Ritz-Carlton Millenia

If you can get over the fact that this hotel has 608 rooms, which means the check-in can resemble an airport terminal at times, and that the room rates are probably the highest among the city’s 5-star international brands, then prepare to be impressed.

Ritz-Carlton Millenia occupies seven acres of priceless land opposite the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) complex, and its rooms command some of the best views in the city (better even than those at MBS, because here, you can see MBS from your windows, giving you the full skyline.)

This is no ordinary Ritz-Carlton. It was designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Kevin Roche and houses a contemporary art collection of some 4200 pieces, including works by Andy Warhol and Frank Stella (there’s even a self-guided iPod tour for the hotel’s impressive art collection). A lot of this art no doubt belongs to the hotel’s owners, Singapore’s Kwee family, whose property company also owns the nearby Conrad and the 6-star destination resort on Sentosa Island, Capella.

Ritz-Carlton Millenia is all about the rooms—they are among Singapore’s finest. At an average of 51sqm, they are certainly among the largest, and are perfectly laid out, giving even the entry-level Premier and Deluxe rooms a sizeable seating area in front of the wide windows.

Views come in two categories—the City view, which faces east towards Changi airport, and the million dollar Marina Bay views. If you can afford to stay here, you can afford to spring for the Bay View room, and we fully recommend that you do.

For the interiors, expect parquet wood floors with tasteful rugs, gold-edge mirrors that make rooms feel even larger, and massive walk-in closets. Our favorite room feature, however, is the bed, with crisp white Egyptian cotton linens pulled impossibly tight over a dreamy mattress that is neither too firm, nor too soft. And then there are the marble-clad bathrooms, many of which feature bathtubs framed by an oculus-style window offering that killer view.

Trust us when we say you may not want to leave your room too often.

Ritz-Carlton Millenia does have an enviable address, but it's really only convenient to MBS and the Suntec shopping plaza. The central business district is across the bay, and the buzzing shops of Orchard Road are a good 15min cab ride away.

This is very much a kid-friendly hotel, so expect to see lots of happy kiddies roaming about, and possibly at the hotel’s excellent 25m pool. Ritz-Carlton Millenia is also a popular “staycation” option for local Singaporeans, who also come for the hotel’s four respected restaurants. Our favorite is the Chihuly Lounge, which features a prized sculpture from the artist and some damn fine cocktails.

Who should stay here?— families, couples wanting to pretty much stay in their rooms and order room service the whole time, and business people with large expense accounts. For Singapore’s best steak, head over to the nearby Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and find Cut by Wolfgang Puck. Sublime cuts of meat and our favorite cocktails in the city (start with the London Calling).