Where to stay in Singapore?

Singapore, the small and cosmopolitan city-state in the center of South East Asia, is a mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European culture and you will find an authentic cuisine, colorful night life, great shopping, plenty of places to visit and a nice jumping point to many destinations in Malaysia, Thailand and the rest of South East Asia.

Here we will introduce the neighborhoods of Singapore where you can find nice accommodation instead of giving individual hotel advices. If you are budget conscious, you should stay in a hotel which is outside central region near an MRT station or a bus stop. Singapore is one of the safest and cleanest places in the world so you have no chance to fall into a "bad" neighborhood. As Singapore hotels are expensive, Singapore is small and public transportation is convenient (except rush hours), doing so will save you some money.

Although you will see a lot of places to stay in Singapore in sites like Airbnb, B&B and renting out public and private property rooms to tourists or short term visitors is not legal in Singapore. It is tolerated but try not to stay in public housing units advertised for tourists. You won't be prosecuted but you will be kicked out if you are caught there.

Bugis District

Singapore's Bugis District is one of the most popular place to stay in Singapore for budget conscious travelers. Although it is not as budget as Chinatown and Little India, Bugis has several advantages. It is in a location right next to Singapore's Orchard Road, Singapore Historic Center, Suntec City, Little and very near to Singapore Central Business District and Chinatown. The Bugis MRT Station offers an easy access to/from airport as well as to many locations in Singapore. This central location has some of the best hotels in Singapore under 100 USD per night and below 200 USD per night.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Bugis hotels page.

Orchard Road

1 kilometer long Orchard Road, the shopping hub of Singapore, is one of the most expensive places in Singapore to stay and if you are not a shopping addict, there is no point to pay the "premium". Still, if you are in shopping or have a deep pocket for expensive rooms, it is still a central place served well by Orchard Road MRT Station and Somerset MRT Station.

Here you can find a list of Orchard Road hotels. For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Orchard Road hotels page.

Marina Bay

Thanks to its location (right next to Singapore Central Business District and Suntec City Convention Center), the cluster of 5-Star luxurious hotels in Marina Bay area with great Singapore skyline views is popular among business travelers. Probably the most famous one here is Marina Bay Sands Singapore, the hotel part of the Singapore casino complex (a.k.a Integrated Resort) which is also the largest hotel in Singapore.

Skypool of Marina Bay Sands Hotel Singapore in Marina Bay Area

For hotels in Marina Bay area, you can check Singapore Marina Bay hotels.

Singapore Riverside

In our opinion, the best place to stay in Singapore is Singapore's Riverside starting from the mouth of the river (where Fullerton Hotel is located) all the way upstream to Zouk Night Club. Three of Singapore's best night life areas, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay are here as well as infamous Zouk Night Club. Both sides of riverside also can be considered as the Singapore's historic center.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Riverside hotels page.

Chinatown and Central Business District

Although 70% of Singapore's population is Chinese but the country still has a Chinatown. This place is the area where British colonial rulers desgnated as "Chinatown". It is colorful, quite authentic and offers several mid to low budget accomodation options. Chinatown also houses some of the best hostels in Singapore. Towards the end of Chinatown to Tanjong Pagar, there is a cluster of popular business hotels for business travelers.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Chinatown hotels page.

Little India

Not as central as Chinatown, Little India is authentic and still quite central. It offers some nice budget hotels and is served well by Little India and Farrer Park MRT Stations. Guests staying here will also be near Mustafa Center and Sim Lim Square.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Little India hotels page.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island, the most expensive resort island in South East Asia, offers a resort like stay right next to the Singapore's Central Business District. Resort World Sentosa here offers a casino and many attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore as well as 5-Star hotels. On the mainland looking to Sentosa, you will find Singapore's largest shopping mall, VivoCity which has a monorail connection to Sentosa.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Sentosa Island hotels page.

Singapore Changi Airport

For those looking a place to stay near airport there are some nice alternatives. Crowne Plaza Hotel is directly connected to Terminal 3 and is the nearest hotel to Changi Airport. For those who can go a little further there are several alternatives. Changi Village Hotel offers a nice and calm environment looking toward Pulau Ubin Island while guests can stay near East Coast of Singapore, in between Changi and city center, to enjoy an authentic Peranakan neighborhood experience. You can find more info in our hotels near Changi Airport post.