Boutique Singapore Hotels

There's been something of a revolution in Singapore hotels since the turn of the millennium. In a city where even the POSH hotels tend to have blandly corporate looking rooms, a number of small 'boutique' hotels have popped up offering something different. You won't find some of the perks of the big hotels at these places, but you will find rooms and public spaces with a bit of character.

Berjaya Hotel

The Berjaya, formerly the Duxton, more or less started the boutique trend many years ago. The hotel is housed in a small block of shop houses built in the early 1900s. The Berjaya sits right on Duxton Road amongst many bars and restaurants at the edge of Chinatown, yet it is just a short walk from the business and financial district. While the exterior maintains the historic charm of the original structure, the interior features all the modern conveniences. The Berjaya Hotel is also available from our discounters.

Gallery Hotel

While most of the new boutique hotels in Singapore have taken advantage of historic buildings, the Gallery is a modern hotel that attempts - and sometimes succeeds - to be a hip artsy place. Some of the 66 rooms are the result of the Creative Youth Exchange (CYX) program that had young people from around Asia decorate the rooms. The Gallery Hotel is also available from our discounters.

Hotel 1929

The hotel's name comes from the year the building housing it was built. There are a number of 'unique' features of the 32 rooms, not the least of which are samples of the owner's collection of chairs. My information is to go for the garden rooftop suites. The Hotel 1929 is also available from our discounters.

New Majestic Hotel

The New Majestic is the latest addition to the boutique scene among this list, and the second venture by the creator of the Hotel 1929. This more up-scale hotel is housed in a building dating back to 1928. Thanks in part to the works of 13 Singaporean artists, no two rooms are alike. There are also five design concept rooms decorated by some of Singapore's most well known talents. The New Majestic Hotel is also available from our discounters.

Scarlet Hotel

While many of the hotels on this list can be described as traditional, or even minimalist, the Scarlet practically goes over the top. The colors and fittings sometimes seem more fitting for an old fashioned bordello rather than a hotel, but it all seems to work. One caution though: there some windowless rooms. It's supposedly worthwhile to splurge on one of the suites. The Scarlet Hotel is also available from our discounters.