Introduction
The incredible Ritz‑Carlton Millenia Singapore is an OG amongst the prestigious luxury hotels in Marina Bay, having been a fixture since 1996. With 32 floors, topped by the excellent Club Lounge, this 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 discerning vacationers.
Rooms in the sky with the panoramic views
The hotel rooms are decked out in classy muted off-white tones and blonde wood veneer. Large windows frame postcard panoramas of Marina Bay and the city of Singapore. If possible, I suggest opting for one of the Marina Bay view rooms: the price premium justifies the clearly superior view. The hotel’s plush pillow-top beds, fluffy bathrobes, marble bathrooms, Diptyque amenities, Nespresso machines, European bottled water, and fruit platters all come together to ensure a luxurious stay. For a more exclusive experience, opt for one of the Club rooms, which offer access to the 32nd-floor Club Lounge, private check‑in, and the personalised service that comes with it (see below for more on the Club Lounge).
We stayed in the wonderfully luxurious Club Premier Suite (pictured below), which I cannot recommend highly enough. With breathtaking views from every room and angle, it is the perfect place to create memories that last a lifetime.
A luxurious bubble bath while watching the city go by.
Tropical resort pool in the heart of the city
The Ritz Carlton’s outdoor swimming pool is a lush retreat in the heart of the city, cradled in a quiet bubble of tropical greenery between the dramatically proportioned porte-cochère above and the discreet road-level entrance below. The tall, tropical trees make you feel like you’re on an island resort rather than in one of the world’s busiest cosmopolitan cites. The pool itself is rectangular and 25-metres long, large enough for the lap-swimmers and family splashers to coexist in its glossy waters. On each side, the pool is flanked by two rows of generously spaced loungers and cabanas.
An evening swim in this pool is simply magical, with its atmospheric lighting and serene quiet.
A home away from home - the exquisite Club Lounge
The exquisite 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, making it feel like a home away from home. 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 lunch, afternoon tea, supper and dessert. In most hotels’ club lounges, two or three food presentations is the default so having 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! 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. The variety of dim sums and high quality delicatessen items is simply heavenly. Later in the day, you can expect an elite afternoon high tea with proper homemade scones and pastries, 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 pulut hitam, a Malaysian black glutinous rice porriage, and a curated selection of “kueh”, Indo-Malaysian snacks made with ingredients like glutinous rice, coconut, and palm sugar). Throughout the day, champagne, wines, and tea from Singapore’s iconic luxury teahouse, TWG, are available to suit your every mood.
In the Club’s Drawing Room, an easel and art materials are provided—so if you're inspired by Singapore's gorgeous skyline, you can create a little artwork to take home. Club guests also enjoy exclusive access to the Club cars, which can take you to nearby landmarks around the city.
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 the masterful 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 porcelain tableware hand-painted with floral motifs, Summer Pavillion is 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 seafood.
Braised South African abalone with sautéed abalone and asparagus.
Double-boiled sea whelk soup, dried scallop, tofu, wolf berries and chicken.
The elegant and artful handpainted tableware.
Canadian lobster with poached rice.
Marinated smoked duck, Chinese tea leaves, sautéed diced duck and shiso leaf.
Cantonese pineapple tart and osmanthus jelly.
Steamed grouper fillet, aged tangerine peel and salted lemon in an umami broth.
Luxury speaks not in volume, but in grace
The décor of the hotel features beautifully hushed tones of rich wood and quiet sophistication. Stepping into the hotel is like entering an art gallery: the minimalist 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 inspired by a sun visor. Off to the side of the lobby, there is a more residential and warm-toned 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 which are said to have been specially commissioned for the hotel, with approximately 250 pieces constituting museum-quality art pieces.
