known as ‘Garden City’. All-in-all, this makes the city equally alluring to all kinds of tourists. Moreover, even Singapore’s hotels make an equally impressive impression. Whether they’re luxury digs or refurbished historic design havens, Singapore hotels are entering a new era.
That, plus amazing neighborhoods means that traveling to ‘Garden City’ has never been more exciting. So, here are our top picks for the best hotels in Singapore right now.
Where to stay in Singapore
Singapore is charming because it’s large enough to be full of surprises and small enough to become familiar quickly. They not only appeal to specific kinds of travelers but aren’t far away from major attractions either. Coastal Sentosa is for the water babies, beach bums, and party monsters. City slickers with an affinity for swanky rooftop bars and celebrity restaurants will love Marina Bay. This is also the place to stay if you want a hotel room to overlook the spectacular skyline of Singapore, which is one of the Top 10 Cities With Most Skyscrapers. If you’re a culture lover, then you will fall for the vintage shophouses and stunning temples of Chinatown. Orchard Road is for the shopping aficionados, while Lavender/Little India is great for backpackers. Finally, the quaint Katong/Joo Chiat is off the beaten track and boasts influences from traditional Peranakan culture.
Traveling on a budget? Consider staying at one of the 11 Best Cheap Hotels in Singapore instead.
The Vagabond Club
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The Vagabond Club‘s luxe Parisian charm breathes new life into the now-genteel Syed Alwi Road just off Little India. That, and a well-connected location puts buzzing markets, Marina Bay, and Orchard Road just 15-20 minutes away.
Having been a 1950s shophouse, a dorm for illegal workers, and even a brothel, the Vagabond Club has had quite a roller coaster former life. After a careful and loving restoration, the boutique hotel now boasts a sensuous, Parisian-inspired lobby, luxuriously swathed in red velvet textures. A whiskey library and executive club lounge sit right next door and serve delicious breakfasts, meals, and interesting cocktails. Moreover, the entire space features dramatic, sensational, and specially commissioned art pieces. The facilities are bare minimum with a gym across the street, keeping in mind the layout of the heritage structure.
Albeit with slightly different layouts, all suites and rooms at the hotel have comfy beds, plush purple-colored furnishings, and a slew of mod-cons. They all also have gorgeous wooden screens with floral motifs.
M Social
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The edgy, photogenic M Social is one of the first lifestyle design hotels in Singapore. Located in Roberston Quay right by the Singapore River, the hotel is geared towards younger, millennial travelers.
Stepping into the vibrantly chaotic lobby is a psychedelic experience; think steel stools, geometric tiles, lighted marble tiles, and red LED screens. Likewise, the restaurant and bar have similarly lively décor that includes black pillars, hypnotic bar tops, and avant-garde lighting fixtures. However, it’s the main lounge area with whimsical touches that you’ll immediately love. A bright fitness center also hosts tai-chi and yoga sessions apart from having fitness equipment. Moreover, a magnificent rooftop pool is a perfect place to spend a languorous day. It not only has space to perform laps but even has two shallow wading areas and lots of daybeds.
Guests can choose from six room types across two categories – alcoves and lofts. The former boast high V-ceilings, arched passages, and white leather furnishings, while the latter are spacious duplexes. All rooms, nevertheless, feature funky bathrooms, large flatscreen TVs, and chic furnishings.
Naumi Hotel Singapore
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Travelers looking for affordable yet chic centrally-located hotels in Singapore will do well to choose the sleek Naumi. Located on the prime Seah Street in Singapore Downtown, the hotel is close to Raffles City Shopping Centre, an MRT Station, as well as Marina Bay Sands. In fact, the neighborhood boasts of a fabulous entertainment and dining scene.
This boutique hotel creates a contemporary design theme with artsy furnishings, earthy wood, and neutral hues. What’s more, the hotel plays host to an international art collection and features specially commissioned artworks that make for a dreamlike sensory experience. Undoubtedly, the best feature of the hotel is the rooftop Cloud 9 infinity pool and bar which serves hotel guests exclusively. Gym bunnies can joyfully work their hearts out at the fitness room next door with sweeping views of the city. Finally, the only restaurant on-site serves everything from Indian fare to continental delights for breakfast.
Cleverly-designed rooms maximize the space and feature ultra-comfy bedding, a flourish of mod-cons, and even complimentary minibars. For a one-of-a-kind experience, choose the Designer-inspired rooms that even won the title of ‘Best Interior Design for Suite’ in 2015. If that wasn’t enough, there are also choices for Oasis Rooms with decadent bathtubs, Patio Rooms with outdoor terraces and daybeds, and even a private floor solo female travelers and couples.
Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong
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Those looking for characterful digs paying homage to the city’s rich Peranakan heritage will love the Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong. The hotel lies in the Katong area of Joo Chiat, which also happens to be Singapore’s first designated Heritage Town.
