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sleep soundly in Singapore
Published in the October-December issue.
For an island that can be crossed in around half an hour, Singapore is home to an astonishing array of boutique and five-star hotels. If there’s one thing you’ll never be short of in this town, it’s finding a place to stay, as Daven Wu discovers on a tour of the city-state’s hottest new properties.
The grande dames of Singapore’s hotel world – among them Raffles, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Four Seasons and the Grand Hyatt – still pull in devoted fans. But they face stiff competition from a cache of glam boutique newcomers that have entered the market over the past 12 months or so. Some, like The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, stake out prime waterfront locations, while others, such as Wanderlust and Wangz, are to be found in Singapore’s atmospheric historic quarters.
Making the biggest splash in 2010 was the three-towered Marina Bay Sands, designed by starchitect Moshe Safdie. Framed by the majestic sweep of Marina Bay and the gleaming skyscrapers of Raffles Place, the hotel opened its 2,560 rooms with a party to end all parties, headlining Diana Ross and Kelly Rowland, among other stars.
With consummate showmanship, the Sands parlays its renowned glamour into a gaming hall and a collection of droolworthy restaurants from celebrity chefs such as Daniel Boulud, Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, Tetsuya Wakuda and Wolfgang Puck, as well as the first overseas outpost of the legendary Los Angeles nightclub Avalon.
As the tropical sun sets, the best views in town can be enjoyed from the top of the hotel at the Sands SkyPark: a mammoth, 200-metre-high podium that’s longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall. An infinity pool, lush gardens and yet another restaurant compete for your attention beyond the dizzying cityscape before you.
On the other side of the marina sits The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. Opened in July, the 100-room property is just steps from historic Clifford Pier where, a century ago, new arrivals to Singapore came ashore. Sparkling water views are afforded from its outdoor terrace and 13-metre-long bar. All this alongside three dining spots designed by Hong Kong wunderkind Andre Fu, including Clifford, a brasserie boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and a spectacular wine collection.
Thanks to its multi-lane bridge, Sentosa Island today is less an addendum to, and more an extension of, the mainland. This easy accessibility also explains why Sentosa is becoming increasingly crowded with mega-projects such as Resorts World Sentosa, which incorporates four hotels (with two more set to open over the next six months) clustered around a Universal Studios theme park – the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Just a few minutes away from all this frenetic energy lies the 112-room Capella. Here, Priktzer-prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster and a trio of interior designers, Jaya Ibrahim, Andre Fu and Yasuhiro Koichi, have transformed a mid-20th-century British army barracks into a bucolic resort that effortlessly blends Bali-style chic and Colonial-era grandeur across its 12-hectare grounds. Other diversions include three tiered swimming pools and a meltingly good spa, all overlooking the South China Sea.
On a much smaller scale but no less impressive is the bijou Club by Harry’s Hospitality hotel. Set in a colonial shophouse in the heart of Chinatown, the 22-room hideaway is a whimsical space conceptualised by local architectural mavens Ministry of Design. Dominated by an austere black-and-white palette, the hotel is peppered with unexpected visual treats such as Tan Wyn-Lyn’s hand-painted mural of hummingbirds, squirrels and carp alongside Chinese wood carvings and antique pendant lamps.
Hotelier Loh Lik Peng has also opted for the atmospheric charms of an ethnic quarter. His latest boutique offering, the 29-room Wanderlust, lies within walking distance of the retail hive of Orchard Road but is a world away in terms of ambience, set amid Little India’s warren of streets packed with eateries, spice shops and goldsmiths. Like its sister hotel, The New Majestic, Wanderlust is decorated by various creative agencies, one for each of its four levels – this time, the honours go to Asylum, PhunkStudios, DP Architects and fFurious. It gives the property an eccentric vibe without compromising one iota of style.
Across town, the equally imaginative Wangz opened recently in Tiong Bahru, a leafy residential enclave of 1950s buildings and good street food. Each of its 49 rooms comes kitted out with niceties such as goose-down duvets, a pillow menu, complimentary Internet access, a DVD player, Molton Brown amenities, a Nespresso machine and an iPod dock. Still, a highlight of any stay here is drinks at Halo, a rooftop lounge bar popular for its captivating views over the city.
On the edge of the Singapore River, Studio M hotel, opened in March, distils the choice features of other new hotels – great views, design, location and service – into a concentrated burst. Piero Lissoni brings his trademark Italian flair to this unusual property, its 365 rooms featuring sleeping areas separate from the comfortably furnished workspaces. For a recuperative break, there’s a 25-metre-long lap pool and an outdoor gym, not to mention the retail and dining diversions that can be found nearby along Robertson Quay, Mohamed Sultan Road and Clarke Quay.
With so many hotels on offer, choosing which to check in at becomes tricky. The simplest solution may be to extend your trip and try them all. •
TRAVEL FACTS
where to stay
• Capella Singapore: 65/6377-8888; capellasingapore.com
• The Club by Harry’s Hospitality: 65/6808-2188; theclub.com.sg
• The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore: 65/6333-8388; fullertonbayhotel.com
• Marina Bay Sands: 65/6688-8868; marinabaysands.com
• Sinapore Airlines Holidays: 1300-666-722; siaholidays.com.au
• Studio M: 65/6808-8888; studiomhotel.com
• Wanderlust: 65/6396-3322; wanderlusthotel.com
• Wangz: 65/6595-1389; wangzhotel.com
• Singapore Tourism Board: 1800-736-2000; yoursingapore.com
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