Singapore is a city of exquisite precision.

A place where tropical heat meets polished marble, where Michelin-starred tasting menus sit comfortably beside hawker legends, and where luxury is not loud, but flawlessly choreographed.

The beauty of Singapore lies in knowing how to move through it. Not as a tourist.

As an insider. Singapore reveals itself best through contrasts: colonial elegance and futuristic skyline, hawker steam and crystal glassware, quiet ritual and urban spectacle.

This is the Author edit of the city at its most polished.

WHERE TO STAY

RAFFLES SINGAPORE

For old-world glamour, nothing compares. White colonial architecture, impeccable suites, private courtyards, and Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling remains an essential ritual.

For those who prefer heritage over spectacle, Raffles remains the city’s most timeless address.

THE ICON

MARINA BAY SANDS

Still one of the most recognizable luxury hotels in the world, and for good reason. The rooftop infinity pool remains unmatched, particularly at sunrise and golden hour.

If you want the skyline at your feet and the city in full cinematic scale, this is the room to book.

THE INSIDER HOTEL

The Warehouse Hotel

For fashion, design, and quieter luxury. This is where editors, creatives, and those who already know Singapore tend to stay.

The art grows rawer at EKKM, the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia. Housed in a semi-legal building by the port, its walls hold the youngest and boldest voices of the country: queer expression, climate grief, post-Soviet ruin rendered in film and installation. The rooms are cold, unpolished, sincere. One leaves unsettled, and for that reason changed.

WHAT TO SEE

NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE

The essential cultural stop. Set inside the former Supreme Court and City Hall, it offers one of Asia’s most significant collections of Southeast Asian modern art. Architecturally, it is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.

ART SG / GILLMAN BARRACKS

If timing aligns with ART SG, make this non-negotiable. Otherwise head to Gillman Barracks, Singapore’s contemporary art district with serious gallery programming and a more insider cultural crowd.

Odeith aligator standing on Anamorphic 3D chrome letters

GARDENS BY THE BAY

Yes, it is iconic. Yes, it is still worth doing. Go at sunset and stay for the illuminated Supertree Grove.

WHAT TO EAT

THE LAKSA STOP

A proper Singapore itinerary begins with laksa. Go to 328 Katong Laksa. Rich coconut broth, prawns, spice, and the unmistakable fragrance of dried shrimp and chili. This is not optional.

Insider tip: go slightly off-peak — around 2:30 PM — to avoid the lunch rush.

THE SINGAPORE SLING

Long Bar at Raffles. The drink is iconic, but what matters is the ritual. Rattan chairs, old-world service, and the sense of stepping into a living myth.

CHILI GRAB

JUMBO Seafood. Messy, delicious, and essential.

Order mantou buns for the sauce.

FINE DINING

Odette

One of Singapore’s most lauded dining rooms, inside the National Gallery, and newly refreshed with a warmer, more luxurious interior.

Singapore’s quiet luxury is perhaps best expressed over a four-hour dinner at Odette.

COCKTAILS

ATLAS

One of the most beautiful bars in Asia. Art Deco grandeur, an extraordinary gin collection, and the room everyone in fashion quietly recommends.

INSIDER’S TIPS

The Author Edit

Best golden hour: Marina Bay around 6:15–6:45 PM
Best breakfast: Raffles courtyard or Tiong Bahru Bakery
Best shopping: Orchard for luxury, Tiong Bahru and New Bahru for insiders
Best hidden luxury: private spa suite at Capella on Sentosa
Best art-world move: cocktails at ATLAS after Gillman Barracks
Best fashion crowd: weekends around Duxton Hill and New Bahru
Best late-night local move: satay at Lau Pa Sat under the skyline
Best editorial photo spot: Fullerton waterfront at dusk

True insider tip:

Skip Orchard Road on the first day. Do it late morning on day two after breakfast when the city is slower and the light is better for editorial-style street shots. The real luxury of Singapore is not choosing between heritage and modernity.

It is knowing how to do both in the same day.

written by Oona Chanel

48 Hours in Singapore: The Insider’s Guide to the City at Its Most Luxurious