The Colonial Manor at Capella Singapore

Why it is on the list

Capella Singapore takes up 30 acres of Sentosa; Foster and Partners built it around two Tanah Merah military buildings from the 1880s, and it opened in March 2009.¹ Those two buildings are the Colonial Manors, restored and refitted by Matthew Shang Design Office.² Each is a standalone bungalow of 500 sqm on two floors: living and dining rooms and a reading nook downstairs, three ensuite bedrooms, a private pool, and a terrace with a barbecue and an outdoor table.³ A butler is assigned to the house around the clock, and the stay includes a return private transfer within Singapore and guaranteed tables in the resort's restaurants.³ The resort hosted the United States–North Korea summit on 12 June 2018.¹

It is the wrong choice for a stay in the city itself: Sentosa is a little over ten minutes from the centre, and the house is set in the resort's gardens.²³ For a heritage suite on Beach Road, take the Sarkies Suite at Raffles.

How to get it

Call guest room reservations on +65 6591 5000 or write to reservations.singapore@capellahotels.com and ask for a Colonial Manor; there are two.⁴² The manors can also be booked online through the hotel's manor rate.³ The butler arranges meals in the house, from breakfast by the pool to dinner on the terrace, and cultural outings in the city.³ The resort's restaurant Fiamma is closed for rebuilding; breakfast is served in The Gallery Room meanwhile, and the spa stays open with some building noise.⁵

Discretion

The house stands alone, with its own pool and terrace, so meals, sound baths and yoga can all take place inside it.³² Guests are collected and returned by private car.³