We have already reviewed the best 5 star luxury hotels in Singapore. In this review, we compare the Raffles vs. Ritz-Carlton vs. Four Seasons vs. St Regis vs. the two Fullerton hotels, Fullerton Bay Singapore and Fullerton Hotel Singapore.
Singapore, the gateway to Southeast Asia, is an intriguing country that was created by deeply passionate people following their dreams and aspirations. It’s a place that serves as a canvas for its people’s wildest imagination, where new experiences are created every day, and where foodies, explorers, collectors, action seekers, culture shapers, and socializers meet.
Raffles is our top choice. It has bags of history and heritage, and since the refurbishment, it has become an even more special hotel. The rooms are modern yet elegant. The service is excellent. The staff are now doing a better job at directing the parade of tourists at Long Bar. It feels more peaceful than it used to, and day tourists are kept out of the actual hotel guest areas. That said, do bear in mind that there are a lot of people wandering around everywhere else (the same goes for the Fullerton hotels).
The Fullerton Bay is by far the second-best hotel of the six. From the minute you arrive, you feel welcomed by their personalized service and friendly staff. The level of luxury is superb, and because it’s the smaller of the three, it feels more like a luxury boutique hotel in Singapore. Fullerton Bay public spaces are beautifully designed, but it does attract passing tourists gawking and exploring the communal areas.
The Fullerton is packed with heritage and charm and is also a great choice with a brilliant club lounge. It is larger than the Fullerton Bay. Both Fullerton hotels are just 5 – 10 minutes walk away from Raffles Place, an MRT interchange that gives you MRT connection to Orchard, Airport line, or Chinatown and Little India (via another line at another station). In the evening, there’s lots of food and activity at Boat Quay, which is next to Fullerton. You can also walk to Chinatown or take a boat ride down the Singapore River to Clarke Quay, Esplanade, or Marina Square from here.
The Four Seasons in Singapore is rather mediocre, despite the room refresh. Four Seasons hotels are, however, always a safe pair of hands, and the staff are great with families with children. Wherever you travel in the world, you are guaranteed a brilliant level of service and luxury. But, this Four Seasons lacks history. It is a bland modern hotel, and the location is not so good unless you love shopping on Orchard Road. Four Seasons does, however, offer class and superb service.
Ritz-Carlton is your Marriott Bonvoy hotel choice (along with the St Regis), but the public spaces are frequently overrun by conference guests and tour groups, so this is our worst choice of the six hotels.
- Best For Luxury: Raffles, Fullerton Bay & Fullerton Hotel
- Best Rooms: Raffles & Fullerton Bay. Pick a Marina Bay View Room
- Best For Views: Fullerton Bay. Pick a Marina Bay View Room
- Best Rooftop Pool Views: Fullerton Bay
- Most Exclusive: Raffles, Fullerton Bay
- Best breakfast: All
- Best Restaurants For Fine Dining: Raffles
- Best For Location: Raffles, Fullerton Bay & Fullerton Hotel on Marina Bay
- Best For Poolside Luxury: Raffles
- Most Classy & Exclusive: Raffles & Fullerton Bay
- Best Bar: Raffles in its world-famous bar or Fullerton Bay. The hotel’s stylish rooftop bar Lantern is recognized as one of the world’s best hotel bars
- Most History and Heritage: Raffles & The Fullerton
- Best Club Lounge: The Fullerton
1. Raffles Singapore
The year was 1887 when the doors to the Raffles Singapore first opened. Since then, this luxury five-star hotel in Singapore has become an icon that epitomizes the romance of the Far East – an intoxicating blend of luxury, history, and colonial design.
Situated in the heart of the business and civic district, Raffles Singapore is a veritable oasis in the city. Its classic colonial architecture has been perfectly preserved and provides a stark but lively contrast against its modern-skyscraper neighbors.
Through the decades, liveried Sikh doormen have welcomed some of the most famous personalities, from writers to celebrities, politicians, and members of royalty, such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Today, a resident historian has created a series of videos featuring key moments from its past (early guests included the writers Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, and Rudyard Kipling).
Raffles Singapore has only recently reopened for guest stays following more than two years of renovation work across its guest rooms and public spaces.
The new works were led by interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud, architecture, and design firm Aedas, lighting consultants Tino Kwan and restoration and research consultants Studio Lapis.
The hotel’s suite count has increased from 103 to 115, while new categories have been added; it now offers State Room Suites, Courtyard Suites, Palm Court Suites, Personality Suites, Residence Suites, Promenade Suites, Grand Hotel Suites, and Presidential Suites.
