Want to stay near Singapore's famous Orchard Road and popular malls? Here is a review of the Best hotels in Orchard Singapore! (I've personally visited each and every one.)
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Orchard Road has long been Singapore's prime shopping district and a popular place to stay in Singapore (especially for shopaholics) - although Marina Bay and Kampong Glam are giving it a run for its money these days!
I've personally visited all of the following hotels and hope the reviews will be helpful!
THE SINGAPORE EDITION
Recommended:
- if you want to stay in a newer property
- want a cool hotel with beautiful public areas that can be featured extensively on your social media (It's flooded with natural light, compared to some of the older properties on this list, and very photogenic.)
Having opened end 2023, this is one of the newest hotels near Orchard Road, and also the most stylish/ Instagrammable. With more than 300 tropical plants and 162 ferns , it feels a bit Iike a modern version of Shang-ri la, which we'll review below (a modern garden oasis.)
It has 8 floors and 204 rooms- personally I find the (mostly white) room decor uninviting/ not luxurious but they'll appeal to people who like uncluttered, minimalistic style. The public spaces are definitely nicer than the rooms, in my opinion! (I prefer the style of the rooms in Marina Bay Sands MBS Hotel.)
There is a rooftop pool which is quite nice BUT surrounded by other high-rise buildings so there is a lack of privacy.
Like Pan Pacific Orchard below, the Singapore Edition is located on Cuscaden Road which is a tad quieter than Orchard Road, but still conveniently located for access to the malls.
Conrad Singapore Orchard
Highlights:
- good Japanese and Chinese food
- next to a shopping centre but situated away from the busier part of Orchard Road
Formerly known as Regent Hotel, Conrad Singapore Orchard was designed by famous architect John Portman.
I love the high ceiling of the central atrium but, being an older building (for Singapore), the hotel lobby is a bit lacking in natural light. (It doesn't have all the glass walls that you see in more modern buildings.)
Note: there is more than 1 Conrad Hotel in Singapore so make sure you enter the right one when getting a taxi via Grab!
Location:
The hotel is probably one of the furthest from Orchard Road (out of the hotels on this list), where you'll find many malls and designer shops.
You're also right next to a shopping mall that is popular with local expats, Tanglin Mall. (The way over is pedestrianised- it'll take you less than 1 minute to reach it.)
Dining:
The hotel's Manhattan Bar is quite famous: don't expect a buzzing sort of place though. The vibe is more of a dark and sophisticated bar than packed nightclub.
You'll also find a Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Summer Palace- my Mom used to be the live-in housekeeper for a rich old woman and we used to drive her there for lunch almost every week. The food and service are both very good!
If you prefer international cuisine, there's a casual cafe on the ground floor (Dolcetto) and an Italian restaurant (Basilico.) Basilico is quite well-known in Singapore but I only went once and wasn't impressed to be honest.
Instead, I recommend the Japanese restaurant: Tenshin!
Pan Pacific Hotel Orchard
Highlights:
- the public areas
I was really impressed by the lobby of Pan Pacific Orchard when I first saw it- it reminded me of Gardens by the Bay near Marina Bay Sands! (On a much smaller scale of course.)
The location on Cuscaden Road is also great- central but not in the thick of things.
However, the service in the restaurant leaves much to be desired. The waiter wasn't rude but he obviously wasn't well-trained: for example, we asked for something and were told (quite brusquely) "Wait." (He was going to find someone to help with our query but his manner was a bit abrupt.)
Four Seasons Hotel: Small Pet Friendly
Highlights:
- tennis court, pickle ball court, and padel court
- (small) pet-friendly
If you're travelling with a fur-kid under 11.3 kilograms (25 pounds), Four Seasons Singapore will be happy to take you.
This used to be 1 of my favorite hotels in Singapore but the quality seems to have gone down in recent years. Like Conrad Orchard, it's an older hotel, so the interiors feel a bit dark.
