Where to Stay in Singapore During Your Visit (Updated 2023)

Posted: 2/16/2023 | February sixteenth, 2023

Singapore is likely one of the world’s smallest international locations. However this tiny nation packs a punch.

Residence to some 5.7 million folks, Singapore is a cosmopolitan city-state that separated from the British in 1963 and gained independence from Malaysia in 1965. Within the a long time that adopted, it developed from a low-income nation to one of many facilities of world finance.

It’s a foodie’s dream, bursting with tasty hawker-stall choices, scrumptious Indian delicacies, and contemporary seafood. In reality, a number of the least expensive Michelin-starred eateries on the earth will be discovered right here.

For extra energetic guests, there are climbing trails on which you’ll be able to stretch your legs, quite a few biking paths, and loads of kayaking adventures available. And if you run out of vitality, there are seashores for chilling out and absorbing the solar.

Although a small city-state, every neighborhood in Singapore has its personal distinctive vibe. Right here’s my breakdown of all of them so you’ll be able to determine the place to remain in Singapore if you go to.

However, earlier than I get into specifics, listed below are some widespread questions I get requested about Singapore neighborhoods:

What’s the most effective neighborhood in Singapore for price range vacationers?
Kampong Glam is one in every of Singapore’s oldest neighborhoods. It has a great deal of outlets promoting textiles, rugs, and Turkish homewares; some scrumptious Arabic eating places; the big golden-domed Sultan Mosque; and a ton of eye-catching road artwork.

What’s the most effective neighborhood in Singapore for households?
Whereas many households gravitate to Sentosa for the seashores and laid-back vibe, Orchard Road is a way more central place to remain. Recognized extra for being the buying heart of Singapore, it’s nicely related to the remainder of the island, is crammed with eating places within the malls and alongside the road, and has some nice family-friendly motels.

What’s the most effective neighborhood in Singapore for first-time guests?
Not removed from the fashionable Central Enterprise District, Chinatown is the most effective place to get an actual sense of Chinese language tradition in Singapore. The streets are lined with temples, craft outlets, stalls, and eating places, so you’ll be able to decide up a discount right here after which get some tasty meals.

What’s the most effective neighborhood in Singapore for partying?
If it’s a buzzing nightlife scene that you just’re after, any of the Quays (Clarke, Robertson, or Boat) are the place to go. They’ve a great deal of bars and eating places and a lot of the golf equipment are in or round this space too.

What’s the greatest neighborhood in Singapore total?
Chinatown is centrally situated and has (or is tremendous near) most of the island’s important points of interest, together with its scrumptious hawker meals, lovely temples, vivid road artwork, and plentiful historical past.

So, with these questions answered, right here’s a breakdown of every neighborhood, with steered lodging for every, so you understand precisely the place to remain in Singapore:

The place to Keep for Sightseeing: Chinatown

Chinatown is my favourite space: it’s good for looking outlets and tasting native dishes. It’s additionally tremendous central, so it’s straightforward to get to and from different fashionable components of the island, together with Gardens by the Bay, Little India, Kampong Glam, and the Botanic Gardens.

When you can, eat at Hong Kong Soya Sauce Hen Rice and Noodle (aka Hawker Chan), the world’s most reasonably priced Michelin-starred restaurant. Tian Tian Hainanese Hen Rice is one other Michelin-starred hawker stall price a go to. Like Hawker Chan’s, it’s situated within the Maxwell Hawker Middle.

Greatest Locations to Keep in Chinatown:

• BUDGET: The Bohemian – It is a tremendous enjoyable hostel that doesn’t take itself too severely. Proper in the midst of Chinatown, and aimed solely at backpackers, it gives dorms and capsules, free Wi-Fi, and a shared lounge for hanging out and assembly different vacationers.
• MID-RANGE: The Scarlet – This lodge in a preserved prewar shophouse (a constructing sort serving each as a residence and a business enterprise) is in an outstanding location for exploring Chinatown. It has a rooftop restaurant, an outside scorching tub, a fitness center, and laundry and dry-cleaning providers.
• LUXURY: The Park Royal at Pickering – On the excessive finish of your price range, this property has been featured in a load of worldwide publications because of its luxurious eco-paradise method, together with residing partitions on its exterior. It has a health flooring with an outside pool and a fitness center, in addition to a scenic backyard skywalk.

