Friends, after being assigned to Bali for 15 days, my photographer Ni Zi and I seamlessly transitioned to Singapore. It is indeed quite an adjustment to move from the unrestrained freedom of an island to a sophisticated developed nation.
But after all, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, and we quickly fell in love with Singapore.
For those who enjoy food and drinks, Singapore is highly “informative.” Despite its area being only one-ninth that of Shanghai, Singapore boasts 42 Michelin-starred restaurants, including some affordable local cuisine. It consistently dominates the list of Asia’s TOP 50 bars, with 11 making the list in 2022.
For parents, Singapore is one of the cleanest and safest places in the world to take children.
Changi Airport alone houses four free children’s playgrounds, not to mention the city’s attractions like Universal Studios, the Night Safari, and Gardens by the Bay. The amenities for families are comprehensive, with specialized mother-and-baby rooms even in the simple restrooms by the beach at Sentosa.
For Chinese visitors, the significant buff is that Mandarin is widely spoken, making communication effortless.
In summary, there are many reasons why Singapore is attractive. And once you visit, it is sure to not disappoint.
Our main purpose for this trip to Singapore was to check in at the legendary Fullerton Hotel and its newer, more expensive neighbor, the Fullerton Bay Hotel.
These two hotels perfectly illustrate Singapore’s dual character—one half classical, the other half modern.
Most people might not be familiar with the Fullerton hotel brand, but for hotel enthusiasts, the name Preferred Hotels & Resorts should ring a bell—it is the world’s largest independent hotel brand.
The Fullerton and Fullerton Bay Hotels in Singapore belong to the top luxury “Legend” series under Preferred Hotels & Resorts. These hotels are legendary city landmarks with a strong focus on cultural heritage.
This is reflected in their high prices. The calendar price of the Fullerton Bay Hotel is enough to make one’s eyes widen.
👆 Please note, this is in Singapore dollars. To convert to RMB, multiply by 5.1.
Both hotels are located in the highly prized Marina Bay area.
For first-time visitors to Singapore, staying in Marina Bay is undoubtedly the best choice. It encompasses nearly all of Singapore’s landmarks, including Marina Bay Sands, Merlion Park, and the ArtScience Museum—nicknamed “The Welcome Hand of Singapore.” These attractions are all within walking distance of the two Fullerton hotels.
Marina Bay also offers Singapore’s most beautiful nightscape. Developed cities always become more stunning as night falls.
This time, we stayed two nights at the Fullerton Hotel and another two nights at the Fullerton Bay Hotel. The experiences at these two hotels were quite different.
The Fullerton Hotel is Singapore’s legendary hotel, holding a status similar to the Peace Hotel in Shanghai.
This neoclassical building, constructed in 1928, has witnessed nearly a century of Singapore’s history, having served as the General Post Office and the Exchange before becoming The Fullerton Hotel.
Amid the numerous skyscrapers and modern architectural wonders of Marina Bay, The Fullerton stands out like an elegant artifact. It’s no wonder that every time I enter or leave the hotel, there’s always someone taking a photo with it at the entrance.
During my two-night stay at The Fullerton, I truly felt as though I had stumbled into a world of old money. The hotel guests seemed to embody true gentlemen and ladies, exuding elegance and respectability everywhere. Normally quite casual, I found myself subconsciously behaving more properly in the hotel.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel is undoubtedly the closest hotel to Marina Bay. From your own balcony at night, you can enjoy the most stunning night view of Singapore. Though it lacks a bit of cultural ambiance, it exudes a sophisticated urban luxury and attracts many financial magnates.
Now, let’s take a look at the real-life experience reviews of these two hotels.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
The architecture of The Fullerton itself is already captivating, but stepping inside, the seven-story high vintage atrium still takes your breath away.
The atrium is always a unique element in hotel architecture. It reshapes the space, making you feel as if you are in a wide-open outdoor area even when you are indoors. The atrium of The Fullerton retains a kind of retro-futuristic vibe, making you feel like you’re in a movie scene.
In this “vast” lobby, there’s not only an open-concept restaurant but also a dessert shop and a boutique.
In the far corner, there is even a small exhibition hall narrating the history of the building where The Fullerton stands. Since its “former life” was as a post office, the hotel also hides a playful surprise here; you can send a vintage-style postcard from this place.
Hotels in Singapore share a common feature with those in Hong Kong: room sizes tend to be smaller, owing to high real estate values. The Fullerton offers a total of 400 rooms, with basic room types starting at 36 square meters, which is quite rare. Moreover, the rooms underwent renovation in 2015, so both the hardware and interior design are still up to standard.
We stayed in a Quay Room, which had a very tiny balcony. The room itself was very vintage, with hand-drawn illustrations of The Fullerton building on the walls.
The welcome fruit was very generous—we stayed for two days and didn’t even finish it all. They also provided a bottle of red wine.
Tea bags from Singapore’s own TWG and capsule coffee were complimentary in the room, though the mini-bar and snacks were charged separately.
In the bathroom, the shower, bathtub, and toilet were all separate.
Toiletries were provided by the French brand BALMAIN, offering a faint cream scent, and no matter how much you used, they would replenish a new set daily. They also provided a sleep spray at the bedside, designed to be sprayed on the pillow to aid in sleep.
Our room came with executive privileges, which included breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening happy hour. Each meal was so generous that we rarely felt the need to visit the hotel’s restaurants.
