Shangri-La Singapore With Young Kids: One of Our Favourite Family Hotels
A UKI Travels Best Hotels review
There are family-friendly hotels, and then there are hotels that seem to understand exactly what travelling with young children is really like. Shangri-La Singapore is firmly in the second category.
From the moment our girls discovered that we were sleeping in a submarine-themed room, this felt less like a city hotel stay and more like an adventure made especially for them. For us as parents, the little practical touches were just as memorable: a family pantry, laundry machines close to the room and excellent play facilities that made slower hotel days feel like part of the holiday.
Add Shangri-La’s polished service, beautiful tropical gardens and easy access to the city, and you have one of the best luxury family hotels in Singapore. It was definitely one of our favourite family hotel stays—and a place we would happily choose again while travelling with younger children.
UKI Travels at a glance: Best for babies, toddlers and primary-school children; families who want resort-style facilities without leaving Singapore; and parents who value thoughtful practical details as much as luxury.
Why Shangri-La Singapore is so good for families
Singapore is wonderfully easy to explore with children, but the heat, humidity and busy sightseeing days can be tiring for little legs. Shangri-La Singapore gives families space to pause.
Although the hotel is close to Orchard Road, its extensive grounds feel calm and green. You can spend the morning seeing the city, return for naps or pool time, and still have plenty to entertain the children without leaving the hotel again.
What made it stand out for us was that the family offering did not feel like an afterthought. The hotel has a dedicated family floor in the Tower Wing, themed family suites, a family concierge and pantry, the buds indoor play space, and an outdoor water-play area called Splash. These are substantial facilities rather than a small playroom tucked into a corner.
The submarine-themed family suite
The room was one of the biggest highlights for our girls. We stayed in the Underwater Themed Family Suite, which they immediately called the submarine room.
The children’s bedroom is designed as an imaginative underwater world, with a submarine-inspired sleeping area and marine details that make bedtime genuinely exciting. It gave the girls their own playful space while the grown-up areas still felt elegant and unmistakably Shangri-La.
This balance matters. Some themed hotels are enormous fun for children but less relaxing for parents. Here, the theme creates a sense of magic without taking over the whole suite. It still feels like a luxury hotel room.
Shangri-La Singapore also offers other themed family suites, with designs that may include safari, space, castle and treetop adventures. Themes and availability can change, so it is worth checking the room description carefully when booking. The themed suites are among the hotel’s most distinctive rooms and can sell out during school holidays.
For larger or multigenerational families, ask about connecting a themed suite with a Deluxe Family Room. If the themed suites are outside your budget, the hotel’s family-floor rooms can still provide access to many of the practical benefits while keeping the cost lower.
The Family Pantry: the detail parents will love
Our children may remember the submarine, but one of our favourite features was the Family Pantry.
Situated on the family floor, it is designed to make staying with young children easier. Depending on the current set-up, families may find useful equipment for preparing or warming food, hot and cold filtered water, and baby or child essentials. Most importantly for us, we could use the laundry machines.
Being able to wash and dry clothes during a hot, active family holiday is a genuine luxury. It means packing fewer outfits, dealing quickly with wet swimwear and not worrying about the inevitable spills. It is exactly the kind of thoughtful service that can transform a trip with babies or younger children.
Access and supplies may depend on your room type, so confirm the current pantry arrangements before booking.
buds by Shangri-La: more than a hotel playroom
Our girls loved buds by Shangri-La, the hotel’s large indoor play space. It is especially valuable in Singapore because it gives children somewhere cool and engaging to play during the hottest part of the day or when tropical rain arrives.
The space combines active and imaginative play. Rather than relying only on screens or a few toys, it encourages children to climb, explore, create and play different roles. There are areas suited to younger children as well as more energetic spaces for bigger little ones.
For parents, buds makes the hotel much more than a base for sightseeing. A visit can become a proper activity in the day’s itinerary—particularly useful after a long flight, on a jet-lagged morning or when everyone needs a break from touring.
Entry, session lengths, age rules and adult-supervision requirements can vary by package and room category. Reserve ahead where possible, particularly at weekends and during school holidays.
Splash: water-park fun at the hotel
The other great success with our girls was Splash, Shangri-La Singapore’s outdoor water-play area.
With slides, fountains, sprays and water cannons spread across a sizeable play zone, it feels like a small water park rather than a token splash pad. It offered exactly the sort of easy, happy afternoon young children love—and meant we did not have to organise another excursion to keep them entertained.
Parents should bring swimwear, sun protection and suitable footwear, and check the current rules for age, height and adult supervision. Some activities may operate in bookable sessions or be linked to particular room packages.
