Recommendations for a nice post-cruise hotel in Singapore?

[Grand Duchess]

Dear fellow cruisers,

After the upcoming cruise from Singapore to Sydney and on to Auckland on the Muse, I plan a stopover in Singapore before returning back to then cold Switzerland. Since I haven’t been to Singapore for 25 years and a lot has probably changed, I wonder whether you could recommend any nice 5 star hotel I should stay in for 4 nights to complete a, I am hopeful, perfect journey?

 

Thank you very much!

 

[Fletcher]

Singapore has indeed changed a lot in 25 years, most notably in the massive development of the Marina Bay district.  Personally I would opt to stay down by the Marina with its extraordinary views and walkways.  There are four hotels to choose from - the Mandarin Oriental, the Ritz-Carlton, the Fullerton and the Fullerton Bay.  We have stayed at the MO and the Ritz but not at either the Fullertons.  I think the boutique Fullerton Bay looks nice while the Fullerton itself is in a historic building.  We're in Singapore again in January, following a Silversea cruise, and we've gone for the SS hotel which is the MO.  This hotel has a very 1980s atrium lobby and rather brutalist architecture but the rooms are excellent and there is a great pool deck.  The Ritz is apparently in need of a makeover these days but I'm sure it's still OK.  I'd dismiss pricey Raffles as far too touristy and it lacks views.  Be sure to get a Marina view room at either of these hotels. The FS is very discreet, uptown and near all the shops.  And the Shangri-La is a bit isolated but has a large resort feel.   Spoilt for choice even if none of them are exactly world beating.  I think there's a new St Regis now, hidden in the high-rises.

Edited July 25, 2022 by Fletcher

[Stumblefoot]

Another vote for the Fullerton Bay. We will be staying there this upcoming March before moving to the Four Seasons for some shopping and dining as we like to walk to shops and restaurants.

[Joywrk]

We loved the Conrad

[highplanesdrifters]

We loved the Marina Bay Sands. So much at your fingertips. Yes there is a kitchy aspect and the area can be a bit busy with tourists but once you are in the hotel system all is wonderful. Architecture spot on. Breakfast near the pool fabulous, as are the other restaurants on the top level. We especially like the basement food mall. They recreated the famous outdoor food hawkers inside. A foodies delight.  The underground walkways also link to the big indoor shopping  mall if you're a shopper. The other bonus is a short stroll to Gardens by the Bay, museums, etc.  We like the Bay/Park view. Hop On bus can be caught just outside the hotel. A very different experience from the Ritz if you're in the mood.

A View of MBS from the city

Infinity pool does get crowded mid day with the selfie brigade. It can be entertaining to watch.

Room view

Room view 

Lobby

 

 

[Grand Duchess]

Hello lovely people,

I knew you would come up with top suggestions, and some great pictures too, thank you all so much!

Now decision time, I will need to sleep over this. Had looked into the Fullerton and Fullerton Bay previously, they were top on my list. Rejected Raffles for reasons pointed out by Fletcher and so far did not dare to even consider Marina Bay Sands since it is so huge. I might have to reconsider, although I prefer a bit of calm with no influencers around for a mile, a good bar with a view and if possible an excellent Asian restaurant in-house. Dumplings for breakfast and a nice pool would be a plus. So the Ritz Carlton would deliver under those aspects, too. Would never have thought of it.

Since I fly in two days before the cruise to be on the safe side and have booked pre-cruise hotel with Silversea, I get to experience the Mandarin Oriental, too. 
Spoilt for choice indeed. It will sure be nice to be back for a few days and see the change. 
 

 

[Rick Hawaii]

The Carlton Hotel is very nice and right in town! We stayed there a few years back on a post cruise.👍

[chaunceyb]

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sinxr-the-st-regis-singapore/overview/

 

Really enjoyed our stay at the St. Regis a few years ago - not in such touristy area (Tanglin Road).

[Dimity]

We have stayed at the Fairmont in Singapore many times (as well as other 5 star offerings) and really enjoyed the large size of the rooms and the location is excellent - opposite Raffles and great shopping and restaurants. Choose a Fairmont Gold room with Harbour view and you can't go wrong. 

[drron29]

We were in Singapore in May and we stayed in a gold room at the Fairmont, I agree with Dimity it is excellent. The Gold lounge is superb.

It's position is great with it being attached to the Raffles City shopping mall.

Plus just a block from a fantastic dining centre Chijmes. We thoroughly reccomend eating at Whitegrass restaurnsat there. a Michelin star but very laid back with a terific restaurant manager wendy Lim.

https://www.whitegrass.com.sg/about

 

It is also pretty close to Odette ranked number 36 in the world but more than twice as expensive as whitegrass with double the courses and we found it a bit too much.

