Escaping the Ordinary: Your Guide To The Top Boutique Hotels in Singapore
PUBLISHED January 12th, 2024 06:00 am | UPDATED January 15th, 2024 12:08 pm
As much as we’ve been getting the travel bug since coming out of the pandemic, it’s safe to say there are occasions where we can’t spare the time or money to give in to our wanderlust whims. Thankfully we have the domestic option – going on staycations. However if big hotel scenes aren’t really your thing and you prefer something more charming and intimate, read more to see our top picks of boutique hotels in Singapore!
AMOY Hotel by Far East Hospitality
AMOY Hotel by Far East Hospitality offers travellers a boutique accommodation, seamlessly blending history and contemporary convenience. Situated within the happening Far East Square in the city centre, the hotel offers a unique experience inviting guests through the Fuk Tak Chi Museum which echoes the tales of early Chinese immigrants. All the 37 rooms are emblazoned with a Chinese family name on the door with interiors showcasing unique cultural elements, ensuring each room is distinct from the other. In a highly customised setting, guest services are personalised for each guest with undivided attention from 24-hour Reception services to tailored experiences. Rooms like the Cosy Single and Deluxe Room exude a fusion of history and comfort, featuring heritage accents that pay homage to the area’s trading heritage, while catering to modern travellers with offerings like complimentary minibars including coffee capsules from Nespresso machines. Not to mention, the plethora of dining options, and cultural landmarks just a stone’s throw away. Beyond accommodation, AMOY Hotel curates activities like Lion City Bike Tour by Bike Around Tour Singapore and Clackety Click Clack Fun Experience that traces the captivating journey and history of the typewriter, ensuring an immersive stay for guests seeking an intimate, historically rich cultural and heritage experience.
AMOY Hotel by Far East Hospitality is located at 76 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 048464. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6580 2888 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$255 nett.
The Scarlet Singapore
Step into The Scarlet, a pioneer as Singapore’s first luxury boutique hotel housed within conserved shophouses since 2004, blending heritage charm and modern comforts. Restored shophouses from 1868 and a 1920s Art Deco gem shape up 75 artsy rooms filled with playful decor touches, plus bedding and colourful flair such as the Passion Suite – which also features your own private outdoor terrace with a jacuzzi to kick back and relax in as well as cocoon outdoor lounge furniture promising privacy and exclusivity with a touch of luxury. Surrounded by Chinatown’s iconic temples, hip cafes, lauded hawker fare and quaint shops. Or cap off evenings within The Scarlet’s premises at Barouv Rooftop Bar and chill out over light bites, bubbly cocktails and vibrant neighbourhood views instead. The Scarlet filters the legacy landmarks through a vibrant, sultry lens – amplifying the temptation with every visit to this artful bridge between past and present.
The Scarlet Singapore is located at 33 Erskine Road, Singapore 069333. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6511 3333 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$240 nett.
21 Carpenter
Formerly a 1930s remittance house between Clarke Quay and Boat Quay sits 21 Carpenter – Singapore’s latest boutique hotel where 48 rooms meet sleek contemporary comfort with warm wood notes and full floor-to-ceiling outlooks. The Heritage Wing comprises 26 rooms over the first four floors, including the Heritage 2-Bedroom Suite. As you move on to the top five levels, known as the Urban Wing, you’ll be greeted by 22 contemporary, light-filled rooms, such as the Urban Luxe room, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the city and the bay. Up top, Singapore’s first exposed stainless steel pool overlooks the city from an infinity edge while in Q1, 2024, Michelin-starred Chef Andrew Walsh fires up Kee’s – an European bistro to anchor this stay as the city’s social heart, where you and your loved ones can linger around over comforting food, wines, and refreshing cocktails. Feeling like going out for the night and about but not sure where to explore – their friendly service team are always down to suggest nearby eats or routes to explore by bike.
21 Carpenter is located at 21 Carpenter Street, Singapore 059984. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6373 6988 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$315 nett.
