Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa among 20 Singapore hotels set to house 2015 SEA Games athletes

The 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in ultra-modern Singapore now has an added aura of glitz and glam.

Organisers announced on Wednesday that 20 local four- to five-star hotels are to accommodate all athletes, officials and delegates during the bi-yearly regional sporting meet from 5 to 16 June next year.

These were awarded the tender from an initial bidding list of 45 from late last year.

In line with a “Village in the City” theme, the Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) selected a range of hotels within three major areas of Havelock, Tanjong Pagar/Chinatown and Marina.

These include Pan Pacific, Swissotel the Stamford, Grand Copthorne and Singapore tourism’s crown jewel, Marina Bay Sands – all based in close proximity to the Singapore Sports Hub and other locations earmarked as competition venues.

Resorts World Sentosa also made the cut, in view of golfing events being held on the getaway destination.

“The 28th SEA Games will celebrate and showcase sport against the backdrop of Singapore’s stunning city setting. We want our SEA Games athletes and officials to enjoy our city’s unique flavours, sights and sounds, even as they focus on competing at their best,” said Lim Teck Yin, chairman of SINGSOC’s Exco Committee.

He added, “We are confident that our SEA Games athletes and officials will have an enjoyable stay and return home with wonderful memories of the Games and Singapore.”
 
SINGSOC said in a press release that hotel accommodation would be a “cost-effective arrangement” equivalent to the initial plan to convert a university hostel to one centralised athletes’ village.
 
“Costs would be comparable because of the need to install additional arrangements for the Games, for example security fencing, and to restore conditions on return,” it explained, adding that the hotels which participated in the tender had also offered attractive packages.