Alongside Splash, the hotel has a swimming pool surrounded by greenery. Together, the pool, gardens and water-play facilities bring a relaxed resort feeling to a city break.
Family services that make a difference
The hotel’s family programme goes beyond play spaces. Depending on availability and room type, families can request practical items such as cots, highchairs, baby baths or other child-friendly equipment. A dedicated family concierge can also help guests staying in eligible family accommodation.
Always request essential baby equipment before arrival rather than assuming it will be available on the day. If you are arranging an airport transfer, ask the hotel about the current provision of child car seats as Singapore’s taxi and private-hire arrangements may differ from what you use at home.
Where to eat at Shangri-La Singapore with children
Having several restaurants on site makes evenings much easier when children are tired.
The Line
The hotel’s international buffet restaurant is a convenient choice for families because everyone can find something they like. Breakfast here is particularly useful before a day of sightseeing, with plenty of choice for adults and children. Buffet concepts and opening schedules can change, so check what is operating during your stay.
Waterfall Ristorante Italiano
Italian food is often an easy family win. Waterfall offers a relaxed option for pasta and other familiar flavours while still feeling like an enjoyable hotel meal for parents.
The Lobby Lounge
The Lobby Lounge is helpful for a lighter meal or a pause during the day. It is also a chance to try local Singaporean flavours without committing younger children to a long formal dinner.
Origin Grill and Bar
Origin is a more grown-up choice and can work well for an earlier family dinner, depending on current opening times and children’s policies. Couples travelling with family support may also want to save it for an adults-only evening.
Restaurants, children’s menus and meal-plan inclusions change, so review the latest options when reserving your room.
What to do nearby with young children
Shangri-La Singapore is on Orange Grove Road, near the Orchard Road area. It is peaceful rather than directly amid Singapore’s busiest attractions. We found that this suited a family stay, although most sightseeing will require a taxi, private-hire car or a combination of walking and public transport.
Good family days out include:
Singapore Botanic Gardens for open space, tropical scenery and the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden.
Gardens by the Bay for the cooled conservatories, Supertrees and an easy introduction to Singapore’s futuristic side.
Singapore Zoo, River Wonders and Night Safari for animal-loving children; allow generous travel and visiting time.
ArtScience Museum for interactive exhibitions, depending on the programme during your dates.
Sentosa for beaches and attractions, while remembering that Shangri-La Singapore is a different property from Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa.
The pleasure of this hotel is that you do not have to fill every day. With young children, one main outing followed by buds, Splash or the pool can be a much happier rhythm than racing between attractions.
A relaxed three-night family itinerary
Day one: Arrive, settle into the themed room and let the children explore their submarine space. Keep the first afternoon simple with the pool or Splash, followed by an early dinner.
Day two: Visit Gardens by the Bay in the morning. Return for rest time, then book a buds session before dinner at the hotel.
Day three: Choose Singapore Zoo or the Botanic Gardens, depending on your children’s ages and energy. Spend the late afternoon enjoying the hotel rather than adding another attraction.
Departure morning: Have a relaxed breakfast, fit in one final swim if timings allow, and use the Family Pantry to deal with any last wet or dirty clothes before packing.
Getting to Shangri-La Singapore
The hotel is at 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore, a short drive from Orchard Road. From Changi Airport, a taxi or pre-booked transfer is normally the simplest option with young children and luggage. Journey time varies significantly with traffic, so allow extra time for the return to the airport.
For daily sightseeing, taxis and private-hire cars are convenient. Families who plan to use the MRT frequently should check the walking distance and route from the hotel, as the peaceful setting is not the same as staying directly above a central station.
What to know before booking
The themed suites are special, but they carry a premium. Compare them with Deluxe Family Rooms and connecting-room combinations.
Confirm exactly which buds and Splash sessions are included in your rate; some packages provide set access while other bookings may involve additional charges.
Reserve play sessions and restaurants in advance during busy family-travel periods.
Ask for cots, bed guards and other essential equipment before arrival.
The location is calm and green, but you will usually travel to the main sights.
This is the city property near Orchard Road, not the Shangri-La resort on Sentosa.
Is Shangri-La Singapore worth it for families?
For families with young children, we think it is one of Singapore’s standout luxury hotels.
The themed suite gave our girls the thrill of sleeping in a submarine. buds and Splash turned hotel time into some of their favourite holiday time. The Family Pantry and laundry facilities gave us the practical support that parents appreciate but rarely find in a luxury city hotel.
Most importantly, nobody had to compromise. The children had spaces designed properly for them, while we still enjoyed the gardens, service and sense of calm expected from Shangri-La. That combination is why it remains one of our favourite family hotels—and why we would recommend it so warmly for a first Singapore trip with younger children.
Plan and book your stay
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