Chief Sights and Attractions
Introduction to Lodgings
The Top Hotels
Moderately Priced Hotels
Budget Hotels
Rock Bottom
Introduction to Singapore
The island city-state of Singapore is the single most successful of those several Asian nations or territories that have soared into economic prosperity in the past two decades, following the lead of Japan. (The others, known as "little Dragons," are Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, and to a lesser extent, Thailand and Indonesia.)
But powerful as it is, Singapore is a tiny place of only 239 square miles, smaller even than Hong Kong's 600 square miles. Within that compact space live three and one half million people, of which 75% are Chinese in origin, and the rest a mixture of Malay and Indian, primarily, together with a few Europeans and Americans.
One of the main reasons to visit Singapore is to see a virtual city of the future. More modern than even Tokyo or Hong Kong, Singapore is an almost-futuristic place, clean and neat, filled with greenery, everything spick and span. In their fever to welcome the 4,500,000 visitors who come annually, the city fathers have virtually demolished the old Singapore, cleaned up its markets, placed its famous outdoor eating spots underneath a hygienic curtain of glass and roofing, and cracked down--it's claimed by some--on most forms of pleasure tolerated elsewhere. In doing so, they have destroyed so much of the former Singapore that in recent times some tourists have begun to ask, "What's there to see here" (apart from gleaming skyscrapers and the world's longest escalator)?
Result: a slight, recent counter-reaction and a mild attempt on the part of the city authorities to revive older traditions. Some years ago, they reopened the traditional Bugis Street Market, but probably too late; it has been sanitized beyond recognition, and the city itself, say some critics, is like a Disney creation, antiseptic and unreal.
Since its independence from Britain in 1959, Singapore has of course grown rapidly as both a touristic and business center, the former activity now accounting for about 10% of the economy. But be forewarned that this is a heavily regulated city-state, where spitting on the sidewalk or even chewing gum in the wrong place can get you arrested. There is official displeasure with such matters as political dissidence, long hair on men, untidy clothing and, most definitely, any kind of drug usage. Several foreigners have been sentenced to stiff jail terms for drug dealing in the past decade or so.
You as a tourist come here to enjoy the marvelous restaurants, some in open-air groupings on the street, and the shopping, which is almost as good as in Hong Kong. And Singapore is frequently the single most convenient jumping off place for the less luxurious parts of Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia or Malaysia.
Beyond the skyscrapers and parks, restaurants and shops, there isn't too much left of the old and authentic Singapore after the authorities decided to emulate the look of a Swiss watch factory. But here's what's left:
First, the Botanical Gardens are outstanding, a place of orchids and exotic tropical flowers, and also of the rubber trees that helped make Malaya and Singapore famous in the old days.
Chinatown, now populated mostly by the elderly, still displays its fascinating Thian Hock Keng Temple, the city's oldest and most impressive Chinese house of worship. Note the charming statues of Kwan Yin, goddess of mercy, in the smaller temples behind the main one.
The National Museum will give you a fairly clear and comprehensive understanding of how this interesting city-state grew from its founding in 1819.
Little India, along Serangoon Road, is visited specially for its food stores and Zhujiao Centre Market of stalls displaying every conceivable type of spice and mystifying delicacies.
Sentosa Island (roller coasters, amusement rides, kids' games) is itself a kind of Disneyland, interesting for its crowds of Asian visitors, many with their families. I doubt you'll want to spend time in the huge swimming pool or at the wax museum, but you might enjoy the Asian Village or just the ride in the cable car crossing from the World Trade Center on Singapore's waterfront.
And finally, Haw Par Villa (Tiger Balm Gardens) is another Chinese-style Disneyland, but with themes of heaven and hell, lots of robots, and a Monkey God ride (you won't find that in Orlando!).
We have grouped the hotels of Singapore into price categories and have chosen those categories to apply to hotels charging the following prices: Deluxe (from US$300 and up for a double room), Quality (US$200 to $299 for a double room), Moderately Priced (US$100 to $199 per double room), Upper Budget (US$70 to $99 per double room, Lower Budget (US$40 to $70 per double room), and Rock Bottom (below US$40).