The hotel channels a colorful Straits Chinese-inspired theme. It even integrates within its design the historic 1928-built former Joo Chiat Police Station, which now houses the restaurant that serves delish Peranakan cuisine and a hearty breakfast. As a result, today it’s a brand-new multi-story structure with a smashing vertical garden at the entrance. The lobby continues the heritage design with a pavilion overhung with colorful lanterns and a feature wall with a Peranakan-ceramic-pattern collage. Moreover, there’s even a pop-up ‘mama stall’ from the 60s doubling up as a book stand. Guests are welcomed with a choice of local-beans-brewed cold/hot latte or tea. Rounding off the amenities is a rooftop infinity pool and a 24-hour gym.
131 rooms are fashioned as Peranakan homes with locally-sketched wall murals and are divided between Deluxe, Premier, and Premier with bathtubs. Rooms also feature living areas with refashioned furnishings, comfy beds sprinkled with Peranakan motifs and batik-printed cushions, and interesting bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Marina Bay Sands Singapore
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When it comes to Singapore’s best hotels, it’s hard not to include the Marina Bay Sands, which is one of the best rooftop hotels in the city. The 55-story triple-towered mega structure facing Marina Bay is supposedly the most expensive integrated, standalone resort ever built. From its unrivaled location to its unending list of facilities, Marina Bay Sands has it all.
It’s only fitting that such a behemoth property be equipped with an equally jaw-dropping entrance. The 23 story-high hotel atrium lives up to the task, encompassing everything from check-in counters to several bars, lounges, and restaurants within it. Lots of glass and a soaring ceiling not only let in lots of natural light but also create an open, airy feel. Guests not only enjoy free exclusive access to the Banyan Tree Fitness Club but even daily sunrise yoga sessions. However, its most spectacular feature is its out-of-the-world 57th-floor swimming pool, which is the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool and one of the 11 Best Hotel Pools In Singapore! Likewise, with more than 80 options for drinking and dining, lots of shopping options, and three levels of gaming floor space, the hotel has something to keep everyone happy.
All 2,500-plus rooms are minimally decked out with earthy palettes, luxurious marble-and-wood furnishings, plush carpets, and stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. Lavish mod-cons, sleep-inducing beds, roomy terraces, and equally luxurious bathrooms make up the rest of the space.
The Bohemian Chic Hostel
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What do you think of a hostel where the maxim is no rules, no hoity-toity, and just immense respect for fellow adventurers? If this is what a hostel’s rules are, you know you’re in for a whale of a time! The rip-roaring Bohemian Chic Hostel that lies just a few streets away from Marina Bay is perfect for budget backpackers looking to swap stories and just have a gala time. What’s more, this hostel has pods or capsules as sleeping arrangements!
A lively lobby decked with vibrant furniture and walls is nothing short of warm and inviting. It also doubles as the lounge and game room and has comfy couches and game consoles over which you can break the ice with fellow travelers. A sweet, smiling staff welcomes guests with complimentary coffee and breakfast, and the in-house cafe even serves fabulous food throughout the day. Apart from that, the hostel even has a free airport shuttle twice a day and bike rentals that allow you to zip around town on your own, making it a great alternative to our 11 Best Hotels Near Singapore Airport.
When they’re done for the day, one can retire to the privacy of their soundproof pod, which has everything from a comfy mattress to a flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi. Talk about fun!
The Warehouse
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Experience Singapore living like nowhere else at this sleek boutique hotel The Warehouse. Located on the banks of the Singapore River, the hotel sits right near buzzing Robertson Quay.
The historic, late-19th-century-built hotel has a storied past. It was formerly a spice warehouse before becoming a Warehouse Disco and finally an oil mill. A chic industrial design dots the exterior facade. On the inside, the fabulous lobby features exposed brick walls, custom lighting fixtures, and plush leather seats. The on-site restaurant channels the city’s historic ‘Malay village’ spirit with crystal-beaded lamps and rattan seats. However, the most ultimate experience of them all is the pink-tiled swimming pool that makes for a pensive and serene oasis.
If you’re impressed by the heritage communal offerings, wait till you see the rooms here. All of them feature different layouts and are spread across six categories, right from windowless Sanctuary rooms to high-ceilinged upper-floor rooms. Nevertheless, all rooms feature grey-and-taupe themes paired with green forest marble, original masonry walls, and wooden floors. Traditional, custom-made in-room tea/coffee mugs and locally-made bedspreads stay true to the unique-in-Singapore theme.
The Great Madras
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Ensconced in the back alleys of Little India in Singapore, the Great Madras is much reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film set. There’s nothing typical about this avant-garde accommodation, right from the pale pink exterior to the exposed brick walls.
