We review Fairmont Singapore: skyline views meet city convenience at this luxury hotel

Singapore is no stranger to big-brand, five-star hotels. But just around the corner from the storied Raffles Singapore is another sprawling property that ticks all the boxes for a five-star stay, and offers extra adrenaline for Formula One fans in town for the Singapore Grand Prix. We checked into Fairmont Singapore to find a timeless stay in the heart of the Lion City.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Review of Fairmont Singapore

Hotel snapshot Fairmont Singapore

Hotel name: Fairmont Singapore
Location: Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore
Address: 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560
Number of rooms and suites: 778
Brand: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (Accor Group)
Date opened: 2007
Design style: Timeless sophistication for comfortable business and leisure stays
Family amenities: There’s a dedicated kids’ pool, and interconnecting rooms are available; kids under 12 stay free, and there are plenty of themed family packages throughout the year
Wellness facilities: Willow Stream Spa, six tennis/padel courts, and a fully-equipped gym
Prices from: SG$400, depending on room and season

Setting the scene

There’s no faulting the location of Fairmont Singapore. Occupying a prime position in the CBD, the hotel is directly connected to the Raffles City shopping centre and City Hall MRT station, and a stone’s throw from all the top attractions, from the Marina Bay area and Civic District to the National Gallery and Esplanade. 

To keep up with guest preferences, the hotel is undergoing a major renovation that’s being discreetly carried out in stages over several years. Most facilities, including the rooms and most public spaces, are already complete.

The check-in process seems unusually convoluted, but I realise why as I look around. There’s a booth stocked with F1 merch and memorabilia in the earth-toned marble lobby, and people sporting all manner of F1 gear are milling about. The hotel sits next to Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit, and guests are checking out in droves after the high-octane Grand Prix weekend.

It gives me time to realise that this property is massive. The Fairmont has two towers and is connected to its sister property, the Swissôtel The Stamford Singapore, which itself houses over 1,000 rooms. 

Gold standard rooms

First stop is my Fairmont Gold Marina Bay Room, where the views from the private balcony are immaculate. The scene, encompassing the iconic Marina Bay Sands building, the green stretch of the Padang, and the old-world architecture of Singapore’s civic district, would be enticing enough for the average visitor. But today, it offers a rare glimpse into the infrastructure of the Singapore Grand Prix as the track is being dismantled.

Elsewhere, the room features all the mod-cons necessary for a comfortable stay. The plush king-sized bed dressed in crisp white linens encourages quality sleep; the capacious table and banquette double as a dining table and workspace; while the marble-clad bathroom with its rainshower, Le Labo amenities, and spacious vanity, makes getting ready a breeze. It’s stylish, but in the sense of traditional luxury rather than design-forward modernity—think thick patterned carpets, grey fabric wall panels, black lacquer, and brown leather.

The room also comes with access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge, which is a real treat. By day, it’s a great spot to enjoy an abundant buffet breakfast with plenty of natural light; in the evening, guests gather to socialise over canapes and cocktails, and there are numerous discussions about the race weekend just past. And, more than anywhere else at the hotel, the lounge staff are unfailingly friendly and helpful.

Food and drinks

Guests here are spoiled for choice with 12 bars and restaurants across Fairmont Singapore and sister property Swissôtel The Stamford Singapore. 

To start, there’s a Paddington-themed afternoon tea, complete with orange marmalade sandwiches, at lounge-style restaurant SKAI. Nearby, SKAI Bar whips up a potent (but delicious) Negroni for aperitifs, best enjoyed by the floor-to-ceiling windows at sunset.

There’s also ANTI:DOTE. The most recently revamped space at the hotel, the chic, apothecary-inspired bar specialises in well-crafted and occasionally unexpected cocktails, alongside a snack menu inspired by Spain’s pintxos culture—the Smash Wagyu Burger and Chorizo Croquettes are decadent and filling.

The real highlight, though, is Jaan by Kirk Westaway, the incredibly elegant three-Michelin-starred restaurant offering a modern spin on British cuisine. The restaurant is a Krug Ambassador, so the meal kicks off with Champagne, naturally. Over several hours—and with even more spectacular views of the Singapore skyline lit up for the evening—we work through an indulgent menu that includes a quartet of starters, including a bite-sized “fish and chips” morsel, charred leek and potato soup, and crusted Kagoshima Wagyu. It’s decadent, creative, and utterly delicious.

As with most hotels, Fairmont Singapore is working towards an increasingly sustainable future, and this includes an on-site urban farm. Run by Singapore-based Corridor Farmers, the space produces a range of vegetables and herbs, and raises fish, for the hotel’s kitchens. It’s interesting to see how a concept that’s more at home in the countryside with plenty of space is being translated for an urban space, and to hear how they plan to expand production in the coming months and years.

Is there more?

Of course, a sprawling property like this comes with plenty more to keep guests entertained. 

The award-winning Willow Stream Spa may look slightly dated—I’m told a revamp is imminent—though the light wood panels used throughout is suggestive of the spa’s name and Japanese Zen. The Swedish-inspired 60-minute Aromatherapy Relaxation Massage effectively works out the stresses and tensions of the preceding race weekend.

The spa also hosts a sprawling, state-of-the-art gym that’s surprisingly busy when I slip in for a pre-work endorphin hit at 5:30 am, along with two outdoor pools and a suite of tennis courts.

Frequently asked questions: Fairmont Singapore