The setting of the infamous Crazy Rich Asians universe, Singapore is one of the world’s most luxurious travel destinations. Come experience a fairytale adventure, for Love Happens has tailor-made a guide to Singapore to help you craft an amazing vacation. This travel destination can be disorienting for newcomers with its dizzying array of fun activities, so we did all the research for you! With recommendations for the yummiest restaurants, the most lavish hotels, rejuvenating clinics, and the best shopping while in this island nation, look no further than our Singapore guide to create the best travel itinerary ever.

Where to Stay in Singapore: Hotel Guide

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is known as “Singapore’s most iconic luxury hotel,” with the opportunity to indulge in lavish activities. Guests have the opportunity to soak up in the largest infinity pool in the world. Relax in extravagant hotel rooms with the best views of the city. Or idly traverse through several of the resort’s restaurants and shops.

The Vagabond Hotel

The Vagabond Hotel features The Whiskey Library, one of the world’s greatest whiskey bars. This bar in the forty-one room boutique hotel boasts a collection of 1000 different kinds of whiskey. Visit this vintage Art Deco building found in the heart of Singapore’s Central Heritage District. Within walking distance from the hotel are Singapore’s most popular landmarks and attractions.

Six Senses Duxton

Six Senses Duxton is located in “the eclectic heart of Chinatown” in Tanjong Pagar. We recommend this hotel for guests yearning to explore the city’s bustling dining, socializing, and nightlife scene. This luxury hotel joins together several heritage trading houses. And has been awarded an Architectural Heritage award for its beautiful balance of Chinese, Malay, and European influences.

XY Hotel

XY Hotel’s unique calling card is its existence as the only technology-centric hotel in Singapore. The resort boasts mobile controlled technology to increase the comfort of the stay. Through a handyphone issued to hotel guests when they check-in, all of the room’s amenities can be controlled. There’s no need to get up to turn off the lights before bed or to turn on the TV. This handyphone will do it for you.

Raffles Hotel

Tradition demands a visit to the Raffles Hotel when visiting Singapore if anything just to see the iconic Raffles Doormen with your own eyes. Easily recognizable with their immaculate white turbans, these doormen have a legendary history. In 1904, a wild boar ran into the hotel. In hot pursuit of the wild animal, one doorman wrestled with the boar and saved the day.

The Great Madras

The Great Madras is a little great hotel “on the little red dot, in little India”. Situated within this lively district, this hostel is small, with only thirty-four rooms, but great in other ways. This vintage-inspired hostel has been recognized for its great customer service and beautiful overall aesthetic with its neon lights. Reviewers have described their stay as very Instagrammable.

The Wanderlust Hotel

The Wanderlust Hotel holds a special old-world charm, drawing in curious voyagers from all around the world to sate their sense of adventure. No two rooms or two floors are the same in this four-story, twenty-nine room hotel. Designed by acclaimed Singaporean design studios Asylum, Phunk Studio, fFurious, and DP Architects, it is worth traversing down every floor of this hotel for an engaging and diverse visual experience.

Fullerton Hotel

Built in 1928, the Fullerton Building is not only a “grand neoclassical landmark,” the building actually achieved status as a National Monument in 2015. The building has performed a critical role in the rich history of the nation, once housing the General Post Office and the prestigious Singapore Club. Currently, the building houses the extravagant four-hundred room Fullerton Hotel, which has been acknowledged as one of the top ten hotels in Singapore.

W Singapore

W Singapore can be found in Sentosa Cove, recognized as “Singapore’s billionaire haven”. This luxury W hotel is a tropical oasis found alongside the coast. Situated within verdant nature and the beautiful coastal waters, guests can enjoy the best of modern luxury by recharging at their AWAY Spa, or indulging in fresh seafood and original cocktails.

The Scarlet Hotel

The Scarlet Hotel is not only the oldest conservation building in Singapore, it is also the island’s first-ever luxury hotel. A proud recipient of a Singapore Architectural Heritage Award, the elegant design boasts World War Two architecture and houses thirteen different shophouses from 1868. A perfect juxtaposition of what is old and what is new in its Art Deco building, guests can draw inspiration from the hotel’s historic past and its modern luxuries.

Wangz Hotel

If you’re looking for a resort that captures the vibrant energy of Singapore, look no further than the Wangz Hotel in Tiong Bahru. The dramatic urban architecture of the hotel is striking. While the inside of the guest rooms are abound with inviting comforts. Guests are invited to unwind in luxurious guest rooms which boast Sealy Posturepedic mattresses and calming rain showers. With its floor-to-ceiling windows, guests can enjoy a beautiful view of the hippest neighborhood in Singapore.

