The HeadquartersRitz-Carlton Millenia – 610 rooms (22 suites)
7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039 799
The newest lighthouse on the shores of the ‘Lion City’ is also its most brilliant. 32 floors of grandiose accommodations (the rooms, all with a spectacular view over city or harbor, are the largest and most luxurious in the city) and grand living (between the futuristic SUNTEC convention complex and the glassed-in shop-yourself-to-death Marina Centre). You will find all of the Ritz-Carlton amenities you are used to, even a little more impressive than in Hong Kong or Seoul. The gardens form a beautiful passé-partout, the interior décor an atmospheric ambiance and the service a home-away-from-home feeling. And in the Ritz-Carlton Club life is led at the top not only geographically. Fitness centre, pool and tennis for a physical balance, restaurants with Cantonese, Mediterranean and Californian cuisine for bodily pleasures and the knowledge of being in the ‘right hands’ for spiritual satisfaction.
The Business HotelRegent – 441 rooms (47 suites)
1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715
So you think a business hotel in Singapore must be located amongst the skyscraping banks of Shenton Way with its lobby serving as a dependence of the Stock Exchange? Well then, what about residing in a tranquil oasis alongside the Botanical Gardens, surrounded by the major embassies and still only a short stroll from the boiling Central Business District and the bubbling shopping nirvana of Orchard Road. Don’t worry: the technological arms for a materialistic Armageddon are all under the roof of the John-Portman-atrium pyramid, only camouflaged by the artisanry of Asian masters. Exotic interior design and private balconies for the suites, a luxuriant pool and gymnasium balance the stress. And the round-the-clock service (even for laundry and dry-cleaning) saves you the extra headache. A romantic rendezvous at the Tea Lounge or jazzy leisure at The Bar, a calorie-conscious menu on Capers Terrace or a gourmet feast a la Cantonese at the Summer Palace – even a gala night at Maxim’s de Paris: Right here at The Regent!
The Conference RetreatShangri-La – 827 rooms (55 suites)
Orange Grove Road, Singapore 1025
Welcome to Singapore’s ‘other’ botanical garden with its riot of tropical flora, a built-in waterfall, flowered balconies and a resort-like pool area. Just round the corner from the shopping frenzy of Orchard Road and not far from the Battery Road commercial area, you will feel you’re in the woods away from the bustle. Service and efficiency are typically Shangri-La. If you live leisurely in a Garden Wing suite, high up in the Tower with Singapore at your feet or in elegance and luxury in the Valley Wing, the staff will make you forget that there are 1,000 others looking for personal attention as well. You’ve got a lot of business and pleasure on hand; private secretaries, chic meeting rooms, all the machinery and a concierge to act as your assistant. A plethora of sports facilities balance the run for the restaurants and bars, with Latour an elegant gourmet favorite, Shang Palace a decorative dining hall a la Cantonese, penthouse Nadaman for kaiseki specialties, the Waterfall Café for snacks and ambiance and Xanadu one of the hottest nightspots.
The Charm HotelRaffles – 104 suites
1 Beach Road, Singapore 0718
Happy days are here again. Everyone wants to stay here. Everyone who is anyone has. Forgive the droves of tourists beleaguering the driveway for a glimpse or a souvenir shot. It’s just the most beautiful building in the city state, and they are only allowed in the public areas. With its courtyards, restaurants and bars, Raffles is the center of social life and meeting point for the world. Material are unique, objects researched, antiques authentic. Edwardian comfort, once reserved for royalty, stars and roving beaux esprits, has been spruced up for the new elite by adding electronics and communication a la Singapore. The colonial architecture, atmospheric design, tropical flora and historical costumes create a stage where even an overnight stay becomes a theatrical interlude in a business trip. No wonder Somerset Maugham summed it all up by saying that “Raffles stands for all the fables of the exotic East”.
The HideawayBerjaya Hotel – 49 rooms and suites
83 Duxton Road, Singapore 0208
The newest, most lovingly decorated, intimate hideaway of Singapore, blends in with the fashionable entertainment, boutique and artsy surroundings. There is no Grand Hotel pomp and circumstance, but a country-house warmth, a welcoming staff and a tasteful interior, from the marble and wood entrée to the pastel-colored privacy of the duplex suites, comfortable enough for visiting executives and wandering stars. All rooms are differently designed, complete with the communication gadgets of a life in the fast lane. Details reveal the guiding hand of Esther Su, whose style has brought a hint of French savoir-vivre to the eastern metropolis. L’Aigle d’Or is all romantic lighting, fine arts, and a table setting elegant enough for a formal celebration, with a culinary ambition worthy of the City of Light. This home-away-from-from has a dependance in Singapore.
The RetreatBeaufort – 214 rooms and suites, 4 garden villas
2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa, Singapore
You can still take the cable car across the bay and walk through the botanical beauty at Singapore’s most luxurious resort on Sentosa Island, but most likely you will use the new private causeway to be limousined to Ed Turttel’s architectural interpretation of guest life at the top. How relaxing to come back from business in the city to a designer room, a garden villa, an Oceanside pool. A walk through the wild groves, the manicured pastures and the airy hallways will make you forget about the city altogether. Drinks on the verandah, a barbecue at Siggi’s or an elegant dinner in the tropics with a world cuisine to go with it in the Dining Room, remind you that calm and charm are so important to survive hectic and hassle. Get fit at the spa, concentrate on the golf course and let your hair down after a most spectacular sunset. The symphony of lights at night at night in tune with flowers and objets d’art make the Beaufort the preferred theater of romance. And for its generously laid-out banquet and conference rooms, it is the favorite arena for corporate sessions.
The Business RetreatFour Seasons – 257 rooms (43 suites)
190 Orchard Boulevard, Singapore 1024
"This is a warm-hearted hotel that feels like a boutique, with exceptional staff and cuisine." The Gallivanter's Guide, September 2007. An oasis of calm nestled in a lush garden setting, Four Seasons is around the corner from Orchard Road – Singapore’s Fifth Avenue – and just minutes from the financial district. Furnished with 1,500 Asian art pieces, it exudes the ambience of a grand private residence.
