Stay in Art @ Design — 7 Captivating Art & Design Hotels in Singapore
From boutique hotels that reinterpret colonial architecture for today to design hotels that put storytelling and sustainability front and center, here are Singapore's art and design hotels that stand as works of art in their own right.
Stay in Art @ Design — 7 Captivating Art & Design Hotels in Singapore
From boutique hotels that give century-old colonial architecture a modern reinterpretation to design hotels that put storytelling and sustainability front and center, here are six of Singapore’s art and design hotels that go beyond being a place to stay and exist as works of art in themselves.
Words Pyo Youngso, Ryu Sunwoo
The Warehouse Hotel
The Warehouse Hotel
When Singapore rose to prominence as a free port in the 19th century, trading warehouses known as godowns sprang up along the river. Distinguished by their high gabled roofs, shuttered windows and spacious interiors, these buildings served as hubs for immigrant communities and as spirits distilleries, shaping the look of the city’s commercial heart at the time. Most godowns were demolished during urban redevelopment in the 1980s, but some were preserved and given new roles. The Warehouse Hotel, which opened in three converted godowns on Robertson Quay, is a prime example. The gleaming white buildings stand side by side facing the Singapore River, and they retain much of their appearance from 1895, thanks to the careful restoration of key architectural elements, including the symmetrical facade topped with a triangular roof. Inside, the original structure has been preserved as much as possible and layered with a modern sensibility, so the hotel fully lives up to its billing as a boutique property where past and present coexist. In the 37 understated guest rooms, you’ll find amenities created in collaboration with local brands and artisans. Po, a restaurant that gives traditional Singaporean home cooking a contemporary spin, and a lobby bar that reinterprets the area’s distilling culture of the late 19th century complete the hotel’s distinctive local character.
Art & design elements: From spaces that lay a modern aesthetic over a historic legacy to custom-made furniture and a lobby lounge decorated with photographs and works by local artists, the hotel’s identity and artistic sensibility are on display throughout. During Singapore Art Week 2026, the lobby was transformed into a stage for a contemporary art project, hinting at new possibilities for the space.
Maxwell Reserve Singapore, Autograph Collection
Maxwell Reserve Singapore, Autograph Collection
Could a 100-year-old building in Tanjong Pagar, at the southern edge of Chinatown, be put to better use? Singapore-based hotelier Satinder Garcha and French interior designer Jacques Garcia joined forces to turn Murray Terrace, a classic commercial building from the British colonial era, into a singular space where past meets present and East meets West. What sets it apart from other boutique hotels is the dramatic contrast: the exterior keeps its neat, restrained architectural character, while the interior boldly deploys intense colors and a rich variety of materials. European fabrics such as velvet and silk blend with Asian hues of red, blue and gold, leaving a visual impression that is both sensual and dramatic. The 132 guest rooms and suites, each designed differently, are only part of the story. Cultivate Café offers vegan options, Isabel Bar draws the eye with an enormous pink onyx bar counter, and Shikar serves authentic Indian cuisine. Each of these lavish spaces creates its own rhythm, yet together they form a harmonious whole.
Art & design elements: The hotel’s interiors, where stylish design and storytelling come together, stimulate all five senses and offer a dramatic, theater-like experience. Also look out for the Garcha family’s collection of 17th- and 18th-century art, which decorates the hotel throughout.
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
In the heart of the Civic District, lined with grand colonial-era buildings, a structure where a classical facade and a modern glass form interlock with striking finesse catches the eye. This is The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, created by restoring the Art Deco Capitol Building from the early 20th century and Stamford House, completed in 1904. Opened in 2018 after a large-scale regeneration project, the hotel keeps its historic exterior while reconfiguring the interior in a contemporary style, capturing both the grace of age and present-day sophistication. The buildings, once used as a theater, commercial premises and social venues, are like witnesses that have watched the city change over many years. The 155 guest rooms and suites, with their high ceilings and generous sense of space, offer calm repose in neutral tones and fine materials. Dining is another pillar of the hotel. The dining venues connected to the storied Capitol Theatre serve European cuisine and refined afternoon tea, while the bar and lounge offer a leisurely escape in the middle of the city against a backdrop of classic interiors. Its excellent accessibility, with a direct connection to City Hall MRT station, is another plus. The hotel also sits right beside the cultural district that is home to St Andrew’s Cathedral, City Hall and the National Gallery. It is no wonder the hotel has established itself as a cultural hub in the bustling downtown, where history and modernity, art and everyday life intersect.
Art & design elements: The exterior, with its elegant arches, delicate moldings and classical column ornamentation, and the interior, furnished in restrained colors and contemporary-design furniture, sharply highlight the contrast between the classic and the contemporary. The Capitol Theatre connected to the hotel adds artistic depth to the space as well. The Art Deco theater, completed in the 1930s, has undergone preservation and restoration, giving hotel guests a chance to experience the city’s history and culture.
www.kempinski.com/en/the-capitol-singapore
21 Carpenter
21 Carpenter
Housed in a remittance office built in the 1930s, 21 Carpenter offers one answer to the question of how a city can safeguard its heritage. A four-story shophouse sits on the street, with a modern building rising behind it. The two look incongruous at first glance, yet they are closely intertwined. Timber salvaged during the restoration of the old building was reused for interior finishes, while phrases from the letters that Singapore’s first-generation immigrants sent home along with their remittances are etched into the aluminum facade of the new extension. In short, the project does more than simply restore the old building: it reuses the materials of the past and reinterprets the history of the place in a contemporary way. No one seemed better suited to lead it than the Singapore architecture firm WOHA Architects. Having already set a model of nature-friendly urban architecture with vertical gardens at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, they once again render the memory of the past in a sustainable way. The 48 rooms and suites are divided harmoniously between the old remittance building and the modern extension. In the Heritage rooms, reclaimed timber covers the floors and the original windows of the old building are preserved as they were; in the Urban rooms, floor-to-ceiling glass lets in daylight. Both are furnished with custom-made pieces in soft, curved lines and pursue a warm yet restrained aesthetic. The hotel is small, but its amenities are distinctive, including a rooftop infinity pool with views of the city skyline and a garden terrace that plays to WOHA Architects’ strengths.
