Make your visit to Singapore a memorable one by staying and playing at one of these four iconic hotels where luxury intermingles with history. There's no shortage of pleasant surprises from the moment you step through the front door.
As you'll quickly discover, some of the most luxurious accommodation options can be found in Singapore.
Raffles Singapore
Whether or not you rest your head here, Raffles hotel is an essential on any Singapore must-visit list. Steeped in rich history and tradition, Raffles stands proud and elegant in the centre of Singapore’s business and civic district. The hotel began life as a modest 10-room bungalow, with the now-famed (and much larger) main building opening in 1899.
Over the years, Raffles was deemed a national monument, avoided demolition, underwent extensive (and expensive) renovations and relaunched in 1991. As a result, the hotel is a stunningly preserved architectural example, with its opulent lobby featuring white marble colonnades, high ceilings and sprawling verandahs.
Opulent rooms await at the historic Raffles Singapore
Today, Raffles is home to 103 suites, a spa, a gym, an outdoor pool and a luxe shopping arcade. With 15 restaurants and bars to choose from, hungry travellers and foodies love it too. While you’re a guest, don’t forget to sip a renowned Singapore Sling, which originated in the hotel’s famous Long Bar in 1915.
Even from its early days, many public figures, A-list celebrities and literary luminaries have stayed here including Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Alfred Hitchcock and Michael Jackson. Needless to say, you’ll be in good company.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Historical, elegant and architecturally impressive, the Fullerton is a spectacular neoclassical Singaporean landmark. The Fullerton building opened in 1928 – then the largest building in Singapore – and became home to the General Post Office, The Exchange and the prestigious Singapore Club.
Its grandeur led to its eventual transformation into a luxury hotel, and today, with its impressive Doric columns, cornices, Italian marble floors and ornamental ceilings, this heritage building houses 400 lavish guestrooms.
Sit down to drinks and food with city skyline views
From your room or suite, you’ll either overlook the hotel’s sunny atrium courtyard or have a balcony from which to take in magnificent views of the city’s skyline, Marina Bay and the Singapore River promenade. Dine in style onsite at one of the hotel’s five bars and restaurants, then head out to enjoy Singapore’s many nearby arts and entertainment offerings.
Need to decompress? Let The Fullerton pamper you with a treatment or two at The Spa Artisan. And history buffs – or just those who fall in love with this famed hotel – may want to learn more during the free Fullerton heritage guided tour.
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Marina Bay Sands
A much more recent addition to the local hotel scene, the award-winning Marina Bay Sands exploded onto the map in Singapore’s central business district in April 2010. The first ‘integrated resort’ in Singapore, it’s also the island country’s largest hotel, with 55-storey towers and 2561 rooms and suites.
Take a dip in the resort’s infinity pool, try your luck in the casino, then spend your winnings in the 250 luxury retail boutiques. Worked up an appetite? Satisfy your hunger in style in the more than 60 restaurants, many of which are headed up by celebrity chefs from around the world including Sydney’s own Tetsuya Wakuda.
Look out over the city from the Marina Bay Sands' rooftop plunge pool
See renowned theatre productions; wander through lush gardens; go clubbing at night; and visit the hotel’s SkyPark, which sits atop the three hotel towers – 57 storeys up – delivering 360-degree views of Singapore.
Still craving more culture? The hotel even has its own museum. Showcasing the relationship between art, science, technology and culture, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands has featured exhibits by such 20th-Century greats as Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.
Capella Singapore
For those who want easy access to the pleasures of Singapore, but crave a more resort-style setting, Capella on Sentosa Island has just what you’re looking for. At Capella, you’re a quick 10 minutes from the shopping, entertainment and dining areas of downtown Singapore, and an even quicker five-minute walk to the public beach and a 15-minute walk to the fun of Universal Studios Singapore. Wander the resort’s sprawling botanical gardens, or tee up 18 holes at the neighbouring championship Sentosa Golf Club.
Stay in the resort's villa for your own private plunge pool (image: Capella Singapore)
The resort boasts 112 spacious guestrooms including suites, premier rooms, two colonial manors and villas where you can go for dip in your own private plunge pool.
Capella Singapore is not without its history, either. Two of the hotel’s lovingly restored buildings, Tanah Merah I and Tanah Merah II, are Heritage-listed, built in the 1880s to house British officers based on Sentosa Island.
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Visit your local Flight Centre store or call 131 600 for more advice and the latest deals on travelling to Singapore.
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