The Raffles Arcade, a collection of shops and “lifestyle spaces”, has a new gift shop, spa, and retail brands, as well as a history gallery featuring archive pictures and stories.
The restaurant line-up now includes Mediterranean grill BBR by chef Alain Ducasse, steakhouse Butcher’s Block, three-Michelin star chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s La Dame de Pic, Chinese restaurant 兿 yì by Jereme Leung, and classic Indian restaurant Tiffin Room.
In July, the hotel reopened its famed Long Bar, a popular tourist spot thanks to its invention of the Singapore Sling, and the Grand Lobby, which has a daily afternoon tea service.
Even the pool on the rooftop has been renovated, with the huge Marina Bay Sands building visible in the distance.
Some of the best rooms are the 31 suites that lead onto the Verandah. These are 58 sqm, and ensuite bathrooms have been redesigned with Victorian details and Peranakan tiles, a type of colorful local ceramic.
No visit to Singapore is complete without a stay at this iconic all-suite luxury Singapore hotel. Each suite features period furnishings, lofty 14-foot ceilings, and modern conveniences expected of a 21st-century hotel. Raffles butlers, legendary for their charming and graceful service, are available to fulfill requests both ordinary and extraordinary.
2. Fullerton Bay Singapore
Strategically located in the heart of Singapore’s financial, arts, and cultural districts, the Fullerton Bay Singapore is within immediate proximity to the Central Business District and key attractions such as the Merlion Park, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Asian Civilisations Museum, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. The Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay, and the city’s main shopping belts of Orchard Road and Marina Bay are only minutes away.
With only 100 guestrooms and suites, the hotel’s intimate ambiance and sophisticated interiors will appeal to discerning guests. It is definitely one of the best boutique hotels in Singapore.
The spacious rooms measure from 50 m². Each room impresses with panoramic views of the Marina Bay waterfront and the vibrant Singapore skyline through full-length windows and a private balcony. Overlooking the city’s landmarks from the privacy of the guestroom, guests are treated to natural light and a sense of place. Amenities are top-notch; Bvlgari Red Tea bath amenities are one of my favorites, and there’s an in-room Nespresso machine. Sheets are fine Egyptian cotton linen.
Strategically positioned on the top three levels of the hotel, six exclusive suites offer unsurpassed views through generous floor-to-ceiling windows and two balconies. Among the six suites are five Theme Suites and a Presidential Suite. These have to be some of the best suites in town. The stunning suites are adorned with bespoke artwork and antiques, signature fabrics, and decorative items that embody their individual themes alongside contemporary pieces.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel provides a variety of culinary experiences on the resplendent Marina Bay waterfront. Guests can choose to indulge in culinary treats at a chic brasserie, Clifford, which is illuminated by 10-meter high floor-to-ceiling glass windows, unwind at the sophisticated waterfront lounge, The Landing Point, luxuriate under the stars at the much-talked-about Lantern, a rooftop bar with panoramic views of Marina Bay and the city skyline or the newly unveiled restaurant, The Clifford Pier.
The hotel’s stylish rooftop bar Lantern is recognized as one of the world’s best hotel bars by CNNGO. With bespoke outdoor vintage-inspired furniture, including romantic daybeds, Lantern presents a lush, charming tropical environment that is representative of Singapore.
The new dining destination, The Clifford Pier, preserves the Pier’s intrinsic hawker culture and honors its historical role as the landing point of Singapore’s forefathers, as well as a melting pot of diverse cultures, presenting the best of Singapore’s delicacies alongside reinterpretations of dishes from the region and Western classics.
3. Fullerton Hotel Singapore
The magnificent Fullerton Building is a grand neoclassical landmark built in 1928 that was once home to Singapore’s General Post Office, the Exchange Room and Exchange Reference Library, and the prestigious Singapore Club. Today, the Fullerton Hotel Singapore has been transformed into a stunning 400-room heritage hotel in Singapore.
Dynamically located in the heart of the financial and arts districts, the hotel successfully blends rich heritage with contemporary style and personalized service to offer guests a world-class accommodation experience. It is actually located at the mouth of the Singapore River and is a mass of grand staircases, high ceilings, and marble. Super classy! This area was originally the heart of colonial Singapore. A nearby footbridge dates back as far as 1870.
This hotel is magnificent with a pillared frontage, historic dining rooms, and glorious waterfront views. The hotel is actually dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers but offers a nice slice of history on the waterfront.
