Six new hotels in Singapore

The Lion City has always punched above its weight when it comes to superior places to stay – and a recent influx of new openings is continuing this trend. As well as big-hitting brands – like, the much-talked-about The Standard Singapore, a Singaporean outpost of Ian Schrager’s zeitgeisty EDITION Hotel, and a dose of glossy Antipodean luxe from QT Hotels – there also are new boutique numbers and design-led, long-stay concepts shaking up the scene. Here, hotel expert Ianthe Butt shares the cream of the crop. 

The Standard, Singapore  

Expect DJs spinning tunes in cascading gardens, a 48m alfresco pool fringed by coral-coloured parasols, and edgy artwork and design when The Standard touches down this month. A quirky terrarium piece by Erik Tobua doubles as a check-in desk, flame-hued glass lighting decorates NYC-feeling bistro Cafe Standard, whilst at izakaya restaurant Kaya, sushi is presented in a space wrapped in a 110m-long, embroidered botanical artwork. 143 eye-catching bedrooms feature wooden curves, Bang & Olufsen speakers, and bold, mustard-tiled bathrooms.

21 Carpenter

Sandwiched between Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, this 48-room hotel is a masterclass in stylish fusion design. Four 1930s shophouses with slate-grey facades sit next to a floating-look, aluminum-fronted wing by WOHA architects. Inside, atmospheric bedrooms pair repurposed Chengal wood flooring with crimson fan-patterned wardrobes, and communal spaces show off a tapestry by Heman Chong and ikebana in Jenevieve Studio vases. A rooftop pool serves up Marina Bay views, whilst punchy agave-chilli cocktails and beef rendang by chef Andrew Walsh – of Michelin-starred CURE – ensure an always-hopping vibe at Kee’s restaurant.

The Singapore EDITION

No one does opulence like EDITION. Leaning into Singapore’s ‘Garden City’ moniker, fern spheres rain from the ceiling in the conservatory, there’s a vine-swathed courtyard garden, and – nine floors up – a 43m pool where swimmers can steal dizzying views of the greenery below. The air is perfumed with Le Labo’s Thé Noir; crisp, white bedrooms melt into Calacatta marble bathrooms; and in the drenched-in-blue Punch Room, discerning drinkers sip tea-infused Straits Punch. There’s also Josh Niland’s nose-to-tail seafood in the restaurant, and a gilded tunnel leads to a Gatsby-esque micro club.

Raffles Sentosa Singapore

Whilst grande dame Raffles Hotel remains legendary, spring 2025 will see a new Raffles property open on Sentosa Island. On a clifftop with South China Sea views and direct access to Tanjong Beach’s pastel yellow sands, the country’s first all-villa property will deliver refined escapism with 62 private pool villas decorated in olive shades and wooden latticework, surrounded by gardens. Five restaurants will include top-notch Cantonese at Royal China – plus, Raffles’ renowned butlers will be on-hand 24/7 to arrange yacht charters and rounds at Sentosa Golf Club’s championship courses.

QT Singapore

Playful Antipodean brand QT has gone all-out for its first Asian outpost, giving the historic Eastern Extension Telegraph building a fresh look and next-level dining and drinking options. Behind a neo-classical facade, the design is high-drama: magenta Chinese screens rub up against Mid-Century Modern balloon lighting and lashings of foliage. At chef Sean Connolly’s sultry New York-style steakhouse Cygnet, guests debate between the Tajima Japanese Wagyu rump and Australian grass-fed riverine rib eye, whilst others drink jalisco spritzes under buttercup-yellow parasols at the rooftop pool bar.

Alma House

New Bahru – a former school filled with Singaporean-born boutiques and restaurants – is Singapore’s newest creative enclave. And serviced apartment Alma House, from the team behind the hip Warehouse Hotel, is the sole place to stay, delivering urban cool for longer-stay visitors. Cream, terracotta, and turquoise-hued rooms have mod-conned kitchens, and wooden louvres separate sleeping and living spaces. As well as art tech talks in the lobby lounge, guests have Bar Bon Funk for rare Vietnamese sake Vespers, Puglian pasta by Mirko Febbrile at Somma, and hot-cold wellness therapy at Hideaway.