An honest review about Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Singapore

One of the most iconic buildings in Singapore, the three tall towers and a boat on top with the infinity pool, intrigues every traveller. Sitting on the bay front, shimmering at dusk and dawn, this hotel’s unique architecture along with the number of things to do, makes it a must visit while you are here. You need not stay at the hotel, many of its attractions like Gardens by the Bay, the casino, the museum, the high end shops and celebrity restaurants are all open to non-residents of the hotel . It’s a must visit to shop (or window shop), gamble, eat, enjoy the rooftop restaurants, spa or take a stroll through this glitz and glam.

A vision of architect Moshi Sadie, the hotel made a revenue of US1.37B in 2021. The owner, Las Vegas Sands group, has decided to expand it further with a new tower comprising of luxury suites, an arena, sky roof, swimming pool and many more amenities that can accommodate 15000 guests(planned to be up by 2026). With all this and much more to offer, we would love to share our honest review on whether to spend minimum SGD 700 + per night for a deluxe room with breakfast here or simply visit the hotel for its attractions.

Room and amenities exclusive to residents : Score 4/5

What’s good :

All towers have two view choices : facing the beautiful and iconic skyline of Singapore or the Gardens by the Bay with amazing backdrop of serene turquoise sea water. We love the garden/sea view but then its just a personal preference.

Rooms come with access to Sky Park Observation Deck and discount coupons to some of the stores at the mall in the hotel The Shoppes.

Infinity pool access : This is the main reason why people would come stay at this hotel despite the price. It has ,no doubt, one of the best sunset views ever!

Staff and Service, of course, is one of the best! The hotel runs like a smooth seamless machine with every detail been taken care of for the guests and visitors, check out this documentary on Netflix (Show: Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby S1E1) and you’ll be amazed!

What’s disappointing:

We have stayed in both club and deluxe rooms. The club rooms are generously spacious considering that it is a luxury hotel but it comes with a higher price tag. The deluxe rooms which are the most basic and low priced (around SGD 700 plus on average) are literally like small boxes and its a bit disappointing considering the price tag it comes with and given that Marina Bay Sands is a luxury hotel.

Breakfast buffet is unbelievably good BUT you have to buy breakfast on top of your room charges, which is again a bit of a rip off.

Things to do : Score 5/5

Every thing is Good! This hotel offers things to do – some free, some paid- for every age group. There are free light and sound shows at the Bay Area as well as at Gardens by the Bay super grove trees (Best to check the timings on the official website here). Flower Dome and Cloud forest are paid attractions but are worth a visit. If you are planning to do a Insta-worthy photoshoot, this is the place for you. There are themed exhibitions ongoing in the iconic palm shaped ArtScience Museum, if any peaks your interest.

The board walk around the hotel during sunset has amazing views – you can take a stroll all the way to Marina Barrage along the bay – its absolutely picturesque. Some days, you can spot playful otters :). Try your luck at the casino or sip some free non-alcoholic drinks while you watch people throw away hundreds of dollars at a Roulette table (Do carry your passport for entry – no cover charge for foreigners). The list just goes on and on. Check out all things to do here.

Eat & Drink: Score 5/5

MBS has some of the best celebrity chef restaurants in Singapore! And what incredible service! Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen and Wolfgang puck’s Spago Bar and Lounge are our favorites ( biased by veg options available). Indulge in delicious food and soak in the beautiful sunset view with infinity pool on one side and sea on the other while at Spago.

Try the burger and shakes at Black Tap, visit the DC comics super hero cafe or have some delicious Taiwanese food at Din Tai Fung. The options are endless. Not to forget the roof top bar Ce La Vi bags 100 points for its ambience and the skyline view. There are other reasonable food options in The Shoppes such as the food court.

Location : Score 5/5

The location of the hotel couldn’t have been any better – with unblocked view of the Bay Area and the sea! With ample of touristy things to do, every visitor is in Marina Bay area at least once during their trip. It’s less than 10 km from Sentosa (another tourist hotspot) and less than 20 km from Changi Airport and is conveniently accessible by public transport.

The question stays : Is it worth to Stay at MBS?

Well if you are not so crazy about jumping into the infinity pool and are fine to admire the skyline views from a rooftop restaurant or skypark, then you can skip staying there and choose a hotel nearby which gives more value for money! (PS : not a paid promotion, but Mandarin Oriental in the area is worth every penny you spend for the stay)