Three Days In…Singapore

** Editor’s note: Since this trip, over the New Year’s holiday period, the COVID-19 virus has brought international travel to a virtual standstill. There are extremely important reasons to practice social distancing and safety protocols in our everyday lives, including reducing/eliminating travel for a time, until the virus is contained. As much as we love traveling, it’s not worth the risk right now. Stay safe!

Location: Singapore, Singapore

Visit: January 2020

Singapore has been one of the many Asian success stories of the past 50 years, embracing free trade and taking advantage of its location on the Malaysian peninsula, where much of the world’s shipping is located. A colonial city under British rule for many years, Singapore has a rich tradition of being home to many nationalities, which adds to its charm.

Our main priorities were (1) relaxation (having just come from Tokyo) (2) eat like a local and (3) find a great venue for NYE! Here is a recap of our trip and the highlights of food, hotels and events.

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Where to Stay:

Despite being one of the great cities in Asia (and the world for that matter), Singapore isn’t particularly large, and most popular areas are all centered around one area: Marina Bay. This is where you will find all of the luxury and business hotels. As noted, we stayed over the New Year’s Eve week, so prices were higher than normal, but the reviews in this post will give you sense of what to expect.

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Raffles Hotel Singapore ($500 – $600) (1 Beach Rd, Singapore 189673) (www.raffles.com). There are only a handful of hotels in the world that can rival the reputation and history of Raffles Singapore. Dating back to the late 1800s, Raffles has been THE destination for well-to-do travelers and expats for over 100 years. The architecture is stunning, the rooms are huge, the service is impeccable, the location is central to everything and the price is not exorbitant (although not cheap either). It’s as close to a perfect hotel as we’ve found on our travels!

General Rating (price neutral): 100+ (Four Star!)

Four Star Rating (price included): 97 (Four Star!)

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Marina Bay Sands ($500 – $600) (10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956) (www.marinabaysands.com). An enormous hotel, casino and expo center built in 2010, the hotel has become an icon of the Singapore skyline. Leverage a floorplan similar to a Las Vegas resort, the hotel is packed with restaurants, bars, shopping, gambling and event space. The cherry on top (literally on top of the hotel) is the SkyPark, a three acre oasis that includes gardens, a huge infinity swimming pool, and jogging path, as well as restaurants. The hotel itself is quite nice, if unremarkable. The property is owned by Las Vegas Sands (Palazzo, Venitian and many others across the globe) and has a casino-style vibe. The real star is the guests-only pool atop the 57th floor. Worth a one-time visit, for sure!

General Rating (price neutral): 96 (Four Star!)

Four Star Rating (price included): 89 (Exceptional)

What to do:

Singapore is a fairly new city, so lacks the history of counterparts like Tokyo, Bejing, Seoul and other major Asian capitals. That said, there is still plenty to do, especially on a short trip.

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• Skypark at Marina Bay Sands: To truly experience this epic hotel, you need to be a guest, but there are tickets available to go a the observation deck to get a view of the city and a taste of what the guests experience.
• Singapore Zoo: One of the better zoos in Asia, the wildlife is diverse and the size of the enclosures is much larger than a traditional zoo, giving it a more natural feel
• Garden’s by the Bay: An epic park (250 acres) with several outdoor art installations, including a grove of lighted “Supertrees” adjactent to Marina Bay Sands.
• Singapore Flyer: A large ferris wheel along Marina Bay. A great place to take in the views of the harbor and hotel.
• Food Centres/Hawker Stalls: Scattered throughout the city, these street stalls sell some of the best food in the city. More below on “Where to Eat & Drink”
• Clarke Quay: The epicenter of the city, this riverbank area runs along the business district and is full of restaurants and shops, overlook the Bay.
• Marina Bay at night: Every night there is a light show over Marina Bay. Grab a boat tour or find a good vantage point along the water.
• Nightlife: Singapore has two great clubs; the relatively new Marquee at Marina Bay Sands and the icon Zook, also in the central district area.

Where to Eat & Drink

Singpore sits at the crossroads of South East Asia and pulls in influences from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and other geographies. The food culture reflects that, with an added layer of fine dining that stems from Singapore’s role as a center of trade and commerce. Here are some of our top choices.

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• Odette: (#18 in the “World’s Best” list from 2019) High end dining with a mix of french and asisan influences.
• Burnt Ends: (#59 in the “World’s Best” list from 2019 and a rising star) High end barbeque.
• Maxwell Food Centre: One of the main (and most accesible) food centers. Packed with local specialities from every region. Roasted duck and rice was legendary. Same with the indian stall.
• Netwon Circle Food Court: Another iconic food center. A must try is the Singapore Spicy Crab, available at several stalls. For a more sit down experience, this dish is widely available across the city and along Clarke Quay.
• Liao Fan Hawker Chan: A Michelin-starred hawker stall, this food center staple has expanded to a brick & mortar location across the street from the original spot. The chicken rice is THE thing to have and it’ll be by far the cheapest Michelin meal of your life.
• National Kitchen by Violet Oon: Located in the National Art Gallery, across from the Singapore Cricket Club, this restaurant serves high-end versions of local dishes.
• High Tea @ Raffles: Always a welcome reprive from a day of sight seeing and a beautiful venue in the lobby of the hotel.
• Lavo @ Marina Bay Sands: Great views of the city at quality cocktails (and food)
• Long Bar @ Raffles: The original home of the Singapore Sling.
• Writer’s Bar @ Raffles: A quite corner of the hotel with delicate, hand-crafted cocktails. Takes you back in time.
• Atlas: A regular on the “World’s Best” list. The bar is immense with towers of bottles of liquor and spirits. The Art Deco styling makes the space unique and the cocktails are top notch.
• 1 Altitude: The world’s highest open air rooftop bar. A perfect venue for New Year’s Eve, or afternoon drinks overlooking the Bay.

Summary

Our three days in Singapore were some of the best experiences we’ve had travelling. We got lucky in a few ways: (1) we were able to get tickets at 1 Altitude for the fireworks show over the Bay on New Year’s Eve, (2) although some of the city was shut down for the holiday season, the main places we wanted to visit were still open and (3) we had great weather. We love a good boutique hotel (like Memmo Alfama in Lisbon), but when we can afford it (or have points) we really love luxury hotels, and nowhere is better than Raffles: style, sophistication, history, service – it has it all. The food scene is spectacular, especially the street food (which is also cheap). So there is an opportunity to splurge on nice hotels and save a bit on food. Definitely a place to come back to on our next swing through Asia!