Location:
Located along Orchard Boulevard, Four Seasons is walking distance to the malls in Orchard but it's not underground passage access. (The closest mall is Wheelock- you'll need to cross a small street (under the hot sun) to reach it but once in Wheelock, there are underground (air-conditioned!) passages linking you to other malls such as Ngee Ann City and Wisma Atria.)
Dining:
For more casual fare, One-Ninety is the hotel's coffee shop- it serves international food as well as local favourites, such as laksa and hor fun. It's 1 of my favorite Singapore hotels for local food.
Jiang-Nan Chun, on the 2nd floor, has Cantonese cuisine. It used to have very good Chinese food but the last time I visited, I felt it was trying too hard to be unique, and the flavors didn't mesh well. (Shortly after my visit, the restaurant lost its Michelin star, so I guess I'm not the only one who felt that way!)
Something I like about Four Seasons is how the hotel is linked to VOCO Orchard by IHG (formerly Hilton Hotel) so you can eat there too- the linkway is shown above. It's air-conditioned and you can find designer boutiques there (and at VOCO.) The linkway also brings you to Forum Shopping Centre, which is located next to VOCO. (Not much to see at Forum, but there are restaurants.)
Alternatively, there are many cafes, eateries and restaurants in the main Orchard stretch (within walking distance.)
You'll find a tennis court, pickle ball court, and padel court at Four Seasons.
Goodwood Park Hotel: German Rhineland inspired
Highlights:
- the architecture
The Goodwood Park Hotel, situated on Scott’s Road, was first built as the club house for the German expatriates in Singapore in the 1900s. It's so iconic, it was gazetted as a national monument of Singapore in 1989.
Location:
The 6-hectacre lush landscaped garden with its central location appeals to guests wishing to be away from the busy city but, at the same time, still be within walking distance of shops and dining areas. (It's closer to the shops than Shang Ri La- just next door to Far East where you'll find some of the better hawker food options in Orchard Road.)
Rooms
A friend who stays here every time she is in Singapore loves the location but finds the room interiors a bit tacky. (They look a bit like a mid-range hotel in UK/ Europe.)
Shangri-La
Recommended for:
- Travelers who like greenery and resort style living- parts of it is styled like a resort (well urban resort at least)
- People who want to be near Orchard Road, but not in the thick of things
Location:
Shangri-La Hotel is a garden oasis in the middle of the city: it has 15 acres of tropical landscaped gardens!
It's ideally located for guests who want to be close to Orchard Road but still have privacy as it's just outside the main Orchard Road shopping belt, and located on a more residential road. (There is no mall next door- the closest mall would be Forum, but that's more of a expat family mall and not that interesting for tourists.)
Unfortunately, it's thus not the most convenient for public transport: about a 15-minute walk from the MRT stations at Orchard Boulevard (keep in mind Singapore's hot and humid weather- 15 minutes can feel like 45!)
Thankfully, the hotel provides complimentary daily shuttle buses to Takashimaya in Orchard Road, several times a day
The lush green surroundings make this hotel quite distinctive- it really lives up to Singapore's reputation for being a city within a garden!
It's one of the older hotels but, thanks to its 2017 8-month refurbishment and classic architecture, doens't feel dated.
Note: this hotel is popular with foreign dignitaries and there are often government events held here. Maybe because of its size- it has 792 rooms, but they're spread across 3 wings so you don't feel like you're one of the masses.
Dining:
The hotel has several restaurants but you can also find more choices about 5 minutes walk away.
The Shang Lounge serves local food but the service has plummeted. For hotels with better local food in Singapore, click here.
St.Regis Singapore
Recommended for:
- Art lovers: there's a Chihuly sculpture in the lobby
The hotel houses a fine art collection including sculptures and paintings by well known artists.
Location:
St Regis Singapore is located in Tanglin Road- just a stone's throw from Orchard Conrad (also on this list), it's close to the Orchard Road shopping belt.
