Marina Bay Sand Hotel

Singapore

The city-state of Singapore which became independent in 1965 is a sort of Chinese enclave in the heart of Malaysia. Located on an island in the southernmost part of the Malaysian peninsula, measuring 647.8 square kilometers and consisting of 64 islands, was named in the 1980s as one of the Four Asian Dragons, the other three being South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Their exceptional, and for some, frenetic growth, have made them examples in the area of economic development. Once freed from British domination, Singapore has become a model society which to this day, is one of the most highly reputed in Asia. The values on which it is based are economic growth, security, cleanliness and materialism. Singapore in fact, is often called, the Switzerland of Asia.

Ahead of its time in terms of research and innovation, Singapore is an effervescent city-state in total contrast with typical Malaysian serenity. The favorite pastimes here are eating and shopping with a disdain for wasting even one precious minute. And this constant and contagious hyperactivity has manifested itself in daring real estate projects and a thirst for culture assisted by substantial financial subsidies. One hotel sums up this rapid development in a truly spectacular manner.

An exceptional hotel

Located on Marina Bay, an important center of finance and trade in Singapore, the Marina Bay Sands is a hotel that defies all limits. It’s difficult in fact, not to succumb to using every possible superlative to describe this gigantic complex which became, even before it opened in 2010, one of the symbols of the city.

At a cost of 8 billion dollars, theMarina Bay Sand is an imposing establishment consisting of three 55 story buildings raised on a one hectare platform, the Sky Park with an infinity swimming pool at an altitude of 191 meters, making it the highest pool in the world.

The Marina Bay Sands has no less than 2.561 rooms, 50 dining areas of which 7 are prestigious restaurants with renowned chefs including Daniel Boulud, Tetsuya, Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali, an 800.000 square meter shopping mall, an ice skating rink, its own Museum of Arts and Sciences and two theatres with 4,000 seats.

Created by the Moshe Safdie architectural firm and designed by Aedas, the hotel has its own casino in the extravagant image of Singapore, with 500 gaming tables and 2.500 slot machines!

All of these vertiginous figures make even the hotels of Dubai appear a bit tame. Unbounded and extravagant are the best words to describe the Marina Sands which has transformed the skyline of Singapore.

This complex with its gigantic proportions exemplifies Singapore’s quest for progress and exclusivity and is the perfect venue for attracting the jet set, vacationers and businessmen in the same excessive and disproportionate site.

The festivities linked to the hotel’s opening lasted two days, and in addition to the numerous fireworks displays in honor of the birth of this hotel giant, private concerts were held featuring international stars including Diana Ross and Kelly Rowland.