Hotel Fort Canning

Modern not just in terms of period — though functionally the place is state-of-the-art — but in design terms as well. Where you’d expect antiques, rattan and gilded mirrors you’ll instead find clean lines, open plans, and furniture that includes a few modernist classics by the likes of Poltrona Frau. It’s surprisingly well integrated into the historical setting, with the occasional wink and nod in the direction of the building’s original style, but the effect is one that depends not at all upon nostalgia.

There’s a swanky bar and a restaurant serving inventive pan-Asian fare, including the staple Singaporean dishes without which no visit is complete. And while thanks to the location in the semi-seclusion of Fort Canning park dinner out means a cab ride rather than a leisurely stroll, on balance it’s worth it for the peace and quiet, not to mention the salutary effects of a green setting in the big city-state.