Where to stay in Singapore: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

This is Singapore at its most dazzling. Marina Bay Sands, with its rooftop pool slung across three towers, faces the Merlion and the spiky domes of the Esplanade across the water, and Gardens by the Bay glows behind it at night. The waterfront promenade loops past all of it.

Hotels here are big, glossy and blessed with views. Beyond Marina Bay Sands itself, the Mandarin Oriental sits on the bay linked to Marina Square, the Conrad has a rooftop pool and some of the largest rooms in the city, and Pan Pacific connects by sky-bridge to three malls and the convention centre. It's ideal for a first visit or a short stopover, as long as your budget stretches.

Between the Singapore River and Bras Basah, the colonial city is still standing: white-columned government buildings, the Victoria Theatre and the National Gallery, and Raffles Hotel, which has been the city's grand dame since long before the skyscrapers arrived. Across the river, Raffles Place is the financial district, all towers and lunchtime bustle.

This is where the most storied hotels live. Raffles, freshly restored, still has its famous bars and courtyards; the Capitol Kempinski occupies two restored landmarks from 1904 and 1930; and the Fullerton, in the old general post office, faces the river by Raffles Place. For height, Swissôtel The Stamford rises above City Hall station with views across the skyline.

Orchard Road is Singapore's high street, a long, shady boulevard of malls: ION Orchard, Takashimaya, Paragon and dozens more, many linked underground. Even if shopping isn't your thing, it's a convenient, central base with MRT stations at Orchard and Somerset and the Botanic Gardens a short walk away.

Hotels range widely. Goodwood Park, from 1900, is a national monument set in landscaped gardens; Pan Pacific Orchard wraps its rooms around terraces filled with greenery; the Shangri-La sits in 15 acres of tropical gardens a stroll from the shops. Four Seasons on Orchard Boulevard is quieter and close to the Botanic Gardens, while the Hilton sits right in the thick of it, connected to Mandarin Gallery.

Chinatown is a joy to wander: temples, wet markets, hawker centres and rows of restored shophouses in candy colours. It blends south into Tanjong Pagar and Duxton Hill, where those same shophouses hold cocktail bars, natural-wine spots and some of the city's most talked-about restaurants.

Mondrian Duxton is the area's hottest address, with a rooftop pool and windows framing shophouses against skyscrapers. PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is famous for its sky gardens and sits a few minutes' walk from Chinatown and Raffles Place. Sofitel City Centre rises directly above Tanjong Pagar MRT, and M Hotel is a good-value base within walking distance of two stations.

The golden dome of the Sultan Mosque presides over Kampong Glam, where Arab Street sells textiles and Haji Lane is lined with murals, indie boutiques and little bars. Bugis, next door, is busier and more commercial, with markets and malls, and Little India, just north, is a riot of flower garlands, curry houses and temples.

The hotels have real personality. Andaz sits between Kampong Glam and Bugis, a few hundred metres from the mosque; Frasers House is a heritage landmark in the Bugis cultural quarter with direct access to the MRT; and Pan Pacific Serviced Suites on Beach Road suits longer stays, two minutes from Haji Lane. Near Farrer Park, One Farrer houses more than 700 pieces of contemporary Asian art.

Follow the Singapore River upstream from the bay and the mood shifts. Boat Quay is lined with bars facing the towers of Raffles Place, Clarke Quay is the neon-lit nightlife hub, and Robertson Quay, further up, is the relaxed end, with riverside brunch spots, wine bars and joggers on the path.

InterContinental Robertson Quay is the stylish choice, with studios and suites in the arts and heritage district and Orchard Road a few minutes away. The Grand Copthorne Waterfront overlooks the river within easy reach of all three quays, and Paradox is a 15-minute walk from Boat Quay with a spa and pool. It's a great base for couples who like to eat late.

Sentosa is Singapore's holiday island, linked to the city by road, monorail and cable car. Families come for Universal Studios, the S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark; couples come for the beaches, beach clubs and hilltop hideaways. It's resort life with the city 15 minutes away.

The hotels cover every mood. Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa sits right on Siloso Beach, and Resorts World's hotels put you minutes from Universal Studios. Capella is set in 12 hectares of gardens around colonial-era buildings, Raffles Sentosa is all private pool villas, and the stylish Outpost is pitched at grown-ups. W Sentosa Cove adds a waterslide and a free beach shuttle.

Not every stay needs to be downtown. In the north of the island, Mandai Rainforest Resort sits inside the wildlife reserve that holds Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari, River Wonders and Bird Paradise, so you can be first through the gates. Families love it.

Out east, near Changi, the Crowne Plaza at the airport is a ten-minute drive from East Coast Park and perfect for a short layover, while Dusit Thani Laguna is a golf-course resort around ten minutes from the terminal and 15 from downtown.