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Its rooms may seem overpriced, but you’re at the Marina Bay Sands with access to the iconic infinity pool at the top floor. Even better, the food is a highlight.
Whether visitor or resident, we bet you’ve at least considered staying a night 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. You can almost always find a larger and better-furnished hotel room in the Marina Bay area that’s also cheaper. But none of those other rooms will get you access to that iconic infinity pool on the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands — open only to hotel guests. If your plans revolve around the Marina Bay Sands — its casino, restaurants, shops, theatre, ArtScience Museum — or the Gardens by the Bay, you won’t find a better location either. Oh, and the food here — whether in-room or from one of the many restaurants — is generally excellent.
We review anonymously and pay for everything. All opinions expressed here are our own and all information is correct as of our last stay or visit and subject to change without notice.
If you’re looking for the cheapest available room, you’d think it was obvious: the lowest-tier Deluxe Rooms. But sometimes you’ll find the next-tier Premier Rooms — which are bigger and have bathtubs — are the same price or even cheaper. No, you’re not seeing a discount for the Premier Room — it’s because the cheaper Deluxe Rooms on lower floors have sold out. While the Premier Rooms are SGD35[1] more expensive than Deluxe rooms on a similar floor , you also pay more for a higher floor.
Should you choose a Deluxe Room on a higher floor or a bigger and better-furnished Premier Room if they’re priced the same? Having stayed in both, we wouldn’t mind staying in the Deluxe Room again, even if it’s not as good as the Premier Room. While the 30m2 Deluxe Room isn’t especially large compared to other rooms we’ve reviewed, it still felt spacious — and it’s not because it skimped on furniture. Our room had work desk, coffee table, and couch — which is more than what some rooms provide. You also get a balcony if your room faces the Gardens by the Bay and the sea (our room faced the city).
Entertainment: There’s a 42-inch TV with 50 channels — including HBO, FOX Movies Premium, and Cinemax for English movies — and pay-per-view movies. Our room included a copy of the hotel’s SANDS Style luxury lifestyle magazine.
Sips and nibbles: Don’t expect too much. The complimentary in-room coffee and tea selection was disappointingly basic: Boncafé premium and decaffeinated instant coffee, and TWG Tea. While the minifridge was filled with snacks and drinks, these were not free. A word of caution: there wasn’t much free space in our minifridge and we couldn’t move any of the items inside without triggering sensors that automatically billed the room.
Like the bedroom, the bathroom was also spacious. Don’t expect privacy if you’re sharing the bathroom though. Clear glass partially separated the shower from the sink area with no door or curtain. The toilet was a little better — frosted glass — but there was again no door.
Toiletries: Unbranded but probably in-house white tea and rose body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion. No bubble bath available.
If you go for the 47m2 Premier Room instead, you’re getting substantially more space than the 30m2 Deluxe Room. The liberal use of mirrors in the Premier Room made it feel even more spacious. In terms of furniture though, we didn’t think its bedroom was significantly better than the Deluxe Room’s. Instead of the Deluxe Room’s coffee table and couch, the Premier Room had a table and two chairs by the window — at a much better height for in-room dining if you’re interested. There was also a bench at the foot of our Premier Room bed which the Deluxe Room lacked.
We felt the real upgrade from the Deluxe Room was in the bathroom. It is and feels substantially more spacious than the Deluxe Room’s — partly the result of floor space but also the aggressive use of mirrors. With a larger bathroom, you get double sinks, separate toilet and shower rooms, and a free-standing bathtub. Unlike the Deluxe Room, the toilet and shower rooms here were fully-enclosed with frosted glass and doors for privacy. The free-standing bathtub was in the middle of the bathroom — no privacy, like many other hotel bathrooms. We were impressed by its size but less so by the lack of flat surfaces to place anything — toiletries, smartphones, rubber duckies — within easy reach.
See our in-depth review and pictures of this breakfast buffet.
If you’re considering whether to include breakfast in your stay, we’d say yes. You get not one but four options: the hotel’s buffet restaurant Rise, celebrity chef restaurants Adrift by David Myers and Spago Bar & Lounge by Wolfgang Puck, and in-room dining.
Considering the spread of breakfast options — from celebrity chef restaurants, no less — what reasons would you have to choose Rise? Well, plenty, as we found out — literally. Its breakfast buffet sprawls across multiple stations and cuisines, with several live cooking and carving stations. There were so many items that we had to pick up the pace just so we could taste everything — you know we do — before closing time. With such quantity, we were impressed to find quality as well. Had we the stomach space — or time — we would have gone for second helpings of quite a few items. If you want to indulge, this should be your pick — especially when its price is on par with other luxury hotel breakfasts.
See our in-depth review and pictures of this breakfast buffet.
