Carlton Hotel Singapore

There's something rather reassuring about a hotel that knows exactly what it is and does it brilliantly. Positioned slap-bang in Singapore's civic centre, mere steps from the City Hall MRT and within waving distance of Raffles City, this is a property that makes the most of its prime address. The 940-room affair spans three wings and has been quietly getting on with the business of hosting visitors since the late 1980s – long enough to have perfected the art of urban hospitality without losing its edge. Whether you're here for a cultural jaunt to the National Museum, or to eat your way through Singapore's legendary food scene, you'll find yourself wonderfully well-placed. And speaking of food, the dining options here deserve more than a cursory glance – from award-garlanded Cantonese cuisine to a rather swish omakase experience, there's real gastronomic clout to be found.