RITZ-CARLTON MILLENIA SINGAPORE
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039799, next to the Oriental Hotel on Marina Bay, phone 337 8888, fax 337-5190. Rates year round for singles, twins, and doubles, deluxe Kallang bay view room, are S$515 (US$285), deluxe Marina bay view room S$595 (US$330), premier suite S$698 (US$390); other suites S$1488 (US$830) and up.
A futuristic, 32-story masterpiece that looks like the giant CPU unit of an immense computer, this is one of Singapore's newest hotels (it opened early 1996), a member of the chain known not simply for its deluxe furnishings and public spaces, but also for the (sometimes excessive) politeness of the staff--they can't do enough for you. The bottom 10 floors are, in effect, stilts supporting the upper floors, resulting in good views from every one of the 610 big rooms, including 19 one-bedroom suites, three two-bedroom suites, and one Ritz-Carlton suite. Facing Raffles Place on the waterfront and in its own seven acres of gardens, the Ritz-Carlton makes a definite architectural statement, but doesn't overlook the traditional luxury hotel amenities, including a fitness center with gym, outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, and three restaurants.
PAN PACIFIC HOTEL SINGAPORE
Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, Singapore 039595, corner of Temasek Boulevard, phone 336 8111, fax 339-1861. Rates year-round are S$420 (US$237) for either deluxe single, add $S20 ($11) for a deluxe double; add S$20 ($11) for a balcony room. S$630 ($356) and up for Pacific floor and suites. single, double, or twin rooms, standard category only.
Part of the Marina Square complex of 250 shops and restaurants, this is another soaring Singapore hotel on more than 40 floors, a big slab of a skyscraper with 746 rooms and suites and a very modern, very impressive, several-floor-high atrium lobby. In the atrium, naturally, are glass elevators gliding up and down and large trees in huge pots, the aim being to bring outdoors in. Guest rooms are equipped with every modern electric device (clocks and IDD phones [international direct dial], hair dryers, honor bars with refrigerators, and the latest TVs). The hotel also offers seven bars and restaurants of varying ethnic specialties, a putting green and a golf driving range, a large swimming pool, health club, tennis courts, children's playground, business center, and free shuttle bus to the business district.
THE ORIENTAL SINGAPORE
The Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, Singapore 039797, next to the Ritz-Carlton on Marina Bay, phone 338 0066, fax 339-9537, , e-mail: . Rates year-round are single, twin, or double S$410 to S$5100 (US$232 to US$289). Check for special price offers. Complimentary extra bed for child under 12.
These giant, gleamingly white twin skyscrapers are on Marina Square, which is Singapore's largest shopping and entertainment complex. You stay here (if you can afford it) for its pedigree first of all (it is a sister property to the Oriental in Bangkok, usually named as the world's single finest hotel), and second for its location. It sits in its own lush garden overlooking the water and is also just a short walk from the business district (shuttle bus if you wish). All 464 rooms and 60 suites are glamorously decorated in modern style, and public amenities include tennis and squash courts, an outdoor swimming pool, gym, health center, and four restaurants (Chinese and Italian, among them).
RAFFLES THE PLAZA
Raffles The Plaza, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882, phone 339-7777, fax 337-1554, . Year-round rates are S$390 to S$450 (US$221 to US$225) for a deluxe single or double, S$450 (US$255) and up for executive rooms or suites.
The smaller (26 stories) of two virtually-adjoining Westin hotels, this one has only 769 rooms of good size, some 13 restaurants, two swimming pools, six tennis courts, two squash courts, three cocktail lounges, and a health and fitness center. It is like a metaphor for Singapore's adoption of high-rise architecture as its dominant motif. Though it was one of the first of Singapore's skyscraper hotels, it has been kept and maintained in superb fashion (completely renovated in 2000), and looks no less modern than newer properties, in both its facade and guest rooms, which incorporate every modern amenity.
MANDARIN SINGAPORE
Mandarin Singapore, 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238867, corner of Orchard Link, leading to Orchard Boulevard, phone 737 4411, fax 732-2361, . Rates are S$360 to S$430 (US$203 to US$243) single or double, S$450 (US$254) and up for executive rooms and suites.