Art & Design: Through a collaboration with The Artling, a global art platform that began in Singapore, carefully curated works can be encountered throughout the hotel. The selection focuses on contemporary Asian art closely tied to the history of the place. In short, the art is not treated as mere objects but works alongside the architecture and interiors to express the hotel’s identity.
Raffles Singapore
Raffles Singapore
Preserving the character of a 19th-century hotel amid the bustling city center, Raffles Singapore has lived through every change the city has undergone in the nearly 140 years since it opened in 1887. In the days when Singapore was the gateway for voyages linking Asia and Europe, it was a hub of society and business for dignitaries and literary figures arriving from Europe, as well as a symbolic base for travel in the East. Its architecture, with a pure white facade, long corridors, wide verandas and arched windows, shows the hallmarks of British colonial style, which evolved in response to the tropical climate. In the tropical gardens, which take up more than a quarter of the entire grounds, you can feel a tranquil atmosphere in the middle of the busy city.
Butler service is one of the Raffles traditions that make a stay here feel even more luxurious, offering fully personalized care from the moment guests arrive until they depart. Among the dining venues, which span French and Chinese cuisine and include the North Indian restaurant Tiffin Room, in operation since 1892, traditional and contemporary gastronomy coexist in harmony. The Long Bar, where the Singapore Sling was born, and the Writers Bar, inspired by authors who passed through, such as William Somerset Maugham and Joseph Conrad, are ideal places to savor a Singapore night where the line between fantasy and reality blurs.
Art & Design: Raffles Singapore is a national monument that concentrates the city’s history and artistic heritage. Its architecture alone, which preserves the aesthetics of its era with Victorian-style columns, marble floors and timber beams, is well worth a look. The heritage antiques placed throughout the lobby and suites, including a grandfather clock in use since the hotel’s early days, are also worth seeing.
Naumi Hotel Singapore
Naumi Hotel Singapore
In a downtown Singapore hospitality scene dominated by colonial style, including Raffles, Naumi Hotel Singapore is the answer if you are looking for a boutique hotel with a contemporary design sensibility. Run by an independent boutique hotel group based in Singapore, it stands out unmistakably on a street lined with shophouses, with a facade of steel mesh panels draped in climbing plants. Inside, sculptural lighting and furniture add accents to a calm palette, completing a sophisticated mood. With 73 rooms, it is not large, but each is styled differently with designer furniture and contemporary art, so the experience you remember depends entirely on which room you stay in. At check-in, every guest is assigned a ‘Naumi Aide’, who serves as concierge, butler and personal assistant in one, one of the distinctive strategies Naumi Hotels puts forward. Thoughtful touches also include a women-only floor and three fitness spaces, and the rooftop infinity pool, with its striking city views, is counted among the highlights. On this strength, the hotel was named ‘Best Boutique Hotel’ at the TTT Travel Awards 2025, one of the most respected travel awards in the Asia-Pacific region.
Art & Design: Naumi Hotel Singapore actively draws art into its spatial design: the exterior walls are decorated with a large-scale graffiti piece by Singaporean street artist TR853-1, and a video work by local artist Aiman is installed in the lobby. Look out for furniture and lighting from renowned design brands such as Tom Dixon and Artemide placed in every corner of the hotel, and consider staying in one of the designer rooms inspired by Andy Warhol and Coco Chanel.
www.naumihotels.com/naumi-hotel-singapore
The St. Regis Singapore
The St. Regis Singapore
Tanglin, just off Orchard Road, is considered one of the most upscale residential districts in downtown Singapore. The St. Regis Singapore, which settled into this quiet neighborhood of embassies and luxury residences in 2008, is a luxury stay that feels calm yet artistic. Having recently undergone a major renovation, the entire property has been refreshed: its 299 rooms and suites use nature-friendly materials and colors inspired by the nearby Singapore Botanic Gardens, and sustainable elements emphasize eco-conscious luxury. Also eye-catching are three new dining venues, including The Tea Room, designed with a garden concept. Joining the existing Cantonese fine dining and Japanese restaurants are an Italian restaurant and a New York–style cocktail bar, making for a far more varied culinary experience. The 24-hour St. Regis Butler Service, offered to every guest, is the hotel’s signature, rounding out a more relaxed and comfortable trip through attentive, personalized care. The spa, with its Finnish sauna and steam room, easily deserves a place among Singapore’s best wellness facilities, and the outdoor pool, surrounded by tropical plants, feels like a hidden garden in the city.
Art & Design: The St. Regis Singapore takes pride in its world-class private art collection, which spans painting, sculpture and installation art. More than 70 works by international and local artists, from Picasso and Chagall to Georgette Chen and Anthony Poon, are displayed throughout the hotel, so inspiration comes naturally during your stay, and you can also join the hotel art tour with a butler for a more serious look.