[UKCruiseJeff]

22 hours ago, Grand Duchess said:

Dear fellow cruisers,

After the upcoming cruise from Singapore to Sydney and on to Auckland on the Muse, I plan a stopover in Singapore before returning back to then cold Switzerland. Since I haven’t been to Singapore for 25 years and a lot has probably changed, I wonder whether you could recommend any nice 5 star hotel I should stay in for 4 nights to complete a, I am hopeful, perfect journey?

 

Thank you very much!

 

 

Hi,

 

You will find that Singapore has as others have said - changed enormously over the last 25 years.  It is now extremely international and you'll see little difference from any city if you remain where most others that arrive stay.

 

We started visiting Singapore over  20 years ago on our way for a months stay every January / February in Sydney simply to have a place to walk in the UK winters. We then increasingly found that we so enjoyed the stopoversin Singapore  more than the destination that we eventually cut out the flights to Oz and made the trip Singapore.  We dumped Bankgok because I always got food poisoning! 

 

Until the virus we'd visitSuingapore between one and three times a year for three weeks or more each triplonger but mostly to emerse ourselves into the routine of day to day local life, hawker food and walks in Botanic. The locals are soo, so wonderful and have enriched our lives.   I'm also worryingly obsessed with idea that someone in the world is eating something I haven't eaten so I've tried to put that fear to bed by eating in as many places that locals eat that I can.  It's tough doing that without edgy travel.  I now realise that Anthony Bourdain is a half-brother.

 

You haven't said what you're looking for in your stay so consequently in that vacuum all of the above recommendations are all extremely sound and you will not be dissapointed with any of them I'm sure.  You will be comfortable and pampered. For example the food hall in the basement of Marina Bay is wonderful, but it is almost entitely "expensive" franchised food in very wonderful air-conditioned sublimeness.  If however you want to emerse yourself a little more into local life few of the hotels are optimum for that unless you genuinely will take the MRT (underground train) and busses to explore more.

 

I always feel a bit dissapointed for others who take all that trouble to travel to exotic places but do all they can to smooth out and avoid the local experience and edges so that they basically experience what they would experience if they stayed at home or travelled almost anywhere in the world except  that is for the change in the currencies and climate ( but smoothed our with aircon!) that makes those places so different.  I feel that what is the point of travel if you end up where you started.

 

If your aspirations for your four days are fairly easy going then you should - and I say this genuinely -  stick to the above. But perhaps you should spend a moment thinking about what is is you want and you should make sure make this a conscious decision rather than a default position.

 

I ramble but I always do.

 

Wifey #1 and I so so love and enjoy Singapore and those we encounter so much.  You can eat at hawker centers not restaurants (you can do all that pretend cusine on the ship) and you could avoid Singapore food halls, but instead talk to locals eat lunch with them and make unique memories.

 

Enjoy your stopeover and forgive my typos - but it is lunchtime.

 

Jeff

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Hi,

 

You will find that Singapore has as others have said - changed enormously over the last 25 years.  It is now extremely international and you'll see little difference from any city if you remain where most others that arrive stay.

 

We started visiting Singapore over  20 years ago on our way for a months stay every January / February in Sydney simply to have a place to walk in the UK winters. We then increasingly found that we so enjoyed the stopoversin Singapore  more than the destination that we eventually cut out the flights to Oz and made the trip Singapore.  We dumped Bankgok because I always got food poisoning! 

 

Until the virus we'd visitSuingapore between one and three times a year for three weeks or more each triplonger but mostly to emerse ourselves into the routine of day to day local life, hawker food and walks in Botanic. The locals are soo, so wonderful and have enriched our lives.   I'm also worryingly obsessed with idea that someone in the world is eating something I haven't eaten so I've tried to put that fear to bed by eating in as many places that locals eat that I can.  It's tough doing that without edgy travel.  I now realise that Anthony Bourdain is a half-brother.

 

You haven't said what you're looking for in your stay so consequently in that vacuum all of the above recommendations are all extremely sound and you will not be dissapointed with any of them I'm sure.  You will be comfortable and pampered. For example the food hall in the basement of Marina Bay is wonderful, but it is almost entitely "expensive" franchised food in very wonderful air-conditioned sublimeness.  If however you want to emerse yourself a little more into local life few of the hotels are optimum for that unless you genuinely will take the MRT (underground train) and busses to explore more.

 

I always feel a bit dissapointed for others who take all that trouble to travel to exotic places but do all they can to smooth out and avoid the local experience and edges so that they basically experience what they would experience if they stayed at home or travelled almost anywhere in the world except  that is for the change in the currencies and climate ( but smoothed our with aircon!) that makes those places so different.  I feel that what is the point of travel if you end up where you started.

 

If your aspirations for your four days are fairly easy going then you should - and I say this genuinely -  stick to the above. But perhaps you should spend a moment thinking about what is is you want and you should make sure make this a conscious decision rather than a default position.

