Is this Singapore’s Best Hotel?
Is this the best hotel in Singapore?
Hotel Review, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, Marina Bay, Singapore
Where
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Ave, Marina Bay, Singapore
Step into the beautiful lobby of the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore and you simply don’t know where to look first. The stunning artwork and sculptures leave you in awe in the light-filled building, where you are warmly welcomed. Look up to see the show-stopping ‘Cornucopia’, a monumental, three-tonne fibreglass masterpiece by American artist Frank Stella that stars in the lobby.
Located in the heart of Marina Bay, the 608-room hotel boasts panoramic views from its show-stopping guestrooms and suites.
Highlights include the Club Lounge, which offers five daily culinary presentations and all-day champagne, plus a range of dining options. Signature restaurants include Colony, which takes diners on a culinary journey through Singapore’s heritage cuisines, and the Michelin-starred Summer Pavilion, which is known for its authentic Cantonese cuisine. Amazing cocktails at the award-winning Republic Bar, a fabulous spa and outdoor pool all add up to an amazing stay.
Backstory
The 32-floor luxury hotel was opened in 1996 by the Singaporean Kwee brothers’ company Pontiac Land. It was designed by architect Kevin Roche, who won the Pritzker Prize, with DP Architects. The interior design was done by Hirsch Bedner Associates.
The hotel has 608 guest rooms and suites and a chic Club Lounge located on the top floor.
Rooms and Interiors
Amazing Singapore Harbour views are the star of the show at this hotel. If you are lucky, you may catch impressive Marina Bay Sands fireworks from your suite on arrival.
It’s a spectacular sight from my luxe Deluxe Marina suite with all the trimmings. I love the marble bathroom and bathtub views from the octagonal-shaped windows, which are perfect for framing those night shots. It’s a well-laid-out, spacious suite with a large desk for working. There’s also a comfortable lounge area. The elegant decor features nude colours with light wood finishes, and attention to detail shines through.
I love watching the city skyline from the plush king-sized bed, which is difficult to leave. There’s also an exclusive Club Lounge check-in and check-out.
Dining
It’s a culinary journey at the hotel with many options ranging from the Michelin-star restaurant, the Summer Pavilion, to a bakery with the most stunning cakes and pastries.
The Colony
Located on level three, it’s a busy eatery with lots of choices and a great buzz. The name alludes to the voyage the British took to the East Indies for trade and commerce in the late 18th century.
There’s an eclectic mix of vintage and bespoke furniture featuring tartan and houndstooth prints, while old maps, photographs and postcards adorn the walls, evoking the nostalgia of a bygone era.
There are seven conservatory kitchens, helmed by ‘live’ culinary showmanship that showcases Singapore’s culinary heritage, which gives its cuisine a sense of identity. The ‘live’ kitchens showcase the best of Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Western and local dishes.
They include the Ice Bar with a variety of crustaceans on ice, salads, cold cuts and cheeses. The Grill & Rotisserie features a selection of Western and Asian meats grilled to perfection. The Steam Basket offers Asian noodles, soups and other steamed delights while The Wok showcases local wok-fried delicacies. Indian meats, seafood and breads are cooked in a traditional tandoor oven.
The Fruit Stall offers an assortment of whole fruits and fresh-pressed fruit juices, while The Patisserie has a decadent selection of sweet treats. The Colony Bakery has an assortment of freshly baked breads, pastries and chocolates.
Sunday’s Champagne brunch, coupled with unlimited servings of the best of Singapore’s heritage cuisines, has a great following.
Republic
Republic is where you will find amazing cocktails and great dining. The Lounge and Bar area has the warmth, intimacy and elegance of a private residence. Republic is a multi-dimensional concept which transforms throughout the day, welcoming guests from morning to late in the evening.
You can enjoy breakfast in the morning, a set menu for lunch and dinner, light bites, à la carte dining options and an elegantly modern five-tier afternoon tea experience.
After dark, imbibe on liquid history at Republic Bar, which showcases an extensive cocktail menu devoted to a narrative of historical anecdotes.
