In July 2025, I checked into the Stamford Suite at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore. Situated in the heart of Singapore’s downtown civic and cultural district, the 155-room property is part of the multi-use lifestyle integrated development Capitol Singapore which also comprises a high-end residential apartment, shopping mall and theatre. The hotel is a fully-sheltered connection away from City Hall MRT Station as well as Raffles City Shopping Centre with its myriad of dining and retail choices.
Nearby attractions include the National Museum of Singapore, lifestyle destination Funan Mall as well as the buzzy waterfront Clarke Quay and Boat Quay districts along the Singapore River which are just a stroll away. Changi Airport and Marina Bay Sands are 20 minutes and 10 minutes away by car respectively.
Nearby hotels include Pullman Singapore Hill Street; Fairmont Singapore; Swissotel The Stamford; JW Marriott Singapore South Beach; Conrad Singapore Marina Bay; Mandarin Oriental, Singapore; and Raffles Hotel Singapore. The hotel belongs to the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) and its GHA Discovery loyalty programme, with notable local properties including Capella Singapore; Pan Pacific Singapore; Pan Pacific Orchard; and PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Luxurious European colonial heritage charm in City Hall.
The must-dos (if any): Enjoy the spacious guest rooms and European architecture, soak in the saltwater relaxation pool, have breakfast at 15 Stamford.
THE CAPITOL KEMPINSKI HOTEL SINGAPORE
Designed by Pritzker Prize Architecture Laureate Richard Meier and with interiors courtesy of the late Jaya Ibrahim (behind Aman Summer Palace, Conrad Bora Bora Nui and The Legian Seminyak, Bali), the beautiful four-storey hotel is set within two carefully restored historic neoclassical buildings, Capitol Building and Stamford House, which house the hotel’s Capitol Wing and Stamford Wing respectively. The hotel’s aesthetic pairs Victorian sensibilities with a certain fondness of geometric shapes, tessellations and grand archways. Colours are generally muted, warm and creamy, with generous splashes of Italian marble and leather amping up the luxury factor. Despite the relatively small size of the property, the layout of the room floors is fairly The Shining-esque in its labyrinthine complexity, with a significant number of meandering passageways and turns.
The check-in process is completed at the residential-style lobby on the ground floor, an elegant space with plush sofas and gorgeous overhead hand-cut rock chandeliers. Upon arrival, you might be greeted by a Lady In Red, one of Kempinski’s distinctively-dressed brand ambassadors who are on hand to provide helpful information and assistance. Past the lift lobby which connects you to the guest rooms, guests can access The Boutique at 15 Stamford which retails chocolate products and spirits as well as key dining concepts 15 Stamford and The Bar at 15 Stamford. The cosy Lobby Lounge behind the lobby serves afternoon tea in the day, but is repurposed as the hotel’s Executive Lounge for suite guests to enjoy evening cocktails.
In terms of wellness, the hotel boasts Singapore’s first outdoor saltwater relaxation pool as well as a luxury spa which offers signature Singapore and Oriental massages along with high-performance facial therapies by Valmont. A modest 24-hour fitness centre is also available for your workout needs.
STAMFORD SUITE
Set within the Stamford House building, the 61sqm Stamford Suite features a bedroom with a work desk and wardrobe; a separate living area with a pantry; and an open-format bathroom with double vanities, a toilet fitted with a Duravit automated flush system, a deep-soaking bathtub and an enclosed rainfall shower space, with classy perfumed bathroom amenities from Salvatore Ferragamo’s Convivio range. Sliding partition doors provide the option of enclosing the bathtub/shower and vanity/toilet spaces respectively, or even combining the separate areas into one giant bathroom.
A wardrobe with a foldable door tucked away near the windows holds the hotel’s beautiful, Christian Dior-esque tote bags which are available for use during your stay, while the pantry offers both canned drinks in the minibar, Bacha and Nespresso coffee as well as Mist Valley teas. The patterned design that appears throughout the suite – from the room cornices to the bathroom lampshades – is a visual reference to the scales of Singapore’s iconic Merlion, while three arched windows in front of the work desk (which doubles as a concealed vanity with a Dyson hairdryer) overlook the busy traffic along Stamford Road. The low floors of the property mean one may wish to refrain from swishing anything while au naturel near the window to avoid entertaining restless double-decker SMRT bus passengers.
