Best Hotel Experience

Relax and rejuvenate

Hotel staycations offer a fuss-free way for frazzled urbanites to unwind and refresh

When it comes to staycations, Singaporeans are spoilt for choice: this tiny island nation boasts numerous hotels with luxurious services and amenities.

From heritage tours and posh fittings to sky-high views and cloud-nine indulgences, here are four unique hotel experiences to check into.

Eye-opening heritage

For the locals, a staycation at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is a chance to rediscover Singapore's rich heritage. With its elegant architecture, the hotel evokes a unique atmosphere you won't experience at the newer, swankier hotels.

The hotel offers complimentary guided tours that take guests to historical points of interest within and around the hotel.

This includes Clifford Pier (1933), Customs House (1960) and The Fullerton Waterboat House (1940s).

With just 100 guestrooms and suites, the Fullerton experience promises to be intimate and cosy, with undivided attention from hotel staff. Plus, each room and suite feature floor to ceiling windows and exclusive balconies offering unhindered views of the waterfront and the skyline.

With a flat-screen television at the foot of every room's bathtub, a pillow menu, IPTV, complimentary wireless Internet access, Bulgari bath amenities and a Nespresso coffee machine, you have all the makings of a luxe staycation.

A cosy get-together

Looking for the perfect hotel to host a cosy stayover for a bunch of buddies? Try Ascott Raffles Place Singapore.

The draw here is its various luxurious suite types, especially the Finlayson, Malcolm and Elizabeth, which are spacious enough for the resident to host up to four visiting guests. The hotel's prime location means the Boat Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre stretch is just a stone's throw away, where you can find a wide array of food and entertainment.

During the day, recharge with a swim in the infinity pool, a soak in the rooftop jacuzzi or an energising workout at the gym.

The suites are fitted with all the comforts you could desire: a Bose home entertainment system, Bosch washing machine and dryer, L'Occitane toiletries and best of all, a fully equipped kitchen, complete with Gaggenau oven, cooker hob and hood and full-size refrigerator.

So if the fancy takes you, you can throw an impromptu dinner party too.

Upon arrival, each guest is greeted with a customised complimentary welcome food hamper and assigned a dedicated 24/7 Ascott Host throughout their stay whose service includes a suite of efficient business support options from arranging formal meetings to grocery shopping.

The high life

Live the high life for a day or three, with a Marina Bay Sands (MBS) hotel staycation.

In fact, you can probably check off all the to-dos on your itinerary without travelling too far beyond MBS property.

For guests staying in Club Room and above, start your morning with a complimentary sumptuous breakfast at Sky on 57 or RISE Restaurant, before heading over to Banyan Tree Spa for a good knead.

If you're prepared to splurge, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is at the hotel's doorstep. But if neither snags your fancy, catch an exhibition at the ArtScience Museum or visit Gardens by the Bay, if you are a nature lover. Nothing beats a pre-dinner sunset soak in the 150m long infinity pool on the 57th floor while nursing cocktails.

For dinner, choose from the much talked about celebrity chef restaurants - Waku Ghin by Tetsuya, Cut by Wolfgang Puck or Sky on 57 by Justin Quek.

To wrap up the fabulous night, party like a VIP at the exclusive clubs Pangaea, Ku Dé Ta, DOM Lounge and Avalon.

The top tip for a stay at MBS: pick a room as high up as possible for best skyline views. For an especially opulent staycation, pick the Chairman, Presidential or Straits Suites.

Exclusive guest privileges and amenities you'll enjoy include a team of butlers at your service, His and Hers closets, jacuzzi bathtubs and even an exercise room with steam and sauna facilities.

Plush pampering

Lavish is the word to describe a stay at The St. Regis Singapore.

With a clientele that includes celebrities and royal dignitaries, expect nothing short of top class.

The signature St. Regis Butler service ensures your every need is met: from coffee and tea service to shoe-shine and even packing and unpacking your luggage.

Even a mud bath, facial, massage and body scrub at Remède Spa come with decadent bespoke touches such as a floral tea selection and homemade chocolates.

Each of the generously proportioned 299 rooms and suites is adorned with plush custom furnishings. Jet massage showers? Check. Large free-standing bathtubs and walk-in wardrobes? Check and check.

For art lovers, the specially curated daily art tour, The Art of Living, is not to be missed. Conducted by Opera Gallery, it zeros in on the highlights of The St. Regis Singapore's exclusive art collection, which includes more than 100 paintings and sculptures from renowned international and local artists such as Fernando Botero, Marc Chagall and Georgette Chen.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is the recipient of this year's Singapore Experience Awards - Best Hotel Experience while Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, Marina Bay Sands Hotel and The St. Regis Singapore are finalists.

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