What happens when wanderlust hits and you can’t afford another weekend getaway? You grab your overnight bag and head to one of Singapore’s many hotels for a swish staycay. It makes perfect sense; in between living it up in your plush room and maximising the hotel’s facilities, there’s so much to do in the city – more than enough for your weekend to feel like a real holiday. But if you’re a) tired of the big hotel scene and b) looking for alternative stays (without sacrificing lush comforts, of course), you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading for our guide to Singapore’s best boutique hotels, to suit everyone from modern minimalists to rendezvous-seeking couples.
Lloyd’s Inn
Sleek, airy and wonderfully minimalist, Lloyd’s Inn is one of the city’s most Instagrammed-to-death hotels to date, thanks to its unconventional design, central location and affordable rates. While the hotel’s facilities are rather limited, we can’t refuse its clean, mostly-white palette (which brilliantly juxtaposes the surrounding foliage), abundant sunlight and quiet residential locale. We recommend The Big Skyroom for its inviting loft-like vibes (and that precious adjoining open-air space for a million photo opps).
Lloyd’s Inn, 2 Lloyd Road, Singapore 239091, p. 6737 7847. Price starts from SGD 180.
Wanderlust Hotel
As one of the pioneering cutting-edge boutique hotels in Singapore, Wanderlust’s earned its stripes amongst alternative experience-seeking travellers. Proudly madcap and unconventional, the hotel boasts four floors with different themes like ‘Industrial Glam’ and ‘Is it just Black and White?’. Our personal fave lies within the top floor; nicknamed Creature Comforts, it houses nine loft rooms with five themes featuring giant typewriters, floor-to-ceiling rockets and surreal treehouses. But for something more comfy and less kitschy, check into the paper-inspired Mono rooms on level three, which has interactive lighting systems for you to ‘paint’ your room.
Wanderlust Hotel, 2 Dickson Road, Singapore 209494, p. 6396 3322. Price starts from SGD 189.
klapson’s The Boutique Hotel
Despite its CBD location, klapson’s isn’t your run-of-the-mill business hotel with cookie-cutter layouts and decor. All 17 rooms are different from each other, with unique, contemporary designs and luxe fittings. Couples on the hunt for a romantic city rendezvous have two options: either check into The Suite, each of these divine rooms comes with indoor jacuzzi tubs, private balconies and all white interiors; or The Oasis rooms, which are precious sanctuaries with open-concept showers and resort-style balconies. Plus, if you’re in need of bubbly without the usual club hoi polloi, head up to Fabrika (he hotel’s roof top bar) where you can knock back countless tipples before stumbling back to your room safely.
klapsons The Boutique Hotel, 15 Hoe Chiang Road Singapore 08931, p. 6521 9000. Price starts from SGD 216.
Quincy Hotel
Sure, award-winning Quincy Hotel may lack the quirkiness and themed rooms of its competitors. But what it does have in spades is affordable luxury coupled with addictive boutique hotel charm. Located in a peaceful upmarket Orchard neighbourhood, the Quincy’s rooms bear all the hallmarks of trendy designer hotels – yup, we’re talking feather beddings, large bay windows and lush city views. As part of its room packages, guests can even attend art jamming classes in its premises.
The Quincy, 22 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228517, p. 6738 5888. Price starts from 238 SGD per night.
Studio M Hotel
A favoured and unofficial party hotel among the younger crowds, Studio M still ranks high on our list of relaxing boutique hotels. Its location in Robertson Quay offers the best of two worlds; it’s right smack in the middle of riverside cafes and quiet brunch spots, and is a mere walk away from Clarke Quay’s hottest clubs. But its key feature is its loft rooms; spread across four categories, all of them are decked out in minimalist designs, plush beddings and panoramic views of the city from large bay windows. Personally, we love the Executive Lofts as their corner locales offer maximum privacy, larger lounge areas and complete cosy, comfort for stay-in staycays.
Studio M Hotel, 3 Nanson Rd, Singapore 238910. Price starts from SGD 150 per night.
New Majestic Hotel
Housed in a traditional shophouse in Chinatown, New Majestic Hotel effortlessly blends local heritage and history with today’s modern design trends. There’s a lot to be impressed about at this historic hotel; besides its period-inspired lobby and dramatic pool, its 30 rooms range from suites and private garden suites, to attic rooms with loft beds and six meter high ceilings. Of note are the five concept rooms designed by five leading local creatives. What’s caught our eye? Fashion show producer Daniel Boey’s room. Cheekily named The Pussy Parlour, the room is every flamboyant fashionista’s dream playpen, with its extravagant chandeliers, striking brass bed and neon lights.