If all that quantity seems a little too much, go for quality. If you’re craving for American food like eggs, sausages, and pancakes, try the breakfast buffet at celebrity chef restaurant Adrift by David Myers instead. While the spread was much smaller compared to the one at Rise, we felt Adrift’s American food options — which include eggs Benedict — were generally excellent and superior. However, the Asian food was shaky — a laksa might taste fine only for a mee soto to disappoint. The bakery wasn’t anything to shout about either.
See our in-depth review and pictures of this breakfast buffet.
When we first stayed at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore, it seemed obvious that we had to sample the breakfast buffet at Spago. After all, it was Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant! On the famous 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands! With the view! Having tried it, we can now tell you it’s a great option if you want to breakfast at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant on the famous 57th floor with the view. But if you’re there for the food, we’d suggest the similarly-priced breakfast buffets at Adrift by David Myers or — even better — Rise. While some of Spago’s breakfast buffet dishes were worth eating from its limited selection, we felt there were too few of them compared to Adrift or Rise. Still plan to go? Be early or prepare to queue. And if you don’t like being bathed in the heat and light of the morning sun, try to sit on the pool side of the restaurant.
If you can’t be bothered to step out of your room, don’t worry — we felt the in-room dining was solid (see menu). You should however know that the breakfast sets are likely put together from the buffet at Rise (like many other hotels). While the quantity of food in each set we sampled felt more limited than usual compared to other hotels, the quality was good, as it was in Rise. When we opted to have the eggs in our American set done as an omelette, we weren’t expecting to receive an immaculate French omelette. We loved that it was still molten and wobbly inside, stuffed with our selected fillings of Parma ham, smoked salmon, and cheese, and paired with thin crumbly applewood-smoked bacon. The Japanese set wasn’t as impressive but wasn’t bad either, its grilled salmon still moist and its egg roll omelette sweet and fluffy, accompanied by rice and miso soup.
The food also held up outside of the breakfast hours. We appreciated the swift and professional dinner service, which arrived in 30 minutes instead of the promised 40. Our starter of crab meat and avocado salad, tossed with cantaloupe and lemon vinaigrette, was light, fresh, and a delight of textures. The bucatini — a spaghetti-like pasta thick as udon noodles — with tomato sauce, basil pesto, and olives was a joy on the palate, supremely savoury despite the absence of meat. But while the baked miso cod was soft and rich, it seemed in need of more salt to stand up to the sweetness of its accompanying pumpkin risotto. Conversely, the flame-grilled wagyu beef rib eye steak tasted fine but some parts were still on the rare side. Nonetheless, we ended on a high note at dessert with the white chocolate passion fruit mousse cake: light with the acidity of the fruit balancing the richness of the chocolate.
In addition to the all-day dining menu, there’s also an environmentally-conscious Harvest Menu available from 11:00am–11:00pm. This menu focuses on using ingredients that require less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to be released in transporting them from source to plate. Don’t dismiss this menu even if you’re not especially concerned about the environment — it covers the local and regional Southeast Asian food options. If you want to enjoy Hainanese chicken rice or laksa in your room, you’ll be turning to this page.
Drinks: Soft drinks, juices (fresh and chilled), water, milk shakes, smoothies, coffee, tea, chocolate, and milk. The alcohol selection includes spirits, red and white wines, and champagne. The wine list includes bottles selected by the celebrity chef restaurants in the Marina Bay Sands.
That said, you really should step out of your room — you’re paying a premium to stay here! Head up to the infinity pool on the 57th floor, which is open only to hotel guests. We won’t judge if you want to spend as much of your time here — we doubt you’d be the only one.
But in case you haven’t realised, this isn’t so much a swimming pool as it is a tourist sight. Few people are here to swim and it’s almost always too crowded for laps anyway. No, the main attraction here is photography — try resisting a selfie here against that stunning backdrop of the city. The pool itself isn’t very deep — only 1.2m — but walk to the end of the pool at Tower 1 and you’ll find a shallower 0.5m pool for the kids. This is next to a poolside shop selling swimwear, souvenirs, fresh juice, and ice cream. But don’t miss the small jacuzzi pools facing the Gardens by the Bay and the sea. While the infinity pool can get chilly in the evening, the jacuzzi pools are heated with strong water jets to pummel your muscles to relaxation.
The poolside dining, available from 7:00am–11:00pm, is solid and comes from the Spago Bar & Lounge by Wolfgang Puck. We wouldn’t describe it as cheap but we were surprised that it wasn’t more expensive either, considering the location and the restaurant’s “celebrity chef” branding. Still, this is your chance to sip on one (or more) of the three Wolfgang Puck signature cocktails in the menu. The food menu wasn’t very extensive (see menu) and it took us some time to get service. But what we tried, we liked. The meat patty in the grilled Angus beef burger was thick, juicy, and seared crusty, topped with melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and chili aioli. The club sandwich was also satisfying, delivering a thick layer of folded smoked turkey and ham with Gruyere cheese and little crumbs of maple-cured bacon. Both came with hot and crispy French fries.
