Where to stay in Singapore. Our best neighborhoods guide

While prices may disappoint, the range of accommodation in Singapore will not. The island has a plethora of luxury hotels plus competently run, no-frills and mid-range establishments. There are also plenty of upstart boutique hotels, hostels and guesthouses. Many are in refurbished shophouses and practically all offer air-conditioning, a comfy communal lounge and breakfast. Here's our guide to where to stay in Singapore.

The 10 best areas to stay in Singapore

Singapore may be small, but it packs a punch when it comes to places to crash. From the glitzy towers of Marina Bay to the colonial charm of Kampong Glam, this city-state's neighborhoods offer a smorgasbord of experiences. 

Orchard Road is shopping central, with wallet-busting hotels to match. For budget travelers, Little India's hostels and modest digs are a godsend. Chinatown serves up a heady mix of traditional and trendy, while Clarke Quay's neon-lit streets promise nocturnal adventures. History buffs will dig the Colonial District.

Sentosa Island's resorts offer a beachy escape from the urban jungle. Even Changi Airport, consistently voted the world's best, has some slick options if you're just passing through. Wherever you lay your head, you're never far from Singapore's mouth-watering food scene and efficient public transport. Just don't expect bargain rates – this is one of Asia's priciest cities, after all.

#1: Orchard Road

Stretching 2.2km, Orchard Road is Singapore's glitzy shopping artery, a neon-lit canyon of retail therapy. This iconic strip pulsates with high-end malls, swanky hotels, and buzzing entertainment spots.

Don't Miss: Ion Orchard, perched atop Orchard MRT, is a futuristic blob of glass and steel that wouldn't look out of place in a sci-fi flick. If you shop here, it’s possible to access their 56th-floor viewing gallery and multimedia experience, Ion Sky; $20 worth of receipts will earn you one ticket.

Just about the only building complex of significant age – though now highly modernized – remaining on Orchard Road itself can be glimpsed west of Scotts Road, where the Thai embassy has its origins in the purchase of a mansion here by the Siamese king in the late nineteenth century.

Staying on Orchard Road means a prime location, but at a price. Most options here lean towards the luxe end of the spectrum, with a smattering of mid-range choices for the budget-conscious.

Where to stay near Orchard Road

• Best for boutique luxury: Lloyd's Inn. A hidden gem just off Orchard Road, this minimalist boutique hotel offers a tranquil escape from the bustling shopping district. With its sleek design, lush garden surroundings, and intimate atmosphere
• Best for anonymous comfort: Yotel. This upstart international chain wants to make the hotel experience rather like flying. You can largely check in by yourself, mattresses are custom-made foldable affairs so you can have the bed flat or partially reclined, like an airliner seat, and clothes hangers and a desk surface slot out of the walls like a food tray.
• Best for a taste of a bygone era: Goodwood Park. Built on a leafy hillock and designed by the architect responsible for the Raffles, this is a genuine landmark in a cityscape characterized by transience.

Browse hundreds of accommodations near Orchard Road at any budget.

#2: Little India and Lavender Street

Of all the old districts to stay in Singapore, the most charismatic has to be Little India, noticeably less slick and gentrified than its nearest rival, Chinatown.

Don't Miss: The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, a riot of colour and Hindu iconography, is Little India's spiritual heart. For a different kind of worship, join the pilgrimage to Mustafa Centre, a 24-hour bargain-hunters paradise where you can buy everything from electronics to spices.

Little India is great for budget travellers, with accommodation generally easier on the wallet than elsewhere in the city. You'll find a mix of backpacker hostels and modest hotels, perfect for those looking to stretch their Singapore dollars.

For a truly authentic dining experience, head to Banana Leaf Apolo on Race Course Road. Here, fragrant South Indian curries are served the traditional way – on banana leaves. It's messy, it's delicious, and it's quintessential Little India.

For more inspiration, don't miss our guide to the coolest places to visit in Southeast Asia.

Where to stay in Little India

• Best for boutique stay: Wanderlust. A charming boutique hotel housed in a restored 1920s Art Deco building. Offering uniquely designed rooms, a rooftop garden, and personalized service.
• Best for staying in the heart of Little India: Citadines Rochor. Featuring a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a shared lounge and views of the city, Citadines Rochor is set in Singapore and offers accommodation with free WiFi.
• Best for gadget lovers: The Pod. Ultra-slick design hotel where you check yourself in using an electronic kiosk. Their slogan is "pay for the stay, everything else is free" – and that includes use of their laundry and laptops, plus a cooked breakfast. As the name suggests, all beds are capsule-style.

