The best hotels in Singapore: ten places to stay, from Marina Bay to Sentosa

The 1887 original

Raffles opened in 1887 and is the most famous hotel in Singapore, with white facades, deep verandas and palm gardens. Every room is a suite, and the Singapore Sling cocktail was first mixed in the Long Bar. A full restoration was completed in 2019, and a butler comes with every suite.

This is our pick for a first visit, for the history and the location within walking distance of the museums. It is expensive, and the Long Bar is crowded with day visitors. Go for a drink late in the evening, when hotel guests have the courtyards more or less to themselves.

The old General Post Office

The Fullerton occupies the former General Post Office from 1928, a large neoclassical building at the mouth of the river, now protected as a national monument. The atrium is tall and bright, and the pool looks out over the river.

It suits you if you want a historic building in the middle of the city for less than Raffles. Some rooms face inwards onto the atrium with no view, so ask for the river or the bay. Walk along the water to Boat Quay in the evening for dinner.

Gardens in the sky

Pickering is known for the hanging gardens on its terraces, where tropical plants spill over the facade. The hotel faces Hong Lim Park, between Chinatown and the river, and has a long pool set among the greenery.

It suits you if you want to stay somewhere green and central at a gentler price. The rooms are modern but plainer than at the most expensive hotels. Chinatown and its food markets are on the doorstep, so breakfast out is easy.

Right on the edge of the bay

Fullerton Bay sits at the end of the quay on Marina Bay, with glass walls facing the water and a rooftop pool that looks across the bay. Its rooftop bar is one of the most popular in the city, and the Merlion statue is a five-minute walk along the water.

This is our pick for views, if you want to watch the light show over the bay from your room. It is a smaller hotel, and rooms are pricey. Cross the bridge to Gardens by the Bay in the evening, when it is cooler.

The bay from your window

Mandarin Oriental stands on Marina Bay, with rooms looking over the bay or out to sea. There is a large outdoor pool, a spa and several restaurants, and service is consistently strong.

It suits you if you value good service and a view, perhaps on a longer stopover. During the Formula 1 weekend the hotel sits beside the circuit and prices climb. The promenade around the bay is at its best early in the morning, before the heat builds.

A bath with a view

The Ritz-Carlton is known for its large bathrooms with octagonal windows, so you can see the city from the tub. The hotel also has a big art collection and a tropical garden with a pool.

It suits couples and families who want space and a view at Marina Bay. It is a little away from the core, but covered walkways lead to shopping centres and the MRT. Book a room facing the bay rather than the city.

A rooftop bar above Kampong Glam

Andaz sits high up in a tower beside Kampong Glam, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a popular rooftop bar. Breakfast is served from a row of small kitchens with different dishes, and the mood is relaxed.

It suits you if you want to be close to the streets of cafes, shops and the mosque. It is modern and lively rather than classic. Walk down Haji Lane and Arab Street in the evening, when the shops and bars are busiest.

A tower of gardens

Pan Pacific Orchard opened in 2023 and is built around open terraces full of plants on several levels, one of which holds the pool. It stands at the far end of Orchard Road.

This is our design pick, if you want to shop and still stay somewhere green. It is a large hotel with lots of guests, so the pool can be busy at weekends. The Botanic Gardens are a short taxi ride away and worth a morning.

Colonial buildings in the rainforest

Capella sits on a hill on Sentosa, in restored colonial buildings from the 1880s with curving new wings designed by Norman Foster. The villas have their own pools, and peacocks wander the grounds. The hotel stands in parkland, with the beaches on the south side of the island just below.

This is our romantic pick, for a special occasion or the last days of a long trip. It is expensive and some way from the centre. The tiered pools look out over the sea, and sunset is the time to be there.

The marina and the pool

W sits by the marina at Sentosa Cove, with a big pool and the beach close by. The style is colourful and playful, and there is a kids' club.

This is our family pick, with a pool, a beach and the theme parks a short ride away. The centre is a long way off, so expect to use taxis. The marina has restaurants along the quay for easy evenings.