Singapore: Three Perfect Days

COMO Metropolitan Singapore is located in COMO Orchard, also home to several of Singapore’s best restaurants, and an ideal base from which to explore the vibrant city.

Singapore has always been at the forefront of the next big thing, whether that’s in fashion, food, or wellness. We’ve designed three perfect days in Singapore, taking in the best of the city from the new concept building of COMO Orchard, to the tranquil surrounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Then take a 15-minute stroll back to COMO Orchard and head to COMO Shambhala for a restorative Contrast Therapy treatment, which alternately uses an ice bath and infrared sauna to stimulate blood vessels to dilate and contract in quick succession. It boosts energy levels and mood, as well as promoting muscle recovery. Next, enjoy the COMO Shambhala Microbiome Facial, developed with Singapore-based beauty brand, Sage & Ylang. The microbiome-friendly facial improves skin health and hydration using a beauty essence infused with pre-and postbiotics that are tailored to your skin’s unique needs. 

Afterwards, head to Cédric Grolet, also in COMO Orchard, for afternoon tea and a snack — their seasonal trompe l’oeil cakes made with tropical fruit are particularly popular. 

When the heat of the day starts to die down, set off for Emerald Hill, a short walk from the hotel. Emerald Hill is lined by neat, low-built Peranakan shophouses — a legacy of Singapore’s nineteenth-century history. Many of these colourful shophouses are still private homes today, although some have also opened their doors to a new wave of business. The best of these are No. 5 Emerald Hill which serves excellent cocktails, Que Pasa which is a Spanish tapas and wine bar, and Ice-Cold Beer, a relaxed and atmospheric bar.  On your way back to COMO Orchard, stop off at KPO Cafe Bar, one of Orchard Road’s most popular bars, occupying the former Killiney Post Office. It has a Happy Hour until 8pm daily and live music, as well as an outdoor terrace that’s popular with locals.  

For supper, COMO Cuisine offers an authentic international menu inspired by countries as far-flung as Italy and Bhutan. Much of the menu is dedicated to healthy COMO Shambhala Kitchen food — carefully calibrated to deliver optimum nutrition and flavour.

Afterwards, visit the 60-acre Singapore Botanic Gardens, the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. You could easily spend a couple of hours here, whether visiting the world’s largest orchid display — some 60,000 plants — at the National Orchid Garden, or finding Singapore’s much-loved Tembusu tree, featured on the back of the country’s five dollar note. For lunch, either pause for a picnic — packed up by the chefs at COMO Metropolitan Singapore — or head to Pangium, serving Straits cuisine with sweeping views over the gardens.

As the day heats up, head to the cool surrounds of Dempsey Hill, an enclave of high-end bars, restaurants and boutiques, butting up against Singapore Botanic Gardens. Among them is COMO Dempsey, which is well worth an afternoon’s wandering. You’ll find some of Singapore’s best alternative shopping here at Dover Street Market Singapore and Kids 21. 

For dinner, enjoy a leisurely meal at Candlenut, the world's first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant. Then hop in a taxi back to COMO Orchard for a well-earned rest at COMO Metropolitan Singapore.

If you want to hang out with locals, follow the path from Gardens by the Bay to Marina Barrage, a vast dam built at the confluence of five rivers, with a rooftop park with far-reaching views. 

For lunch, try Satay by the Bay, an open-air food court with waterfront views, where you can try some of Singapore’s famous street food such as barbecue chicken wings or chilli crabs.

After eating, head to Marina Bay Sands — Singapore’s iconic ship building — where you’ll find the ArtScience Museum, as well as various rooftop such as CÉ LA VI, LAVO and Spago. Any one of them will offer amazing views over the city — they’re touristy, but for a reason. 

On your way back to COMO Orchard, stop off at the Istana, the official residence of Singapore’s President. If you plan your timings, you might catch the Changing of the Guards ceremony which happens on the first Sunday evening of each month at 6pm. Otherwise you’ll still spot the platoon of ceremonial guards in starched white jackets performing sentry duty along the main Orchard Road entrance. The Peranakan Museum — with a huge collection of Peranakan artefacts — and its sister museum, the Asian Civilisation Museum — showcasing Asian craft and aesthetics — are well worth visiting if you’ve time to spare for some more culture. The National Gallery Singapore is also a five-minute walk away from the Asian Civilisation Museum and has the world’s largest public display of modern Southeast Asian art including works by Cheong Soo Pieng, Anthony Poon and Mohammad Din Mohammad. 

Return to COMO Orchard for supper at COTE Singapore, an American-Korean hybrid which serves brilliant steaks. The Butcher’s Feast — including Australian Wagyu, 45-day dry-aged USDA Prime, and Korean Galbi — is a great option for a first-timer.

Whatever your preferences, our expert team at COMO Metropolitan Singapore are on hand to help you plan your stay. Please get in touch for more information.