Where Should I Stay in Singapore: Best Hotels for Tourists

You have made the decision to visit Singapore. Flights are booked and the next question is, “where should I stay in Singapore?”. On my recent visit, I knew I wanted to create a hotel guide. There are too many hotels to only stay at one. At least for research purposes.

I’ll be honest with you, I never used to care much about where I stayed. “I won’t be spending much time in the room”, a common phrase I lived by. However, that has changed in recent times. Mostly this year. I’m low-key getting tired of playing hotel room roulette.

The pictures are great, reviews ok, but sometimes I’m satisfied and sometimes find myself tip-toeing around the room with disinfectant. Not all budget rooms are that bad and bed bugs can be found anywhere including 5-star resorts.

That’s not the point.

The point is, Singapore was the last destination on a 6-week trip around Asia and we wanted to conclude our vacation with a bang. Part of that was booking nicer hotels than our usual accommodation.

I got to say, there is no better feeling than coming back from a long day and being able to relax in a nice room with a nice bath and cozy bed. I’m spoiled now what can I say.

I don’t splurge often on the road but when I finally got the chance to visit Singapore I knew this was the city to do so. I whipped out my credit card and closed my eyes while I made reservations at the nicest hotels I’ve ever been a guest at.

You might not think these are expensive, but when you are used to spending less than $100 per night and splitting that difference, this is a huge jump in cost.

Luckily, I made sure to budget for this well in advance as I do in the planning stages of every trip. If you want to know more about how I save for travel, check out these posts. 

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Psst. . . Looking for great places to catch some zzzz’s? Read my other hotel reviews:

• Hotel Napoleon Memphis: Downtown’s Newest Hotel Near Beale Street

• The Most Luxurious Bed & Breakfast in the Heart of Chicago

• Grand Sunset Princess: All-Inclusive Beach Resort in Playa Del Carmen

Best Hotels in Singapore for Tourists

I spend a decent amount of time looking for unique places to stay. My criteria are always location, uniqueness, and price. These are the hotels I feel are best for tourists to easily get around Singapore while having a nice place to crash.

Disclaimer: Prices for these hotels are subject to change. I can only speak on what I paid at the time of booking.

Naumi (Colonial District)

Naumi is technically a boutique hotel, but it doesn’t feel that way. The rooms are decently sized. They use every nook and cranny so well – makes the small space feel much bigger.

We had a separate shower and toilet. It was only a shower but that’s all we needed. Outside is a closet and center counter with a sink, plugs, and mirror – all the typical bathroom essentials.

There is a pocket shelf that slides out giving you complimentary snacks, drinks, coffee maker and more. This is where they saved on space. We had a queen-sized bed, a huge television, ample sockets with converters – everything.

Downstairs is the lobby and a full-service restaurant and bar. They offer food all day and night with a good happy hour. We got a glass of wine for $5 SGD each. Given how expensive the city is, that was a good deal.

On the roof is a massive pool and lounge area overlooking the entire city and famous Raffles hotel. I wish we had spent more time up here. The rooftop pool is all the reason to book your stay at Naumi.

Our cost for 3-nights was $643.

Six Senses Maxwell (Chinatown)

Not only are the rooms at Six Senses Maxwell down-right gorgeous, but they are also plastic-free. The entire hotel is devoted to sustainability. They sources locally food to reduce carbon footprint and are plastic-free.

They are located in Chinatown in a rare part of Singapore that has remained preserved with shophouses lining the streets. If you’re not familiar with shophouses, they are a unique building (residential and commercial) style found around Southeast Asia. Many are painted in vibrant colors with fine details from the ground up.

You can imagine why it’s important to keep these around for they are part of history. 

Rather than tearing these historic shophouses down, Six Senses Maxwell combined 9 of them to make a 49-room hotel. They contracted a British designer who brought tasteful elements of Chinese and European influence into the decor while keeping original artwork and furnishings.

Every corner of this hotel is very elegant.

One of my favorite places in this hotel is the sexy, Library Social Lounge. I say sexy because it is. I mean look at the picture above. Can you picture yourself there now wearing your best gown while sipping on a fancy cocktail? For me, that would be an Old Fashion.

The lounge is 24 hours. They begin every morning with breakfast and transition into a night lounge by the end of the day. 

They also managed to bring you a spa and rooftop pool and garden. It’s a cute area that overlooks the city and shophouses but private at the same time. Six Senses Maxwell is a great hotel for tourists who are traveling as a couple.

Average nightly cost at the time of writing this is $160 SGD.

Six Senses Duxton (Chinatown)

Six Sense Duxton is located in what you would call the true historic part of Singapore. Once a nutmeg plantation on a hill is now one of the most colorful and eclectic areas in town.

Though technically located in Chinatown, you will find a mixture of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Britsh influences. The whole area offers tons to do and Six Senses Duxton is smacked down in the middle. 

I’ve never been to a hotel that has a singing bowl for new arrivals. Let me explain. . .

They ring the singing bowl three times to release evil spirits. Apparently this is ancient Chinese tradition but I feel like we should bring it back. I’m looking for evil-free good vibes all the time. 

Six Senses Duxton is the smaller sister property to Maxwell, but the decor and vibe are completely different. In a good way.

Their Skylight Suite is beautiful. You walk into a gorgeous dining room with a living room off to the side. The skylight is in the living room hence the name.