The Warehouse Hotel
Right down the roads of Robertson Quay, The Warehouse Hotel breathes new life into a forgotten 19th century relic. Behind restored brick walls that once housed secret societies now await 37 sleek new guest rooms subtly nodding to the past – such as the River View Suite mixing historic touches with luxury in stays steeped in the building’s intriguing heritage. At Lobby Bar, craft cocktails using local flavours and spices supported by a selection of Asian craft beers, spirits and fine wines shine amid the atmospheric ambience. While Po embraces cultural roots by serving elevated Singaporean staples, aiming to bridge the gap between our nation’s vibrant culinary heritage and our rich collective memories of home-cooked specialities. By honouring its storied history, The Warehouse Hotel has forged an intimate escape where boutique hospitality collides with enduring echoes of the iconic waterfront neighbourhood it calls home.
The Warehouse Hotel is located at 320 Havelock Road, Robertson Quay, 169628. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6828 0000 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$340 nett.
Hotel NuVe Urbane
Just a five-minute walk from Lavender MRT, Hotel NuVe Urbane’s handsome 1950s facade is home to 62 contemporary quarters ready to be your staycation homebase. Check in to unwind in their chic monochrome-style quarters such as the Deluxe Queen – perfect for couples or solo travellers seeking extra space; not to mention some Deluxe Queen rooms offer direct pool access on your balcony if you’d fancy a quick dip. A stone’s throw away, shop at major malls such as City Square Mall, or even the oh-so famous Mustafa Centre for a late night adventure. Of course the surrounding area is not shy of a dynamic cluster of cafes along King George’s Avenue – and if you’re up to walk out just a little bit more to Haji Lane for more exploring. Or stick around to lounge poolside or chill out indoors with your loved ones and loan a variety of games from the front desk such as UNO, Jenga or Snakes & Ladders. However you choose to explore Singapore, Hotel NuVe Urbane is your comfortable refuge just mere minutes from all the action for you to return to after your adventures out and relax right here in the heartbeat of heritage.
Hotel NuVe Urbane is located at 3 King George’s Ave, Singapore 208582. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6372 5299 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$145 nett.
Hotel Mono
Slip into Hotel Mono to uncover a boutique oasis fusing heritage charm and modern spirit. Artfully designed rooms behind the antique windows showcase chic, monochromatic, minimalist style meeting quiet luxury across the 46 tranquil suites, such as the Studio Room – your home away from home with a view plus a comfortable workspace if you’re looking to convert your vacation into a work-cation. Rain showers refresh, plush beds beckon restful retreats, while the neighbourhood never sleeps across charming enclaves alongside Amoy Street, Ann Siang Hill and Club Street tempt with Instagram hotspots, Michelin-rated plates and speakeasy cocktails not to be missed. Come nightfall, riverside nightlife hubs like Clarke Quay beckon – or take in the cityscape of the Central Business District and the Marina Bay skyline – also a leisurely walk from Hotel Mono. If arts and history are more your style, then visit the colonial-era Arts and Civic District, along with the breath taking National Gallery housing the world’s largest collection of Southeast Asian art. Discover an effortless home base balancing tranquillity and access to the neighbourhood’s endless intrigue just waiting to be explored.
Hotel Mono is located at 18 Mosque St, Singapore 059498. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6326 0430 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$150 nett.
The Vagabond Club
Set within a conserved heritage treasure near dynamic districts, The Vagabond Club spotlights 41 bright quarters bathed in Parisian flair. Bespoke furnishings ensure no two stays feel alike as plush bedding guarantees rest is sublime in these artfully adorned rooms. The Deluxe Executive rooms and beyond pampers you with indulgent breakfast spreads and evening wines in the exclusive Club Lounge’s cosy cocktail hospitality. By day, rely on hotel walking maps revealing neighbourhood gems. Come nightfall, sink into The Whiskey Library & Jazz Club’s leather seats to sample their vast collection of bespoke whiskies whilst munching on modern tapas plates from Sexy Indian’s for the ultimate dining experience.
The Vagabond Club is located at 39 Syed Alwi Rd, Singapore 207630. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6291 6677 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$240 nett.
