Finding the best place to stay in Singapore is not always easy as it depends largely on the type of trip you are making or the type of hotel you want to stay in.
With this in mind, in this post we want to break down the best places to stay in Singapore, evaluating the pros and cons of each one of them.
Based on our visit to the city, during which we wrote this 6-day travel guide to Singapore, we leave you with a selection of places to stay in Singapore and the best neighbourhoods and hotels. Let's get started!
Neighbourhoods where to stay in Singapore
The first and most important thing to know is that Singapore is one of the smallest countries in Asia. Despite this, the city is not particularly small, so there are many areas where you can sleep as well as many accommodation options, most of them at high prices.
Given that the vast majority of travellers stay in the city for only a few days, we will focus on the areas that are closest to the tourist attractions and that we believe are the best places to sleep in Singapore, but we also want to show you which districts you can find.
South West: this is not one of the most visited areas of the city. Here we can find the Western Nature Catchment Park, the Singapore Science Centre or the JCube shopping centre.
North West: here we find the Singapore Zoo, one of the most visited places in the city. Despite this, and following our commitment to responsible tourism, we advise you never to visit this type of facility, which keeps animals in captivity.
Central Region (Central): this is the most touristic area and the one we are going to focus on in this post as it is the best place to stay in Singapore.
Within this area there are 3 main areas:Chinatown and surroundings: here we can find one of the most important Chinatowns in the world where you can enjoy the temples and gastronomy of the country. Nearby you will also find Little India, another of the most important and touristic neighbourhoods of the city.
Marina: we could say that this is the financial area of the city, where you can find the impressive Gardens by the Bay, the impressive Marina Bay Sands hotel, with its incredible infinity pool, the Marina Square shopping centre, the Museum of Art and Science as well as Fort Canning and Merlion, one of the icons of the city.
This is also where the nightly OCBC Garden Rhapsody shows are held at Gardens by the Bay and Spectra, the light, water and sound show that the Marina Bay Sands Hotel puts on for free several times a day. For us it is the best place to sleep in Singapore.Sentosa: this island is known for being a leisure centre in the city where you can spend a full day. Highlights include Universal Studios Singapore, Imbiah Lookout, Siloso Point and Siloso Beach.
North East Region: Here you will find the Senkang neighbourhood, where you can see typical residential areas.
South West: Here you will find the island of Pulau Ubin, famous for travellers who want to see some of Singapore's lesser-known places. The Taoist temple Wei Tou Fa Gong, Changi Beach and Ketam Park are located here.
1. Marina Bay, the best place to stay in Singapore
Known for being home to some of the must-see places to visit in Singapore, such as Gardens by the Bay or the impressive Marina Bay Sands, the best accommodation in Singapore, this area is for us the best place to stay in Singapore.
In addition to these places you will also find the Formula 1 street circuit and a wide range of accommodation and restaurants as well as entertainment at any time of the day and one of the most famous shopping centres in the city and the world.
The price of accommodation in Marina Bay is usually around 100-150 euros per night although you can find more affordable options as well as more expensive options.
Recommended hotels in Marina Bay
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Marina Bay, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Marina Bay, the best place to stay in Singapore
Marina Bay Sands Hotel
In this case we would like to make special mention of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the world, for having the largest infinity pool on a rooftop terrace in the world and an incredible viewpoint, as well as impressive facilities.
Although the accommodation is not particularly cheap, around 350 euros a night for the cheapest room, whenever you can, we recommend spending at least one night, as we assure you it is one of the most recommended places to stay in Singapore, if not the most.
We stayed 5 nights and we assure you that the experience was unforgettable and we have no doubt that when we return to Singapore, we will stay here again.
We leave you a post in which we talk about all the details of this accommodation, which are the best rooms, prices...etc.
Marina Bay Sands infinity pool
2. Downtown and Singapore River, other options to sleep in Singapore
Along with Marina Bay, the Downtown area and the River area we believe are the best areas to stay in Singapore as they are very well connected and have a great offer of restaurants, accommodation and entertainment, especially in Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.
In addition to this, if you like walking, you can access most of the tourist attractions on foot as it is very close to everything.
Like the previous one, this area is not particularly cheap either, although if you look around and book early you can find bargains.
The price of accommodation in Downtown and Singapore River is usually around 100-150 euros per night, although you can find more affordable options as well as more expensive ones.
Recommended hotels in Downtown and Singapore River
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Downtown and Singapore River:
Downtown and Singapore River, other options to stay in Singapore.
3. Chinatown, an option for cheap hotels in Singapore
Although for us it is not the most recommended area to stay in Singapore, if you are a lover of Chinese culture, this is undoubtedly the best option you can find to sleep in Singapore.
