If you’re asking yourself whether a stay at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is worth it, you’ve probably looked at their website and baulked at the price. But that hasn’t quite stopped you from dreaming, has it?
You’ll likely have many reasons for wanting to stay at Singapore’s most famous hotel, from the location to the infinity pool, and from the service to the bragging rights you’ll have after your stay. But is it worth it?
In this post, I’ll share my review of Marina Bay Sands to help you decide whether or not parting with your well-earned cash in exchange for a hotel room is a good idea.
Spoiler alert: a stay at the Marina Bay Sands is totally worth it!
Marina Bay Sands Hotel Review
The Room
Each standard guest room comes complete with a huge bed, plump pillows and sumptuous bedding – everything you need for a great night’s sleep! You’ll also have a small seating area, a writing desk and the biggest TV I have EVER seen. Honestly, it’s massive.
A large bathroom featuring a rainfall shower, toilet and sink with vanity is the perfect place to wash off the day’s adventures, while the large wardrobe has enough space to store all your things. Open up the mini bar, and you’ll find a selection of soft drinks, as well as the facilities to make hot tea and coffee too.
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows and its automatic blackout blinds will be a stunning view, no matter which one you pick. We opted for a harbour view room and enjoyed a spot on the 42nd floor and panoramic views of hundreds of boats queuing up to enter the port, as well as the Gardens by the Bay from above.
All rooms will have some form of outside space, even if it’s just a small balcony that’s just large enough to stand on and admire the view. We even managed to catch the Supertree light show from our room, which was a huge bonus.
Everything is tastefully furnished in a sleek, simple and luxurious style, with neutral tones and elegant touches to make you feel at home in the 5-star surroundings.
Of course, premier rooms and suites offer all this and much more. Take a look at the different options available and their respective nightly prices at booking.com.
The Facilities & Guest Benefits
The Marina Bay Sands is certainly more of a resort than a standard hotel. Obviously, the three towers holding the ‘boat’ house hundreds of hotel rooms, but there’s also a casino, a shopping mall, MTR station, multiple restaurants, bars, nightclubs, a spa, a fitness centre, a museum, an observation deck and much, much more.
Depending on the type of room you book, exclusive access to some of these facilities will be included in your stay, namely:
- Infinity Pool
- Sky Park Observation Deck
- Banyan Tree Fitness Centre
- 24-hour room service (at extra cost)
- Your choice of view
- Complimentary mini-bar (but don’t get too excited – ours only contained soft drinks!)
It’s for these facilities above that most people choose to stay at the Marina Bay Sands. But with so much on offer, it’s virtually impossible to do it all during a one or even two-night stay – particularly if you want to see the rest of Singapore too! You should certainly factor your length of stay into your decision whether or not to stay at the Marina Bay Sands.
The Staff
When we arrived, we really couldn’t fault the staff or the service they provided. After arriving at the tower 1 lobby by taxi, before we had even paid for our ride, our bags had been extracted from the boot and were being logged by luggage storage.
The check-in process runs like clockwork. A happy gentleman keeps guests entertained in the check-in queue and before you know it, you’re beckoned to the front desk by an eager member of staff with a huge smile and impeccable dress sense.
However, come check-out, everything became a little more fractious with hundreds of guests trying to return their keys and store their luggage at 11 am. It seemed as though the hotel’s two reception desks were struggling to cope with the number of guests, but nevertheless, the staff remained polite and courteous.
The Location
You really can’t beat the location. After all, the Marina Bay Sands is a tourist attraction in itself, and you can’t stay much closer than inside the reason many people visit Singapore!
The area around the Marina Bay Sands is really lively, so you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied in the immediate vicinity, including shopping at the mall, splashing the cash at the casino and watching the twice-daily light show immediately in front of the hotel.
And if you’re looking to explore the rest of Singapore, you’re ideally placed. After a few minutes’ walk, you’ll reach the Singapore Flyer – a ferris wheel that offers a thrilling ride and beautiful views of the hotel you simply don’t get from inside it. If you travel a little further, you can walk around to Merlion Park to take that iconic shot.
Nature lovers will also enjoy being in such close proximity to the Gardens by the Bay, thanks to the walkway that connects the hotel to the garden’s entrance.
The MTR station underneath the hotel will also mean you can reach many other parts of the city without breaking a sweat. From the Bayfront station, you’re on a direct line to Chinatown, Bugis and Little India, as well as an easy but indirect line to Changi Airport and other areas of the city.
Top tips for the best stay at Marina Bay Sands
Having just returned from a stay at Marina Bay Sands, here are my top tips and insider tricks to help make your stay the best it could possibly be:
Check-in early!