New Majestic Hotel, 31 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089845, p. 6511 4700. Price: from 209 SGD per night.
hôtel vagabond
Three words: Parisian swank factor. hôtel vagabond may be relatively new, but it’s already knocking the boutique hotel game out of the park. For starters, each of the 41 rooms is super swish; boudoir chic havens of tranquility. To help you scratch your arty itch, regular pop up events – like macaron-making and crinoline classes by French designer Mireille Minier – are held. And if you’re on an all-girl staycay, the Lady Boss High Tea is complimentary every day – yup, you read that right, tea and scones for free, on the daily. Huzzah!
hôtel vagabond, 39 Syed Alwi Rd, Singapore, 207630, p. 6291 6677.
The Sultan
Taking up 10 shophouses, The Sultan is a hip tribute to Singapore’s colourful heritage. Be sure to check into The Sultan Loft; it’s fit for royalty, with its double-storied set-up comprising a living area on the first floor and a bedroom on the second – jazzed up with timber roof beams, wide arcs, and full-length shuttered windows. You don’t even need to leave the hotel for a good time – the hotel houses Singjazz Club, a club with a music hall environment, and Fresh!, a laid-back club serving up tasty cocktails and old-school music from the ’90s and ’00s.
The Sultan Hotel, 101 Jalan Sultan, Singapore 199002. Price starts from SGD 158.
Naumi Liora
Much like other hotels located in shophouses, the 79-room enclave is distinctly historic in its facade with its Chinese townhouse structure painted in dusky orange as well as double-leaf doors. Rooms here are compact, but comfy with modern comforts and traditional design accents. We strongly suggest booking the Porch, which is equipped with a private alfresco terrace, perfect for makeshift romantic dinners and outdoor yoga seshes. Its location is the top draw with its close proximity to Potato Head Folk, cafes and buzzy watering holes.
Naumi Liora, 55 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089158. Price starts from SGD 140.
The Scarlet
Perhaps one of the oldest hotels on this list is The Scarlet Hotel, which first opened in 2004 to much fanfare. Sensual, intimate and dripping with opulence, the hotel’s rooms are decked in arresting hues of precious stones, and lavish decor (we’re talking leopard print, patent leather and python). To cap off your sexy staycay, don’t forget to swing by the rooftop for breezy cocktails and nibbles before you descend to your love nest’s private jacuzzi tub for a snuggle (and more *wink*).
The Scarlet Hotel, 33 Erskine Road, 069333, p. 6511 3333. Price: from 190.50 SGD per night.
The Club
After a dramatic nine-month facelift, the once-monochromatic The Club is now splashed out in contrasting, yet oddly soothing, earthy colours, enhancing its colonial facade and rooms that promise a restful escape. But the rooms aren’t the only attraction here; all Club Rooms feature spacious bathrooms with large tubs and luxe Bamford toiletries, while the Club Suites feature huge balconies overlooking the nearby streets and plush living areas.
The Club, 28 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069708. p. 6808 2188. Price starts from 320 SGD per night.
Hotel 1929
At this boutique hotel made up of five shophouses, guests will find that no two rooms are alike, with everything from furnishing and beds right down to the clear glass bathrooms being unique. Hotel 1929 also offers two specially-designed suites with outdoor baths set in tropical roof gardens, which overlook the bright lights and bustling streets of charming Chinatown. Hip and cosy, this stylish hotel is notches above your typical budget hotel.
Hotel 1929, 50 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089154. Price starts from $175 per night.
M Social
Geared towards the millennial globe-trotter, M Social is the new player on the Robertson Quay hotel circuit. Opening June 2016, comfort is king at this hip hotel; its chic interiors are the brainchild of renowned designer Philippe Stark. You might never leave your room, as each is a calming enclave of warm colour tones, and lush textures of plush pashmina throws and soft carpeting. In line with its millennial theme, the hotel offers a good mix of communal spaces for mingling, and high-tech amenities like self check-in kiosks. No need to suffer through the night in your heels for fab cocktails; simply head down to the hotel’s in-house resto, where expert mixologists can easily shake up an artisanal one for you as you chat up other young travellers.
M Social, 90 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238259.
Kam Leng Hotel
Step inside Kam Leng Hotel’s admittedly modest facade, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Thanks to the building’s traditional Nanyang style, you’ll be transported back to Singapore’s olden days. Featuring 70 neat rooms decked in Peranakan decor, the rooms are a little on the small side, but space management is expertly configured. Kam Leng’s charm lies in its sentimental yore at a frugal price, in a well-located heritage hotel to boot.
Kam Leng Hotel, 383 Jalan Besar, Singapore 209001, p. 6239 9399. Price: from 83.80 SGD per night.
Wangz Hotel
Got a soft spot for well-brewed cuppas and hole-in-the-wall cafes? Book a weekend stay at Wangz Hotel, located smack dab in Tiong Bahru. Its 41 rooms run the gamut of features, including balconies, canopies, oversized tubs, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Spend your day either lounging around on your cosy bed or private terrace, before brunching out into the trendy ‘hood, and top it off by dressing up for drinks at the hotel’s swish rooftop lounge, Halo, as you watch the world go by.
Wangz Hotel, 231 Outram Road, Singapore 169040, p. 6595 1388. Prices start from SGD 218.