Is This the Most Beautiful Hotel Renovation in Singapore?

Mandarin Oriental Singapore has always been one of the city’s recognisable landmarks, thanks to its soft green exterior and the dramatic atrium designed by John Portman. After a major transformation completed in 2023, the interiors now feel brighter, more layered and filled with Singaporean accents – floral motifs, Peranakan-inspired details and art chosen for its colour and texture. The atrium has kept its sense of awe: glass elevators zoom up through the 23-storey space, and the carpet – woven with more than 80 shades – resembles a lily pond when viewed from above.

What’s the neighbourhood like? 

On Raffles Avenue, the hotel sits within Marina Bay’s cultural and architectural heart. Gardens by the Bay, the Merlion, the waterfront promenade and the Marina Bay Sands shopping maze are all within walking distance. Singapore’s web of interconnected malls and passages means you can cover surprising distances without stepping back into the humidity. City Hall MRT is about a 15-minute walk away, depending on how determinedly you avoid air-con shortcuts. 

Where am I sleeping? 

My Club Marina Bay Room leans into a soft blue palette that mirrors the water outside. Light oak furniture keeps it bright, while the carved dark-wood cabinetry nods to Peranakan craftsmanship without becoming too literal. The bathroom is marble with a rain shower, deep tub and full-size Diptyque products.

What stays with me most is the consideration: tea left at turndown, a glasses lens cloth appearing by my specs when I leave them out on the bedside table, and a sturdy magenta tote in the wardrobe for pool or spa days. Construction is underway across the street, but I barely register it; if not for the crane, I might not have noticed anything at all. 

My first evening I eat a wonderfully fragrant pandan chiffon cake in my robe with the sleep tea left. It’s a lovely way to shed the last of the same-day flight fog. 

What’s on the menu? 

With ten dining venues, I could stay a week and not repeat a meal. At Embu, the buffet layout is almost comically abundant; I count eleven stations and still need four laps before committing to sashimi, an oyster, laksa and tandoori salmon. I tell myself I’m only looking when I pass by the dessert counter; I walk back to my table with lemon and black sesame cake.

Cherry Garden specialises in Cantonese dishes; Dolce Vita looks across the bay and serves polished Italian dishes. And the Mandarin Cake Shop is where you can pick up housemade kaya jam.

If you want American comfort, The Bar at Morton’s is an easy choice – especially during happy hour, when a Mor-TINI arrives with a miniature steak sandwich. A tradition held over from the hotel’s early days.

And how about the drinks? 

MO Bar is the hotel’s cocktail room. When I stop by, the blinds are down to tame the glare over Marina Bay, but the room still feels moody and plush. Now on its sixth iteration, the cocktail list celebrates the evolution of Singapore. The menu is presented via a viewfinder – the kind I haven’t seen since the early naughties — with each slide revealing another drink. Clicking through becomes its own mini experience before you even order anything. 

I’m recommended the Sarapan, a kaya toast-inspired gin cocktail that packs a similar punch to a negroni. It’s as playful as it is potent: flavourful, strong and crowned with a crisp little kaya cookie.

What are the extras like? 

The pool deck sits high enough to take in Marina Bay’s full sweep. Green sunloungers, submerged seating along the pool edge, and cabanas that disappear quickly each morning give the space a holiday energy without drifting into resort territory. Ordering food and drinks is as simple as scanning a QR code.

The spa is on the fifth floor and offers a long list of treatments drawing from regional rituals and modern techniques. The fitness centre is properly equipped, staffed and stocked with everything from cable attachments to recovery tools. Outdoor yoga sessions on the covered deck are also on the schedule.

What sets Mandarin Oriental Singapore apart? 

I become a loyalist of Haus 65, the club lounge, within an hour of arriving. The styling is deliberately eclectic: patterned cushions, velvet chaises, playful art and a layout that feels more like someone’s well-designed living room than a hotel amenity. 

Afternoon tea here is an event – finger sandwiches, warm scones (vanilla and double chocolate) and a rotation of petit fours. Then there’s evening cocktails with hors d’oeuvres. My Haus 65 breakfasts alternate between kaya toast on brioche, dim sum and picks from the cold buffet. It takes discipline not to overdo it. Club guests can also use the house car for trips within 2km, on a first come ,first served basis.

Who will love Mandarin Oriental Singapore? 

Travellers who want to be close to Marina Bay’s biggest attractions but still crave a quiet, considered space to come home to. Anyone who appreciates design that tells a local story, dining variety without compromise, and a club lounge you’ll genuinely want to linger in. 

The writer was a guest of the hotel.