By Expedia Singapore, on June 27, 2017

Singapore Staycation Guide

Why say no to a holiday at home? When time is tight, the last thing you want to do is fuss with customs lines at the airport or ferry terminal. All that precious time can be spent on enjoying yourself instead! Staycay is still a vacay! Here are some top Singapore Staycation options.

Staycation Hotels for Every Mood

Eco-Friendly Hotel: Siloso Beach Resort

[one_half]Courtesy of Siloso Beach Resort[/one_half]

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A tropical resort set amidst Singapore’s Sentosa Island, Siloso Beach Resort‘s entire architectural design is built based on their commitment to environmental sustainability. Trees are integrated into the building’s structures, while the swimming pool is made of spring water. How much more natural can they get? Some rooms even have a massive tree growing right in the middle of the room!

Siloso Beach Resort also runs an Eco Tour Programme that educates the public about the sustainable practices, technologies and their environmental initiatives. If you’re a nature lover, this is the rustic escape for you.

If you’ve worked hard on that beach bod, check in to Siloso for an easy saunter down to the beach to show off your killer abs and booty.

Best Hotel Buffet: Royal Plaza on Scotts

Are you big foodie? First off, you have to check out the best hotel buffets in Singapore. So many winning picks there for a foodie’s staycation.

Just to highlight one, Royal Plaza on Scotts is known for their international buffet, having won multiple awards. Prepared in halal-certified kitchens, expect to find Mediterranean, Asian and Indian cuisines, on top of seafood, cheese and tapas. Definitely not for the weak stomachs.

Another hotel known especially for their halal buffets is the Ramada Singapore. The location is outside the city centre so it may not be the top choice for a Singapore staycation, but if you’ve already done a few staycations, then the Ramada in Balestier is worth checking out — for the food and location along the Balestier Heritage Trail. + Read our review here

Family-Friendly Staycation: Swissotel

We’ve listed our favourite child-friendly hotels in Singapore for families looking to enjoy a little break without the fuss of airplanes and airports.

Another hotel to consider for a family staycation is Swissotel Merchant Court. Swissotel knows its way around families, with plenty of amenities for the kids, such as Wii video games, child-friendly bathrooms and kid-sized towels in their Kids’ Room. As if that’s not enough to win young parents over, their swimming pool also has water slides and wading pool for children to frolic in.

They offer an all-inclusive Family Fun Escape package, which includes USS admission tickets and daily ice cream for the children. Connecting rooms are also available for larger families or families with older children. The emphasis on thoughtfulness towards families is truly apparent here at Swissotel.

 Courtesy of Swissotel

Best Boutique Hotel Staycation: Wanderlust Hotel

Courtesy of Wanderlust Hotel

Having won multiple awards for being the best boutique hotel, Wanderlust Hotel is not foreign to regular staycation-ers. Those looking for an affordable yet different staycation experience will naturally veer towards Wanderlust Hotel, for its colourful themed loft rooms. Whether it is retro Pantone or monochrome, stepping into these rooms make for a refreshing experience.

Another excellent designer boutique hotel is Hotel Vagabond. + Read our editor’s hotel review of Hotel Vagabond for a staycation here

Best Heritage Hotel Staycation: AMOY

Voted the Top 10 Historic Hotels in Singapore on TripAdvisor, this boutique hotel is like no other.

AMOY is built within Fuk Tak Chi Museum, invoking nostalgia at every turn. There are ornaments from different historical periods and Chinese oriental design elements adorning the entire property. Unlike other cookie-cutter hotels, no two rooms in AMOY are alike.

Transport yourself back in time for a serious dose of nostalgia, while enjoying all the modern comforts. A treat of a staycation at Amoy.

Best Hotel for Spa Staycation: Capella Singapore

Capella Singapore

Using 100% organic and natural products and based on traditional techniques, Capella Singapore’s in-house spa, Auriga Spa, puts a focus on the body, mind and spirit. Since 2010, Capella Singapore has never failed to win awards yearly for having one of the best five star spa offering pampering spa experiences. From hot to cold facilities, with full body water massage and steam room packages to stimulate your circulation and improve your overall well-being, there is no chance of guests leaving without a fulfilled and rejuvenated smile.

Luxe is definitely the name of the game here. If you’ve got something to celebrate or really want to pamper yourself in Singapore with a staycation somewhere far from the HDB life, check in to Capella Singapore in Sentosa.

+ Read our hotel review of Capella Singapore by Aarika Lee.

Best Hotel For Watching the NDP Fireworks: Pan Pacific Singapore

 Courtesy of Pan Pacific Singapore

Our list of hotels which offer you a view of the National Day fireworks was very popular with you guys. So here’s an update for 2017.

This year, NDP will be held at Marina Bay Floating Platform. Pan Pacific Singapore, with its location at Marina Square, offers uninterrupted views of the National Day fireworks 2017. They are even offering a National Day Fireworks Package from now until 9 August 2017, so you don’t have to jostle with the crowd for a view of the dazzling fireworks display.

Best Hotel For Watching the F1 Singapore Grand Prix: The Ritz Carlton

Strategically located within the race park circuit of Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, be supercharged as you hear the turbo engines rev up your night while catching all of the action from your hotel room of The Ritz Carlton. Rumour has it that The Ritz Carlton is also hosting a post-event party for you to party the night away with the other race fanatics.

+ More hotels with a great view of the F1 Nightrace

+ Review of JW Marriot, previously known as South Beach Hotel – a new hotel with F1 view

 

Best Hotel For Partying: Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

Are you staying in a hotel just so you can have a raucous night with friends without the parentals judging your alcohol-induced choices? Fair enough. Stay in a hotel near the Singapore nightlife zones and hug the toilet bowl as much as you like.

