Marina Bay gives first-time visitors an easy introduction to Singapore, with famous landmarks, waterfront walks, shopping and dining close by. The best place to stay depends on how you want to spend your days, whether you prefer being near the main sights or exploring different neighbourhoods across the city.
Decide How You Want Your Singapore Trip to Feel
Start by thinking about the experience you want before choosing your hotel. If you are asking where you should stay in Singapore to explore Marina Bay, consider whether your priority is famous landmarks, culture, shopping, food or having an easy base for seeing several parts of the city. Marina Bay is known for its waterfront, skyline and major attractions, with places such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, the Merlion and the Esplanade within the wider area. The Civic District is also close, bringing museums, galleries, historic buildings and performance venues into the itinerary. PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay sits in Marina Square, placing guests close to the waterfront and the shopping and dining areas around Marina Centre. This makes the area particularly suitable for first-time visitors who want to see the famous side of Singapore while keeping several major sights within easy reach.
Pick The Part of Marina Bay That Suits You
Marina Bay is a large central district, and the experience can change depending on where you stay. The waterfront around the Merlion is useful for visitors who want to begin and end their days with views across the bay. The Marina Centre side places you close to Marina Square, Suntec City and the Esplanade, which can be useful for shopping, dining and events. Around Marina Bay Sands, you are closer to ArtScience Museum, the Shoppes and the route towards Gardens by the Bay. The Civic District sits across the water and adds museums, galleries, theatres and historic buildings to the mix. You do not need to stay directly beside every attraction you want to visit. Singapore’s central neighbourhoods are close together, and public transport makes moving between them straightforward.
Build Your Days Around the Skyline
Marina Bay is at its best when you give yourself time to see the area at different points of the day. Morning is a good time for a walk around the waterfront before the heat becomes stronger. You can then move indoors for a museum, shopping or lunch before returning outside later in the afternoon. Gardens by the Bay is particularly suited to an evening visit, when the Supertree Grove becomes a major part of the city view. The waterfront around Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion also looks very different after dark, making an evening walk an easy addition to your plans.
Use Marina Bay as Your Starting Point
One of the strengths of staying in central Singapore is that you can easily explore beyond the area where your hotel is located. Marina Bay is close to Chinatown, the Civic District, Kampong Glam, Little India and Orchard Road, and Singapore’s MRT system makes these neighbourhoods easy to reach. You can walk within individual neighbourhoods and use the MRT between them, which is a useful way to plan a first visit. You could spend the morning in Chinatown exploring its food stalls, temples and streets, then take the train back towards Marina Bay for an evening by the waterfront. Another day could take you to Little India for lunch before continuing towards Kampong Glam, with the evening back in the Marina Bay area.
Choose Your Dining and Shopping Style
Where you stay should also make evenings enjoyable, especially after a full day of sightseeing. Marina Bay and Marina Centre have plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars and shopping areas, with Marina Square providing a convenient collection of retail and dining choices. There are also restaurants within many of the area’s hotels, making it easy to have dinner close to your room. At PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, guests can choose from dining venues including Peppermint and Peach Blossoms, giving the hotel a useful range of options for different meals.