Rooms overlook the sunlit atrium or have verandas with views of the skyline, river promenade or Marina Bay waterfront. The rooms are extremely generous in size, as are the bathrooms, but the highlight for me here is the pool, which is infinity in design on floor two and has great views of the river and bay.
When you stay here, you are three minute walk from the boat quay, which offers a lively nightlife with lots of restaurants and bars. Beyond Boat Quay, there are other quays that again offer great options for nightlife. Chinatown and Little India are also close by if you take public transport.
The hotel has an equally luxurious but different-styled sister property across the street, the 100-room Fullerton Bay Hotel, which is housed in a modern waterfront building and is ranked the number one hotel in Singapore by Tripadvisor.
The Straits Club Lounge at the Fullerton elevates your luxury stay further by offering breakfast, including champagne breakfast (Veuve Cliquot), afternoon tea, and evening drinks and snacks all for free if you book a club room. Crucially, our luxury travel concierge can get access to this lounge included in your room booking for free.
The food with breakfast, tea, and cocktails in the evening is extensive and should fill you up. There are daily specials at each mealtime, and as you would expect from a hotel of this caliber, the food quality and the array is excellent. Although it is lovely to take advantage of these freebies, it is worth popping up to the rooftop bar to take in the views at least once during your stay.
They say: “The Straits Club offers the ultimate service experience to discerning travelers by providing premium accommodation and the highest level of quality and comfort. Guests of The Straits Club enjoy privileges that include round-the-clock personalized service, in-room registration, a complimentary daily Chandon breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapés, and cocktails in a dedicated lounge with a vintage Peranakan décor featuring Straits Chinese artifacts. Other privileges include preferred laundry rates, pressing service for up to two clothing items, and late check-out (subject to availability). To accommodate guests’ meeting needs, a meeting room for up to six persons may be availed for two hours.”
4. Four Seasons Singapore
Located on tranquil, tree-lined Orchard Boulevard, Four Seasons Singapore provides a welcome oasis of calm in the midst of the city’s bustle. Renowned for its service, each of the hotel’s 255 spacious rooms, including 40 suites, offers a full range of amenities. While this hotel is probably too large to be included in our listing of the best boutique hotels in Singapore, it remains one of the smaller hotels in the city and does feel boutique, even though it has an extravagant 255 rooms.
Foodies can savor Michelin Star Cantonese cuisine at Jiang-Nan Chun, authentic Asian or Western dishes at One-Ninety Restaurant, and cocktails at One-Ninety Bar. Post-sightseeing, you can gently rejuvenate your body and soul under the masterful strokes of skillful therapists at the award-winning Four Seasons Spa or reinvigorate at the tennis courts, 24-hour gym, and two outdoor pools – one of which is located on the 20th floor, complete with a bar and an unforgettable, spectacular view of Singapore’s city skyline.
5. St Regis Singapore
The St Regis Singapore is the best Marriott Bonvoy hotel in Singapore. The pampering at the St Regis Singapore begins upon your arrival, as a customized Bentley can be reserved to chauffeur you to the doorstep. The fine art of St Regis hospitality, refined over a century of storied legacy, awaits throughout the 299 elegantly appointed rooms and suites.
Enjoying stunning vistas of Singapore’s downtown skyline, the rooms feature full silk-shaded chandeliers, bespoke furniture, lush fabrics, French marble bathrooms, and state-of-the-art electronics, including Singapore’s very first IP phones. Gastronomes enjoy epicurean excellence with French cuisine at Brasserie Les Saveurs, Italian dishes at LaBrezza, Cantonese fare at Yan Ting, and Japanese omakase at Michelin-star Shinji by Kanesaka. The hotel also houses one of Asia’s finest private art collections.
6. Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore is centrally located along Singapore’s Marina Bay. This 608-room luxury hotel continues to be distinguished by unparalleled hospitality synonymous with The Ritz-Carlton brand. Attractions such as Gardens by the Bay, the Art Science Museum, the Integrated Resorts, and the Singapore Flyer are only minutes away, while over 2,000 shopping and dining options are accessible via a covered sky bridge.
Renowned for iconic views from its spacious guestrooms and suites, the hotel features an exclusive Club Lounge on level 32. The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge is a peaceful, exclusive retreat for leisure guests and business travelers. Located on the top floor, The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge is an exclusive space for guests to work or play while enjoying spectacular views of the Singapore skyline.
Guests of the luxury hotel can unwind at the outdoor swimming pool, spa, or 24-hour gym, savor Singapore at Colony or indulge in Cantonese cuisine at the Michelin-star Summer Pavilion.
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