Twelve hundred rooms occupy the 40 floors of this twin-towered complex, which was designed to be part of a convention center. Having undergone a recent US$60,000,000 renovation, the Mandarin looks like new, especially inside. Its lobby is huge, its guest rooms bigger-than-average, and all the services associated with top quality make this into a favorite of business travelers who can pay steep, but not outlandish, prices. There are six restaurants, including Chinese, Japanese, and continental varieties, and one of them is a revolving, top-floor dining room, affording a vista of the city. Downstairs are an Olympic-sized pool, health club, squash and tennis courts, nightclub, business center, and 24-hour medical clinic. Don't confuse the Mandarin Singapore with the Mandarin Oriental Singapore or the Marina Mandarin, the latter under the same ownership, but on Marina Square, down by the harbor.
YORK HOTEL SINGAPORE
York Hotel Singapore, 21 Mount Elizabeth Road, Singapore 228516, on a hill above Orchard Road, phone 737 0511, fax 732-1217, . Rates year-round are S$270 to S$310 (US$153 to US$175) per single or double, suites S$440 (US$249) and up.
A 14-story block of white stone and broad, room-width windows, with 406 rooms (of which 64 are suites), the York is conveniently located for Orchard Road, Singapore's main entertainment district, though it occupies a nice residential and shopping area in its own right. It has modern, sizable guest rooms with standard furnishings and amenities. Public facilities include a business center, newsstand, some shops and a hairdresser, a restaurant featuring both Chinese and Western dishes, and an average-sized, garden-located swimming pool with adjoining patio for drinks and snacks.
SWISSOTEL THE STAMFORD
Swissotel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882, the taller of the two Westin towers, phone 338 8585, fax 338-2862, . Rates year-round are S$195 to S$360 (US$110 to US$203) for deluxe singles or doubles, S$255 to S$240 (US$143 to US$236) for executive club rooms, and S$600 to S$3300 (US$337 to US$1854) for suites.
One of the tallest hotels in the world (70 floors), the Stamford outshines its sister, Raffles The Plaza, and has more rooms (1,261) as well. Both are perhaps the best business hotels in Asia and work in tandem, sharing a big chunk of valuable real estate. The guest rooms are modern and spacious. And, as you'd expect in so enormous a facility, a health club, swimming pools, squash and tennis courts, and 14 restaurants, plus a business center.
THE CITY BAYVIEW HOTEL SINGAPORE
The City Bayview Hotel Singapore, 30 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189621, corner of Bras Basah Road, phone 235-2498, fax 235-1416. Rates year-round for single or double are S$105 to S$175 (US$59 to US$70) for superior rooms, S$115 to S$125 (US$65 to US$70) for deluxe rooms. Includes American buffet breakfast. Extra bed is S$30 (US$17).
Even the budget hotels are high-rises in modern Singapore! There are 131 rooms in this relatively modern, 15-story structure (a bit like an apartment house) located only a block away from the shopping activity on bustling Orchard Road and almost as close to the Doby Ghaut subway (MTR) stop. Decent-sized guest rooms have all the amenities. Other facilities include a modest coffee shop, bar, in-room coffee-making machine, international direct-dial telephone, minibar, and rooftop swimming pool.
RELC INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
RELC International Hotel, 30 Orange Grove Road, RELC Building, Singapore 258352, a few blocks off Orchard Road, phone 885 7888, fax 733-9976. Rates year-round are S$99 to S$117 (US$55 to US$66) for twin rooms, S$145 (US$82) for an alcove suite. Extra bed S$25 (US$14).
This time, a modern, 18-story high-rise is the setting for this modestly priced hotel only ten minutes away from both the Botanical Gardens and the shops of Orchard Road. There are 128 pleasant rooms, a restaurant, coffee shop, in-room tea-making machines, international direct-dial phones, and a self-service laundromat and pressing.
