SINGAPORE – By the second quarter of 2025, almost half the hotel rooms at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) will be transformed into suites, and its butler team almost tripled – as the iconic hotel makes an aggressive push for the luxury market in its first major brand refresh in 14 years.

In an update on Nov 7, MBS said that approximately 1,540 new rooms, including 635 suites, have been completed across all three towers as part of programme that kicked off in 2022.

MBS will eventually have around 1,850 rooms, including 775 suites – more than four times its original 180 suites. Before the renovations, there were around 2,560 rooms and suites in total.

Beyond the rooms, everything from the hotel’s logo and room key cards, to its staff uniforms are also getting a facelift.

The hotel’s Paiza Collection of rooms and suites, typically reserved for valued guests and members, will be served by Singapore’s largest butler team of 160, which has expanded from an initial 60-person team.

The lobby, rooftop Sands SkyPark as well as dining and wellness offerings are also part of the enhancement plans.

Dining options will increase with the addition of a Chinese fine-dining restaurant on Level 55, while there will be a new wellness offering in the form of water temple spa.

The brand refresh of the hotel - which opened in 2010 - was announced at Sands Theatre by MBS chief operating officer Paul Town, together with Sands Global Ambassador and football legend David Beckham, as well as MBS chief marketing officer Irene Lin.

“We don’t want to be the Eiffel Tower of Singapore, where you take a selfie and that’s it…. we want you to have these deeply enriching experiences both outside and inside the property,” said Mr Town.

During a panel at the launch, he noted a shift in the luxury market, with luxury customers around the world increasingly looking for more enriched lifestyle experiences.

“There is a constant race in the world of luxury to develop these assets that we’ve invested heavily in...but it’s not only about physical products,” said Mr Town.

Ms Lin added: “Every single detail, down to the service culture among our more than 11,700-strong workforce, is imbued with our new brand DNA to create a sense of belonging and build a stronger emotional connection with our guests.”

Marina Bay Sands’ Paiza Collection of rooms and suites will be served by Singapore’s largest butler team of 160. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS

Singapore’s hotel landscape has seen the addition of several five-star hotel properties in the last three years, alongside major hotel refurbishments that were delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

These include the likes of The Singapore Edition which opened in November 2023, and Mandarin Oriental Singapore which re-opened in Sept 2023 after an extensive S$135 million, six-month renovation.

Mr Benjamin Cassim, senior lecturer for hospitality and tourism management at Temasek Polytechnic, noted that one of the common denominators among these hotels, apart from the luxury facilities and accoutrements, is “a singular focus on delivering meaningful guest experiences”.

“The improvements to the hardware have also been accompanied by increased and intentional efforts to create meaningful connections with guests,” he said.

In MBS, the most luxurious suites in the now-completed Paiza Collection include the Presidential, Chairman and Horizon suites that are located on the higher floors, and accessible only via private lifts. The palatial 630 sq-m, multi-room Chairman suite, for example, houses a baby grand piano, in-house spa and gym, and a fully-stocked bar and kitchen for hosting parties.

The Chairman suite in the now-completed Paiza Collection. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS

Mr Cassim also noted that MBS has built a strong reputation among luxury visitors, senior and C-suite executives, casino high-rollers, and business events attendees.

The transformation works will allow MBS to provide guests with “much higher value-added, in-stay experiences”, he said, citing the redesign of rooms, the new food and beverage as well as retail offerings, and the refurbishment of key areas that are important focal points of the hotel.

The major refurbishment of the three towers takes place as MBS plans to build a fourth tower, with full-scale construction set to begin by July 2025.

An artist’s impression of MBS’ fourth tower. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS

The estimated US$8 billion project will comprise a 15,000-seat entertainment arena, 570 hotel rooms, premium gaming areas, space for Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events, as well as food and beverage and nightlife offerings.

The fourth tower – dubbed IR2 – is expected to be completed by June 2030, with the estimated official opening in January 2031.

In a quarterly earnings presentation on Oct 23, MBS’ parent company Las Vegas Sands announced that the hotel’s net revenue fell 9.5 per cent to US$919 million for the third quarter ending September 2024, down from US$1 billion the previous year.

The hotel’s room revenue remained steady at US$125 million year-on-year in the latest quarter, despite occupancy dropping from 96.3 per cent to 94.7 per cent.