Lantern

Lantern is the rooftop bar of The Fullerton Bay Hotel, which stands over the water at Collyer Quay on the edge of Marina Bay. The bar shares the roof with the hotel's infinity lap pool, green landscaping and open-air lounges, and its outlook is one of the most central in the city: Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum and the Esplanade face it across the bay, with the towers of the financial district rising behind.

Its name recalls the red lantern that once hung at Clifford Pier next door, a landmark for boats that gave the pier its old local nickname. The drinks list covers champagnes, wines and signature cocktails, and the kitchen serves gourmet bar snacks and sharing plates. The hotel says its menus use sustainably sourced ingredients. House music plays through the evening, and a resident DJ performs from Wednesday to Saturday between 7pm and 11pm.

Lantern opens from 3pm daily, closing at 1am from Sunday to Thursday and at 2am on Fridays, Saturdays and the eves of public holidays. The Skive Life, on weekday afternoons from 3pm to 6pm, offers selected drinks at lower prices, and there are regular weekly events, including a Tuesday Ladies' Night and a Sunday barbecue with Brazilian music. Hours and prices can change on festive dates, and some areas are occasionally reserved for private events or hotel guests, so check the website before a special visit.

Book ahead for sunset and weekend evenings, as the best tables along the edge go quickly. A credit card hold may be required for reservations, and cancellations at short notice are charged. A smart-casual dress code applies. Prices are at the top end of the scale, in keeping with a five-star hotel, but the view is among the best in central Singapore.

Lantern suits couples, groups of friends and anyone who wants a polished rooftop drink without the crowds of the bigger venues. The Fullerton Bay Hotel is at 80 Collyer Quay, and Raffles Place MRT station is a few minutes' walk away, with Downtown station also close. Merlion Park and The Fullerton Hotel are a short walk along the waterfront, and the promenade continues round the bay towards Marina Bay Sands.