The place to Keep for Nightlife: The Quays

The three important Quays (pronounced “keys”) are Clarke, Robertson, and Boat. Full of vibrant bars, tasty eating places, cute cafés, and full of life golf equipment, that is the most effective place to go for an evening out (or simply some enjoyable people-watching). Whereas the venues on the primary drag (by the riverfront) are the most well-liked for his or her location, the facet streets are the place you will discover some much less touristy venues.

Greatest Locations to Keep in The Quays:

• BUDGET: hipstercity hostel – There aren’t many hostels in and across the Quays, however this one is clear, comfy, and pleasant. It has a shared lounge and kitchen but additionally gives breakfast and free Wi-Fi.
• MID-RANGE: KINN Capsule Hotel – One in every of a handful of capsule motels within the Quays space, KINN has air-conditioned cabins, a shared lounge, free Wi-Fi, a laundry facility, shared loos, and a solar terrace.
• LUXURY: Paradox Singapore Merchant Court at Clarke Quay – With an enormous out of doors pool, fitness center, sauna, and backyard, Paradox is a luxe possibility for many who wish to splurge and keep close to the motion. It additionally has a restaurant and a terrace with scenic views overlooking town.

The place to Keep for Avenue Artwork: Kampong Glam

Graffiti in Singapore is against the law, however that doesn’t imply there’s not an abundance of road artwork throughout city: the artists simply want a license to color there.

Kampong Glam, also called the Arab Quarter, has essentially the most road artwork on the island. Wander round Haji Lane, which is brightly adorned from prime to backside, and stroll by way of Gelam Gallery, a backstreet devoted to this type of artwork. Singapore’s most well-known road artist, Yip Yew Chong, has some murals right here too.

Little India and Chinatown, each road artwork scorching spots, are simply strolling distance away as nicely.

Greatest Locations to Keep in Kampong Glam:

• BUDGET: Beary Best! – Within the coronary heart of Kampong Glam in a restored heritage constructing, Beary Greatest! is a capsule lodge with a laid-back vibe. It’s a self-check-in, self-service idea, with shared loos and free Wi-Fi. The AC solely comes on between 3pm and 9pm, however the payback is the roof terrace, which has nice views of Sultan Mosque and surrounding neighborhood.
• MID-RANGE: Cube – Boutique Capsule Hotel – One other capsule lodge, this one is a brief stroll from the middle of Kampong Glam. In addition to en suite rooms, it gives free Wi-Fi, complimentary self-service laundry, free breakfast, and work areas with enterprise providers do you have to want them.
• LUXURY: Village Hotel Bugis by Far East Hospitality – Village Lodge Bugis is on the intersection of Kampong Glam, Chinatown, and Little India, offering easy accessibility to a number of the greatest sights on the town. It has a fitness center, an outside pool, and a few eating places the place you’ll be able to feast on tasty native delicacies.

The place to Keep for Leisure: Sentosa

When you’re in want of some R&R, look no additional than Sentosa. One in every of Singapore’s 64 islands, it’s linked to the primary one by a causeway. It is stuffed with good seashores, luxe resorts, and a load of points of interest, together with Common Studios, an aquarium, bungee leaping, and far more.

It was additionally a strategic army level throughout World Conflict II and Siloso Fort is an fascinating place to discover if you would like a break from the resorts and costly actions.

Sentosa isn’t the most cost effective space of Singapore, as there are solely resorts to remain at, however in case you’re within the temper to interrupt the price range, that is the most effective place to do it!

