Living in Singapore for three years, one of my biggest dreams was to experience what it is like staying in the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. This iconic hotel is impossible to miss when gazing at the Singapore skyline – it has a unique surfboard top, which houses a gigantic infinity pool. Well, for our 5th anniversary my dreams came true! A staycation! All I can say is the design of this building is spectacular from every angle. There are three towers in total with 55 floors. Our hotel room was on the 40th floor facing the Marina Bay, which means it had a spectacular view! Check out the awesome, panoramic view from our window down below.

From check in to the room furnishings and design (e.g. windows, bathroom, shower, sitting area) were luxe. Although we had been to the Marina Bay Sands Mall many times, which is located at the very bottom of the hotel, it was the first time we stayed at the hotel and it was thrilling! Unfortunately, I forgot a few essentials, like my contact lens solution, so I had to run downstairs to the 7-Eleven. On our way back we also managed to indulge in gelato from Venchi, which is absolutely perfect. It was a surreal experience going to the hotel instead of our apartment at the end of the day.

The room itself is very spacious, has huge floor-to-ceiling windows (curved), and a seating area to lounge around. Note you can choose rooms facing Marina Bay or the Gardens by the Bay – both are equally beautiful views. The only thing I can advise is choose a room on a higher floor – there is a difference and is worth paying the difference if you are staying here. The bathroom is also spacious with a rain shower and fully decked in marble.

That being said, the first thing we did upon check in was change into our swimming suits and head to the infinity pool. A warning, even during the day the pool area is packed because this is a main attraction. We had to walk around to look for beach chairs for a while and when we did we realized we had forgotten to pack our sunscreen! Luckily they are selling small tubes of the stuff by the pool – but of course very expensive.

Also, there were no umbrellas lying about, which means no shade. This may just be my malicious mind but I think the lack of umbrellas is not a coincidence… a business opportunity to sell tiny, expensive bottles of sunscreen to unsuspecting tourists. Might sound obvious but do not forget your sunscreen! We decided to stick around through the early part of dinner time, which is when people started to leave. Try and get to the pool either in the morning or end of the day to get some beautiful shots of the pool and cityscape.

In terms of places to eat, there are some fabulous albeit expensive restaurants in the Marina Bay Sands Mall. But if you have a special occasion to celebrate, like an anniversary, it is a great opportunity to indulge! The evening before we went to Cut by Wolfgang Puck. We did the three-course menu and the food was absolutely delicious! This place is a favorite so make sure you make a reservation in advance.

Pro tip – if you can make a reservation prior to 7PM there is a special Early Cut Menu you can take advantage of at S$88 per person, which is what we did. I ordered the Maryland Blue Crab Cake with heirloom tomato relish and basil aioli for appetizer, the New York Sirloin Steak with a side of Tuscan Black Kale (170g), and Strawberry Short Cake. We also did the wine pairing at S$28 per person (choice of one white and red).

Might I add, we also managed to try the room-service menu at the Marina Bay Sands! We ordered some Korean food upon check in (bulgogi and some dwenjang-jigae, Korean bean paste stew), which was surprisingly authentic! We also ordered breakfast room service, which was excellent. If you don’t feel like leaving your gorgeous room do not hesitate to order off of the extensive menu! Anyone is bound to find something since they have food items ranging from Singaporean/Malay, Indonesian, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean to Western.

Another great alternate choice for food is to go to Satay by the Bay, a higher-end hawker center overlooking the water at Gardens by the Bay. It is walking distance and the food is great! This is what we did our second evening. If you haven’t yet tried hawker food this is your chance! Great opportunity to try some Singaporean delicacies from their delightful satay to char kway teow! On your way back, enjoy the avatar-like super trees and lush jungle greenery. In terms of food choices you can go as fancy or as casual as you like!

Overall Rating:

Service – 5/5

Location – 5/5

Room – 5/5

Breakfast – 5/5

Experience – 5/5

Highly recommend staying at the Marina Bay Sands, even for just a staycation. It did actually feel like we were on vacation in our own city. Absolutely a once in a lifetime experience you will always remember. Yes, the infinity pool is out of this world! But just keep in mind everyone else wants to hang out there too. This is a five star hotel and the rooms and entire experience reflects that. This review was not sponsored.

Pro tip – If you would like to enjoy the pool view without paying the price of an overnight stay, you can check out the bar and restaurant, CÉ LA VI, also located on the 55th floor, which has a partial view of the pool deck and has the same view of the city. But mind you, it isn’t really the same!