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Luxury travel inspiration from the Asia-Pacific region

DestinAsian

<h5><strong>Why stay?</strong></h5>
<p>The flagship property of the ultra-luxe Capella brand offers a refined seafront resort experience found nowhere else in Singapore. Sprawled over 12 hectares across a verdant knoll, it melds British-colonial heritage with 21st-century Asian style. Guests can look forward to a superb spa and a trio of outdoor pools cascading down the jungled hillside toward the Singapore Strait.</p>
<h5><strong>The area</strong></h5>
<p>Resorts World Sentosa’s ever-popular theme parks may be just a short drive away, but Capella Singapore feels far removed from the day-tripping crowds. Palawan Beach is accessible through a small gate at the end of a footpath leading from the swimming pools; two 18-hole courses operated by the Sentosa Golf Club are also close at hand. A complimentary shuttle service for guests departs every half hour to Resorts World Sentosa and the VivoCity mall across the causeway.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-131855 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-6.jpg" alt="A Premier Garden room at Capella Singapore." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-6.jpg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-6-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-6-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<h5><strong>The feel</strong></h5>
<p>This unique resort is centered on a pair of 1880s buildings—originally intended for British officers of the Royal Artillery—and a streamlined, curvaceous modern extension by Foster + Partners designed to a similar scale. The latter contains the rooms and suites; timber louvers on the facade have been painted a sympathetic red in deference to the tiled roofs of its older counterparts. Radiating out from the ensemble are 38 villas and a quartet of three-bedroom Manors. Mid-2021 saw the completion of a yearlong refurbishment courtesy of Hong Kong–based architect and interior designer André Fu, who built on the understated luxury of the original guest rooms by Jaya Ibrahim. Expect a serene palette in gray, cream, and muted hues like sage-green, as well as bespoke furnishings with a midcentury modern flourish.</p>
<h5><strong>Guest quarters</strong></h5>
<p>At 77 square meters, Premier rooms in the main building rank among the biggest entry-level hotel accommodations in Singapore; each one has a private terrace and balcony. Sealy mattresses and Frette linens are guaranteed, as are Chromecast-enabled TVs mounted on moveable panels, a Bose sound system, and a bedside touchscreen to control lighting and ambient temperature. For the full resort experience, book a one- or two-bedroom Garden villa. These come with curved high ceilings and massive windows that frame glimpses of the Singapore Strait. Featuring a deep-set sofa, long work desk, and plush rocking chair, the inviting lounge opens out to a spacious private deck and plunge pool. A screened-off outdoor rain shower and tub allow you to bathe alfresco in complete privacy.</p>
<h5><strong>Food and drink</strong></h5>
<p>Capella Singapore is home to a quartet of bars and restaurants. June 2022 saw the debut of Fiamma, a collaboration with the acclaimed Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco. His grandmother’s rustic Italian cooking was the inspiration for dishes like the toothsome <em>polpette</em> (meatballs), mozzarella salad, and an excellent wood-fired turbot steak in citrus sauce with white asparagus. You’ll want to leave room for some fluffy mangosteen panna cotta and the sublime tiramisù. (Fiamma doubles as the setting for international semi-buffet breakfasts.) Upstairs, Chef’s Table offers an intimate venue for private dining events. The adjoining outdoor terrace at Bob’s Bar is where guests kick back with a selection of dark rums and gins, and sundowners that showcase Navegante—a Barbadian rum made exclusively for the resort. Hungry patrons at Bob’s Bar can also tuck into local delights: think <em>bak kut teh</em>, Hainanese chicken rice, and Singapore <em>laksa</em>. Cassia, meanwhile, delivers mod-Cantonese fare in a chic André Fu–designed space within one of the heritage buildings. Chef Alan Chan’s six-course signature set menu includes a platter of honey-glazed <em>ibérico</em> pork <em>char siu</em>; South African abalone in sesame-and-<em>kombu</em> dressing; and juicy <em>ikura</em>-topped fried prawn drenched in kumquat sauce. Midway through the meal, you’ll be offered melt-in-the-mouth pieces of wok-fried Miyazaki A5 wagyu beef, perfectly cooked to medium rare and coated in a subtly sweet black-pepper sauce. Melon leaf–infused Pai Mu Tan white tea is an ideal non-alcoholic pairing if you’re not keen on wine.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-131856 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-7.jpg" alt="Wok-fried Japanese wagyu beef at Cassia; part of the modern main building housing Capella Singapore’s rooms and suites." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-7.jpg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-7-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-7-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Capella-Singapore-7-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<h5><strong>Wellness factor</strong></h5>
<p>An afternoon spent at Auriga Spa is not to be missed. Make sure to show up at least an hour early to enjoy the hydrotherapy circuit, which consists of an herbal steam room, ice fountain, vitality pool with massage jets, and experience showers. Senja Sunyi, a locally inspired signature treatment whose name means “silent dusk” in Malay, involves a deeply relaxing hot-stone massage whereby melted Shea butter is rolled onto the body with polished spheres of volcanic rock.</p>
<h5><strong>Family matters </strong></h5>
<p>Minors are welcomed at Capella Singapore, though it must be noted that the resort does not provide supervised childcare. In lieu of a kids’ club, complimentary activities suitable for all ages range from weekend scavenger hunts to hands-on workshops in cupcake decorating, painting a vanity pouch, or making your own scented shower steamer.</p>
<h5><strong>Sustainability cred</strong></h5>
<p>Herbs from the on-site garden go into tipples at Bob’s Bar and the signature pandan kaya jam brioche served during breakfast at Fiamma. Taking advantage of Singapore’s year-round sunshine and position just above the equator, the Capella has recently installed rooftop solar panels with the aim of powering up to 30 percent of its energy needs.</p>
<h5><strong>What else? </strong></h5>
<p>The owners have scattered more than 900 commissioned artworks from their own private collection throughout the property; get a feel for the highlights through the daily Heritage and Art Tour. Also look out for Sentosa’s resident peacocks that freely wander the grounds. You might see one pecking around Bob’s Bar at happy hour or even drinking from the bubbling fountain outside the spa relaxation lounge.</p>
<p>Reviewed by <strong>James Louie</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://capellahotels.com/en/capella-singapore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capellahotels.com</a><br />
+65 6377 8888<br />
<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/14QzDAqkdmu3AnMB6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, Singapore</a></p>


On the pool deck of a garden villa at Capella Singapore.

Capella Singapore

Singapore Hotels

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