METROPOLE HOTEL
Metropole Hotel, 41 Seah Street, Singapore 188396, off Beach Road behind the famous Raffles Hotel, phone 336 3611, fax 339 3610, , e-mail: . Rates year-round, single or double, are standard room S$92 to S$105 (US$52 to US$50), deluxe room S$99 to S$141 (US$56 to US$80). Extra bed is S$20 (US$11).
Only 54 standard rooms are rented in this eight-story building of classic, stone-faced design. You couldn't ask for a better location, and the price is right, for sure. Facilities include restaurant, coffee shop, and international direct-dial phone. Nearby (five or ten minutes) are Arab Street, Bugis Village (outdoor eating), the National Museum, Singapore Art Museum, and the Philatelic Museum.
YMCA INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
YMCA International House, 1 Orchard Road, Singapore 238824, corner of Fort Canning Road, right downtown, phone 336 6000, fax 337 1140 or 336 8003, . Year-round rates are S$85 to S$115 (US$48 to US$65) per room, whether single or double; dormitory beds are S$25 US$14). Extra bed in room is S$10 (US$6).
One of the better YMCAs in Asia (it has that reputation), this Y houses 111 rooms with air-conditioning, attached shower or bath, in-room television, laundry area and laundry service, and a coffee shop (no restaurant). You couldn't find a more convenient location if you want to be in the center of things, only a few hundred feet from a subway (MTR) station, Dhoby Ghaut, and just across the street from the National Museum and Art Gallery. You are also at the beginning, literally, of Orchard Road, famous for its shopping and entertainment.
SOUTH EAST ASIA HOTEL
South East Asia Hotel, 190 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187965, in the heart of Old Singapore (or what's left of it), phone 338 2394, fax 338-3480, , e-mail: . Year-round rate is S$77 (US$44) per room, whether single or double.
Very close to famed Bugis Street, the South East Asia Hotel has 51 rooms, small but comfortable, with air-conditioning, attached bath or shower, in-room international direct-dial phone, in-room television, and in-room coffee-making machine; there's a modest coffee shop downstairs. Also nearby are Little India, the National Museum, the Singapore Art Museum, and the Philatelic Museum.
METROPOLITAN YMCA
Metropolitan YMCA, 60 Stevens Road, Singapore 257854, off the busy Scotts Road in Orchard Road district, phone 737 7755, fax 235 5528, . Year-round rates are S$67.50 to S$96 (US$38 to US$54) per room, whether single or double, S$128 to S$144 (US$72 to US$81) for a suite.
This fairly typical Y has 64 smallish rooms and is a 15-minute walk from the nearest subway (MRT), the Orchard Station. Yet numerous places of interest are nearby, including the Botanical Gardens and the (mostly) expensive Orchard Road Shopping Belt. Guest rooms are air-conditioned with private bathroom or shower; public facilities include a restaurant, coffee shop, and laundry area and laundry service.
FORTUNA HOTEL
Fortuna Hotel, 2 Owen Road, Singapore 218842, corner of Serangoon Road, phone 295 3577, fax 294 7738. Year-round rates are S$66 (US$37) for either single, double, or twin rooms. Extra bed is S$20 to S$30 (US$11 to US$17).
In the heart of Little India, the focal point for a rather large Indian population, the Fortuna occupies several floors of a modern, glass-sided building and is a modest, but exceptionally clean, hotel. It has 85 rooms on its seven floors, a business center, coffee shop, fitness center, in-house videos, in-room coffee-makers, international direct-dial phone, a tour desk, photo lab, and health center.
NEW 7TH STOREY HOTEL
New 7th Storey Hotel, 229 Rochore Road, Singapore 188452, near North Bridge Road and Bugis Street, phone 337 0251, fax 334 3550, , e-mail: . Year-round rates are S$47 to S$79 (US$27 to US$45) per room; dormitory beds are S$10 to S$17 (US$9 to US$10). Extra bed in room is S$15 (US$8).
A two-minute walk from the Bugis Street subway (MRT) station, the New 7th Storey offers 38 rather basic rooms, but with air-conditioning, attached shower or bath, in-room television, and laundry services. There is no coffee shop or restaurant. Places of interest nearby include, besides Bugis Village, Arab Street and three museums (Singapore Art, the Philatelic, and the National).