4 Best Hotels in Sentosa Island, Singapore

At this, another of the Starwood chain’s trendy W brand hotels, works by Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst are mixed in with unique art installations, and the glam-rock atmosphere starts in the lobby with an illuminated wall and fountain at WOOBAR, where a DJ often spins. Other bonuses include 24-hour access to both the gym and swimming pool, advanced in-room entertainment systems, and special mood-lighting options in all the rooms. There are nine room types, each offering different amenities—plunge pools, outdoor balconies, full bars and kitchens—so choose accordingly.

This hotel feels less like a family theme park than the five other hotels that make up Resorts World Sentosa. In the lobby there are aqua and sand color patterns running across all of the furniture and carpeting, along with a giant digital waterfall gushing down behind the bar. Although the hotel does its best to provide a tranquil escape from the family fun, it's best to request a room facing the rain forest, as the squealing children splashing in the water park outside can often be heard from rooms on the other side. Some rooms have direct access to a private lap pool for more privacy. Contemporary Chinese cuisine is served at the well-respected Forest restaurant, with stand-out dishes being whipped up by celebrity chef Sam Leong.

The rooms in this vast, arc-shape building all have balconies; ask for a room facing the sea, or else your view will be of a grassy knoll. The Shangri-La is popular with both conventions and Singaporean families escaping to the beach for the weekend. Children love it for its pool with water slides, and adults can rock climb (on a wall), golf, or windsurf. The hotel has also added Nestopia, an open-air play space with 17 play sections including netted obstacles courses. There are four restaurants and two bars including a Chinese noodle spot, an Asian-Western mix at Casserole, a casual Italian beachfront eatery, and the family-friendly Silver Shell Cafe with a Baby Zone that has everything you need to feed a newborn. A free shuttle bus brings you to and from the nearby VivoCity shopping mall.

The remote location of this resort makes it good for business seminars and those looking for a real escape. The best feature is its pool, which overlooks the Malacca Straits and is flanked by the romantic The Cliff restaurant, where you can dine alfresco. Deluxe rooms aren't very large (though their bathrooms are of a good size), but do have a leather-encased minibar and an Illy coffee machine. The Garden rooms have larger bedrooms and work areas with better-quality furniture such as handmade tortoiseshell desks, mosaic tables, and French banquette sofas. The four luxurious two-bedroom villas have their own pools.