In addition to the usual cooked food, fruits, and vegetables, breakfast also offered an exclusive à la carte menu in the lounge. I highly recommend trying the most distinctive Singapore laksa, with curry soup base and prawns, which will start your morning on a high note.
Afternoon tea not only featured exquisite pastries but also offered a wide variety of teas, truly allowing you to indulge in tea freedom during your afternoon tea experience.
And as for the evening happy hour, it’s perfectly possible to enjoy it alcohol-free, with unlimited red wine, white wine, champagne, and cocktails. The snacks served are also quite old-fashioned, featuring various cheeses and ham slices.
Here’s a little observation: In hotels with an old-money vibe, the executive lounge and bar are always reliable. Especially their classic cocktails, which are exceptionally well-made.
In this executive lounge, the old-money vibe is even more pronounced. It’s no exaggeration to say that the guests frequenting this place are often elderly gentlemen and ladies, with immaculately groomed hair. The senior gentlemen will hold the elevator door for you, and even insist on letting you go first when I’m just grabbing some food, and they always maintain a polite social distance.
On one of the days, we had a buffet breakfast in the hotel lobby’s Town restaurant, which offered a wider selection, allowing you to indulge in sashimi and seafood even early in the morning.
The hotel also features a Chinese restaurant called Jade Pavilion, offering a fusion of Cantonese, Sichuan, and local dishes.
Dining outside the hotel is a great option as well, with countless delicious restaurants in Singapore, particularly around Marina Bay.
The hotel’s infinity pool, gym, and spa are all located on the second floor. Singaporeans are truly disciplined and love to exercise, so the outdoor infinity pool is always busy regardless of the time.
If you have time, make sure to schedule a session at Fullerton’s spa, the winner of the 2018 World’s Luxury Spa Awards and 2017’s Southeast Asia Luxury Hotel Spa Awards.
Before the session, you get to choose an essential oil, with all products from the high-end, natural British spa brand ESPA. What’s unique here is that the spa bed itself is heated. Throughout the massage session, you’re gently warmed to the point of wanting to sleep.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
The Fullerton Bay Hotel is very close to the Fullerton, with a direct passage in the basement of the hotel that takes about ten minutes to walk through, making it convenient and sunburn-free. Moreover, if you stay at both hotels consecutively, the staff will transfer your luggage to your room at Fullerton Bay in advance.
The lobby of Fullerton Bay, compared to the Fullerton, is much more modern yet still exudes luxury everywhere, with artworks on display.
Interestingly, despite being a city hotel, check-in at Fullerton Bay is completed in your room, meaning there’s no need to wait in the lobby.
Its basic room types start at 45 square meters, which is quite spacious and certainly makes it a king in Marina Bay.
Unlike the vintage style of the Fullerton, the room decor here is brighter and more elegant. A key highlight is the bay-view room’s balcony, offering panoramic views of Marina Bay right from your room. At night, you don’t even need to go out to enjoy the best view of the light show. In the morning, the moment you pull the curtains to the sunlit shimmering waters outside is truly something to look forward to.
The welcome amenities such as red wine, toiletries, sound system, and minibar are the same as those at the Fullerton. However, the difference lies in the turndown service at Fullerton Bay, where two pieces of chocolate are left on your bedside table.
The bathroom’s bathtub is also more luxurious, featuring a whole jar of bath salts and a separate wall-mounted TV, allowing you to watch TV while soaking.
Beyond the room’s balcony, the best scenery at Fullerton Bay is found at the rooftop infinity pool. Swimming here, the Marina Bay Sands serves as the backdrop. Adjacent to the pool is Lantern Bar, which offers some snacks during the day and turns into a rooftop bar surrounded by the CBD at night.
The gym is also located here and is open 24 hours.
Fullerton boasts a total of four restaurants. Besides the Lantern bar, there is La Brasserie, which offers buffet breakfasts, afternoon tea, and French cuisine; Clifford, which serves traditional Singaporean Peranakan dishes; and The Landing Point, a waterfront lounge.
We had breakfast at La Brasserie for two days. This restaurant not only has high ceilings but also offers a wide view, with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Marina Bay.
The staff’s service awareness is very strong; as soon as you are seated, someone will ask if you would like tea or coffee.
Breakfast is fully self-service, with a wide range of options. You can enjoy sashimi and ham freely. There is also a station where you can order various kinds of eggs, including scrambled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs, Benedict eggs, and omelets.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that the service at the two Fullerton hotels embodies the self-discipline of old wealth, always maintaining decorum.
Whenever you dine, an empty plate won’t sit for even 30 seconds before a staff member swiftly clears it away, ensuring that the dining table is never messy. The housekeeping staff are even more obsessive about tidiness. Every time you leave, the data cables by the bedside are tidily arranged upon returning, which would greatly please anyone with a Virgo-like penchant for order.
If you wish to explore Singapore’s luxury brands, staying at these two Fullerton hotels is an excellent choice. Each has its own distinct style and charm, much like the diverse cultures that flourish in Singapore.
Finally, let’s hold a small raffle. We will randomly select three friends from the comments to receive a set of customized aromatherapy from Preferred Hotels.
If you love traveling, don’t forget to follow and pin this public account!
I am Fast-paced Cài Cài, the curator of the Hí Yóu public account and a travel blogger.
