Goodwood Park Hotel’s Rose Marie Suite
Photo Courtesy of Goodwood Park Hotel
It’s no longer enough for a hotel to simply have a presidential suite. In Singapore, some hotels have two top-tier suites. Others prefer to give their most over-the-top units distinguishable names, like “Chairman,” “Rose Marie” and “Extreme Wow.”
It should come as no surprise that Singapore — a cosmopolitan city that has its roots in Southeast Asian culture — has a stunning variety of luxury accommodations, from heritage-rich colonial sleeps to rockstar-style pads filled with modern art. These are some stunning offerings:
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
Perched on the top floor (32nd) of Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, The Ritz Suite has more than just unobstructed views of the waterfront going for it; the suite, decorated in familiar hues of beige and brown, has a six-foot Jacuzzi looking straight onto the Marina Bay, a brand-new entertainment room with a 65-inch LCD television, a Sonos sound system and customizable game consoles.
This 2,347-square-foot space has been the home-away-from-home for heads of state, CEOs of multi-national corporations, international pop stars and royalty. Though modern-classic in feel, contemporary art buffs will appreciate the suite’s Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst pieces.
Marina Bay Sands’ Chairman Suite, Photo Courtesy of Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands
At 6,770 square feet, the Chairman Suite at Four-Star Marina Bay Sands — the Moshe Safdie-designed hotel best known for its infinity pool — is the most imposing on this round-up.
Spanning three furnished balconies that look out onto the city skyline and the equally striking Gardens by the Bay, this 54th-level suite has two living rooms, two bars, his-and-hers bathrooms, an exercise room, a game room, a media room, Jacuzzi tubs and a massage area. Depending on the area, the theme is either black-and-granite or gold-and-earth tones.
Raffles Singapore
The Four-Star hotel, known as the Grande Dame of Singapore, has two presidential options: the Sarkies Suite and the Sir Stamford Raffles Suite, both inspired by Singapore’s colonial bungalows of the 1920s. The former was named after the family who established Raffles hotel, and the latter for the founder of British Colonial Singapore.
The 2,800-square-foot Sarkies Suite is a spacious, elegant escape flanked by original pintu pagar (half doors) from one of Singapore’s old seaside bungalows. Within its heritage doors, you’ll find precious, handwoven Oriental carpets made in Iran between 1930 and 1935, a large dining table with hand-forged brass fittings, and Tiffany & Co. Audubon silver flatware and matching china. The private verandah looks onto a tropical paradise of traveler’s palms and frangipani trees.
The old colonial bungalow architecture is the main focus in the Sir Stamford Raffles Suite, so expect to see an early-20th-century Chinese-Annamese coffee table finely inlaid with mother-of-pearl scenes; a large, early-1910s teak sideboard in the dining room; and selection of 1870-published London prints from Sir Stamford Raffles’ scholarly The History of Java enhancing the space.
Bill Clinton, the duke and duchess of Cambridge, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Michael Jackson, Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Louboutin, Johnny Depp and Elizabeth Taylor have all been guests.
Goodwood Park Hotel
The top accommodations at this 1900-founded Forbes Travel Guide Recommended property is the Rose Marie Suite. The 2,800-square-foot selection is serviced by a private elevator that leads straight in to its spacious neoclassical-arched colonnade lounge.
The rest of the space includes a leather-paneled study, a grand dining room and a balcony that overlooks the busy Orchard area, so you are right by the shopping action. Monet prints accent the walls and a stunning chandelier glitters in the center of the lounge.
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Many global leaders have passed through this Four-Star hotel’s private elevator and entrance into the Shangri-La Suite. The two-bedroom oasis on the 17th floor of the Valley Wing is fitted with walnut timber flooring, which extends toward the large balcony that looks out onto the property’s landscaped gardens and swimming pools.
Silk bedspreads and cushions; marble imported from Spain, Egypt and Middle East; personalized bathrobes and pillowcases; and Wedgewood tea sets spell elegance and exclusivity. On the cream and beige walls hang 20 paintings by artists of international acclaim.
And that’s not it: The 3,745-square-foot suite also has a private gymnasium and a Jacuzzi. What an earthly paradise.
The St. Regis’ Presidential Suite, Photo Courtesy of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc
The St. Regis Singapore
Hillary Clinton has stayed at this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel. So have Chinese presidents Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, and it’s clear why — The St. Regis’ stately 3,605-square-foot Presidential Suite on the penthouse floor is adorned with intricate details (hand-painted silk panels, custom-made Czech crystal chandeliers, Breche de Benou marble and Jim Thompson silk throws), a baby grand piano and artwork by masters such as Marc Chagall, Sam Francis and Mark Tobey.
Though the view of Singapore’s Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from the hand-polished brass swing on the wraparound terrace sets the mood, it’s the bespoke service provided by The St. Regis butlers that takes the elegance to even great heights.
W Singapore, Sentosa Cove
Of course, this trend-forward Forbes Travel Guide Recommended treat would pick a rambunctious name for its presidential suite: the Extreme Wow Suite is almost 2,100 square feet of rock-star-approved embellishments.
Within its colorful walls, you’ll see royal purple glass, a marble foyer, a silver shard ceiling installation, a leather studded sofa, a standalone stainless-steel Jacuzzi bathtub and, in the bedroom, a mirrored headboard and ceiling. Bold sliding glass doors open up to a stone terrace that looks out to the South China Sea, for those private, reflective moments.
Swissôtel The Stamford
One of the tallest hotels in Singapore has an impressive presidential suite on its 65th floor: The 1,500-square-foot suite (which also can be expanded to 2,260 square feet) with a private balcony has unhampered views of the city.
A dedicated check-in on the same floor leads straight into the fabulous flat, which has been decorated with lavish Swiss- and Singapore-style furnishings (think Swiss sofas, Singapore-made tables and opulent chandeliers). These European influences aren’t simply the result of the hotel group being headquartered in Switzerland, though; Singapore has long been referred to as the “Switzerland of Southeast Asia.”