Dining:
There are several restaurants here, from Chinese to European. The Chinese restaurant (Yan Ting) isn't my favorite place (for the food) BUT I do admire how their service goes above and beyond: once, I asked a question about a place and, without prompting, the waiter gave me a printed map of the place!
Its brasserie, Brassiere Les Saverus, is where Chef Julien Royer (of 3-Michelin starred Odette) worked before he opened Odette.
Unfortunately, the last time we dined here (after Chef Julien had left), the food was so awful, we decided never to return.
HILTON SINGAPORE ORCHARD
Highlights:
- the food!
Rebranded from Mandarin Orchard in 2022, Hilton Singapore Orchard ties with Marriott for "Orchard Hotel with the Best Location"- it is in between 2 MRT stations (Orchard and Somerset) and is connected to Mandarin Gallery (mall.)
The shops in Mandarin Gallery aren't very exciting but there are a few decent restaurants. In fact, the hotel's Chatterbox is also famous for its Chicken rice- my father was a huge fan in the 80s and 90s but these days I find their laksa is better than their chicken rice!
It is a HUGE hotel with 1080 rooms!
MARRIOTT TANG PLAZA HOTEL
Highlights:
- architecture
- prime location: probably the best on this list if you want proximity to the MRT/ subway and malls
- Pool Terrace Rooms offer direct access to the outdoor pool.
If you're looking for a hotel with interesting architecture (external only- the interiors are pretty standard, see above) in Orchard Road, the 5-star Marriott Hotel, with its Chinese-style octagonal, green-tiled pagoda roof, is for you.
This 30 storey hotel has an unbeatable location, being directly connected to the local department store, Tangs (where you can find some local brands + a small food court- one of the more affordable local food options in Orchard) and a direct underground passage to Orchard MRT, Orchard Ion (luxury mall), Wheelock (another mall), Shaw Centre (another mall), Wisma Atria (another mall), Ngee Ann City (another mall)... Yep a lot of malls, but that's what Orchard Road is known for! You'll also really appreciate the shaded underground passage after experiencing a few hours of Singapore's heat!
If you enjoy people watching, the hotel's Crossroads Cafe is also great for that.
Despite opening in 1982 (as Dynasty Hotel, before turning into Marriott in 1995), the hotel with just under 400 rooms has been constantly refurbished so has all the modern amenities.
Note: there are no tennis courts though there is a pool.
Fun Fact: The deluxe rooms have the 1956 Eames Desk Chair
VIBE HOTEL SINGAPORE ORCHARD
Highlights:
- more budget friendly
- newer hotel
Opened at the end of 2022 (the first Vibe outside of Australia), Vibe Hotel is one of the newer options on this list and located just off Orchard Road, towards the residential belt. (You'll need to walk a bit to get to the malls or Orchard MRT (about 20 minutes) as it's too close to take the bus.)
Together with Yotel, it's one of the options for budget travelers who want to stay near Orchard Road. The 256 rooms are divided into 5 types, with the smallest room 23 sq m (decent for space-starved Singapore.) Despite the budget price, there is a 24hour gym.
Despite being a newer hotel, some parts of the hotel look a bit dated (e.g. the pool and bathrooms.)
Note: if you eat durian in your room, you'll incur a fine!
YOTEL SINGAPORE ORCHARD ROAD
Recommended for:
- budget travelers
- solo travelers who prioritise location over space
- tech lovers: there are adjustable SmartBeds and Robot Room Service- Yoshida and Yolanda deliver amenities (e.g. extra towels or bottled water) to the guest rooms!
Opened at the end of 2017, this is a budget hotel with 610 rooms but even a friend who loves luxury stays here, as he finds the value-to-price ratio unbeatable (He travels solo. Note that the rooms are tiny (think capsules- they call the rooms "cabins" for a reason) and the bathroom "wall" often a glass partition which can make it awkward, depending on who you're traveling with!)
It's older than Vibe, but more centrally located.
Any questions about the best hotels near Orchard Road in Singapore? Let me know in the comments!
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