MARINA BAY SANDS

The Marina Bay Sands, inaugurated in June 2010 by the American group Sands, remains one of the most ambitious hotel and commercial complexes in Asia. Israeli architect Moshe Safdie won his bet, that of responding to the wish of the Singaporean authorities who wanted this triptych to become a new "icon" of the city. The hotel itself is spread over three towers of 55 floors each, topped by a platform as long as the Eiffel Tower, which resembles the hull of a ship. Called "Sands SkyPark", this space brings together a miniature tropical forest, hanging gardens, a bar (CE LA VI) with a terrace, and the ultimate, a 150-meter long infinity pool bordered by a sandy beach, accessible only to hotel guests, as well as a Skypark Observation Deck accessible to all.

A symbol of excess, the figures for the Marina Bay Sands make you dizzy. The hotel has 2,561 rooms and suites. An exhibition and convention center in front of the hotel can accommodate 45,000 people. A gigantic 15,^{000-square-foot} Las Vegas-style casino offers more than 600 gaming tables (roulette, blackjack, baccarat, sic bo, a dice game), 1,500 slot machines and 30 private gaming rooms. If you don't gamble, at least check out the Swarovski chandelier with 132,000 crystals.

The reputation of the Marina Bay Sands is also based on a shopping mall with no less than 300 boutiques, featuring French luxury brands such as Chanel, Hermès, Cartier, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Céline and Louis Vuitton. The famous trunk-maker can be found in one of the two "Crystal Pavilions" (the largest Vuitton store in the world!), installed in the bay, the second being occupied by the Apple store.
Another attractive center of the complex: "The Sands Theater" and "The Grand Theater", equipped with state-of-the-art technology and a structure that favors perfect acoustics and remarkable lighting control. The Lion King, produced by the Disney Theatrical Group, was not chosen by chance... Finally, to reinforce the "cultural" aspect of Singapore's new icon, the Art Science Museum has just opened: its architecture is most disconcerting since it is a reconstitution of a lotus flower in a design version, with ten fingers bringing together interesting galleries of contemporary art. "The most welcoming hand in Singapore", exclaimed Sheldon Adelson, the boss of Sands, when he saw it.