DINING
Breakfast is served at 15 Stamford, the hotel’s signature restaurant which boasts dramatic archways, grand windows and European influences in a classy setting. The a la carte menu offers a customised egg selection as well as dishes such as Eggs Benedict (poached egg, hollandaise, choice of smoked salmon or honey-baked ham), Hash Brown Potato (smoked salmon, hollandaise, bacon), Avocado Toast (sourdough, bocconcini, smashed avocado, marinated tomato, balsamic cream), Buttermilk Pancake (maple syrup, berries, house-made chocolate dip) and Waffle (vanilla chantilly, double berries, wild honey) while the buffet spread comprises selections such as Laksa, Chicken Curry, Yam Cake, Fried Bee Tai Mak, Briyani Rice, Vegetable Curry Puff as well as Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken, Otak-Otak and a sensational, relentlessly spicy Anchovies Sambal Chilli.
I must commend the table-side service of fresh Portuguese Egg Tarts as well as availability of prosecco, which add to the elegance of the European-style morning proceedings.
Past breakfast hours, 15 Stamford’s “Where The Land Meets The Sea” menu comprises dishes such as Braised Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Bomba Rice Casserole, Broiled Chilean Sea Bass, Char-grilled Miyazaki Pork Rack Chop, Dry Aged Black Angus Beef OP Prime Rib MS 3, Hiramasa Kingfish and Pan-fried Hokkaido Scallops.
During my stay, I had the dinner set menu which included selections such as Mushroom Soup (porcini chantilly, shaved black truffle, puffed rice, chives), Pan Seared Foie Gras (banana textures, rum & raisin) and Tiramisu (house-blend rum, mascarpone, cocoa snow). The gochujang-tinged Bluefin Tuna Tartare (avocado, onion, salmon trout roe, yuzu gel) teased with shocks of crisp; the Black Angus Beef Tenderloin (truffle potato mousseline, wild mushroom ragout, red wine demi) was deeply smoky and juicy; and the Patagonian Toothfish (cod brandade, orange fennel, shellfish emulsion) was a lush, creamy affair.
Boasting an impressive rum collection, The Bar at 15 Stamford’s signature cocktails naturally include rum-based tipples such as Plantation 1840 (Black Tears Cuban Spiced Rum, sweet vermouth, pineapple citrus, sugar cane syrup) and the spirit-forward Remember the Balestiers (Appleton Jamaican Rum 12-yr, sweet vermouth, cherry brandy, maraschino liqueur, absinthe). The bar’s latest “Lost Highway” menu draws inspirations from the Pan-American Highway (the longest road in the world) and features drinks inspired by Alaska (the gin-based The Northern Light with its dramatic colours), Mexico (the savoury mezcal and tequila-based Beets by Dre), Peru (the refreshing pisco-based Ever So Red) and more.
Steps away from the hotel entrance is Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski, which features casual dining concept Capitol Bistro. Bar. Patisserie; the playful HolyCrab which specialises in crab dishes; the Franco-Asian restaurant The Masses; vintage-themed eatery Choon Hoy Parlor which serves Singapore soul cuisine; Hopscotch, which serves Singapore-style craft cocktails and grilled dishes; and Ka-EN Grill & Sushi Bar, the Japanese restaurant with both air-conditioned and alfresco seating.
Partitioned behind the reception area, the elegant Lobby Lounge serves afternoon tea in a private, intimate setting. In the evenings, the space serves as the venue for guests with Executive Lounge privileges to enjoy wines and prosecco with light bites – think Fried Chicken Fingers, Penne Pasta, Meatballs and Cheng Teng Panna Cotta. Portions are prepared in quantities based on the occupancy of club guests, and the buffet spread is typically not replenished. I must say that I did feel underwhelmed by the lounge offerings given the luxe environment, but will commend the staff for taking the effort to prepare more of the Fried Chicken Fingers eventually after families with children absolutely wiped the tray clean less than thirty minutes into the two-hour presentation.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Offering a strong dose of sophisticated European-tinged colonial romance, the property is ideal for couple getaways or those seeking a heritage stay experience. While not quite at the same pinnacle of luxury as the nearby Raffles Hotel Singapore, the hotel’s luxurious guest rooms, enviable location and historical legacy certainly make it one to strongly consider.
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
15 Stamford Road
Singapore 178906
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