Capella Singapore sits on a knoll on Sentosa Island, wrapped in 30 acres of rainforest and landscaped grounds. Foster + Partners designed the resort around two Tanah Merah colonial bungalows dating from the 1880s, and Jaya Ibrahim shaped the interiors of its 113 rooms, suites, villas and manors. Forbes Travel Guide rates it five star. You get the calm of an island estate with the city a short drive away, which suits couples and families equally.

Premier Garden and Premier Seaview Rooms measure 77 square metres with a balcony, and Constellation Rooms reach 109 square metres with a private Jacuzzi outside. Sentosa Suites at 86 square metres and Capella Suites at 100 square metres separate living and sleeping areas. Each of the 38 villas opens onto a terrace with a private plunge pool, so you swim without leaving your own garden. The two manor types add three ensuite bedrooms and a 24-hour Manor Culturist.

Capella Culturists shape the days here, from a walk on the art side to mahjong taught by a master, and cooking masterclasses and cocktail crafting are arranged for you on request. Fiamma holds a pasta masterclass on the last Sunday of the month. Afternoon tea and daily cultural vignettes fill The Living Room, and The Pineapple Room hosts Creative Encounters, a salon series covering art, design and gastronomy. Children under 12 join Island Explorer, while the Little Stars Programme runs craft workshops and scavenger hunts.

Three cascading pools step down the slope towards the sea, so you swim with the water in view. Auriga Spa runs to 1,114 square metres and nine treatment rooms, four of them for couples, while separate male and female areas hold a vitality pool, herbal steam room, ice fountain and experiential showers. The spa opens from 8am to 10pm and treatments run from 9am to 8pm. The fitness centre carries Technogym equipment and stays open 24 hours, and yoga, mat pilates and sound baths are offered.

Two restaurants and two bars sit within the grounds, alongside a private Chef’s Table seating up to 24. Fiamma cooks Italian family food, hand-made pasta and wood-fired pizza, and lays on a Sunday champagne brunch. Cassia, designed by André Fu and led by Executive Chinese Chef Ben Wong, serves modern Cantonese, so you can eat Italian one night and Cantonese the next. The Pineapple Room mixes cocktails inside the heritage building, while Bob’s Bar pairs sunset views with laksa and Hainanese chicken rice.

Sentosa Island surrounds the resort, and a shuttle bus runs to VivoCity and Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. Central Singapore lies just over ten minutes away, which keeps the financial and shopping districts within easy reach, and Changi International Airport is 26 kilometres from the door. Transfers are arranged through the Culturist team. Bring one pet of up to 15 kilogrammes per room if you travel with a dog, and children up to 11 stay free.