The bedroom has a queen-sized bed with a separate bathroom, but my favorite part of this room is the wet bar (pictured above). The crystal sparkles with bottles of whiskey yelling “old fashion?”. Umm yes. 

The property also has a delicious Chinese restaurant, Yellow Pot. We enjoyed dinner there. Easily, one of the best meals we had on our trip.

Food:

The food was amazing. I already said that right? They make all their sauces fresh in house using locally sourced ingredients. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Appetizers were pork spring rolls, veggie spring rolls, and mushroom and avocado medley.

For our entree, the boyfriend got Duck and I this vegetarian rice dish with mushrooms and fried rice. 

Drinks:

All the drinks we tried were good, but I found their signature drink, Yellow Pot to be my favorite. It’s a tequila based drink with elderflower liqueur.

We also tried the Chen Pi Collings – a mandarin included gin based refresher with citrus rock sugar and sparkling water.

The average nightly cost at Six Senses Duxton is $200 SGD.

Marina Bay Sands (Marina Bay)

Marina Bay Sands is one of the most iconic hotels in Singapore attracting the ritz and random splurgers for a chance to experience the finer things in life. 

At this point, this hotel sells itself – mainly because of the infinity pool on the top floor. But how are the rooms? How is the rest of the property?

I’m here to report, the hotel is awesome! Everything in the room was clean and the views overlooking the Supergrove Trees were amazing. I loved waking up and opening my curtains with the push of a button to then be greeted by views of Gardens by the Bay. Am I describing a dream? No honey. This was real life. 

To get the grand experience we stayed for 3-nights. They did have an option to pay more for club access but we decided not to. We determined unless you eat and drink most meals in the club you will not get your money worth. The club is open to the public daily after 8 pm so you can still go up. 

We also realized that there are more food perks to being a rewards member than a hotel guest. So if you stay here, stop by the club desk and sign up for the Sands Rewards Club. It’s free.

Despite splurging on the room, we still took advantage of deals. Where we saved money as a guest was the

• 2 for 1 pizza at Gastronomia.

• Cocktails at Marina Bay Sands owned restaurants. 

Some people refer to the area as Marina Bay and others the Central Business District. For every day exploring by foot, this is not the best place to be. However, there is an MRT station on the property which makes getting around via metro super fast.

Is the Marina Bay Sands Pool Open to the Public?

Sadly no. You do need a key to swipe in for access but if its views you’re after, there is a way. Lavo Italian Restaurant is also up there and open to the public. You can at least enjoy the views and a good meal.

Our cost for 3-nights was $1,613

Yotel Air (Changi Airport)

Yotel Air is located inside the Jewel at Changi Airport. It’s the only hotel inside Jewel and sells out quickly. Coming from Marina Bay Sands it was a bit of a change – one we laughed about.

The rooms are super small but techy. The entire bed moves up or down with the push of a button. It was nice so watching TV.

The room has a smart TV with Netflix. You can log in on the TV and watch all your favorite shows in a comfy bed. The bathroom is equally tiny but the water pressure was nice so I felt clean. Overall, a clean and convenient stay.

If you don’t want to stay the entire night, you can rent by the hour. This is a popular hotel for travelers who have a long layover and need a place to wait it out.

Another perk of the hotel is their lounge area. You have a clear view of the massive waterfall. They provide free coffee so you can relax and sip your coffee while enjoying the world’s largest indoor waterfall.

Our cost for one night was $174 SGD. The only reason why is because we booked last minute. The days prior when we were looking it was around $100 SGD.

Other Hotels Worth Looking At

I didn’t stay here during my visit to Singapore, but I was close. These were my runner-ups so I wanted to mention them. Maybe you will find yourself at one of these places instead.

Klapstar Boutique Hotel is located in the central business district. From the pictures, it does look super cute and most definitely unique. The location couldn’t be better. 5-minute walk to an MRT station and 15 minutes walk to Chinatown. If budget-friendly and location are high on your priority list, then give Klapstar a chance.

The Warehouse Hotel: This gorgeous 39 room boutique hotel is actually a restored heritage building that sits along the Robertson Quay. Such a pretty waterfront. The restoration did a great job of keeping a piece of history while introducing high class and modern comfort. Location is city center within walking distance to the popular Clarke Quay.

There are a ton of options for hotels in Singapore but the ones in this post are the best in my opinion for location and uniqueness. If anything, consider this a good starting point.

Whenever I’m looking for hotels, I search between booking.com and blogs. Believe it or not, blogs can mention things that algorithms on booking sites don’t. 

As always, you all are amazing and I appreciate you reading and supporting Seeking Neverland. Be sure to subscribe to the travel tribe for exclusive content.

Psst. . . Looking for great places to catch some zzzz’s? Read my other hotel reviews:

• Hotel Napoleon Memphis: Downtown’s Newest Hotel Near Beale Street

• The Most Luxurious Bed & Breakfast in the Heart of Chicago

• Grand Sunset Princess: All-Inclusive Beach Resort in Playa Del Carmen

Which hotel sounds the best to you? Comment with your thoughts below!

Thank you so much to Six Senses Maxwell & Duxton for hosting my tour and complimentary meals at Yellow Pot. Though gifted all opinions are my own. Also, this post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you purchase through these links, which helps me keep my lights on and order pizza from Dominos! I am extremely grateful. Thank you.

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