The Maxwell Reserve
Set within Tanjong Pagar’s vibrant epicentre of nightlife, culture and Michelin-starred dining, Maxwell Reserve brings a refreshing members-only concept to one of Singapore’s most dynamic neighbourhoods. Behind the antique patina of conserved shophouses awaits a collection of exclusive venues under one roof – from timelessly elegant cocktail den Isabel and military-themed steakhouse Officer’s Mess Polo Bar to progressive Indian eatery Shikar and plant-based naturalist restaurant Cultivate Café. United by obsession with quality sourcing and culinary creativity, Maxwell Reserve seeks to craft an unforgettable array of experiences – whether through rare vintage pours, ethical organic fare or cleverly reinvented flavours through world-class menus, sharp design and intimacy second-to-none. Discover a second home for revelling in life’s special moments as the member you were born to be.
The Maxwell Reserve is located at 2 Cook St, Singapore 078857. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6914 1400 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$255 nett.
M Social
Part boutique accommodation, part theatrical spectacle – M Social Singapore plays host in an intriguing drama conceived by legendary designer Philippe Starck. Guest stars include the Loft Terrace Room spanning two floors with plenty of lounge space and Alcove Terrace Room, a heavenly glass chapel-inspired ceiling with your own private balcony for a touch of intimacy. Additionally, from now through February 2024, M Social Singapore launches their PERRIER + STARCK Themed Staycation (S$320 per night) in celebration of the 160th anniversary of PERRIER as their signature vivid green hues of energize the Loft Premier Rooms with an exclusive DIY cocktail kit and two glass bottles of PERRIER + STARCK 311ml during your stay. On-site Mediterranean small plates and Asian-inspired flavours share top billing at Beast and Butterflies alongside an array of signature cocktails to tease your taste buds and serve some of the best cocktails by the river amid the eclectic designer flourishes, cutting edge gastronomy discoveries and electric Robertson Quay energy right at the hotel’s doorstep.
M Social is located at 90 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238879. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6206 1888 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$170 nett.
KēSa House
Along Chinatown’s dynamic Keong Saik road, history infuses hip flex spaces at KēSa House with 60 cleverly style loft-style studios mixing smart space solutions like modular furniture with homey touches for travellers longing or briefly stopping through Singapore’s cultural core. By day, acclaimed nearby hawker centres and Michelin restaurants tempt while glittering skyscrapers contrast old and new. By night, world famous cocktail bars share Keong Saik’s atmospheric alleyways. In between your adventures, wind down at the on-site social lounge spaces, a laundry and full kitchen. At KēSa House, the past has paved way to a future where hospitality meets functionality for globe trotters in one vibrant, convenient community.
KēSa House is located at 55 Keong Saik Rd, #01-01, Singapore 089158. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6958 1588 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$147 nett.
The Great Madras
Nestled minutes from Little India’s vibrant metro hub, The Great Madras boutique hotel overflows with colourful character. Beyond neon-signed corridors, discover quirky communal spaces like an Instagrammable cafe and barbershop plus a rooftop pool with charming views. Rooms range from The Luxe Hostel Mix for co-living fans to The Great Suite’s indulgent bathtub splendour and personal space. Despite its intimate size, attractions abound steps outside too – like bustling malls and 24/7 convenience stores attracting travellers seeking a fuss-free homebase.
The Great Madras is located at 28 Madras St, Singapore 208422. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6988 2364 or email [email protected]. Rates start from S$60 nett.
Hotel Telegraph
Right in the heart of Singapore lies Hotel Telegraph, a charming, luxurious 5-star boutique hotel meticulously restored from a neoclassical façade – an ideal escape for business and leisure guests alike blending their heritage with 134 contemporary rooms and suites coupled with exceptional hospitality for an elegant yet comfortable retreat. Unwind and get some well-deserved R&R in the intimate Cosy Room or live large hosting soirees in the opulent VIP Suite. With convenience at your footsteps, take a stroll and admire historical landmarks that surround you – like bustling Lau Pa Sat for a sample of Singaporean fare. Alternatively, indulge in seasonal dining at The Dining Room or admire the sunset whilst sipping on some bubbly booze at their breathtaking skyline-facing rooftop bar, 1927. On weekend getaways or business trips, enjoy Hotel Telegraph’s charming heritage touches blended flawlessly with modern comfort.
Hotel Telegraph is located at Robinson Rd, 35, Singapore 068876. For bookings and more information, please visit the website, call +65 6701 6800 or email r[email protected]. Rates start from S$299 nett.