In addition to having a wide range of restaurants and accommodation, Chinatown is very well connected to the rest of the city and you can even walk to many of Singapore's main attractions.
Accommodation in Chinatown is usually priced at around 60 euros per night.
Recommended hotels in Chinatown
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Chinatown:
Chinatown, an option when looking for cheap hotels in Singapore.
4. Kampong Glam, the Muslim Quarter and one of the backpacker areas of Singapore
Kampong Glam is one of the places you can't miss on your trip but it is also a highly recommended area to stay in Singapore if your budget is tight because here you can find hotels at quite cheap prices compared to the rest of the city.
The neighbourhood is also very well served by public transport and, like the previous one, if you like to walk, you can reach the main tourist attractions within a short stroll.
Life in this neighbourhood is concentrated in Arab Street, the main artery, and the Sultan Mosque, one of the icons of the neighbourhood. It is also famous for its 19th century houses, which nowadays have a multitude of shops and restaurants on the ground floor where you can eat at much cheaper prices than in the city centre.
Accommodation in Kampong Glam usually costs around 40 euros per night.
Recommended hotels in Kampong Glam
Here are the most recommended accommodation options we have found based on value for money to stay in Kampong Glam:
Arab Quarter, one of Singapore's backpacker areas.
5. Little India, another budget area to stay in Singapore
Although there is not as much choice of accommodation and restaurants as in other areas of the city, if you're on a tight budget, Little India can be a good option for a place to stay in Singapore.
With some colourful streets and street art taking centre stage, this neighbourhood is starting to open up to tourism and nowadays it seems that many travellers are choosing to stay in this area.
The price of accommodation in Little India is usually around 40 euros per night.
Recommended hotels in Little India
Here are the accommodation options we have found in Little India:
Little India, another budget area to stay in Singapore.
6. Orchard Road, the shopping area where to stay in Singapore.
Although for us it is not the best option to stay in Singapore, if you want to stay in a luxury hotel, in a modern area with a multitude of shops, this may be a recommendable option.
Despite being away from the main tourist attractions, Orchard Road is very well connected to the rest of the city, so you won't have any problems getting around.
The price of accommodation in Orchard Road is usually around 100 euros per night.
Recommended hotels in Orchard Road
Here are the accommodation options we have found in Orchard Road taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Orchard Road, Singapore's shopping area
7. Sentosa Island, a good choice if you're travelling with kids
Although it wouldn't be our choice for a trip to the city, if you're travelling with children (or not) and want to enjoy an amusement park, Sentosa Island could be a good option for a place to stay in Singapore.
Keep in mind that it is far from the rest of the city's tourist attractions, although it is well connected by public transport.
The price of accommodation on Sentosa Island is usually around 150-200 euros per night.
Recommended hotels in Sentosa Island
Here are the accommodation options we have found in Sentosa Island taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Our recommended accommodation to stay in Singapore
As we have already mentioned, our accommodation in Singapore was the Marina Bay Sands and although we know that its price is not particularly cheap, whenever you can, we believe that spending at least one night is a unique and unforgettable experience that can also become another of the experiences to live in Singapore.
After our experience, when we come back to Singapore we will definitely stay in the Marina Bay area or in the city centre, as we think they are the best places to stay in Singapore.
Where to stay in Singapore, one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Best hotels in Singapore
In addition to all the places to stay in Singapore that we have recommended in this post, if you want to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the city and treat yourself, these options we believe are the best to enjoy a few unique days in the city.
Singapore
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Singapore
Although we hope we have helped you choose the best place to stay in Singapore with the previous recommendations of areas and hotels, we leave you with a selection of extra tips to stay in the city.
You've already seen that Singapore doesn't have many budget hotels, so if your budget allows and you're going to stay in one of the expensive ones, we recommend you opt for the Marina Bay area and especially the Marina Bay Sands. We assure you that you won't regret it.
Although it is a city in which you can explore many of its attractions on foot, there are areas that you will have to reach by transport, so if you have to stay in a neighbourhood far from the centre, don't worry, the city is very well connected and taxi fares are very cheap.
As you can see, there is accommodation to suit all budgets in most areas of Singapore, although the cheapest accommodation tends to be in shared rooms or capsule hotels. Keep this in mind if you're only staying for a few days as it can be a great alternative.
Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card- they are the ones we use, they are free and they will save you a lot of money.
Once you have found the ideal place to sleep in Singapore you can organise your routes around the city with the following guides and posts:
Singapore in 6 days
15 must-see places to visit in Singapore
Singapore in one day
Singapore in 2 days
Singapore in 3 days
Singapore Travel Tips
Marina Bay Sands, the best accommodation in Singapore
