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Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
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Happy 10th Birthday to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands!

  • April 18, 2020
  • Brad A. Johnson
It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the opening of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Instantly iconic, the resort’s rooftop infinity pool became a must-see attraction for jet-setters the world over. Of course you can only gain access to and swim in the pool (and much of the SkyPark promenade) as a registered guest of the hotel. 
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

Happy Birthday, Marina Bay Sands! (It looks like we’re both celebrating birthdays in quarantine thanks to that damned coronavirus. We’ll celebrate for real once this all blows over.)

I’ve been lucky enough to stay at Marina Bay Sands several times. My first visit came four months after it opened in 2010. While this isn’t exactly my favorite hotel in Singapore, it is certainly one of the most memorable. Everyone should stay here at least once. 

The Las Vegas Sands Corporation spent a whopping $5.9 billion (twice the original estimate) to build it. The 50-acre complex comprises three 55-story towers, which make up the hotel, all of which are topped with a three-acre SkyPark that includes restaurants, nightclubs and a 490-foot-long infinity pool. At the base, there’s a casino, convention center, more restaurants, a luxury shopping mall, an indoor hawker center, event plaza and museum. It’s a veritable city within a city. 

The pool is everything it’s cracked up to be, although the crowding does get chaotic on weekends, which is not surprising given that those towers contain more than 2,500 hotel rooms. However, when I stayed here midweek, I managed to enjoy several surprisingly quiet moments poolside. The views are incredible from the top: downtown Singapore on one side, the sprawling Gardens by the Bay on the other. 

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For more travel inspiration and photos, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as Editorial Director of the new luxury consumer travel magazine of the Global Travel Collection (launching Spring 2023).

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Hey, OC. FYI in case you missed it, @ryegoods has opened a new location on Red Hill in Tustin, just down the street from Flight/Mess Hall. Same incredible breads and pastries as the original on the peninsula. No lines here, plus a huge seating area. #sourdough #pastries #coffee #orangecounty 322 9
One more post from our lovely stay at @fstokyo. Delicious lunch at @maisonmarunouchi, the casual sibling to @sezannetokyo. Excellent all around. And clearly popular with Tokyo's ladies who lunch: the clientele during our visit, almost entirely women. Quite the see-and-be-seen crowd. 57 1
I’m not sure which I liked better about the @fstokyo, the valet greeter and escort from the train station, the view of the trains from our room, or the super comfy pajamas. Excellent service all around. #Tokyo #Japan #hoteljunkie 79 3
I think @sezannetokyo ⁠has a #footfetish, and I’m ok with that. Truly fantastic lunch. Impeccable service. ⁠ 63 1
We had a really fun "Lost in Translation" moment at @meatman_roppongi. Google Translate failed hilariously. Delicious meat/fat overload anyway. Great staff, charming hospitality. Lots of sake. Thank you, @fstokyo for securing the reservation! #Tokyo #Roppongi #sake 76 1
Well, that was interesting.  A toast to 2022. And looking forward to ‘23. Cheers, and safe travels to all. 81 1
Brad A. Johnson
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Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

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