The Fullerton
Set right in the heart of the Raffles Place central business district, this sprawling Palladian pile was once home to Singapore's and general post offices. Today, though, the vast marble atrium where locals once lined up patiently to buy stamps is filled with well-heeled businessmen in pinstripes and Japanese wives leisurely sipping tea. The 400 rooms are, given the mainly business clientele, equipped with large writing desks and both wired and wireless Internet connections; the on-site 24-hour business center offers translation and video-conferencing services (although guests wanting to make a really strong impression at their next meeting should pony up to hire the hotel's vintage Rolls-Royce and driver). The ground floor Post Bar attracts a lively Friday-night crowd with its White Cosmopolitans and chilly mojitos. The hotel's pièce de résistance, though, is the 25-meter outdoor pool that overlooks the mirror-flat curve of Marina Bay and the skyscrapers of Raffles Place.
Insider Tip: In the evening, take the subterranean underpass to the Fullerton Heritage complex across the road; it's filled with cafes and bars.
Room to Book: The light-filled Governor Suite has soaring ceilings, original 1920's detailing, and a veranda flanked by 20-foot-high Doric columns.