You may think you know about luxury hotels, but until you’ve seen the Asian version, you haven’t seen anything yet. And don’t let the sleek glass tower fool you — the St. Regis Singapore, despite its contemporary sheen, is a luxury hotel of the old school, the sort of place where, if you’ll let them, they’ll pick you up at the airport in one of a fleet of Bentleys.

Once inside you’re assigned a butler, and seen to your room, which is all old-world opulence, though it may contain such modern interventions as multiple LCD televisions and pervasive wi-fi. Sun streams in through full-length windows, lending a cheery aspect to the bright reds and golds of the décor, and the bathrooms are arguably the centerpieces of the rooms, with rain showers, deep freestanding tubs, and in-mirror flat-screens.

Bars and lounges include a New York–style cocktail bar, a genteel drawing room, and a chic wine bar, which is arranged more like a wine library than a traditional lounge. Three restaurants cater to various tastes: an upscale French brasserie, a pan-Mediterranean option, and Yan Ting, an artful high-end Cantonese restaurant. And just outside central Singapore awaits — the shopping district of Orchard Road is a short walk away.