Best Urban Hotels in City Hall

The place for a Singapore Sling, the colonial-era hotel invented the beverage in 1915 and serves it in its famed Long Bar. In a city where littering is illegal, the Long Bar has the unusual privilege of allowing patrons to discard the shells of monkey nuts (provided along with drinks) on the bar floor. Raffles hotels can now be found in other locations, but this was the original, named after Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles. The ambience is refined, with an old world feel, as it was described in the novels of Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling, with butler service, pretty verandahs and an elegant afternoon tea.

Right above the City Hall and MRT train stations, this high-rise Fairmont property couldn’t be more convenient. Bedrooms and suites are located across its two towers — north and south — with views of either the eighth-floor pair of circular pools or the city skyline. Guests can take fitness classes and indulge in some hydrotherapy at the Willow Stream Spa, swim and play tennis. And when it comes to dining, you have a choice of the Asian Market cafe, Mikuni, prego, Clove Anti:dote, The Stamford Brasserie and Skai with its double-height floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the panorama.

One of the tallest hotels in Southeast Asia, Swissotel The Stamford’s height allows it to accommodate 1,252 bedrooms and suites. A convention centre and business lounge make it popular for those travelling for work. And it has a big draw for foodies; Jaan by Kirk Westaway has two Michelin stars and there are 11 other places you can eat and drink onsite. Opt for a Vitality Room if wellness is on your agenda; they incorporate experience showers and baths, circadian lighting technology which adjusts to your mood and lifestyle, space for yoga and a wall featuring a cable pull, water pull, wall bars and an interactive digital display for guided workout routines. There’s also a mini-bar full of nutritious juices and snacks.