Where to Eat in Singapore: Restaurant Guide

Candlenut is the only Peranakan restaurant in the world with a Michelin-star. A refined combination of contemporary flavors and cultural authenticity, the restaurant provides a balanced array of Peranakan cuisine. The name of the restaurant is inspired by the signature cream-colored nut used in its traditional curries. For the best dining experience, we recommend relying on the carte blanche menu of chef Malcolm Lee.

Sushi Kimura provides the greatest Japanese fine dining in Singapore. With its intimate setting of just twenty-two seats, the restaurant is designed “to invoke tradition and the four seasons through the use of centuries-old Noren”. Seasonal delicacies and fresh ingredients from Japan help to create an authentic Japanese dining experience

Les Amis provides deluxe French cuisine in its upscale modern setting. Not only does the restaurant boast two Michelin stars, but it has also been a member of the coveted Les Grandes Tables Du Monde since 2011. Indulge in creamy French fare created by Chef Sebastien Lepinoy. And select a wine from one of the most extensive wine lists in all of Asia.

Explore a taste of England with Jaan, an internationally acclaimed restaurant. Chef Kirk Westaway aims to “showcase British dining in a modern, refreshing light” with his constantly changing menu. While eating delectable international fare, guests can also enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Singaporean skyline with the restaurant’s location in one of the city’s skyscrapers.

Exotic Destinations: Singapore, My Radiant Orchid

Beauty & Medical Clinics

Only Aesthetics

Singapore’s #1 largest multi-award winning medical aesthetics group, Only Aesthetics aims to help people boost their confidence with its wide range of beauty treatments. Guests can transform their appearance in several ways. From three different types of hair removal treatments to laser skin resurfacing or pain-relieving cryotherapy, this clinic offers several innovative treatments to help guests to feel their best.

Covette Clinic

Covette Clinic offers a holistic beauty program based on decades of cutting-edge technological and medical research. Their signature treatments include a radiant skin rejuvenation, ultra v-shape facelifts, instant eye rejuvenation, fillers for defined noses, skin resurfacing, acne solutions, and skinboosters.

Passion Hair Salon

If you are willing to pay the $400 starting price, at Passion Hair Salon you can have an experience “brimming with exclusivity and luxury” from celebrity hairstylist David Gan. Gan has styled the hair of several Singapore celebrities, including Fan Wong, Zoe Tay, Joanne Peh, and Felicia Chin. With three VIP seats and twenty-nine regular seats, indulge in a celebrity-approved hair experience.

Where to Shop: Shopping Guide to Singapore

Palais Renaissance

Palais Renaissance hosts an abundance of luxurious offerings in the premium Orchard Road shopping district. Amidst the fast-paced style of living in Singapore, this shopping destination offers a peaceful respite for shoppers to take some time for themselves. With over thirty deluxe shops, this shopping center is an extravagant collection of “exclusive boutiques and choice names.”

Ion Orchard

Recognized by Forbes as one of Singapore’s top shopping malls, ION Orchard offers a diverse range of over three-hundred and thirty-five outlets in food and retail. Don’t forget to visit ION Sky to go on a multi-sensory adventure in the tallest attraction in Orchard Road.

Mandarin Gallery

Mandarin Gallery is “a gem in the heart of Singapore’s shopping belt.” Offering collections from the most famous international brands to eclectic, yet still high-end, local boutiques, you can find just about anything you’re looking for in this shopping center. Spend an afternoon here for a personalized shopping experience.

Local Fashion Designers

Lisa Von Tang

Lisa Von Tang is a luxury streetwear fashion label that creates statement pieces meant for everyday wear. The brand blends influences from the east and the west, reflecting the designer’s Chinese, Southeast Asian, and European heritage and upbringing. While based in Singapore, the brand is rapidly gaining international acclaim.

Este Bartin Tailors

If you’re searching for “sensibly-priced, impeccably-crafted, tailor-made shirts and suits,” look no further than Este Bartin Tailors. Having launched in 2013, Justin Loy and Barry Lim now boast over 2,000 members in their clientele. Never sacrificing quality, they ensure that their shirts and suits are created locally in Singapore with their hand-picked team of tailors in their Toa Payoh office.

A Sailing Adventure

Royal Albatross

Royal Albatross is the luxury tall ship of Tall Ship Adventures Pte Ltd, a leader in the Asian yacht industry. The Royal Albatross has “22 sails, over 650 square meters of canvas and over 60,000 RGB lights” to provide high-quality entertainment for guests who sail on this tall ship.

We hope you enjoy this guide to Singapore – happy travels!

Words by Hojung Lee

Design Lover’s Guide to Experiential Luxury