OK, I confess. We have a slew of photos of the amazing buildings in Singapore. Why? Because the city has a fantastic variety of them, from ultra-modern high rises to traditional buildings with British, Chinese, Malay or Indian features. Of all we saw, however, few would argue about the architecture of Marina Bay Sands: It is one of the most iconic buildings in Singapore.
No one has ever asked us what or where the building is. Everyone already knows.
It has been called the world’s most expensive building, at US$5.7 billion, including the cost of the prime land.
Unpopular Marina Bay Sands
When we visited Singapore in the autumn of 2010 it had just opened and Singaporeans were still complaining about how it overwhelmed the harbor and marina. Maybe that’s because at first glance it appeared that it was just another hotel.
Not so, though. It was developed by Las Vegas Sands, and we all know that Las Vegas has always done things over-the-top. So it also includes:
- A five star hotel,
- 20 restaurants, many by celebrity chefs,
- a casino, (no surprise there…)
- a spa,
- a cinema,
- a theater for performances and plays,
- a museum of art, science, design, media, architecture and technology,
- an Expo and Convention Center, and
- The Shoppes, an 800,000-square-foot indoor shopping mall with many top brands and exclusive boutiques, such as Louis Vuitton and Prada.
It figures.
Staying at the resort
We had heard so much about the new hotel that we almost stayed there. Almost. It would have been a major splurge and the reviews were mixed. To be fair, it has improved since then. At the time it was really new and they hadn’t worked out the kinks yet.
They have now, though, and the reviews show it.
The hard part is selecting a room. You’ll have 2,560 luxury rooms and suites to choose from, and 18 different room types. Splurge on one of the 230 luxury suites and you’ll enjoy butler service, VIP privileged access and panoramic views of the South China Sea and the Singapore skyline.
High atop Marina Bay Sands
The 57-story-high “ship” that straddles the three towers, known as the Sands SkyPark, actually stretches longer than the Eiffel Tower would if it were laid down. The SkyPark’s public observation deck is the best place to go for a breathtaking view of the city. You’ll need a ticket for access (cost: S$23 for adults, about US$18.50).
Besides looking at the skyline, SkyPark visitors can enjoy exclusive lush gardens, two fantastic restaurants (Sky on 57 and KU DÉ TA Restaurant and Bar), an alfresco café and a Cheese and Chocolate Bar! But there’s a better reason to stay at Marina Bay Sands than chocolate: The resort’s spectacular 150-meter infinity-edged swimming pool is only open to guests.
More Singapore buildings to come. If you enjoy architecture, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.
(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)Be sociable, share!Twitter2Facebook0Google+0LinkedIn0