This trip to Singapore was all about the vacation vibe, and to really feel like you're on holiday, a hotel with a pool is a must. All four hotels I stayed at on this trip had pools, each with its own distinct character, and after actually staying at each one, I came away really satisfied with all four.
How to Pick a Singapore Hotel? My 4 Tried-and-True Recommendations (Location, Facilities, Real Stay Reviews)
Every time I book a hotel abroad, there's always a trade-off — places near the attractions tend to have smaller rooms and higher prices, while places with a real vacation feel are usually a bit further from the city.
For this trip, I've put together the four hotels I actually stayed at in Singapore — each one has a pool, and they're located in Clarke Quay, Sentosa, and Marina Bay, all major tourist areas in Singapore. Each has its own character, so if you're also trying to decide which Singapore hotel to book, hopefully this post can help!
Quick Navigation
- Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay｜Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay
- Village Hotel Sentosa｜Village Hotel Sentosa
- PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay｜PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay
- Pan Pacific Singapore｜Pan Pacific Singapore
- Quick Match: Which One Fits You Best?
🌿 Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay
Location
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay is located near Clarke Quay (Google Maps link) — it's about a 5-minute walk to Clarke Quay, super convenient. If your evening plan is dinner at Clarke Quay, this is a great choice. It's also only about a 10-minute walk to the MRT, with buses nearby too, so the location is really solid.
Agoda booking: Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay
Booking.com: Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay
First Impressions & Atmosphere
This hotel gives off a "relaxed and practical" vibe — the lobby is spacious, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor seating area, so it already feels like vacation the moment you walk in!
The location is great too, within walking distance of Clarke Quay, making it easy to stroll along the river or grab a drink at night.
Room & Facilities
The room isn't huge, but it's clean and bright. The bathroom, which matters most to me, was very satisfying — you can tell it's a well-known chain brand.
Pool | Gym
The rooftop pool was surprisingly great — a sweeping infinity pool during the day, and at night you can look out over the entire Singapore skyline from up there, with the atmosphere turned all the way up.
🏝 Village Hotel Sentosa
Location
Village Hotel Sentosa is located in the heart of Sentosa (Google Maps link). It's just one stop on the Sentosa Express monorail to the beach area, or about a 10-minute walk. The entrance to this hotel isn't the easiest to find though — Sentosa's terrain is quite hilly, with lots of winding paths going up and down. One time walking back from the beach, we went in circles trying to find the hotel entrance, ended up wandering into the basement, and even accidentally walked into another Outpost Hotel in the same building. Just something to watch out for.
Agoda booking: Village Hotel Sentosa
Booking.com: Village Hotel Sentosa
First Impressions & Atmosphere
The moment you arrive on Sentosa, the pace instantly slows down — perfect for family trips with kids or a couples getaway.
The hotel's color palette is soft and warm, the scent throughout is pleasant, and you really do feel yourself unwind.
Native Kitchen (Google Maps link), the in-house restaurant next to the lobby, has a 4.6-star rating on Google. Main dishes run around SGD 30, and the food is genuinely delicious — we had really good laksa and Hainanese chicken rice here.
Room & Facilities
The wood-and-cream toned room feels warm and unpretentious, and the way the pool blends in with all the greenery makes it a perfect spot to just zone out.
Pool | Gym
The pool here is genuinely stunning. The section you can actually swim laps in is the infinity pool facing the sea, while the rest is more like a wading/splash area — but the overall design paired with the surrounding architecture makes you feel like you've stepped into another world, where you forget all your work worries and just soak in the resort vibe.
If the timing is right, you can even catch Sentosa's fireworks poolside at night, and there's also a poolside movie night — genuinely lovely, and a must for anyone who loves taking photos.
🌆 PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay
Location
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay sits right in the heart of Singapore's financial district (Google Maps link), with an MRT station nearby and plenty of bus routes too, so transport is very convenient. Right across the street is Marina Square, a huge shopping mall, so eating, shopping, and strolling around are all super easy. If you want to visit the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay, it's about a 2 km walk, so I'd recommend taking a bus or taxi to get there faster.
Agoda booking: Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay
Booking.com: Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay
First Impressions & Atmosphere
Walking into the lobby, you'll let out a "wow" — a soaring atrium paired with forest-inspired lighting that turns absolutely dreamy at night, and you won't be able to stop taking photos.
Besides guest rooms, this hotel also houses several upscale restaurants — Ruth's Chris has a location right here — plus a banquet hall for weddings. You'll often spot couples having their wedding photos taken against the hotel's scenery. On the day we stayed, we actually happened to catch a wedding taking place, and it felt pretty similar to weddings back in Taiwan~
Room & Facilities
The room is comfortable and quite spacious, and the night view is a real highlight, especially on the side facing Marina Bay.
At night, sitting on the little sofa by the window with a drink in hand, watching the view — it's such a relaxed way to end the day.
Pool | Gym
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay's pool is also a sky pool, transforming into a starlit pool at night, with plenty of foreign guests sunbathing there. Even though it's a hotel right in the city center, it somehow lets you forget the hustle and bustle around you and just soak in the resort atmosphere the pool brings.
🧡 Pan Pacific Singapore
Location
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay sits right in the heart of Singapore's financial district (Google Maps link), with an MRT station nearby and plenty of bus routes too, so transport is very convenient. Right across the street is Marina Square, a huge shopping mall, so eating, shopping, and strolling around are all super easy. If you want to visit the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay, it's about a 2 km walk, so I'd recommend taking a bus or taxi to get there faster.
Agoda booking: Pan Pacific Singapore
Booking.com: Pan Pacific Singapore
First Impressions & Atmosphere
Pan Pacific Singapore is the kind of place that's understated, but once you've stayed here you realize it just feels "solid" — solid in the sense that it makes you want to treat it like home. It's not flashy, more of a "so comfortable you'll want to come back" kind of place, with rooms big and cozy enough that you'd happily stay forever.
This was our hotel for the last night in Singapore, and also the one where we splurged the most on our budget — but it was so worth it!
Room & Facilities
I booked a Basic room type, but the space was already huge, and the view outside was ridiculously spectacular — you can see all of Singapore's famous landmarks, like the Merlion, Marina Bay Sands, and Supertree Grove.
The view from the window takes in the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, Supertree Grove, and the Merlion, and right across the street is Marina Square, a massive shopping mall perfect for eating, drinking, shopping, and strolling around
Pool | Gym
Not many people use this hotel's pool — whether day or night, I was pretty much the only one swimming laps. Most guests just lounge on the chairs scrolling their phones, but that's a pretty relaxed way to enjoy it too.
🧭 Quick Match: Which One Fits You Best?
| Traveler Type | Hotel | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Packed itinerary, transport-focused, budget-conscious | Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay | Convenient location, easy to get around, easy to plan |
| Want that overseas resort feel | Village Hotel Sentosa Village Hotel Sentosa | Soft, relaxing atmosphere, resort-style itinerary |
| Great photos, comfortable stay, enjoying the holiday | PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay | Stunning lobby and night views, comfortable rooms |
| Comfortable stay, truly rest and recharge, enjoy the holiday | Pan Pacific Singapore Pan Pacific Singapore | Big, comfortable rooms, striking city views for photos |
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