We review anonymously and pay for everything in our Singapore hotel reviews — no sponsorship or compensation. And we’re not shy about which hotels we like better — and why.
We rank each hotel based on its lowest-tier or cheapest room, which are usually the same — the ones we think people would most likely actually stay in. Maybe our likes and dislikes are very different from yours — we’ll explain why we liked one hotel more than another. Want to know more? We have detailed reviews to back them up.
Our rankings don’t take price into account. But we’ll tell you what a Saturday night stay will usually cost in each room. We let you decide what’s value-for-money — what seems like a luxury to us might be cheap to you. Not only will you know what to expect, you’ll also know when you’re paying more — or less — than usual. That way, you can find the best hotel within your budget.
Ready? Scroll down and see what we recommend.
If you’re thinking of staying around Resorts World Sentosa, the cheapest hotel room in the area is usually the Classic Room at Le Méridien Singapore, Sentosa. The hotel is located outside Resorts World Sentosa and you’ll have to cross Beach View road unsheltered but it’s a short walk of only about 5 minutes. We wouldn’t expect too much of the Classic Room or the hotel facilities — there’s no bathtub, the gym is small, and there isn’t much seating or dining by the pool. Still, we don’t think it’s a huge downgrade from Resorts World Sentosa hotels like Hotel Michael and Festive Hotel. However, the cheap nights tend to sell out and what’s left can be much more expensive. If you’re willing to walk about 5 minutes down Artillery Avenue unsheltered, you can usually get a much cheaper — and better — Deluxe Room at the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa.
If you’d rather save yourself the trouble of that short walk into Resorts World Sentosa, consider Hotel Michael. Its Deluxe Room tends to be a little more expensive than the Classic Room at Le Méridien Singapore, Sentosa. You wouldn’t be paying just for convenience — its Deluxe Room is also bigger and more spacious. Frankly though, we don’t think the improvement is big enough to justify paying materially more — there’s no bathtub in the Deluxe Room either. We also feel there are some potential negatives you should know. Hotel Michael is a visually striking hotel but not everyone is a fan of its designs. We also felt the gym was dark and we’ve seen people — probably not hotel guests — sleeping around the swimming pool in the morning. To be frank, there are better options nearby.
Instead of Hotel Michael, we think the Festive Hotel — also located in Resorts World Sentosa — is a better deal. Yes, its Deluxe Room is smaller than Hotel Michael’s. However, it didn’t feel like much of a downgrade — the Festive Hotel’s Deluxe Room still felt spacious to us and even included a balcony. Sure, it lacked a bathtub but then so did Hotel Michael’s. We’ll also point out that it tends to be cheaper than Hotel Michael’s Deluxe Room and only slightly more expensive than the Classic Room at Le Méridien Singapore, Sentosa. We also liked the Festive Hotel’s swimming pool far more than Hotel Michael’s. The view at the Festive Hotel’s pool was better — ironically of Hotel Michael — and it felt livelier with a kids’ pool, a splash pad, poolside cabanas, and poolside dining. While the Festive Hotel doesn’t have its own gym, bar, or restaurant, that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker — they’re all available at the Hard Rock Hotel about 5 minutes away.
If you’re willing to stay a little further from Resorts World Sentosa — an unsheltered walk of about 10 minutes — we’d recommend the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa. We’ll admit it’s a little rough around the edges and its service may not be as polished as other hotels. However, its Deluxe Room is as big as Hotel Michael’s Deluxe Room and better furnished — it has a bathtub and balcony. It also tends to be the cheapest room on this list. The Amara is also a resort, with enough greenery for a relaxing stroll, World War 2-era historical curiosities to explore, and a resident peacock population to delight the kids. It’s also got multiple swimming pools — an infinity pool, a lap pool, and a kids’ pool — though no poolside dining. Considering the price, we’d say it’s a hidden gem.
For a resort stay with greater polish, consider the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa which also happens to be one of the most kid-friendly hotels in Singapore. There are water slides, a two-storey treehouse slide, an outdoor playground, peacocks roaming the resort grounds — so much to entertain the kids. While it only has one swimming pool compared to the multiple pools at the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, poolside dining is available here. The Shangri-La also happens to be the only hotel of this class on Sentosa with direct beach access and its own sea sports centre for renting non-motorised water sports equipment. The catch: don’t expect too much of its Superior Hill View Room. It tends to be more expensive than the Amara’s Deluxe Room but smaller and not as well-furnished — no bathtub, though it also has a balcony.
