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Singapore Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Restaurants & Experiences

Boutique hotels, rooftop infinity pools, heritage shophouses, fine dining and hawker stalls.

Explore Singapore City

Hotels (10)
Restaurants (9)

Where to Stay

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Singapore's original Shangri-La property remains a benchmark for grand-hotel service after three decades, with 792 rooms distributed across the Garden Wing—whose soaring atrium rivals the island's botanical gardens—and the exclusive Valley Wing, where oversized accommodations come with private butlers. Five restaurants, a wine bar, and a dedicated family floor featuring themed suites (Castle, Underwater, Treetop, Safari, and Space) serve the VIPs and heads of state who've long favored this address.

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Tucked off Orchard Road, COMO Metropolitan Singapore delivers a wellness-focused urban retreat anchored by the city's adaptation of the acclaimed Como Shambhala spa. Minimalist interiors establish a serene counterpoint to the district's bustle, while refined dining venues and the brand's signature holistic programming position the property as a restorative base for travelers prioritizing calm and curated wellness within Singapore's commercial heart.

3. Raffles Hotel, Singapore

$$$$ · 3 Michelin Keys· Forbes Five-Star

This 1887 national monument pioneered butler service in its 115 suites—from 45 to 850 m²—each with Carrara marble baths and equipped kitchens. The colonial landmark houses La Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic, yì by Jereme Leung for contemporary Chinese dim sum, and Tiffin Room serving North Indian cuisine since 1892. Long Bar, birthplace of the Singapore Sling in 1915, still pours over 800 daily amid peanut shells scattered across its floors. A rooftop pool and seven-treatment spa complete the storied estate.

4. Capella Singapore

$$$$ · 1 Michelin Key· Forbes Five-Star

Two restored 1880s colonial bungalows anchor Foster + Partners' curved contemporary architecture across 30 acres of Sentosa Island rainforest, where 112 rooms feature walk-out balconies with private Jacuzzis overlooking the South China Sea. Three cascading pools descend a lush hillside from infinity edge to secluded lap lane. Mauro Colagreco's Fiamma serves Italian family cuisine, while Cassia reimagines Cantonese cooking through historic spice route traditions.

5. PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore

$$$$ · 1 Michelin Key· Forbes Five-Star

WOHA's striking eco-architecture features organically shaped terraces draped in 161,000 square feet of self-sustaining sky gardens, maintained through solar panels and rainwater harvesting. The 367 rooms offer floor-to-ceiling views of Chinatown, each fitted with deep soaking tubs, while the rooftop infinity pool's birdcage cabanas frame Singapore's skyline. Lime restaurant's three open kitchens turn out award-winning Southeast Asian fare, and the St. Gregory spa completes a verdant urban retreat.

6. Marina Bay Sands

$$$$ · Forbes Five-Star

Moshe Safdie's three 57-story towers, capped by a 12,000 m² skypark, anchor Singapore's skyline with the world's largest rooftop infinity pool suspended 200 meters above the city. Featured in Crazy Rich Asians, the 2,560-room mega-resort houses over 80 restaurants including rooftop venues Spago and LAVO, while suites come with billiards tables, baby grand pianos, and round-the-clock butler service. The ArtScience Museum and family-oriented cabin suites round out this self-contained architectural marvel.

7. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore

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Pritzker Prize winner Kevin Roche's modernist skyscraper towers over Marina Centre with 4,200 artworks—including pieces by Warhol, Hockney and Chihuly—rivalling museum collections. Octagonal-windowed marble bathrooms frame panoramic skyline views, while the Asia-Pacific's first La Mer spa creates an aquatic sanctuary. Families appreciate the Ritz Kids program with exploration maps and ice cream rewards. Summer Pavilion serves Cantonese cuisine; the Tea Salon offers tranquil respite beneath a mother-of-pearl ceiling.

8. The Singapore EDITION

$$$$ · Forbes Five-Star

Safdie Architects' bronze-and-glass creation anchors a quiet Orchard Road corner with a whitewashed lobby crowned by a gold-leaf dome and a Venetian plaster spiral staircase. The rooftop infinity pool features an acrylic-bottom section peering nine floors down into the timber-decked courtyard, while Josh Niland's gill-to-tail seafood restaurant and the Punch Room deliver theatrical dining. The spa draws on Malay and Indian traditions across seven treatment rooms.

9. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove

$$$$ · Forbes Five-Star

Pop art from Andy Warhol and Wang Ziwei energizes the public spaces of this Sentosa Island resort, where neon-pink mood lighting and three-dimensional floral appliqués define the 240 guestrooms. A 14,400-square-foot pool operates around the clock, hosting occasional DJ parties, while WOOBAR pours unconventional cocktails including bacon bourbon and lemongrass-ginger tequila. The Away spa offers vitality pools and massage treatments overlooking the South China Sea marina.

10. Raffles Sentosa Singapore

$$$$ · 1 Michelin Key

Raffles Sentosa delivers Singapore's first all-villa resort across tropical hillside, where 62 contemporary residences each claim their own plunge pool, garden cabana, and split-level layout dividing sleep from socializing. Arrival bypasses the front desk entirely—expect bergamot spritz and sound healing—while butlers field WhatsApp requests and gleaming Rolls-Royce buggies ferry guests between villas. Roaming peacocks patrol the grounds, and families benefit from curated scavenger hunts and Polaroid photo trails.

Where to Eat

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1. Araya

$$$$ · ★ Michelin · Verified

Chilean chefs Araya and Guerrero bring their shared culinary history from China to this Michelin-starred address, fusing Spanish technique with Chilean-Japanese ingredients. Kinki and cod milt appear alongside aji amarillo and merkén, while French pigeon and caviar round out the South Pacific-inspired menu. The duo ferment and roast their own cacao for signature sauces, drawing on Araya's formative years in Spain and Japan to create bold, eclectic dishes.