If you arrive at the hotel before the standard 3 pm check-in time, you’ll be able to leave your bags in storage and will be given a temporary key card. This will give you access to the infinity pool and observation deck ahead of checking in to your room, so it’s worth making sure your swimming costume is in your day bag if you want to swim.
Don’t be afraid of a 1-night stay
The vast majority of people book for just one night in order to take advantage of the exclusive guest privileges. Don’t be embarrassed to do the same! But equally…
Do consider spending more than 1 night
With the amount of stuff to see and do at the hotel itself, a 1-night stay may not be long enough to fit it all in! If your budget can stretch to it, book for longer to help you make the most of the facilities. This also means you can visit the swimming pool at its quietest when the overnight guests have checked out and before the next check-in.
Consider the view when booking
You have various options for views at Marina Bay Sands, and in my opinion, the harbour view is the best compromise between budget and view. These rooms are on floor 40 and above and, as the name suggests, offer a view of everything on the southern side of the hotel including the harbour. The surprise bonus for us was that our room on the 41st floor also gave us a wonderful view of the Gardens by the Bay. However, if your budget won’t stretch quite that far, a Gardens by the Bay view room is lower, immersing you even further in the gardens. If you’re a lover of bright city lights, a city-view room is best for you.
Visit the pool when it’s quiet
The Infinity Pool is the main reason most people want to stay at Marina Bay Sands, so it can get incredibly busy. To be able to enjoy the pool without sharing it with the whole hotel, visit between 11 am and 3 pm. This is after the guests who stayed the night before have checked-out, out and before the majority of guests staying the following night have checked in. At this time of day, there’s also an in-house photographer attending the pool, so you can get those all-important Instagram pics taken for you without getting your own camera wet!
Overall verdict: The Marina Bay Sands is worth it!
We really could not fault our stay, and even after our return, we remember our time there fondly whenever we see a photo of MBS. It feels really special to be among the lucky few that have seen the hotel’s interior first-hand.
So, if you want to stay at the Marina Bay Sands for a great night’s sleep with beautiful views, impeccable service and bragging rights to boot, you go right ahead. It offers all of this and much, much more. Book your stay now!
Alternative hotels to Marina Bay Sands
If, after the above review, you’re still not convinced to stay at Marina Bay Sands, consider one of the following options for an equally magical stay in Singapore:
Oasia Downtown
This super special hotel in Chinatown resembles the supertrees in Gardens by the Bay, thanks to the red steel structure and real-life plants growing up the exterior. It offers many of the same facilities as Marina Bay Sands, including a swimming pool, fitness centre and luxurious rooms, but the price tag is nowhere near as hefty.
Check out the latest prices for Oasia Downtown at Booking.com now.
Raffles
Fans of iconic hotels will surely have heard of Raffles – one of the oldest and most exclusive hotels in Singapore. The colonial style and heritage architecture of the hotel stands out against a backdrop of skyscrapers in the city, offering guests some much-needed peace and tranquillity in the hub of the business and financial district. Guests here are treated to luxurious rooms, exquisite food and drink and exceptional service from their very own personal butler.
Check out the latest prices for Raffles at Booking.com now.
Capsule Pod @ Aljunied
This hostel is perfect for small budgets, with a capsule in a shared dormitory costing just £21 per night. Offering more privacy than a normal dorm, each bed is a ‘capsule’ with its own personal lighting set up, walls and privacy blind. Each dorm is air-conditioned (a godsend in the humid climate of Singapore!) and also has free wifi and lockers for your valuables. Bathrooms are shared and there’s also a communal lounge to help you mix with your new friends.
Check out the latest prices for Capsule Pod @ Aljunied at Booking.com now.
Holiday Inn Express Orchard Road
The no-frills Holiday Inn Express is located in the vibrant area of Orchard Road, famous for its shopping malls and food courts. Rooms are modern, clean and furnished with everything you might need for a short stay. Air conditioning, private bathrooms and tea/coffee-making facilities all come as standard, while some rooms feature a desk area and views of the local neighbourhood.
Check out the latest prices for Holiday Inn Express at Booking.com now.
Village Hotel Sentosa
Sentosa Island is the theme park and beach resort capital of Singapore, so if you’re a fan of Universal Studios, Madame Tussauds or golf, this is the ideal area to stay in. Rooms at the Village Hotel of Sentosa offer comfortable beds, modern furnishings and beautiful surroundings, while the outdoor pools, spa and dining facilities promise the ideal place to rest and relax after a busy day’s sightseeing.
Check out the latest prices for Village Hotel Sentosa at Booking.com now.