For an actual workout, find the Tower 2 elevators and head to the 24-hour Banyan Tree Fitness Club on the 55th floor. Just two floors below the 57th floor infinity pool, it’s got the same stunning view, unimpeded by floor-to-ceiling windows. But the aesthetics aren’t the only reason to work out here. Not only is the gym large and spacious, it’s one of best-equipped we’ve seen. With 12 treadmills, 6 exercise bikes, 4 elliptical cross-trainers, and 2 rowing machines, there’s little fear of overcrowding here. For strength training, there’s dumbbells, barbells, and a range of 10 selectorised weight machines including 2 Technogym Kinesis pulley walls. The gym also runs a Sunrise Yoga session at the Skypark Observation Deck at 7:00am daily except Wednesdays and Fridays, weather permitting — discounted at SGD35 for hotel guests[1].
The Banyan Tree Fitness Club in Tower 2 also includes wet facilities — steam rooms, saunas, and hot pools — which hotel guests can access for free from 7:00am–11:00pm. For spa treatments, head to Tower 1 where the Banyan Tree Spa occupies the entire 55th floor with retail and lounge space. The Banyan Tree Spa is one of the 4 Singapore spas listed as a Forbes Travel Guide 2018 Star Award Winner, receiving 4 out of 5 stars. A 60-minute full-body massage — Balinese, deep tissue, gentle touch, Thai classic, or Thai essence — costs SGD298[1].
Don’t worry if you can’t get up early in the morning for the Sunrise Yoga session at the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck at the top of Tower 3. As a hotel guest, you get free access during opening hours[1].
If you’re not into yoga, you can still grab breakfast with a view at the Spago Bar & Lounge by Wolfgang Puck on the 57th floor of Tower 2. Wait for lunch or dinner and you can sample the more formal Spago Dining Room, Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant. If you prefer something more chilled out, there’s also the LAVO Italian Restaurant & Rooftop Bar in Tower 1 and the CÉ LA VI Club Lounge in Tower 3. Or avoid the crowds — slip down to the Club55 on the 55th floor of Tower 2 for a quieter drink (more below).
But the Marina Bay Sands is not just all about the 57th floor. The lobby level also tends to be busy — there’s a gift shop, and other retail stores. If the top floor views aren’t a must for your meal, you can also find another five options for food and drink on the lobby level. Choose between the SweetSpot dessert restaurant and bakery, Chinese restaurant Blossom, celebrity chef restaurant Adrift by David Myers, the Renku Bar & Lounge, and the Rise buffet restaurant. Don’t overlook these — hotel guests get a 25% discount at Renku, 25% off à la carte items at Adrift, and free coffee beverage up-sizes at SweetSpot.
Often overlooked is the hotel’s herb garden in the Rise restaurant. Don’t be shy — you can check it out even if you’re not eating at the restaurant. It’s not especially well-labelled but still a nice hideaway from the crowds — there are even some chairs here if you want to stay a while.
Some of the herbs in that garden make it into the drinks at the Renku Bar & Lounge, which promises “a poetic rhapsody of Asian flavours”. Elevated and partially walled off from crowds in the lobby and restaurant, it’s a cosy cocoon for enjoying afternoon tea or drinks. Even better, hotel guests get a 25% discount. Try the tea cocktails served in glass teapots with dramatic fumes. Even without alcohol, the tea selection is interesting, featuring blended teas from ETTE TEA, many of which incorporate Singaporean flavours like durian, pandan, and nasi lemak (coconut rice). Alternatively, design your own martini with your choice of base, style, and garnish. For something less fancy, there’s an extensive selection of liquors, wines, and beers. Looking for those Asian flavours? The signature Renku Lager draft beer is “brewed with a hint of green tea” and there’s sake and Japanese whiskies and craft beers.
Personally though, since we’re at the Marina Bay Sands, we’d prefer enjoying our drinks with as much of the stunning city views from the top floors. While the 57th floor bars are an obvious choice, here’s a hidden gem: Club55 on the 55th floor of Tower 2. It’s actually the hotel’s club lounge but open to the public from 8:00pm–12:00am. While its floor-to-ceiling windows offer the same night view of the city as the 57th floor, it was almost empty when we visited. With its dim candlelit ambience, jazzy soundtrack, and gorgeous view, we’d rank Club55 as one of the best spots in Singapore for a romantic date. While we wouldn’t describe the drink prices as cheap, they weren’t astronomical either — and hotel guests get a 10% discount. The drink selection itself was decent, complemented by an intriguing menu of tasting flights with the option of food pairings.
10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956
+65 6688 8868