Browse hundreds of accommodations in Little India at any budget.

#3: Chinatown

Chinatown is Singapore's chameleon, effortlessly blending the traditional with the trendy. Its narrow lanes, flanked by restored shophouses, serve up a mix of old-school charm and modern buzz.

A main attraction is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple — a four-storey marvel that'll have you gawping. Home to what's believed to be Buddha's tooth, it's a fantastic way to experience ornate Buddhist architecture. For a deep dive into the area's past, the Chinatown Heritage Centre offers insights into the lives of early Chinese immigrants.

Veer off the tourist trail to Ann Siang Hill and Club Street. By day, it's all quaint boutiques and hipster cafes. Come nightfall, it morphs into a pulsing nightlife hub, with cocktail bars and eateries spilling onto the streets. We recommend Native on Amoy Street, known for its innovative cocktails using regional ingredients.

Where to stay in Chinatown

• Best for a boutique stay: Carlton City Hotel Singapore. A sleek, modern hotel offering stunning city views, an outdoor pool, and a fitness center. Its prime location provides easy access to Chinatown's vibrant streets and cultural attractions.
• Best for a budget bed: Wink. Deservedly popular for several years now, this hostel was one of the first with hi-tech capsules (including some doubles).
• Best for location: Oasia Hotel. Set against an urban landscape of concrete, steel and glass, Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore stands out with a unique silhouette covered by a lush green façade that is a massive vertical garden.

Browse hundreds of accommodations in Chinatown at any budget.

#4: Clarke Quay and Boat Quay

Once the bustling heart of Singapore's maritime trade, the quays along the Singapore River have swapped cargo for cocktails. Today, these stretches are a neon-drenched playground for night owls and gastronomes alike.

Clarke Quay, with its 19th-century godowns (warehouses) now decked out in eye-popping hues, houses flashy eating and nightlife venues. While some might dismiss it as garish, others revel in its unapologetic exuberance. Thrill-seekers shouldn't miss the G-Max Reverse Bungy, a heart-stopping ride that launches you 60 meters skyward.

Boat Quay feels more down-to-earth even when at its busiest. Further up the north bank is Robertson Quay, offering more of the same, though more pleasant and less hectic.

The pedestrianized row of waterfront shophouses known as Boat Quay, almost at the old mouth of the Singapore River, is one of the island’s notable urban regeneration successes. Derelict in the early 1990s, it’s since become a thriving hangout, sporting a huge collection of restaurants and bars. For unique dining experiences, try the molecular gastronomy-inspired creations at Labyrinth in Boat Quay.

Where to stay near Clarke Quay and Boat Quay

• Best for a boutique hotel: Hotel Clover The Arts. A chic boutique hotel featuring uniquely decorated rooms with hand-painted murals. Located near the Singapore River, it offers a perfect blend of artistic charm and convenience.
• Best for Art Deco opulence: The Fullerton has a stunning Art Deco atrium propped up on massive columns like an Egyptian temple. Rooms and bathrooms are spacious and feature contemporary styling. Amenities include a gym, spa and pool.
• Best for budget: Hipstercity hostel. Hipstercity is situated in Singapore, less than 1 km from Zouk Singapore, and has a shared lounge. With free WiFi, this 2-star hostel offers a shared kitchen. Chinatown Heritage Centre is a 14-minute walk away.

Browse hundreds of accommodations near Clarke Quay and Boat Quay at any budget.

#5 Marina Bay

It’s hard not to be awed by Marina Bay, the project that has transformed downtown Singapore’s seafront over two generations. A hugely ambitious piece of civil engineering, it entailed the creation of three expanses of reclaimed land and a barrage to seal off the basins of the Singapore and Kallang rivers from the sea.

At its heart towers the colossal Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort whose three skyscrapers are crowned by the jaw-dropping SkyPark. Here, hotel guests can take a dip in the world's highest infinity pool, while visitors can soak in panoramic views from the observation deck.

Adjacent to this architectural marvel lies Gardens by the Bay, a horticultural wonderland spanning 101 hectares. The iconic Supertree Grove, especially magical when illuminated at night, stands sentinel over climate-controlled conservatories housing diverse flora from around the globe.

The Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, affectionately dubbed "The Durian" for its spiky exterior, offers a year-round program of local and international productions. For a bird's-eye view of the city, the Singapore Flyer, Asia's largest observation wheel, provides breathtaking 360° vistas stretching to the horizon.

