Today, it seems that the island nation of Singapore starts and ends with the Marina Bay Sands. What we wanted was a taste of the real Singapore, and a glimpse of its bygone splendour, without the cliché of having a Singapore Sling at the Raffles (as nice as that is too). And we found it, set proudly on the water at Clifford Pier, a 1930s historic landmark in all its Art Deco glory, breathing new life into the site that has a long pedigree of welcoming travellers from all over the world – Clifford Pier was, after all, once Singapore’s first port of call for incoming immigrants. The Fullerton Bay defines historical luxury in a completely contemporised way, with no fine detail omitted. Our massive suite had an enviably perfect, uninterrupted view of the much talked about Marina Bay Sands, a true delight when it’s lit at night.
Breakfast at the hotel’s Clifford Pier Brasserie was a highlight of our stay, a delicious international buffet, covering the tastes of every possible nationality of guest, with a modern, informal, resort vibe – but the bone china, sterling silverware, white linen touches and service quality that you would expect from old-world Singapore.
