Hotels · Our pick in Singapore
Grand hotels by the bay: where to stay in Singapore, the back story
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Raffles SingaporeAbout Grand hotels by the bay: where to stay in Singapore, the back story
Singapore’s great hotels fall into three groups. Around Marina Bay and the Civic District stand Raffles, The Fullerton and The Fullerton Bay, the Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Bay Sands and The Capitol Kempinski. Up the hill, along Orchard Road and in leafy Tanglin, are the Four Seasons, Shangri-La, The St. Regis, Regent and the Goodwood Park. And across the water on Sentosa, Capella and Raffles Sentosa sit among the trees above the sea.
Three bases
Singapore is compact, and the MRT and taxis make every one of these addresses easy. The choice is really about mood: the skyline and the river, the shopping and the gardens of Orchard, or the resort calm of Sentosa.
Marina Bay and the Civic District
Raffles, at 1 Beach Road, is home to the Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling originated in 1915, and to 1887 by André, with two MICHELIN Stars in the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2026 (raffles.com; MICHELIN). The Fullerton occupies a neoclassical building of 1928, once the General Post Office and a National Monument since December 2015 (fullertonhotels.com). Around the water stand The Fullerton Bay, the Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, with Marina Bay Sands and its SkyPark across the bay.
Stay by the bay for the skyline and the museums; stay in Tanglin for gardens and calm; stay on Sentosa for the sea.
Orchard and Tanglin
The Four Seasons on Orchard Boulevard, Shangri-La on Orange Grove Road, The St. Regis on Tanglin Road and Regent on Cuscaden Road are all a short walk from Orchard Road’s shops and close to the Botanic Gardens.
Sentosa
Capella sits on the hill at The Knolls, with the Auriga Spa; Raffles Sentosa, on Bukit Manis Road, is the island’s newest grand resort (capellahotels.com; raffles.com).
Choosing
For a first visit, Marina Bay puts the Gardens by the Bay, the National Gallery and the hawker centres within a walk. Tanglin suits longer stays, families and anyone who wants the Botanic Gardens at the door. Sentosa is for a few days of sea, spa and quiet.
Our advice: book the hotel’s restaurants when you book the room, especially at weekends.
Why it's on our list
- Three bases
- Marina Bay and the Civic District
- Orchard and Tanglin
- Sentosa
- Choosing
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Grand hotels by the bay: where to stay in Singapore, the back story before you go.
How far is it from the sights?
Distances from Grand hotels by the bay: where to stay in Singapore, the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest MRT stations
- BayfrontCircle LineDowntown Line150 m2 min walk
- Raffles PlaceEast-West LineNorth-South Line850 m11 min walk
- DowntownDowntown Line900 m11 min walk
Key sights
- Gardens by the Bay350 mWalk 4 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Merlion Park650 mWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- National Gallery Singapore1.1 kmWalk 14 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Raffles Singapore1.3 kmWalk 17 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Sri Mariamman Temple1.6 kmWalk 20 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Masjid Sultan2.0 kmWalk 25 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 11 min
- ION Orchard3.8 kmCycle 19 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Singapore Botanic Gardens5.6 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Jewel Changi Airport17 kmCar or taxi 51 min
Main railway stations
- Woodlands Train Checkpoint (to JB Sentral)20 kmCar or taxi 61 min
Check availability
Opens Booking.com in a new tab with your dates. ULTIMATE Singapore City Guide doesn't take bookings or payments.