Concierges share local gems across Asia Pacific

Travelling to the Asia Pacific region calls for more than ticking off tourist clichés. Hotel concierges live and breathe their cities and can point visitors to quieter corners, memorable meals and little-known spots that reveal local character. In Shanghai, Winson Wang—who has worked as a concierge for 20 years and joined Hilton Shanghai City Center when it opened in 2024—suggests a stroll around Columbia Circle, a restored cultural and creative park of art spaces and stylish cafés, then a drink at one of the hotel’s cozy bars.

For a taste of old Shanghai he recommends Fu 1088, housed in a restored villa, where the smoked fish appetiser and pork belly come highly recommended. Singapore’s Ali Saifuddin Bin Husin, chief concierge at Hilton Singapore Orchard, points visitors to Raffles’ Long Bar for the original Singapore sling and to Offtrack, recently ranked 23 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025.

Nearby Fort Canning Park offers peaceful walks and history, including the Battle Box and the hill long known as Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill.

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