 

I ramble but I always do.

 

Wifey #1 and I so so love and enjoy Singapore and those we encounter so much.  You can eat at hawker centers not restaurants (you can do all that pretend cusine on the ship) and you could avoid Singapore food halls, but instead talk to locals eat lunch with them and make unique memories.

 

Enjoy your stopeover and forgive my typos - but it is lunchtime.

 

Jeff

So perfectly said.  I worked there a lot in the 80's and 90's and was able to immerse in local culture and food. One favorite was a weekly food/cultural gathering for families of Indian decent.  A dozen mother and their daughters cooked their regional dishes. Just heaven.   During recent tourist visits I've succumbed to the quick and easy hits readily available with occasional exploring of neighborhoods. Next time I'm going to slow it down like we do for most of our travel. Thanks for the nudge.  Being an avid gardener, will probably return to MBS for the proximity to Gardens by the Bay.  Yes it is a bit Disney meets Botanic, 😉, but there is always the Botanic Gardens for the purist in me. Thanks UKJeff for dredging up memories from long ago.  Rambling right back atcha! 

[Fletcher]

A lot of people think Singapore these days is far too sanitised and regimented but you are generally very safe eating anywhere, even off the pavement, unlike India or China where the 'street food' may be authentic but might also be a little too authentic.  I'm going to India in December and have watched Rick Stein's three shows - how that man is still alive amazes me.  

[jpalbny]

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

I'm going to India in December and have watched Rick Stein's three shows - how that man is still alive amazes me.

 

Better living through fluoroquinolones? Works for me...

 

ETA: following along with interest as we will be there for a few days in March. Hoping to meet up with a former colleague who lives there now and get a bit off the beaten path!

Edited July 26, 2022 by jpalbny

[taxatty]

Don't leave Singapore without trying the very messy but delicious and not spicy chili crab and other local dishes--the ultimate fusion of every type of Asian cuisine.

 

Tha Conrad had the best breakfast buffet we've ever seen--American, Asian and plenty of other choices.

[CruisinPashmina]

I have stayed at the Shangri La  Hotel  four times. It is a big lovely hotel..a little out of the way. I have stayed at the Fullerton..great location, but as much as I love supporting restored landmarks, it was only okay. We stayed downtown at an international brand hotel which was built on top of a mall. Wish I could remember it’s name, but 

the first and only time in all my travels I suffered from a truly horrific jet lag sickness. What I remember about the hotel was that it was fine considering the circumstances. 

But, for my late husband and me there was only one hotel which we 100% loved. The Ritz Carlton Millennium, on the Club floor is superb. We stayed there four wonderful times. We have friends who fly to Singapore for about a week pre cruise just to enjoy this wonderful hotel. The service, food and ambiance in the Club lounge is unforgettable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Grand Duchess]

Dear cruise crew,

So many great suggestions, I am very tempted to stay an additional week. Only I can‘t since still working full time in between what I call my happy breaks from reality. As UKCruise Jeff so masterly pointed out, there has to be some immersion into local life, for what would the point of travelling be without it. And I suppose I should be well rested by then thanks to numerous sessions in the SS spa, so just lolling at some hotel pool is out. Well maybe on the last day before the long flight back😊

To visit the real original hawker stalls is certainly the plan, I confess that the culinary aspect was always big in our travels. We so liked to find new tastes, last cruise together was Japan to Hongkong and especially those small Japanese places, often being the only tourists there, really got our taste buds going. I called my late husband my little truffle pig, you could count on him to find the perfect food spot anywhere. Now he is gone, with only 58 due to Covid, and I am slowly digging myself out back to life again. 
Cruising works perfectly for solo travellers, as I have found out since last year. But I am rambling on, I tend to do this lately.

Back to Singapore and all it has to offer. Since I am in daily contact with my local work colleagues there by phone anyway, there will probably be one night meeting up, only I don‘t want to impose on them too much, you know how it is. Already learnt how to make the perfect dumplings from one of them when she was in Zurich for a time😋

Maybe I can find this little authentic Chinese tea shop again, where last time an elderly gentleman was folding paper package for the tea so neatly and quickly, I could have watched for hours.

Anyway, I plan to make full use of those 4 days and can already feel from all your contributions that I will have to be back for many repeat visits, the place has so many attractions still waiting to be discovered. 
Thank you all very much for all your kind comments and suggestions, highly appreciated and noted down!

Have a lovely day, I‘ll make another cup of Lung Ching tea now and then off to work (thankfully, still able to work from home most days).

 

 

[rkacruiser]

I have visited Singapore a few times.  One of my requirements for a hotel that has quick and easy access to the Hop On/Off buses as well as excellent service and a large, comfortable room with a view.  The Marriott fits my requirements without being terribly expensive.  Their restaurant choices are very good and there are many other dining establishments nearby.