By the time we reached Singapore we had been travelling through Asia for weeks, and our priorities had narrowed to two. A room we would use for more than sleeping. A bar that deserved an entire night.
Singapore supplied both, plus a whisky dinner we hadn't planned and an afternoon in Joo Chiat that went longer than intended. Here is where we would spend the time and the money again.
The room: Capitol Kempinski
Our room at the Capitol Kempinski had an enclosed balcony facing the street. After weeks of hotel rooms where the bed was the only place to sit, having somewhere to read and watch the traffic below made more difference than we expected.
The staff were attentive without hovering. Breakfast, room service, the gym and the pool were all better than they needed to be. We would book it again, and we would ask specifically for the balcony; it came with our room category and is not standard across the hotel.
The bar: Jigger & Pony
Jigger & Pony is the bar we would give a full evening to, and we did. We asked for drinks that felt Singaporean and let the bartenders decide what that meant. The cocktails were inventive, and the conversation about how the menu had developed made them better.
What set it apart was the team. Nobody rushed us, every question got a real answer, and before we left one of the bartenders wrote out a list of where to eat and which neighbourhoods to walk. That list was the most useful thing anyone handed us on the trip.
Long Bar at Raffles is the famous tourist stop, and we enjoyed it without apology: a Singapore Sling, peanut shells on the floor, warm service. Fun is a perfectly good reason to go somewhere.
Atlas is the room everyone photographs, and the interior is spectacular. On our visit the service was slow and the cocktails didn't live up to the room. Go for one drink and the ceiling. Spend the rest of the night at Jigger & Pony.
The dinner: Barrel, A Story of Hibiki
We went to Barrel for the Japanese whisky. The food was the surprise. Chicken rice, wagyu yaki udon, karaage and grilled oysters kept arriving until the portions caught up with us, and we would book it for dinner alone.
The servers talked us through the flights with real knowledge, and we added a pour of Chita on the side. We took our time over all of it.
Afterwards we walked and found Offtrack: a small room, good music, good cocktails and sourdough roti. Our rule is one drink each and then decide. Offtrack earned a second.
The afternoon: Joo Chiat
The shophouses on Koon Seng Road are the photograph. Take it, then keep walking. The side streets of Joo Chiat hold small shops and, to our surprise, a couple of excellent dog stores.
Stop at Big Short Coffee and sit down. Drinks are made one at a time, carefully, and watching the process is half the point. The tea list is unusual too. This is a place for a proper break, so don't treat it as a takeaway between appointments.
What we would change
We would eat at more hawker centres and book fewer competing evenings. The best nights were the ones where we could stay because we were enjoying ourselves, and a reservation elsewhere would have cut them short.
Leave real time for Jewel at Changi on the way out. The Rain Vortex deserves more than a glance while you hunt for your gate.
The details
Checked 19 September 2026.
Arrival card: Most travellers entering Singapore need to complete the free SG Arrival Card within the three days before arrival, including arrival day. Exemptions apply, including transit without passing through immigration. It is not a visa. Singapore ICA guidance
Rain Vortex: Currently runs daily from 10am to 10pm, with separate evening light shows. Official Rain Vortex information
Bookings: Confirm room features, bar reservations, dress codes and current menus directly, and leave space between bookings.