Where to stay near Marina Bay

• Best for a boutique hotel: PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay. An eco-friendly urban oasis with a stunning atrium garden, offering panoramic views of Marina Bay. Its biophilic design seamlessly blends nature with luxurious comfort and sustainable practices.
• Best for five-star service: Ritz-Carlton Millenia. Arguably king of the pricey hotels in Marina centre, with magnificent views across to the Financial District, even from the bathrooms, where butlers will fill the bath for you.
• Best for a night in a landmark: Marina Bay Sands. Not just one of the island’s most famous buildings but also the largest hotel in Singapore, with an astonishing 2500 rooms. Stay here for the architecture and that infinity pool.

Browse hundreds of accommodations Marina Bay at any budget.

#6: Arab Quarter (Kampong Glam)

The area surrounding Arab Street, known as Kampong Glam, is the most achingly hip enclave in Singapore – quite literally so for some members of the Muslim community. Its lanes are packed with boutiques and modern cafés, the district is also home to the venerable Sultan Mosque, and has traditionally had an Islamic and Malay character.

Of late, gentrification has come out on top as slick upstart restaurants have edged out venerable textile stores, craft shops and traditional curry houses.

Some members of the local community have mounted a rearguard battle against the quarter’s increasing booziness, and although the authorities made assurances about fewer licenses for new restaurants and bars in the area, the damage to the cultural fabric has already been done.

This backstory shouldn’t detract from any visit, with the mosque and the Malay Heritage Centre as the obvious sights, but it’s also to be aware that the area remains in a state of flux, even more so than the rest of perennially evolving Singapore.

Where to stay near the Arab Quarter

• Best for boutique style: The Sultan. A collection of 10 heritage shophouses, The Sultan offers stylish boutique rooms which bring out the old charm of Singapore. With full-length shutter windows and tall columns, all rooms with local calls while free WiFi is available throughout the property.
• Best for location: Village Hotel Bugis. Situated in the heart of the vibrant Arab Quarter, this modern hotel offers comfortable rooms, a rooftop pool, and easy access to cultural attractions, shopping, and dining options.
• Best for families: Rest Bugis Hotel. Rest Bugis Hotel is approximately a 15-minute walk from Arab Quarters. It offers modern rooms with free Wi-Fi. It also houses an outdoor swimming pool on the rooftop.

Browse hundreds of accommodations in the Arab Quarter at any budget.

#7: The Colonial District

There are only a few places to stay among the grand Neoclassical buildings of the Colonial District, the area immediately north and east of the Singapore River that forms the core of downtown Singapore. If you’ve got deep pockets, there are some historic gems where you can stay in this district of Singapore.

The area still feels like the centrepiece of downtown, even though modern edifices in the surroundings constantly pull focus from it. The district also has a viable claim to be the island’s museums quarter, home to the lavish National Gallery, the National Museum, the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum.

Also worth a look at are Fort Canning Hill, the dignified St Andrew’s Cathedral, and the Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator. By far the most famous building hereabouts, however, is the grand old Raffles Hotel.

Where to stay in the Colonial District

• Best of Colonial District's boutique hotels: lyf one-north Singapore. A trendy co-living concept hotel designed for millennials and digital nomads. It features stylish social spaces, communal kitchens, and creatively designed rooms perfect for both work and play.
• Best for period splendour: The Capitol Kempinski. Occupying two-period buildings, the Capitol and Stamford House, this 150-room hotel prides itself on being both luxurious and intimate. Everything is suitably plush, with tasteful dark wood and marble.
• Best for great views: Swissôtel The Stamford. Not for those with vertigo, though the views are as splendid as you’d expect from one of the tallest hotels in the world, with over a thousand rooms. Perhaps even more impressive is having an MRT station (City Hall) in its basement.

Browse hundreds of accommodations in the Colonial District at any budget.

#8: Bras Basah Road to Rochor Road

The grid of streets between Bras Basah Road and Rochor Road remains a good choice where to stay in Singapore. It's within walking distance of the Singapore River, Little India and the eastern end of Orchard Road. Hotels here tend to be either upmarket or, especially around Bencoolen St, budget affairs.

Bras Basah Road supposedly got its name because rice arriving on cargo boats used to be brought here to be dried (beras basah means “wet rice” in Malay). Key attractions include the National Museum of Singapore, housed in a 19th-century building and offering a comprehensive look at Singapore's history, and the iconic Raffles Hotel, a symbol of colonial elegance and home to the famous Singapore Sling cocktail.