Situated right in the heart of Clarke Quay, Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay is right along the banks of the historical Singapore River. Being surrounded by some of the top clubs in Singapore, such as Zouk, Attica, F Club, Trace and Club Nana makes Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay an excellent hotel to spend a guys’ night out, hen night or a party weekend. With more than 150 restaurants and bars around the area, your night will always stay young.

Most Romantic Hotel for Couples Staycation: The Scarlet Singapore

From the red, black and velvet themed colours to the warm, dimmed lighting that surround the entire hotel, The Scarlet Singapore promises to be one of the most romantic hotels in Singapore.

Hanging from the reception is a chandelier to greet your royal arrival. Top that with intimate, sensuous interiors, and you and your partner are all set to satisfy your royal fantasies. If that’s not enough, immerse in a warm bath with the scented bath salts that came with the bathtub, and I promise you it will be a night to remember. A staycation in The Scarlet Singapore is a perfect anniversary idea, or for couples who just want some couple time together.

Go offshore to Pulau Bin for your very own island retreat

Pulau Ubin

Not into all the luxury fancy-pants stuff? It’s nice to get away from the high rise city life and enjoy a simple staycation too.

Find your own little space in one of Singapore’s many islands. For families, you can’t go wrong booking a hotel on Sentosa. The hotels at Resorts World offers plenty of family-friend ameneties and easy access to the popular Universal Studios Theme Park.

Those with castaway island fantasies should take a ferry from the Marina South ferry terminal to Saint John’s island. On Saint John’s, pull out your own fishing rod to snag your dinner before retiring to the rooms in the holiday bungalows. Don’t forget to bring plenty of food and water as there aren’t any shops here!

Make it a point to stop at Kusu island on the way back. After you finish exploring the temple and hilltop kramats, go for a dip in the idyllic lagoon. This is one of the rare spots around Singapore with clear waters for swimming.

Yearning for the simple old days? For a slice of ‘kampung’ Singapore, start your day with some delicious nasi lemak at the Changi Village hawker centre before puttering out on a bumboat to Pulau Ubin.

Rent a bike to roam the island, explore temples, mangrove swamps and rustic houses along the way before staying the night at the Celestial Resort. The resort has its own strip of beach from which you can swim or kayak out.

Do a ‘farmstay’ in Kranji

Space-starved Singapore is often associated with skycrapers and malls rather than farmland. What’s little known, even to locals, are the farms in the Kranji area. Back in 2005, Kranji farmers founded the Kranji Countryside Association as as way to collectively promote their businesses. Today, visitors can expect to get a very hands-on experience at a myriad of farms: from vegetables to fishes, flowers and even frogs (!).

Getting around is easy. There’s an hourly shuttle bus which leaves from the Kranji MRT station, stopping at several key attractions including the Kranji village, dam, Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, Gardenaisa, D’kranji, Bollywood Veggies and the Jurong Frog Farm.

The area even has its own resort. The D’Kranji Farm Resort is located on 5 hectares of farmland. Stroll the grounds to discover watermelon, jackfruit, bittergourd and other fruits and vegtables. The in-house fish farm gives you and family a change to catch your own prawns and fish.

 

Pitch a tent

Fishing at East Coast Park

Head to the breezy East Coast Park with 185-hectare’s of beachfront real estate stretched across 15km. You can pitch a tent to stay a night or three for a more outdoorsy Singapore staycation.

In the day, hire bicycles and take a jaunt all the way up to Changi or try wakeboarding via a cable ski at Ski360°. If you’re not up for anything heart racing, grab some bait and go fishing.

For meals, find a public barbeque pit along the beach and cook up a storm. Or tuck into some local hawker delights (satay, oyster omelette and more!) and ice-cold beer at the East Coast Hawker Centre.

Don’t forget to apply for your camping permit through the National Parks. You can do so at numerous AXS machines which dot the island. If you aren’t so much into camping, you could elect to stay at the Goldkist chalets which has its own swimming pools and BBQ facilities.

 

Most Luxurious Hotel: Raffles Hotel

It’s not often that you can take a timeout and allow yourself the luxuries of being waited on. So check into a luxury hotel and enjoy soft comfortable beds draped with high-thread count sheets and leave the pampering to the professionals at Singapore’s best hotels.

For a touch of colonial class,  try the genteel and refined – and super famous – Raffles Hotel. Sip cocktails and chuck peanut shells over your shoulder at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar, birthplace of the deliciously tropical Singapore Sling cocktail. Yes, we know it’s pretty pricey and not the same as it used to be. But it’s still iconic. You can’t stay at the Raffles Hotel and NOT have a Singapore Sling.

The Raffles Hotel has hosted some serious VIP guests over the years, including royalty. So walk in the footsteps of the greats and see what the celebrities experience when they come to take a peek at our little island.

Not into all this colonial hoo ha? No fear. There’s no lack of luxury hotels in Singapore. If you’re into a little more pampering, long luxurious soaks in the butler-drawn bath are in order at the Ritz-Carlton. Or treat yourself to a body scrub and massages at Shangri La’s in-house spa, CHI before indulging in high tea at the Rose Veranda…

 

And there’s some fun ways to enjoy a Singapore staycation. The rest is up to you!


Singapore Staycation Deals

Looking to book a cheap staycation? Find Singapore Staycation deals and discounts on Expedia.com.sg. Enjoy bonus perks at the different hotels such as inclusive breakfast or complimentary upgrades. Find out more on our staycation deals page.

This is a refresh of an article that was first published in 2014. 

Feature image: Capella Hotel Singapore