The charming staycation spot is equal parts, cool, witty, and whimsical and boasts a host of Instagrammable spots. The attention to detail at the Great Madras is swoon-worthy; think customized wallpapers showcasing Singapore’s iconic culture, architecture, and what-not, vintage brass cinema seats, and even an in-house barber! The retro-esque pool with cutesy neon signs is rather a wonderful place to hang out. Millennial pink interiors, potted foliage all over, colonial-inspired wall decals, and herringbone and terrazzo tiles make the entire place singular.
Even though the place is small, all 34 female-only and mixed dorms and rooms are spacious and feature artsy decor, right down to the room numbers made with hand-twisted-wires! For those looking If you’re looking for a bigger space, go for the great suite which even has a bathtub. Overall, the chilled-out Great Madras is probably one of the city’s best-kept secrets.
Villa Samadhi Singapore
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The Villa Samadhi Singapore uniquely melds affordability and luxury right in the heart of the city’s lungs – the 54-acre-huge Labrador Nature Reserve. The hotel radiates an inimitable rustic charm that is only amplified by the bucolic, almost utopian-like setting.
The hotel lies in a black-and-white building from the 1920s. Earlier, it was a British army garrison and a halfway house. Today, an air of old Malayan charm hangs around the property, even as it reflects the best aspects of Singapore’s colonial past. Think recycled-wood floorboards and shutters and vintage trinkets from owner’s odysseys in East Asia. The lack of modern amenities is deliberate, and a hint to travelers to loosen up, unwind, and reconnect with nature. Coming to the business of food, the two on-site restaurants and bars serve everything from a hearty cold breakfast buffet to Thai fare.
Just 20 rooms spread across 4 categories makes Villa Samadhi truly intimate. All of them feature a common colonial theme with spacious, plush bathrooms with whirlpool baths/bathtubs, and dark wood furnishings. Apart from a handy phone with unlimited data, the rooms even have extraordinarily exceptional turndown services with a nightcap of Port.
PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore
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The PARKROYAL on Pickering is one of the most stylish hotels to stay in Singapore, boasting of balconies across four floors swathed in lush greenery. Plus, Parkroyal is brilliantly located in the city center, and is accessible from and to just about anywhere. So, it’s also an excellent base for exploring all the Top 10 Things To Do in Singapore.
Perhaps the standout feature of this hotel is its innovative ‘hotel-in-a-garden’ design encompassing four vegetation-covered floors; think planter balconies, waterfalls, and lush gardens. One of its most memorable features is the outdoor pool with unconventional birdcage-shaped cabanas. The lobby is fringed with reflecting water pools, making for something of an oasis in a concrete jungle. Apart from serving a champagne breakfast, the hotel’s restaurant also serves international and Asian cuisine. Guests can indulge in some R&R as well as a spot of workout on the comprehensive wellness floor which has a spa, gym, and a walking track apart from the pool.
Finally, all rooms at the Parkroyal are spacious with uber-comfy king beds, blackout blinds, a slew of mod-cons, and lovely views.
Ann Siang House
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Don’t be fooled by the modest exterior of the Ann Siang House. The former shophouse-turned-hotel offers a bevy of elegant rooms smacks dab in central Singapore, just off the buzzing Chinatown.
The lean and immaculate heritage property welcomes visitors into a minimalist lobby lounge that doubles as a breakfast room. A continental spread with charcuterie and fresh baked goods is perfect to perk up your day. When they’re not serving breakfast, the hotel continues to serve coffee, tea, and water throughout the day. Apart from that, the quaint heritage hotel even has four in-house restaurants and bars, laundry rooms for long-term stayers, and unfailingly helpful staff. For what is a small property, the Ann Siang House more than just meets your expectations.
However, the rooms here are, without a doubt, the best part of the property. Since the boutique hotel lies in a row of converted heritage shophouses, there are just 20 rooms. What’s more, it has great choices across categories too, including Premier/Executive/Deluxe Rooms, and even a Wellness Suite, Cooking Studio, and a Workout Studio! Moreover, around 20 percent of the rooms have basic kitchenettes which make whipping up quick and cheap meals very easy. Notwithstanding the kind of room chosen, all feature soothing grey palettes, low-slung leather seats, chic work desks, and upholstered benches in vibrant hues.
Recommended Restaurants / Bars / Food Tours in Singapore:
- Singapore Food Tour: Team up with your foodie guide and embark on a delicious journey to sample the best flavorful and rich foods of Singapore.
- Warong Nasi Pariaman: The city’s longest-running ‘Nasi Padang’ eatery whips out yummy dishes like sambal goreng and ayam bakar.
Recommended Activities In Singapore:
- Singapore – Marina Bay 2-Hour Mini Segway Tour: If you’re all about discovering the city in a fun way, hop on to a mini segway and check out Singapore’s best attractions on this 2-hour tour.
- Singapore – Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour: One of the most unique and fun ways to experience Singapore and its sights atop a double-decker bus! Hop on and hop off at some of Singapore’s best sights on this fun-filled sightseeing tour.
