| From the best spots for a business lunch to drinks with the boss, we sample the city’s eateries, bars and new experiences. This week we look at two luxury hotel openings that leverage Singapore’s magnetic mix of wealth, luxury spending and a tropical backdrop. On Sentosa, the nation’s “Grande Dame” of hospitality, Raffles Hotel — currently rated 6th on the World’s 50 Best Hotels list — has a new sibling: an all-villa luxury resort. Raffles Sentosa Singapore, on the increasingly congested island of wealthy residents, weekend funseekers and resort hotels, boasts 62 villas, each with a terrace, private pool and butler service. Like the old hotel, it’s owned by Singapore-based developer Royal Group and the resort is operated under the Accor brand.  A room in the Royal Villa. Source: Raffles Sentosa Singapore Resort Options at the Sentosa site range from a 211-square-meter, one-bedroom place up to the four-bedroom Royal Villa, which, at 650 square meters, is around seven times the size of an average three-bedroom public housing unit. Guests can opt to arrive in one of the hotel’s Rolls Royce limousines, after which they will be greeted either in the lobby or their villa with a Sentosa Sling – a watermelony take on the famous cocktail dished out for over a century at Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar. The idea of the new property is to combine “Raffles' legacy of gracious service with a deep connection to nature and well-being,” said General Manager Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale. To create that sense of serenity, the villas are scattered among a forested hillside containing native plants like sea hibiscus, tropical hardwoods and mangroves, with views out over the South China Sea. A century-old ficus tree guards the entrance and peacocks and white-collared kingfishers add dashes of color. There’s a spa, discounted green fees at the swanky Sentosa Golf Club and access to nearby Tanjong Beach. The five restaurants and lounges include Italian and Cantonese fine dining and Japanese omakase as well as the Raffles Room, where you can get your fix of afternoon tea. After a hard day at the pool, the Chairman’s Room can help you relax with a selection of whiskies, cognacs and fine wines. A one-bedroom villa starts from around S$1,676 a night including tax.  The Butler buggy. Source: Raffles Sentosa Singapore Resort It’s a place that would appeal to senior executives on a multi-day trip to the city, wealthy families splashing out, and will no doubt be popular among movers and shakers the next time the island hosts a big summit. It’s not the only addition to Singapore’s swanky staycation offerings. On April 2, the Banyan Group opens its Mandai Rainforest Resort, which includes clusters of shell-like “treetop” villas connected by an elevated walk with large open terraces and views over Upper Seletar Reservoir. The sprawling 338-room property, next to the Singapore Zoo, exudes classic Banyan Tree tones of stone, marble rattan and wood to blend with the surroundings. A 63-square-meter Grand Mandai Treehouse for two people can be booked in April for a special opening rate of S$1,228 a night. —Adam Majendie Have a place you’d like us to review or feedback to share? Get in touch at sgedition@bloomberg.net. Thanks for reading our newsletter! Subscribe here if you haven’t already. | 
