Located right on the Marina Bay waterfront, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore has the luxury credentials and world-class amenities to ensure travelling gents have a great experience in the Lion City.
Choosing a hotel used to be easy – after all, there were only so many brands, so many hotels to choose from in any given city. Today, the choice isn’t so easy, with multiple brands boasting multiple hotels in popular destinations like Singapore. In instances like that, it’s always best to either take the risk of something new and fancy (and potentially terrible) or something tried-and-tested – a hotel that’s lasted the distance for a host of good reasons.
Old World Luxury
As one of the Lion City’s Grand Dame hotels, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore is exactly that, having opened in 1996. Combining world-class accommodation with innovative dining and an enviable location, the hotel is regularly listed among the best urban houses of slumber in the region and is ideally suited for your next Singapore soiree, whether you’re in town for business or pleasure.
There’s a real sense of arrival at the Ritz-Carlton, and it’s not just the captivating lines by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kevin Roche or the 4,200-piece art collection it houses. Twin drives wind up a small rise to a grand entrance and a Hirsch Bedner-designed lobby that’s always abuzz with activity. Set on Marina Bay, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore is located at the heart of the city and is just minutes from Marina Bay Sands and the iconic Gardens by the Bay, as well as key financial and entertainment precincts. The hotel is also a short drive from Singapore Changi International Airport and is virtually trackside for the city’s Formula One night race.
The Ritz-Carlton is one of those hotels where you go to be seen rather than to hide (so bear that in mind). It’s beloved by the city’s beautiful, who grace its restaurants and bars and attend champagne-soaked events around its iconic swimming pool (if you’re looking to stay under the radar, we suggest one of the city’s boutique hotels.
Stylish City Digs
While the Ritz-Carlton Millenia boasts 608 rooms and suites, there’s never the sense that this is a ‘large’ hotel. Guest rooms are elegant yet practical spaces that make the most of natural wood and staggering city views. There is a plethora of room categories to choose from, including some great two-bedroom suites for when you’re travelling with a wingman, but our favourites are the Club Deluxe Suites.
Not only are these suites spacious and well-appointed, with a separate living room and workspace, a walk-in closet, and a cavernous bathroom, but they also come with the all-important club lounge access (more about that in a minute).
The rooms give a great sense of space and place, with the whole city seemingly laid out through the massive picture windows – those above the bathtubs of these rooms, shaped like octagons, are Instagram stars in its own right. There’s pretty much everything a lad would need, from Asprey bath amenities and a walk-in shower to a Nespresso machine and minibar packed with local delights, while the suite’s lounge is a great spot for pre-game refreshments.
Lounge Life
However, the real perk of suite selection is access to one of the region’s best club lounges. The term ‘executive lounge’ is thrown around by many hotels, and many are simply rooms filled with overly soft chairs and stale coffee where a cheap breakfast is forced on guests paying a premium. Not at the Ritz-Carlton, where the spacious yet intimate Ritz-Carlton Club is a destination all its own.
Not only does the lounge, with its elite service staff and staggering city views, serve a decent breakie, but that’s just one of five food and beverage offerings each day. Even if you’re out and about for the rest of them, don’t miss cocktail hour, when the drinks are well made and fortifying, the snacks made at a live cooking station, and the ambience is that of a chic private club – it’s the perfect spot for a few lingering libations before you head out to explore the city’s foodscape.
Dinner is Served
If you decide to eat in, you’re also in luck. This is Singapore, a foodie capital, so you can expect greatness from the hotel’s culinary lineup. Unlike some five-star hotels, which pack every corner with outsourced restaurants, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore has just three – but they make up a lack of diversity with spectacular dining experiences.
First of all, seek innovative cocktails at the Chihuly Lounge, named for American glass artist Dale Chihuly, while being serenaded by singer-songwriter John Allred. The bar team here knows how to mix a mean martini (ask for one of the new Singapore gins) although they can also lend their talents to classics closer to home – yes, even a Singapore Sling.
If you’re looking to impress, make for Michelin-starred Summer Pavilion, where executive chef Cheung Siu Kong serves delectable contemporary Cantonese cuisine at lunch and dinner using the best imported ingredients – think pan-fried Japanese Wagyu beef with wild mushrooms; noodles with Canadian lobster; and barbequed duck with fresh mango and lemon sauce.
If you’re a tad indecisive, then you might be better off at Colony, which tells the culinary tale of British colonialism and its impact on the region’s gastronomic heritage through live ‘conservatory’ kitchens, breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, and one of the best weekend offerings in a city in love with champagne-laced brunches.
Swim & Sweat
When you’re done exploring Singapore’s speakeasies and hawker centres, there’s plenty to keep you occupied at your chosen house of slumber. In addition to the beautiful swimming pool and it’s three-tied sun deck, the hotel features an expansive fitness centre, and The Ritz Carlton Spa, a superb space with 10 treatment rooms and a menu of soul-soothing marine-themed treatments, although the Bamboo Massage, a 90-minute treatment that combines Ayurvedic techniques to invigorate both body and mind, might be more your style.
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