Our first trip to Singapore was filled with beautiful temperatures, amazing experiences and a luxury family stay in Singapore at the Shangri-La Singapore on Orchard Road.
If you’re looking for one of the best family hotels in Singapore, somewhere that combines five-star luxury with family-friendly facilities, peaceful gardens and a fantastic location near Orchard Road, the Shangri-La Singapore is a wonderful choice.
This luxury Singapore hotel is ideal for families visiting Singapore with kids thanks to its spacious suites, beautiful swimming pools, excellent restaurants and calm resort feel right in the middle of the city.
Whether you’re planning a Singapore family holiday, a stopover in Singapore with children or simply searching for the best luxury hotels in Singapore for families, the Shangri-La Singapore offers a brilliant base for exploring the city.
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👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.
Table of Contents
Location of Shangri-La Singapore Orchard Road
The Singapore Shangri-La is set slightly out of the city on the edge of the fabulous Orchard Road. With all of the shops and restaurants the location offers.
One of the things we loved most about the Shangri-La Singapore location was how peaceful it felt despite being so close to one of the busiest shopping districts in Singapore. Orchard Road is packed with malls, restaurants, cafés and attractions, yet the hotel itself feels tucked away in a tropical oasis.
This hotel has a number of different wings which are set out over fifteen acres. When you’re in the middle it feels like a quiet sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Singapore.
There are short-term and long-term apartments. A tower wing which has the exclusive Horizon Club at the top. And the Garden Wing which is a little more resort like and perfect for families.
For families visiting Singapore with children, the Garden Wing in particular works brilliantly. It has a much more relaxed atmosphere and easy access to the gardens and swimming pools. After long sightseeing days around Singapore it was lovely returning somewhere that felt calm and spacious.
A luxury stay in Singapore at the Shangri-La: The rooms
We stayed in one of the Garden Wing’s Premier Balcony suites which was such a beautiful space.
We had a bedroom for the children.
A main master bedroom.
And a lounge area with sofas, television and plenty of space to spread out.
This also had a little kitchen area with Nespresso and small dining area.
There was a bathroom in the children’s room and a separate loo off of the lounge.
We also had a master bathroom which was a fantastic space with a bath, huge separate shower and some wonderful L’Occitane products
The real star of the show was outside though with huge balconies that wrapped around the whole property. The largest of which had a BBQ and the best, our own private jacuzzi.
We loved this space. It was the perfect place to come back to after a day out sightseeing when we would all pile into the jacuzzi in the warm Singapore air to chat about the day and relax together.
There were some lovely little details in the rooms too. Such as gorgeous fragrances throughout in a bespoke scent for Shangri-La.
The suite worked incredibly well for us as a family of five. Finding hotel rooms in Singapore that comfortably accommodate larger families can sometimes be difficult, so having separate sleeping areas and lots of communal space made a huge difference.
The balconies also gave the rooms a wonderful indoor-outdoor feel which suited Singapore’s tropical climate perfectly. Sitting outside in the evening with the warm air, city lights and garden views felt so relaxing.
The swimming pools – one of the best family hotel pools in Singapore
The swimming pools at the Shangri-La Singapore deserve a section all of their own because they really are fantastic for families.
The main pool area feels like a tropical resort rather than a city hotel. Surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery, it’s incredibly peaceful and a lovely place to spend downtime between sightseeing adventures.
The children absolutely adored the dedicated kids’ splash areas. There were shallow sections where our youngest could safely paddle and larger pools where the older children could properly swim and play.
There were always plenty of loungers available too, which meant we never had to rush down early in the morning to reserve seats. Instead we could simply wander down after breakfast and spend a few hours relaxing by the water.
Honestly, the pools alone are enough to make this one of the best family-friendly luxury hotels in Singapore.
The food
There are a number of places to eat at the Shangri-La Singapore but we didn’t take any meals here. Having Orchard Road so close made it easy to go out and grab dinner for us.
We did have breakfast in though. We really enjoyed The Line Restaurant with everything imaginable from an Indian chef to charcoal croissants to a huge selection of fruits and a great English breakfast.
Whatever you wanted you can be sure it would be available here.
Or we could pick to go to the Waterfall restaurant. This was smaller and more intimate but had so much choice too.
We loved sitting out here and having breakfast and then the children would jump in the pool while we would order another coffee and relax for a while and watch them.
This was definitely my preferred place to start the morning.
Our suite also gave us access to the Horizon Club and while we didn’t make a huge amount of use of it – mainly because we were out exploring so much – it was really nice to come back to. We would enjoy drinks or some complimentary snacks in there at different points of the day.
Things to do nearby – exploring Singapore from the Shangri-La
One of the reasons the Shangri-La Singapore works so well as a family hotel is how easy it is to explore the city from here.
Orchard Road is just minutes away and packed with shopping centres, cafés and restaurants. Whether you need somewhere for dinner, a pharmacy, snacks for the kids or simply somewhere to escape the humidity for a while, it’s all nearby.
