The Downtown Core of Singapore is somewhere you can’t avoid if you visit Singapore, especially if you’re on business. It is thought of as the centre of the city as well as being the historical centre of Singapore and the place where modern Singapore as we know it began to take shape.
Marina Sands in Singapore
The Downtown Core is the official name of the area which is home to one of the world’s most iconic, exclusive and expensive resorts, but you’ll find that most Singaporeans would have no idea what or where the Downtown Core is! The area is almost exclusively known as the CBD (Central Business District).
It is the beating financial heart of Singapore, the home of the stock exchange as well as being the location for a number of government buildings.
Modern Singapore started here too when the British East India Company made its home in the harbour. What better place for Singapore’s current most valuable piece of real estate?
Marina Bay Sands had its grand opening on 17 February 2011 although the opening of the various facilities had been staggered over the previous two years. It had officially been due to open in 2009 but the project was delayed due to the world financial crisis amongst other things.
The official opening of the resort was in June 2010 and included the Skypark. Earlier in the year, the casino had been the first thing to open.
Following on, the theatres were opened in November 2010, the ice rink in the December and the ArtScience Museum in the following February.
The final parts of the resort to open were the iconic floating platforms which were available to visit from September 2011.
The appearance of the Marina Bay resort is what makes it famous. The three huge towers are home to 2,500 hotel rooms and suites, joined together at the bottom by a seamless lobby area.
What makes these three towers so unique, however, is the way that they are joined at the top. Sitting on top of them is the Skypark, which once you’re in it feels like it could be a tranquil open space anywhere in the world. It’s easy to forget you’re perched on top of three, fifty-five storey skyscrapers!
The Skypark is three acres in size, has swimming pools (including an infinity pool which is 191 metres above ground level), mature gardens and a jogging path.
There are also future plans in place to add a fourth tower to the current vista.
The Skypark is absolutely worth a visit, not just for the reasons above, but because it also gives you spectacular views across the city. Which is also a great way to fully appreciate the engineering feat of where you’re standing!
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is a huge shopping centre with over 300 shops and retail outlets housed within. If you’ve been lucky enough to visit The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas you’ll notice it’s designed in a very similar style, complete with a canal and gondola rides.
This is also the area where you’ll find some of the best restaurants in Singapore, owned and run by some of the very best chefs in the world. This includes Bread Street Kitchen from Gordon Ramsay and Cut by Wolfgang Puck.
There are two theatres in the resort, The Sands Theatre has 1,680 seats and the Grand Theatre seats 2,155. As well as putting on top shows such as the Lion King and Phantom of the Opera, both are available to businesses for private hire.
The convention centre on-site has space enough for 45,000 people, in case you’re looking to accommodate a few more into your event!
Located next door to the three hotel blocks is the ArtScience Museum, shaped unmistakably like a lotus flower. There are three permanent galleries, Curiosity, Expression and Inspiration as well as space for temporary and touring exhibitions.
The Casino is, for many, what the Marina Sands Resort is most famous for. The most expensive casino in the world when it was constructed, an impressive feat considering its American competition.
The Marina Sands Casino contains 1,600 slot machines as well as up to 1,000 gaming tables under its huge atrium.
In the evening the resort is worth a visit just to see Wonder Full, an outdoor multimedia light and music show projected onto the resort every night.
It’s worth booking serviced apartments in Singapore as close to the resort as possible in order to make the most of its facilities, despite not needing one of the 2,500 hotel rooms it offers.
