Fresh staycations in Singapore you need to book now

So the June school holidays are over and you need another break ASAP. But you're dangerously low on leave — not to mention you want to save every day you accumulate for that quintessential year-end Singaporean ritual: heading to Japan.

What do you do? Staycation, lor. Luckily, there are plenty of fabulous new hotels to check into, from Singapore's first all-villa resort to a hipster stay in a heritage building. Here are six to explore.

If you want to spoil yourself silly: Raffles Sentosa

This sprawling resort set on a Sentosa clifftop has been Singapore's most anticipated hotel opening for years. (It was due to launch in 2022 but Covid-related delays pushed the date back.)

The all-villa property — designed by the Yabu Pushelberg studio, which is behind some of the world's poshest hotels — features 62 one- to four-bedroom units, each of which comes with its own private pool and terrace.

While you may never want to leave your suite, the on-site activities are sure to tempt: there are six restaurants, a spa with the latest in wellness treatments, and a library featuring notable books on botany, fashion, history and gastronomy.

If you're looking for a fancy staycation with that special someone, this is it. Bookings open from Aug 1; room rates haven't been released.

If you want to shop till you drop: Grand Hyatt Singapore

After a two-year closure and a complete makeover, this Orchard Road institution — once Southeast Asia's largest hotel — is reopening in stages.

Its refreshed StraitsKitchen (which has long been one of Singapore's most popular halal buffet restaurants) is already in operation, and its Terrace Wing rooms, which sit amid gardens and waterfalls, are available to book for dates from August onwards.

The sleek new interiors hold even more guest rooms than before (699, up from 677), along with garden- and terrace-access suites, which previously didn't exist.

Shopaholics, especially, will be glad to know that the rooms start from a spacious 42 sq m — great for accommodating all those shopping bags you'll be bringing back after a day in Orchard. Rates start from about $480 a night.

10 Scotts Road, Singapore 228211

If you just want to chill out: Amara Sanctuary

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This wedding banquet fave just emerged from a full renovation looking prettier than a bride. The new biophilic design, by studio FARM, marries the indoors and outdoors through earth-toned furnishings and pockets of green space that cocoon hammocks and daybeds, which are sprinkled through the property.

Most symbolic of this theme is the majestic 4m-tall pithecellobium confertum — popularly known as the "Everfresh Tree" — that greets you in the lobby. In the evening, you can watch it close its leaves as it conserves water for the night.

What's also unique about the resort is its wide range of accommodation options, which range from balcony rooms to pool villas, making this the perfect setting for a weekend away for any group size. Rates start from about $340 a night.

1 Larkhill Road, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099394

If you want to eat, drink and be merry: Amara Singapore

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The Amara group is on a redesign roll — its oldest property has also just undergone a major transformation. Formerly a business hotel, it's blossomed into a quietly luxurious stay in the heart of the CBD following a revamp by renowned hospitality design firm Studio HBA.

The stylish, cosy rooms feature touches that reflect the heritage of the area, such as wall coverings inspired by the textured alleyways nearby, and handcrafted bathroom tiles that draw reference from traditional shophouses.

The best part? Many of Singapore's coolest restaurants and bars (including the on-site Jigger & Pony, Asia's third-best watering hole) are mere steps from here, making it easy to stagger back after a night out. Rates start from about $290 a night.

165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539

If you want a dose of design: 21 Carpenter

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There's no hipster-er place to stay in Singapore right now than this boutique accommodation in a heritage building that used to be a remittance house.

A member of the Design Hotels group, the hotel is made up of guestrooms (some with balconies) that are split into two themes.

The Heritage rooms occupy the original structure on the bottom four floors and boast chengal wood floors and ribbed glass windows from 1936, when it was built. Meanwhile, the more contemporary Urban rooms sit on the top five floors — a modern extension of the old building.

For even more 'gram-worthiness, check out the on-site restaurant by celebrated chef Andrew Walsh, and the rooftop infinity pool. Rates start from about $400 a night.

21 Carpenter Street, Singapore 059984

If you want to be surrounded by buzz: Mercure ICON Singapore City Centre

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This is the world's largest Mercure hotel; a gleaming 989-room landmark that straddles Chinatown and the CBD, making it the ideal base for exploring both heritage and hustle.

Its smart, space-saving design has been much talked about: while the rooms here are relatively small (starting from 15 sq m), they're also bright, modern and comfortable. Wellness lovers will love the pool and open deck on the second floor, where free yoga lessons are offered to guests.

And when you're done working those calories off, you can put them on again: one of Singapore's hottest pizzerias, L'antica Pizzeria Da Michele, is just next door. Rates start from about $215 a night.

8 Club Street, Singapore 069472

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This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.