Introduction
Singapore’s premier conference and exhibition hub, Marina Bay, is not short of high-end hotels and The Ritz‑Carlton Millenia is one of the OGs, having been a fixture here since 1996. With 32 floors, topped by the excellent Club Lounge, this Marina Bay landmark, with its distinctive octagonal windows, offers sweeping views of Marina Bay Sands and the CBD skyline and blends classic Ritz Carlton design with a large contemporary art collection that includes works by the likes of Andy Warhol. The polished and attentive service, elevated F&B offerings and prime location make the Ritz a magnet for everything from corporate offsites to vacationing retirees.
Rooms in the sky with the best view of Singapore city
The hotel offers 608 spacious rooms and suites, each decked out in muted off-white tones and blonde wood veneer that nod to its 90s vintage. Large windows frame postcard panoramas of Marina Bay or Kallang River.If possible, I suggest opting for one of the Marina Bay view rooms: the price premium justifies the clearly superior view. And the Ritz Carlton’s typically plush pillow-top beds, marble bathrooms, Diptyque toiletries, Nespresso machines and high-speed internet all combine to ensure a stay that is as comfortable as you would expect. For a more exclusive experience, opt for one of the Club rooms, which offeraccess to the 32nd-floor lounge, private check‑in, and the personalized service that comes with it (see below for more on the lounge).
Tropical resort pool in the heart of the city
Luxurious home away from home - the memorable Club Lounge
The Club Lounge, open to guests staying in suites and club rooms, offers a welcome sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city and offers the most elevated and sweeping views of the city available at the hotel. The service in the Club is masterful: attentive, polished and personalised. Every member of staff who works here takes pride in their job – and it shows.
Possibly the Club’s greatest strength is its five daily culinary presentations, which comprise a comprehensive breakfast spread, a light lunch, afternoon tea, supper and dessert. In most hotels’ club lounges, two or three food presentations is the default so the five presentations here is exceptional. More important than quantity, though, is quality – in that regard, the Ritz Carlton is just as much of an overachiever as it is in the quantity department! At breakfast, the eggs being churned out of the eggs station taste more like the product of a French culinary school practicum than the roadside diner-esque preparations that are unfortunately the norm of many so-called five-star hotels.Later in the day, you can expect a mix of Aussie/Kiwi café-style renditions of zesty dishes (think grilled chicken with harissa sauce and Dutch carrots doused in Chermoula dressing) and authentic local specialities, served as they should be (think a curated selection of “kueh”, which are Indo-Malaysian snacks made with ingredients like glutinous rice, coconut, and palm sugar).
I cannot recommend the Club Lounge enough for anyone seeking a premium experience: the top-tier service and food makes for a relaxed and luxurious “hotel within a hotel” experience.
Michelin-starred Dining
Summer Pavilion is the hotel’s Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, helmed by Chef Cheng Siu Kong, who is originally from Hong Kong and has been with the restaurant in 2003. With its plush carpeting, padded seating, high ceilings and Italian porcelain tableware hand-painted with floral motifs, Summer Pavillion is, it appears, a hot ticket in town for everything from client dinners to family gatherings and dates.
The menu reads like textbook high-end Cantonese restaurant: think BBQ meats elevated by premium ingredients like Iberico pork, the face-giving and symbolically rich delicacies of braised abalone and birds nest and live seafood, alongside more humble classics like sweet and sour pork and poached rice with dried seafood.
Luxury speaks not in volume, but in elegance
Stepping into the hotel is a bit like entering a municipal art gallery: the minimalist – even bare – lobby is dominated by a gigantic sculpture and bathed in light filtering through the dramatically large windows. The Frank Stella “Cornucopia” sculpture is a three-tonne fiberglass hulk suspended from the ceiling apparently inspired by a sun visor! Off to the side of the lobby, there is a more residential and warm feeling library and lounge area (designed by tonychi studios), with its wood-clad interiors, plush seating, and discreet partitions. Beyond the lobby, every corner of the hotel is decorated with pieces from the hotel’s 4,200 piece contemporary art collection, 90% of the pieces of which are said to have been specially commissioned for the hotel, with approximately 250 pieces constituti–g museum-quality art pieces.
