Ritz- Carlton, Millennia Singapore

BACKGROUND Located in Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay, this luxury hotel opened in 1996, offering panoramic city views and housing an impressive 4,200-piece art collection with works from Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol and other icons. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kevin Roche, the 32-storey property has 608 guestrooms.

WHERE IS IT? In Marina Bay, part of Singapore’s downtown core. Attractions such as Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay and the Art Science Museum are nearby. The closest train station is Promenade MRT.

W H AT ’ S IT LIKE? The hotel instantly leaves an impression. There’s a soaring 10,000 sqm dome ceiling with an iridescent mother-of-pearl filter that extends from the main lobby all the way out to the main driveway. A large, imposing, three-tonne fibreglass sculpture titled “Cornucopia”, by Frank Stella, cascades down the centre of the main lobby. The high ceilings and extravagant artwork make it feel as though you’ve entered a grand museum. You’ll also notice the vast, round mirror wall split into octagonal mirrors at the opposite end of the hotel. The interior and architectural design is simply jaw-dropping.

ROOMS Wide hallways with warm lighting and gold furnishings lead to the hotel’s rooms, and the golden theme extended into the 51 sqm Club Deluxe Marina room in which I was staying. My room had captivating views of Singapore’s Marina Bay and the cityscape. The bed, desk and sofa chair were all facing Singapore’s skyline in this studio-style room. At night, the buildings are lit up with blue and purple lights that seep into the room, whilst during the day the window lets in lots of natural light.

The king-size bed had several fluff y pillows and a glossy wooden headboard. Matt gold buttons to adjust the lighting and the blinds can be pulled out from both side tables by the bed. There is also one power socket and a USB port on both tables. At the foot of the bed was a “living room” area with a couch adorned with deep-red pillows facing the TV, a round coffee table and a chair. The 55-inch TV can access Netflix and Youtube. On the cabinet below the TV are water and snacks. There’s also a Nespresso machine.

The large, marble-tiled bathroom was simply spectacular with its majestic views overlooking the city. There’s also a walk-in shower with a rainfall shower head. The microfibre bathrobes are soft and cosy, and there are Asprey bath amenities which have a fresh citrus fragrance.

FOOD AND DRINK There are three dining options. I ate at The Colony, a buffet-style restaurant that seats 272. The other two are the Summer Pavilion, offering Cantonese cuisine; and the Chihuly Lounge, which seats 120 for cocktails, speciality coffees or afternoon tea.

LOUNGE The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge is on the 32nd floor. It offers guests views of Marina Bay or the Kallang River precinct. A space called “The Library” can be used for meetings for up to ten. A connecting living area has audio-visual equipment, highspeed internet and a 75-inch LED TV.

LEISURE There is a 24-hour fitness centre featuring Cardio exercise equipment, free weights and total resistance exercise ( TRX) suspension training equipment. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool.

VERDICT Everything about the hotel is glamorous. Art aficionados will love it as it is full of contemporary art pieces. The room could serve as a functional workspace for business travellers due to its high-speed wifi connection, neat desk and comfortable living room area. Seher Asaf

The interior and architectural design is simply jaw-dropping