Maybe kid-friendliness is not a priority. Maybe it’s the opposite of what you had in mind for your stay. Don’t worry — we don’t judge. Try the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. Its Luxury Room tends to be more expensive than the Superior Hill View Room at the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa. However, it’s also bigger and better-furnished, though it can feel a little tight in places — there’s no space for a separate shower, which is combined with the bathtub. Instead of the beach, the Sofitel’s resort focuses more on gardens and sheltered walkways which make for very pleasant strolling — and sipping. Grab one of its tables along the walkways by the water at the Sofitel’s LeBar and order a drink or two — this is one of our favourite hotel experiences. The main downside is its swimming pool, which we felt was better suited for laps rather than wading and playing — a large part of it is very deep. Still, it’s not a fatal flaw to us, especially if you can snag a poolside cabana for some food and drink from the poolside bar.
If the blue of the pool sounds much more exciting to you than the green of gardens, we’d head back to Resorts World Sentosa for the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore. Yes, its Deluxe Room isn’t as well-furnished as the Luxury Room at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa — no bathtub — though it also tends to be cheaper. But keep your eyes on the prize. No, not the hotel’s music theme, though you can borrow guitars and turntables for your room if you like. It’s the massive swimming pool area, which includes multiple pools, an artificial beach, a beach volleyball court, nonstop music, and poolside dining. This is a great choice for pool parties, with so much space that it’s easy to forget the Hard Rock Hotel isn’t a resort. And speaking of resorts, you’re back in Resorts World Sentosa and all its shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions. That might not even be necessary — we like the Hard Rock Hotel’s breakfast buffet enough that we might not even step out of the hotel before checkout time.
Like the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, the W Singapore – Sentosa Cove also has a massive swimming pool area, with just one sprawling pool instead of multiple pools. Where the Hard Rock Hotel has a music theme, the W flaunts a loud and flirty design aesthetic evoking fashion runways, lounges, and glamour. More importantly, its Wonderful Room is better-furnished than the Hard Rock Hotel’s Deluxe Room — it’s got a bathtub — though it also tends to be more expensive. You also get free access to the wet facilities at the W’s AWAY Spa, which you won’t get at the Hard Rock Hotel.
While the swimming pools at the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore and W Singapore – Sentosa Cove are massive, they can be rather loud from both the crowds and music. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, we think the Equarius Hotel at Resorts World Sentosa is a better option. You get access to the swimming pool at the Beach Villas — massive, quiet, and surrounded by greenery with a relaxing view of the cable cars going by. That said, we wish food and drink was served poolside. The Equarius Hotel’s Deluxe Room is also bigger and better-furnished — and tends to be cheaper — than the W’s Wonderful Room. However, you have pay to access the wet facilities at the nearby ESPA, unlike the W’s AWAY Spa. The Equarius Hotel also lacks a gym — you don’t get free access to the gym at ESPA either – and we felt its restaurant and bar were disappointing. There are workarounds but you’ll have to take a shuttle bus or walk about 5 minutes unsheltered to the Hard Rock Hotel and the main Resorts World Sentosa area. Equarius Hotel guests can access the gym at the Hard Rock Hotel and we’d also rather eat breakfast at the Sessions restaurant there anyway than at the Equarius Hotel.
Whether visitor or resident, we bet you’ve at least considered staying a night or more at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore. It shouldn’t surprise you that you’ll almost certainly be paying a premium for the privilege of staying at what is probably the most iconic structure in Singapore. Its Deluxe Room is more expensive than the Equarius Hotel’s Deluxe Room despite being smaller and lacking a bathtub. Upgrading to the Premier Room would bring you closer to matching the Equarius Hotel’s Deluxe Room’s size and furnishings, though it still wouldn’t be even. Still, we’ll say that the price premium is not completely unreasonable. It buys you access to the famous infinity pool on the 57th floor which is open only to hotel guests (though it’s usually quite crowded!). The gym on the 55th floor is also large and well-equipped, enjoys the same unbeatable view as the infinity pool, and allows free access to its wet facilities. We also like its restaurants and bars — much better than the Equarius Hotel’s in terms of quality and variety. And then there’s the location: the Marina Bay Sands is, as its name suggests, centrally-located at the Marina Bay near the central business district with direct access to the Bayfront MRT station. It is also near the Gardens by the Bay, not to mention the Shoppes at the Marina Bay Sands which houses the casino, restaurants, shops, theatre, and ArtScience Museum.
Before it graced screens all over the world as the backdrop for the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, the Capella Singapore was already great. It’s not cheap — its lowest-tier Premier Garden Room costs more than the suites of some hotels. To be fair though, it’s also bigger and better-furnished than some suites, with a walk-in wardrobe, balcony, and window-side bathtub. It goes without saying that it’s superior to the Premier Room at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore and all the other rooms on this list. When you’re ready to step out of the room, there’s multiple swimming pools, free access to the spa’s wet facilities, and enough art strewn throughout the hotel for a tour. Don’t forget the Library — it serves a small afternoon tea buffet spread and snacks throughout the day, free for hotel guests. All this is brought together by that great unquantifiable — excellent service — making the Capella our favourite hotel in Singapore.