Greatest Locations to Keep in Sentosa:

• BUDGET: Siloso Beach Resort – There’s no such factor as an affordable place to remain on Sentosa (price range vacationers are higher off visiting for the day), however in case you actually wish to discover lodging on the island, Siloso Seashore Resort might be your least expensive possibility. It’s an award-winning eco-resort with a spring-water pool (the longest landscaped pool within the nation), a fitness center, and spa.
• MID-RANGE: Oasia Resort Sentosa – A good-sized resort, the Oasia has an in-house spa and leisure actions for company, in addition to a pool if it is advisable to beat the warmth. There are additionally yoga and wellness lessons, in addition to scrumptious eats on the bar and grill. It’s additionally in an important location, not removed from Siloso Seashore.
• LUXURY: Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa – The Shangri-La is likely one of the solely resorts in Singapore to have its personal non-public seashore. Add to that the out of doors pool (together with water slides), children’ membership, spa, and several other eating places, and also you’ve obtained just about all you want. It’s extra secluded than the remainder of the resorts, however all of the enjoyable issues to do are nonetheless inside strolling distance. Don’t confuse this lodge with its sister close to Orchard Highway (see beneath).

The place to Keep for Households: Orchard Highway

Well-known for its many shops and buying malls that line the road virtually from starting to finish, Orchard Highway is likely one of the most central locations to remain in Singapore, making it an important alternative for households. A lot of the motels listed below are family-friendly (though they’ll additionally carry a little bit of a price ticket), and there are numerous eating choices round right here too.

Greatest locations to remain on Orchard Highway:

• BUDGET: YMCA @ One Orchard – This gained’t be the most cost effective hostel you’ll ever keep in, and it solely has non-public rooms, however you’ll be able to’t argue with its location close to the Nationwide Museum and the Istana (the spectacular workplace constructing for Singapore’s president that’s used to obtain and entertain state company and solely opens on choose days of the yr). (For extra budget-friendly choices, the Quays, Little India, and Kampong Glam are all shut by.)
• MID-RANGE: York Hotel – Positioned simply off Orchard Highway, this lodge has a pool, a health heart, and a restaurant that serves breakfast day-after-day, in addition to free Wi-Fi.
• LUXURY: Shangri-La Orange Grove – Significantly cheaper than the Shangri-La on Sentosa, this lodge has an enormous pool, a splash space with slides, a children’ membership, and large gardens to discover. There are a number of eating places, together with one providing all types of Western and Asian meals, in addition to an Italian restaurant and a bar with snacks proper by the pool.

The place to Keep Off the Overwhelmed Observe: East Coast

When you’re trying to get away from the primary vacationer path, head to the East Coast. Across the Joo Chiat space is the place a few of Singapore’s most well-known shophouses will be discovered; there may be all method of unbiased shops, eating places, bars, and cafés to browse and hand around in. There are a couple of strolling trails, some cool road artwork, a number of temples, and an honest seashore with a protracted bike monitor that leads all the best way into Gardens by the Bay and past.

Greatest Locations to Keep on East Coast:

• BUDGET: Hotel Classic by Venue – That is budget-friendly lodge is situated proper on Joo Chiat, conveniently situated very near a number of markets with nice hawker stalls. The clear and fashionable rooms all have AC and free Wi-Fi.
• MID-RANGE: Champion Hotel – Additionally on Joo Chiat, this lodge is in a Peranakan (Malay-Chinese language) shophouse, making it an excellent cute place to spend the night time. The rooms all include complimentary drinks and toiletries, a TV, and free Wi-Fi, whereas the lodge has 24-hour safety, web kiosks, and laundry.
• LUXURY: Santa Grand Hotel – The Santa Grand is one other lodge that’s in a historic shophouse. It’s not removed from Joo Chiat, on East Coast Highway, and it has its personal restaurant and bar (though there are many locations close by to take a look at too) and a laundry service. There’s additionally a wonderful pool and rooftop terrace for taking within the views.

Singapore is small, however there really is a lot to do here. The excellent news is that a lot of the points of interest are between the middle and the south of the island so that you’re unlikely to must journey too far to get anyplace, which means you will discover someplace to fit your price range and plan accordingly.