Where to Stay in Singapore: Marina Bay, Orchard, Chinatown or Clarke Quay?

For a first trip, stay in Marina Bay if you want the skyline and Gardens by the Bay on your doorstep, and pick Chinatown or Clarke Quay if you’d rather spend less and be closer to the food. That’s where the guides land. All 16 that Roam Singapore read name Marina Bay, and Orchard Road, Chinatown, Clarke Quay and Little India are each named by 15. Sentosa is named by 11, mostly for families and resort stays.

The areas below are ordered by how many guides name them. Roam Singapore read 16 guides in English, Spanish, German and French. Where a hard fact appears, it comes from the operator’s or an official page, not from those guides. Prices aren’t printed here because they move with the season, so use the map to compare locations and check rates on the booking page you use. You can see what’s on during your dates on the events page and the live music page.

The short list

Marina Bay

Recommended by 16 of 16 guides read.

Marina Bay is where most first-timers end up, and the guides explain why. You can walk to Gardens by the Bay, the Merlion and the waterfront, and the skyline is the view from your window. The trade-off is price. Seven of the 16 guides call it expensive, and the area is mostly hotels and offices, so you’ll ride to Chinatown or Little India when you want street food.

The best-known hotel here is Marina Bay Sands. Its rooftop infinity pool is for hotel guests only, which is the main reason people book it. If you’re not staying, the observation deck is a separate ticket.

Orchard Road

Recommended by 15 of 16 guides read.

Orchard Road is the shopping strip, and 14 guides tie it to malls and shopping. It runs for blocks of malls and hotels. If you’re not shopping, it won’t be your favourite part of the city. You’re a short ride from Marina Bay, and the Botanic Gardens are close by, free and open from 5am to midnight.

Chinatown

Recommended by 15 of 16 guides read.

Nine guides mention its food or its temples. It has shophouse streets, hawker centres and a lot of smaller hotels and hostels. Chinatown Complex is near Chinatown MRT, per the Michelin Guide, and Maxwell Food Centre is a short walk away. Streets with bars can be loud at night, so ask for a room that doesn’t face one. If you can’t decide between this and Little India, Chinatown or Little India compares them.

Clarke Quay and the river

Recommended by 15 of 16 guides read.

Clarke Quay and Boat Quay sit between Orchard Road and Marina Bay, and ten guides bring up the nightlife. The riverside bars and restaurants are the point, and so is the noise. Stay a block or two back if you want to sleep. It’s an easy walk to the Civic District and to Fort Canning Park.

Little India

Recommended by 15 of 16 guides read.

Eleven guides pick Little India for lower prices and more atmosphere than polish. It has fewer hotels than Marina Bay or Orchard Road, so check the street before you book. Tekka Centre, the hawker centre and wet market, is where you’ll eat.

Bugis and Kampong Glam

Bugis is recommended by 13 of 16 guides read and Kampong Glam by 12.

Nine guides name Bugis for budget rooms, and it sits next to Kampong Glam, which has the Sultan Mosque, Haji Lane and a lot of independent cafes and boutiques. Together they’re a good base if you don’t need the skyline. Several guides say to stay close to an MRT station, since the heat makes a long walk feel longer than it looks on the map.

Sentosa

Recommended by 11 of 16 guides read.

Sentosa is the resort island, with beaches, Universal Studios Singapore and resort hotels. Sentosa’s page lists the Sentosa Express from VivoCity at S$4 entry (first train 7am, last midnight), the cable car, and a boardwalk. Seven guides point to families. Four say to stay in the city and go over for a day, because the island has little of the city’s street life.

Civic District

Recommended by 8 of 16 guides read.

The Civic District is the colonial core, with the museums and the Padang, and it’s close to Marina Bay. Raffles Singapore is at 1 Beach Road, and the hotel’s own FAQ names City Hall and Esplanade as the nearest MRT stations. Only half the guides name this area, but it’s a central alternative to Marina Bay if you’d rather be near the museums.

Less common picks

Tiong Bahru, Katong and Joo Chiat, and the area around Changi Airport each turn up in two guides. Tiong Bahru is a quieter neighbourhood with a local feel, and Changi suits a stopover only.

Which area to pick

• First trip, short stay: Marina Bay.
• First trip, tighter budget: Chinatown or Clarke Quay.
• Shopping: Orchard Road.
• Atmosphere and lower prices: Little India, or Bugis and Kampong Glam.
• Kids and beaches: Sentosa.

Only Marina Bay Sands and Raffles Singapore are named here, because their own pages confirm where they are. No other hotels are named, so check the options on the map before you book. For the rest of the trip, see things to do in Singapore and Singapore weather by month.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Lau Pa Sat Marina Bay · near Raffles Place Station Photo: Kimon Berlin Sri Mariamman Temple Chinatown · near Chinatown Station Photo: Tony Hisgett Istana Park Orchard · near Dhoby Ghaut Station Photo: Andy Mitchell Abdul Gafoor Mosque Little India · near Rochor Station Photo: Khalzuri Yazid Universal Studios Singapore Sentosa · near HarbourFront Station Photo: Hotel Kaesong Sri Krishnan Temple Bugis · near Bencoolen Station Photo: Joan Campderrós-i-Canas Saint Andrew's Cathedral Civic District · near City Hall Station Photo: Mustang Joe Tiong Bahru Market Tiong Bahru · near Tiong Bahru Station Photo: Philip Mallis