The hotel is also well-positioned for many of Singapore’s biggest attractions. We found it easy to reach places such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa Island and the Singapore Zoo either by taxi or public transport.
Taxis in Singapore are surprisingly affordable and very easy to use with children, especially after a long day when little legs are tired.
We also loved returning to the peaceful gardens at the Shangri-La after exploring busy parts of the city. Singapore is wonderfully exciting but it can feel full-on at times, especially with children, so having somewhere tranquil to retreat to made a huge difference to our trip.
The best bits of Shangri-La Singapore
We loved the space and calm at the Shangri-La Singapore. It really was somewhere lovely to come back to after our long days out exploring the city.
We adored the jacuzzi which really brought us all together for evening chats about our day. And time to properly relax in the warm air.
The whole of the Shangri-La felt somewhere so welcoming from the absolutely lovely staff who would greet us warmly to the rooms that were really comfortable.
So much so we wished we could just move in. It really was a great space for a family stay.
We also loved the 15 acres of grounds. And the fact that you could take an orchid walk through them to identify different species. A great way to get out and enjoy the space and see these beautiful flowers.
If there’s one thing that sums up just how welcoming and accommodating the Shangri-La in Singapore really is though it surrounds my nine-year old son’s hat.
He accidentally left his hat on our flight from Hong Kong to Singapore. It was his favourite hat, bought in Penang, Malaysia last year and taken everywhere with him so he was really upset that he’d lost it.
We called the airport, as did the Shangri-La and we spent time in the airport’s lost property area, all to no avail.
The Shangri-La Singapore said they would keep trying and one day, a week after we returned from our travels I received an email to say they’d found his hat.
I couldn’t believe it, we were all over the moon and the hotel said they were sending it for us. A few days later a parcel arrived for my son, it was a brand new hat they had tracked down in Penang and had sent to him. Identical to the lost one.
We were just astounded at the kindness of the Shangri-La. And now the new hat has even more meaning for my son. It’s become even more special and reminds him of the two trips, to both Malaysia and Singapore.
Worth bearing in mind?
There really is very little to bear in mind here. It’s a pretty fabulous stay through and through.
Perhaps the one thing I would say is that it’s a shame the complimentary bus service downtown only runs until 8pm. And also that it could perhaps run to a few more destinations. For some reason we never really got to grips with it and found it always easier to just get a taxi, which are surprisingly cheap in Singapore.
Child friendly?
The Shangri-La Singapore is absolutely child friendly. From the wonderful pools, which include lifeguards on duty and dedicated kids areas, to rooms that make it easy for families to travel. We all loved our stay at this hotel.
The children adored the little bags they received when we arrived which included some little snacks and some adorable squirrels, the hotel’s mascot.
They also loved the children’s sized dressing gowns. Perfect for hanging out by the pool in.
But most of all they could have spent our entire time in Singapore enjoying the swimming pools here. Which were gorgeous, felt safe and perfect for kids, and adults, to enjoy.
In all this was a wonderful stay for us and a great place to base ourselves during our first trip to Singapore.
We can’t wait to return.
FAQ – Shangri-La Singapore Orchard Road
Yes, the Shangri-La Singapore is one of the best family hotels in Singapore. It has spacious family rooms and suites, excellent swimming pools, child-friendly facilities and a peaceful location close to Orchard Road.
We personally thought the Garden Wing was ideal for families. It feels more resort-like, has easy access to the gardens and pools and offers a calmer atmosphere.
Yes, there are dedicated children’s swimming areas as well as larger pools for older children and adults. Lifeguards are also on duty which helps families feel comfortable and relaxed.
Yes, the hotel is located right beside Orchard Road, one of Singapore’s most famous shopping and dining districts.
Singapore Changi Airport is around a 25-minute drive from the hotel depending on traffic.
Singapore is fantastic for families. It’s clean, safe, easy to navigate and packed with attractions for children including Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island, Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios Singapore.
Ready to book the Shangri-La Singapore?
You can find out more about the Shangri-La in Singapore and check availability here.
This is the third time I’ve come across a blog on the Shangri-la chain in about a week… somehow I had never really heard of them before. Everyone has such good things to say, about all the little things (like the hat) that really make a difference. I think the universe is telling me to check them out!
I’ve never thought about Singapore as a holiday destination, not sure why but this hotel in particular looks fantastic. Looks spacious, family friendly & relaxing x
I love luxurious hotel stays and especially the buffet breakfast they serve! I’ve never been to Singapore although I’ve been to Malaysia and I think I should have planned my trip to Singapore at the same time but will plan another one in the coming years.
this looks lovely, always wanted to go to Singapore.. will have to pay the hotel a visit sometime soon
Oh my gosh the rooms look AMAZING and those pancakes look super yummy! I love this post and your blog, it gives me serious wanderlust! x
Great review. I lived in Singapore for 8 months and my parents stayed in the Shangri La 3 times when they came to visit. I think it’s one of my mums favourite hotels EVER. The food is so amazing and the staff are brilliant.