The mixologists are more like storytellers, guiding patrons through various historical narratives. Cocktails reimagine the era’s defining moments through bold flavours, cutting-edge techniques, and visually stunning presentations.
Michelin-starred Summer Pavilion
Summer Pavilion exudes that feeling of summer as you dine surrounded by a modern Chinese garden and a glass pavilion. It’s all about a sophisticated Cantonese dining experience with beautifully cooked and presented dishes using objets d’art.
Summer Pavilion has been awarded a Michelin star every year since 2016.
Tuxedo-inspired uniforms designed by Mineo San of Art Marginal formalise the dining experience and reflect the service philosophy of the restaurant, which is outstanding. Robert Louey Design fashions the experience of “dining in a garden”, through the use of floral motifs in the restaurant’s decor.
Chinese Chef Cheung Siu Kong excite palates with his repertoire of exquisite, contemporary Cantonese cuisine. Highlights on the menu include the double-boiled sea whelk soup with fish maw and chicken served in a whole coconut and poached rice with lobster. The desserts look almost too pretty to dine on – but do, they are sensational.
The Hood
The hotel is well located close to popular attractions, museums and shopping malls that are all within walking distance. Centrally located within Marina Bay, it is close to the National Stadium, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer and Merlion Park.
Features
Art
Art is a big attraction at the hotel that was the first in the world to offer a reality hotel art tour experience. Visitors can interact virtually with art pieces by renowned artists such as Frank Stella, Zhu Wei, Andy Warhol and Dale Chihuly.
The hotel has a 4,200-piece modern contemporary art collection and is home to one of the largest contemporary art collections in South-east Asia, including 350 “museum quality” pieces. Ninety per cent of the pieces were specially commissioned for the hotel.
The hotel’s first iteration of an art tour was a self-guided 28-minute English podcast that was introduced in 2007. About 50,000 guests have listened to the podcast since its inception. Notable art pieces within the tour include works by David Hockney, Tay Bak Koi, Rainer Gross and Robert Motherwell.
The experience showcases the art pieces in the real-world environment supplemented by computer-generated graphics and sound. It brings the art to life as you browse the written or audio narratives about each art piece and the artist.
It’s fun, entertaining and educational.
The Club Lounge
This is well deserving of recognition for the fabulous service and facilities and amazing views from the 32nd floor.
Designed by Burega Farnell, the elegant Club Lounge is a private sanctuary with panoramic views of Marina Bay and the Kallang River precinct.
Situated within the Club Lounge is the Drawing Room, a private alcove where you can spend time channelling your creative side sketching the panoramic views of Marina Bay. An easel stand, paper and drawing materials are provided, and guests can take their finished masterpiece home as a unique memory of the Singapore hotel.
There are five daily culinary presentations including breakfast, mid-day snacks, afternoon tea, canapes and cocktails and desserts.
The Spa
It’s a wonderful assault on all the senses as you head towards the spa.
The calming sound of trickling water greets you, while the tree bark-inspired spa corridor leads to treatment rooms characterised by stunning blue oyster glass.
Designed to enliven the senses through evoking the true essence of the ocean and its healing benefits, it’s a multi-sensory experience.
The hotel has partnered with La Mer since 2016, offering the best in skincare and indulgent facial treatments. The coveted signature La Mer Miracle Broth facial is available.
The spa is surrounded by lush greenery, an outdoor swimming pool and is across from the state-of-the-art gym on Level One of the hotel.
There’s also a curated selection of massages for men targeting muscle recovery, stress relief, aid relaxation, and a Men’s La Mer Custom Facial.
Different types of exotic seaweeds, prized for their rejuvenating properties on the skin, give each treatment room its identity.
There are 10 treatment rooms, including the Ritz-Carlton Spa Suite for couples, which offers a bath and hydro-jets experience following their treatments.
What I loved
It’s a stunner. I love the art trail, club lounge, dining options and those fabulous harbour views. But the creative cocktails also star here.
Details
*The author stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore courtesy of ILTM.