These days this neighborhood is a nexus for the arts, with many distinguished old properties on and around Waterloo Street being turned over to creative organizations, including the Singapore Art Museum. The country’s leading institutes in the field have also been lured here, among them the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) on Bencoolen Street; and the School of the Arts, in a striking building next to the Cathay cinema.

Where to stay near Bras Basah Road

• For a boutique hotel: Naumi Hotel. An intimate luxury boutique hotel with individually designed rooms, a rooftop infinity pool, and personalized service. Its central location offers easy access to museums, shopping, and dining destinations.
• Best for breathtaking architecture: Marriott South Beach. One of the most architecturally arresting entrants to Singapore's hotel scene in recent years, this is both a prestige commercial development and a conservation project. The lobby – all individually styled chill-out spaces, some featuring the work of local artists – makes a statement.
• Best for industrial chic: Hotel G. This excellent hotel occupies a converted office building, reflected in the ground-floor restaurants – all artfully exposed ducting and pipes. 

Browse hundreds of accommodations near Bras Basah Road at any budget.

#9: Sentosa

It’s ironic that its name actually means “tranquil” in Malay; back in colonial times, when it was home to a British military base, it had the rather less heartwarming name Pulau Blakang Mati, or the “Island of Death Behind”. Contrived but enjoyable in parts, the Sentosa of today is promoted for its rides, passable beaches, hotels and massive casino/entertainment complex, Resorts World Sentosa, on the northern shore.

Besides the much-hyped Universal Studios theme park, Resorts World boasts half a dozen hotels, a couple of museums and the fabulous S.E.A. Aquarium. It’s best to visit Sentosa on a weekday outside the school holidays, unless you don’t mind the place being positively overrun. 

Staying on Sentosa is more feasible than ever thanks to improved transport links. Almost all transport around the island is free. Beyond the beaches and attractions, visitors can explore the Fort Siloso WWII-era coastal fort, now a military museum, or take the Singapore Cable Car for breathtaking views of the island and beyond.

Where to stay near Sentosa

• Best of the boutique hotels: Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa. A tranquil retreat set amidst lush tropical gardens, offering a blend of colonial charm and modern luxury. Features unique suites, private pools, and easy access to Sentosa's attractions.
• Best for a convenient base: Resorts World Sentosa - Hotel Michael. The main reason to stay at Resorts World is to tap into regular packages with admission to Universal Studios and so forth; Hotel Michael is more interesting than the rest.
• Best for contemporary elegance: Oasia Resort Sentosa. A splendid hotel housed partly in former British barracks dating from 1940. All rooms feature elegant contemporary fittings, but the most impressive are the pricey onsen suites with their own large outdoor Japanese hot tub.

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#10: Changi Airport

Changi Airport, consistently rated as one of the world's best airports, is a destination in itself. Wherever you arrive, the island’s well-oiled infrastructure means that you’ll have no problem getting into the centre.

Changi Airport is at the eastern tip of Singapore, 16km from the city centre, and has three terminals connected by free Skytrains, with a fourth connected to terminal 2 by bus.  Each terminal also offers unique experiences, from butterfly gardens to movie theatres and swimming pools.

There are the usual exchange facilities and ATMs, plus shops selling local SIM cards. Chances are you’ll not linger long – baggage comes through so swiftly that you can be heading to the city centre within twenty minutes of arrival. Don't miss Jewel Changi Airport, a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex featuring one of the world's tallest indoor waterfalls, the Rain Vortex.

Where to stay near Changi Airport

• For a boutique stay: Village Hotel Changi. A modern hotel with a rooftop infinity pool offering panoramic views of the South China Sea. Conveniently located near Changi Airport, it's perfect for layovers or extended stays.
• Best for waiting for the transfer: YotelAir. Located inside Jewel Changi Airport (outside of the transit area), this property is within walking distance towards Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 & 3. Within 5 km of Changi City Point and 5 km of Singapore Expo Convention & Exhibition Centre, YotelAir Singapore Changi Airport Landside SG Clean features a shared lounge.
• Best for relaxing between flights: Crowne Plaz is a luxurious hotel located at the Singapore Changi International Airport Terminal 3. Within walking distance from Terminal 3, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport offers stylish accommodation with an outdoor landscaped pool, a fitness centre and an all-day dining restaurant.

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