In the heart of it all in Singapore

Three nights in Singapore’s Civic District, with JAAN by Kirk Westaway on arrival and two Michelin stars before check-in. The Fairmont Singapore sits at the centre of the city’s cultural quarter – connected through Raffles City to restaurants, transport and landmarks that barely require you to step outside

I hadn’t even checked in when the Krug was poured.

It was Friday lunchtime, 70 floors above Singapore, and JAAN by Kirk Westaway was my welcome to the city. My room could wait until 3pm.

In a few days, the luxury travel world would descend on Singapore for ILTM Asia Pacific. I know that week well: back-to-back appointments, familiar faces at every turn and very little sleep. This time I flew in early, giving myself three nights to ease into the city, catch up with friends and enjoy some downtime before the meetings and events began.

Fairmont Singapore proved a particularly easy place to do it. The hotel sits in the Civic District and connects to Swissôtel The Stamford through Raffles City, with City Hall MRT and many of the city’s cultural landmarks nearby.

Raffles City itself sits conveniently between the two hotels and became part of the experience. With its extensive mix of shops, restaurants and services, there was little reason to go elsewhere for shopping. I could walk out of Fairmont, browse the stores and continue through to Swissôtel without even stepping outside. For a short city stay, having so much at your doorstep makes life very easy.

Starting on a high

Back to that lunch.

JAAN by Kirk Westaway, the two Michelin-starred restaurant is intimate, with Singapore laid out beyond the windows and a striking Murano glass sculpture resembling a tree creating a dramatic centrepiece.

We started with Krug and moved through a degustation menu accompanied by paired wines. The first tastes arrived on textured white plinths, each presented like a small sculpture: cheddar straw, goose mousse and crab salad. Charred leek and potato soup followed, then violin courgette, hen’s egg, wild sea bass, milk-fed lamb, gin and tonic and strawberry pie.

The violin courgette was my favourite. Before the course arrived, the fresh courgettes were brought to the table piled high on a wooden board. Soon afterwards came the finished dish. It was a simple piece of theatre that connected what we were eating back to the produce and became one of the most memorable moments of lunch.

Kirk Westaway stopped by the table to say hello during lunch, which added a lovely personal touch to an already memorable experience.

By the time I eventually made it downstairs to check in, JAAN had set the bar rather high.

A room facing the city

I stayed in the transformed South Tower, part of the original I.M. Pei-designed hotel. Hirsch Bedner Associates reimagined the rooms with dark timber, leather, warm whisky and cognac tones and bespoke furnishings.

Speaking about the transformation, Managing Director William Haandrikman described the intention as combining “impeccable design with modern technology, to create timeless yet inspiring living spaces for our guests”. The balance is evident in the South Tower.

My room was generous and contemporary, with a comfortable sofa, proper workspace and a balcony framing the city beyond. A beautifully presented welcome amenity was waiting when I arrived, one of those small gestures that immediately makes you feel expected.

I also appreciated the unlimited filtered hot and cold water, particularly as I am an avid tea drinker. It is a practical touch with a wider purpose: the South Tower’s filtered water taps remove the need for single-use plastic bottles.

There is more happening behind the scenes. Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford introduced a 450-square-metre urban aquaponics farm, where fish and vegetables are grown together in a pesticide-free system. It was designed to produce around 1,300 kilograms of leafy greens and 200 kilograms of fish annually for use across the hotels, while technology is also used to help reduce food waste.

A very good base

The Fairmont Gold Lounge on Level 25 quickly became my base. It has a modern residential feel, good city views and service that was faultless throughout my stay. I used it for breakfast, catching up on work and an evening drink.

Come evening, drinks are accompanied by a generous spread of canapés, with chefs at the food stations preparing something different each night. I am rarely a dessert person but the variety and presentation caught my eye and curiosity won.

The lounge proved especially useful ahead of ILTM. I could work for a while, stop for something to eat and then head out for the evening.

Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford introduced a 450-square-metre urban aquaponics farm, where fish and vegetables are grown together in a pesticide-free system. It was designed to produce around 1,300 kilograms of leafy greens and 200 kilograms of fish annually for use across the hotels.

Behind the red curtain

The next evening started at ANTI:DOTE, and I loved it from the moment I walked through the dramatic red velvet curtains.

There is an old-time theatre feel to the room, with low, warm lighting, tiered amber chandeliers, herringbone floors and a long marble bar. The formally dressed staff add to the sense of theatre, right down to their tropical-print ties.

Even the cocktail menu has personality: How Are You Feeling? A Cocktail Anthology of the Human Condition. My cocktail arrived with a smooth layer of foam and an intricately patterned edible garnish laid across the top like a strip of watercolour.

One cocktail turned into a couple with friends. We could happily have stayed for most of the evening, but we couldn’t keep the kitchen at Prego waiting any longer.

Prego was just what I felt like afterwards: relaxed Italian food and comfort dining at the end of a full day. Good food, good wine, friends and plenty of conversation, followed by a very short trip upstairs. I went to bed happy and very well fed.

Time to slow down

By the third afternoon I was more than ready for my aromatherapy massage at Willow Stream Spa. The wellness facility covers 50,000 square feet, with 23 treatment rooms and extensive fitness and wellness areas. I spent time in the whirlpool and sauna before my treatment and found myself in no hurry to leave afterwards.

Eventually, dinner called.

I returned to Level 70 of Swissôtel The Stamford, this time for SKAI. Perched high above the city, the contemporary grill has a completely different energy to JAAN, with the Marina Bay skyline stretching out in front of you.

Japanese influences run through the menu, particularly in the ingredients and techniques, while the grill remains at its heart. Premium cuts include Miyazaki and Saga Wagyu, alongside seafood and a dedicated tuna selection. We shared dishes including kingfish carpaccio, mixed sashimi and grilled prawns, which suited the more relaxed style of the evening.

The view is difficult to ignore. From this height, Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding skyline become part of dinner, changing as daylight fades and the city lights come on. Having started my stay on the same floor at the intimate JAAN, it was interesting to return for such a different dining experience.

Watching Singapore light up around us was a lovely way to spend my final evening.

The lasting impression

Fairmont Singapore is a substantial hotel, with 778 rooms and suites across two towers, yet my stay felt personal. Singapore appears quietly throughout the interiors in Peranakan-inspired patterns, local artwork and details drawn from the city’s architecture and tropical landscape.

What makes the location work particularly well is the wider precinct. Fairmont, Swissôtel The Stamford and Raffles City put an enormous amount within a few minutes’ walk.

By the time I checked out, I realised I had barely given any thought to getting around Singapore. Everything I needed had been right at my doorstep.

And after three days of eating extremely well, catching up with friends and finding some time to slow down, I headed into ILTM rested, very well fed and ready for the week ahead.

Hotel Notes

Rates at Santani Wellness Kandy start from US$443 (about AU$715) per night for a Mountain View Chalet on a full-board basis for two adults, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Santani’s wellness rates start at US$763 (about AU$1,235) per night for a Mountain View Chalet on a full-board basis for two adults, including an Ayurvedic doctor consultation and a daily 90-minute treatment. abercrombiekent.com.au santani.com