Marina Bay Sands Singapore
In terms of infinity pool goals, I'm pretty sure Marina Bay Sands is on everyone's bucket list. I know it was on mine. However, when I started planning our trip to Singapore, I wasn't sure if it was really worth the cost. I read countless Tripadvisor reviews which can mostly be summed up as "worth it one time for the experience." Eventually, I folded and booked our last night in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands, and I have to agree that it was worth it, at least once. While the rooms are average and comparable to any standard hotel chain setup, the views are stunning and seriously unmatched. The location is super convenient in terms of great restaurants and local attractions, including of course Marina Bay.
This post is longer than most, but it's mostly pictures of the incredible views from Marina Bay Sands. Below, I've detailed our experience at the famous infinity pool, Sunday Brunch at Spago by Wolfgang Puck, and the skyline views from Marina Bay.
Marina Bay Sands Infinity Pool
Is the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool as epic as it appears? Yes, definitely yes. The only downside to this magnificent resort is the insane number of people it attracts. With 2,561 rooms across three buildings attached by the picturesque Skypark, what do you expect? This place is basically Disneyland.
Your best bet for peace and solitude [read less crowds] at the infinity pool is to wake up with the dawn to watch the sunrise. I woke early naturally (thanks, jet lag) and left a snoozing Dan to go take pictures of the sunrise, and I was actually shocked how many people were not only awake but swimming in the pool and relaxing in the many hot tubs. Lucky for me, I was pretty much the only one taking photos as everyone else was genuinely relaxing and enjoying the view.
Sunset is a completely different story. The pool was packed with guests taking selfies and we were lucky to grab a single chair to lay our things on. Dan asked one of the many lifeguards on duty how many iPhones he sees dropped in the pool or over the ledge, and the guy just shook his head and said "Dude, so many every single day." We took note and stored our nice camera safely away and brought the GoPro in the pool with us, instead.
All in all, I'm really glad we stayed at Marina Bay Sands on our first trip to Singapore. For any first timers debating it, I would say that it is definitely worth it for one night as only guests get to access the infinity pool. Plus, the location is so convenient to the Gardens by the Bay (read my post here), the iconic Helix bridge (below) where you can see more great views of the Singapore skyline, and a very large mall for your shopping enthusiast (with a large wallet... everything in Singapore is $$$).
Sunday Brunch at Spago by Wolfgang Puck
Spago is just one of the many highly acclaimed restaurants at Marina Bay Sands. We were lucky to be there for Sunday Brunch and absolutely loved the buffet spread. I drank several glasses of my favorite fresh squeezed guava juice paired with a gourmet plate of asian and western dishes. It was seriously some of the best food I have ever enjoyed and decently affordable at 45 SGD per person. The restaurant is located behind the infinity pool at the Skypark, so of course the views from here are also incredible and great for people watching.
Marina Bay
Just across the street from Marina Bay Sands is its namesake, Marina Bay. Here you have access to an extensive mall called the Shoppes at Marina Bay. I fried my straightener at the hotel earlier that day, so I tried to buy another straightener at the Sephora here. Unfortunately, they only had a GHD one and the price was way more than what I would pay at home, so I rocked my natural humidity inspired waves, and eventually bought a cheap international version at the airport.
Another draw of Marina Bay is its incredible skyline. At night you can catch a skyline light show at 8 and 9:30 PM from the stands of The Float, which is a soccer stadium with the perfect view of the city. If you are an architecture junkie, you'll also enjoy walking across The Helix, a pedestrian bridge across the bay. Finally, the flower shaped structure you see is the ArtScience museum. While we didn't have time to visit this museum, I've heard it is a great place to escape the heat with some really great exhibits like the Crystal Universe providing an illusion of stars moving through space.