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2. Fiamma

$$$$ · Michelin Selected · Verified

At Capella Singapore's Italian dining room, the wood-fired oven anchors a rustic-chic space opening onto garden and pool terraces. The chef's Italian classics draw from personal history and childhood memory, finishing with a signature tiramisu for two under a crispy caramelised sugar shell. The open kitchen and relaxed elegance suit couples seeking refined cooking in a resort setting, where flames and family tradition shape the menu.

3. Odette

$$$$ · ★★★ Michelin

Julien Royer commands one of Singapore's most acclaimed kitchens from a refined gallery setting, his three-Michelin-starred table celebrating impeccable technique and luxury ingredients of exceptional provenance. Dishes arrive with the precision of fine art—creative flavour pairings, exquisite plating, each element executed to the highest standard. The graceful dining room and polished service complete an experience built for special occasions and serious gastronomy alike.

4. Zén

$$$$ · ★★★ Michelin

The celebrity chef behind Frantzén has transformed a Bukit Pasoh shophouse into a three-Michelin-starred showcase of neo-Nordic techniques applied to Japanese ingredients and seafood. Guests begin with aperitifs on the ground floor before ascending to the eight-course tasting menu, where the signature onion course demonstrates how contrasting textures and temperatures can amplify flavor. Even the non-alcoholic pairings embrace bold, unexpected combinations.

5. Les Amis

★★★ Michelin· Forbes Five-Star

Sebastien Lepinoy's French haute cuisine, grounded in ingredients flown from France, takes the form of prix-fixe menus that favour simple combinations and precise seasoning. Asian touches occasionally punctuate modern classics, while Cheryl Koh's pastries close each meal. A wine cellar exceeding 2,000 labels from 13 countries supports the three-Michelin-starred experience, with a chef's table available for those seeking proximity to the kitchen.

6. Cloudstreet

$$$$ · ★★ Michelin

Chef Rishi Naleendra draws on his Sri Lankan heritage and Australian training to craft two-Michelin-starred cuisine defined by precision and equilibrium. Blue marron arrives in a fragrant coconut broth laced with Sri Lankan curry; Murray cod pairs with fermented bell pepper and almonds. The Amoy Street dining room carries a relaxed sophistication, and the front-of-house team orchestrates pacing and atmosphere with practiced ease. Cloudstreet suits serious food enthusiasts seeking inventive cooking rooted in personal narrative.

7. Saint Pierre

$$$$ · ★★ Michelin

Saint Pierre holds two Michelin stars for its modern French repertoire infused with Asian sensibilities, served in a Marina Bay-facing dining room at One Fullerton. The single tasting menu spotlights premium seafood—much of it sourced from Japan—prepared with technical precision that amplifies natural flavour rather than masking it. Expect a refined, unhurried occasion suited to milestone celebrations and serious food enthusiasts.

8. Shoukouwa

$$$$ · ★★ Michelin

Shoukouwa's Nagoya-born chef brings refined sushi craftsmanship to One Fullerton, earning two Michelin stars with white fish and seasonal produce flown from Japan four times weekly. Sushi rice sourced from Yamagata and Ishikawa is blended in precise proportion, each piece served alongside two sauces designed to heighten umami. An extensive sake collection offers glass pairings that complement the elegant, luxury-focused menu.

9. Sushi Sakuta

$$$$ · ★★ Michelin

Chef-owner Sakuta and his all-Japanese brigade compose a season-driven omakase menu built entirely on Japanese fish, served at a ten-seat counter hewn from a two-hundred-year-old cypress tree sourced from Nara. Rice comes blended from two cultivars in exact proportion for ideal texture, and every course receives meticulous attention—details that earned the restaurant two Michelin stars and a reputation for purist edomae craft inside The Capitol Kempinski Hotel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which neighbourhoods are best for boutique hotels in Singapore?

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Duxton Hill, Keong Saik Road, and Tiong Bahru offer converted shophouse hotels with distinctive character. These districts sit within walking distance of Chinatown and the CBD, combining heritage architecture with easy access to restaurants and bars.

What is the hawker centre experience like?

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Hawker centres are open-air food courts where individual stalls specialise in specific dishes—Hainanese chicken rice, bak kut teh, rojak. Maxwell Food Centre and Old Airport Road are local favourites. Expect to share tables, pay in cash, and eat some of the city's best food for under ten dollars.

When is the best time to visit Singapore?

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Singapore sits one degree north of the equator, so temperatures hover around 30°C year-round. February through April sees the least rainfall. The monsoon season runs from November to January, bringing afternoon thunderstorms that clear quickly. Air conditioning is universal indoors.

Singapore City

Singapore compresses the cultures of Southeast Asia into a single compact island. The colonial-era shophouses of Chinatown give way to the gleaming towers of Marina Bay; Little India's spice merchants coexist with Michelin-starred kitchens in Tanjong Pagar. The best hotels cluster around Orchard Road and the Marina Bay waterfront, many with spectacular infinity pools overlooking the city skyline. Heritage properties in districts like Duxton Hill and Keong Saik Road offer a more intimate scale, set within restored shophouses.

The dining scene reflects the city's position as a crossroads. Hawker centres like Maxwell Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat serve char kway teow and laksa at communal tables, while the gastronomic restaurants along Club Street and Tras Street push contemporary Asian cuisine forward. Third-wave coffee shops have colonised Tiong Bahru's art deco blocks. Evenings unfold on rooftop bars with views of the Gardens by the Bay supertrees, or in speakeasies tucked behind unmarked doors in Kampong Glam.