Singapore is one of those cities where the choice of hotel decides the whole holiday more than anything else.

Not because of the quality of the hotels - they're usually great. But the location, the price and how much time you spend moving around

💡 My experience:
In reality, though, it's not such a big deal. On the map, Singapore is a big city, but in reality, most of the attractions are in the compact centre around Downtown and Marina Bay.

Find a hotel in downtown Singapore

Where to stay in Singapore

Here's a quick summary and a rundown of the best places to stay:

• Marina Bay → best location but most expensive hotels
• Clarke Quay / Riverside → ideal price/location combination
• Orchard Road → hotels, shopping malls, approx. 15 minutes by metro to downtown
• Bugis / Chinatown → cheapest option, often small local hotels or hostels

👉 If it's your first time in Singapore, don't worry about it and go to Marina Bay or nearby. It's worth it.

Marina Bay: top location

This is the hub of everything.

• ✅ Walk to the main attractions (Gardens by the Bay, the promenades and Downtown and Lau Pa Sat)
• ✅ great evening atmosphere
• ✅ the best views
• ❌ hotel prices among the highest in the city

👉 The best hotels in Marina Bay:

• Marina Bay Sands - an iconic hotel with an infinity pool; pricey, but an experience you won't get anywhere else
• The Fullerton Hotel Singapore - a historic bayside hotel with a top location and better value than Marina Bay Sands

View all Marina Bay hotels

Marina Bay Sands (most famous hotel)

Marina Bay Sands isn't just a hotel. It's an experience.

• 👉 infinity pool
• 👉 views of the entire city
• One of the most iconic buildings in the world

💡 My experience:
Yes, it's expensive. But the experience is really special.

• 🏨 If you're hesitating: read my detailed review of our stay at Marina Bay Sands (we actually stayed there and I break down if it's worth the money)
• 💬 Do you have a favourite hotel or location in Singapore? Inspire us and other travellers in the comments below. Thanks!

Clarke Quay & Riverside: best price/location ratio

For me, the smartest choice for most people.

• ✅ close to the centre
• ✅ metro + walking distance
• ✅ cheaper hotels than around Marina Bay
• ❌ not so good evening life, but you can realistically walk to Marina Bay in 15 minutes

Ideal if you don't want to pay Marina Bay prices.

👉 Recommended hotels near Clarke Quay:

• Park Regis Singapore - modern hotel a few minutes from the river with excellent value for money
• ibis budget Singapore Clarke Quay - the cheapest option in an accessible location

Find a hotel near Clarke Quay

Orchard Road: the best for shopping

Orchard Road is one of the most famous luxury shopping avenues in Asia.

• ✅ Lots of hotels of all categories
• ✅ great shopping opportunities
• ✅ quieter than downtown
• ❌ further from the centre (15 minutes by metro)

👉 Tips for Orchard Road hotels:

• York Hotel Singapore - large rooms and good price for Singapore
• JEN Singapore Orchardgateway by Shangri-La - modern hotel with rooftop pool right by the metro

Compare Orchard Road hotels

Chinatown: the cheapest area

This is the first choice of most travellers looking to save money.

• ✅ The largest concentration of cheap hotels
• ✅ Central location with several subway lines
• ✅ cheap food (lots of hawker centres)
• ❌ often not very good quality hotels
• ❌ not as authentic atmosphere as other Chinatowns around the world

👉 Best cheap hotels:

• Rest Chinatown (formerly Hotel 1888 Collection) - stylish hotel in Chinatown, often the best value for money
• Jyu Capsule Hotel - a very well rated capsule

Find the cheapest hotels in Chinatown

Aljunied / Geylang: an alternative cheap area

This one's further away from the centre, but popular with travellers who really want to save money while staying in a standard hotel rather than a hostel.

Just be warned, the area has a bit of a specific feel to it, as parts of Geylang are the only legal "red-light-district" in Singapore.

• ✅ Very cheap hotels including international chains
• ✅ Located on the Green Line Metro (towards downtown and Changi Airport)
• ❌ specific nightlife (red-light district)
• ❌ further to the city centre (about 15-20 minutes by metro)

👉 I once stayed in this hotel for 1 night for a very low price. Nothing fancy, but it served the purpose well:

• ibis budget Singapore Crystal

Show all hotels in Geylang

Sentosa

A fun island full of theme parks, thrill rides and beaches located about 30 minutes by public transport from the centre.

I recommend staying here only if Sentosa is your main destination in Singapore.

• ✅ A large number of quality hotels
• ✅ close to theme parks and beaches
• ❌ far from the city centre
• ❌ no local atmosphere, definitely prefer downtown to explore Singapore

Top 5 hotels on Sentosa Island

How much do hotels in Singapore cost

Accommodation is usually the most expensive item when travelling to Singapore.

• Budget (hostel or budget hotel in Chinatown) - 85 sgd
• standard - 220 sgd
• luxury - from 500 sgd

When are hotels in Singapore the most expensive?

Singapore does not have one main tourist season, so accommodation prices are similar throughout the year.

Because Singapore has a really wide range of hotels, there's no need to book far in advance.

For example, Marina Bay Sands, where we stayed, has similar prices when booking 3 months and 3 weeks in advance.

How would I choose a hotel today

If I were to go again:

• 2-3 days → Marina Bay Sands (the ultimate experience)
• 3-5 days → Clarke Quay (best value for money)
• budget → Chinatown

Find the perfect hotel in Singapore

Where did we stay?

Finally, we add our personal experiences of where we stayed during our stays in Singapore.

I've written detailed reviews of both hotels, including photos and what we didn't like.

• 🏨 Marina Bay Sands - an icon that I just had to try. And it did not disappoint!
• 🏨 Swissôtel The Stamford - the hotel with the best view of Marina Bay