The former British military barracks on Singapore's Sentosa Island are to be turned into a hotel, with local authorities calling for tenders later this month.

The barracks, built in 1904 to house artillerymen, covers 4.2 hectares and will be offered on a 60 year lease.

The lease will be offered by statutory body the Sentosa Development Corporation, and any developer will have to follow strict guidelines. Original timber doors will have to stay and the hotel will not be able to be higher than 42 metres above sea level.

The facades of the six barrack blocks must also remain intact and the developer is not allowed to build over the parade ground or cut down a historic 25 metre tree.

The site has links with hospitality industry, having served as the Tourism Industry hospitality school until last year.

Sentosa is home to 13 hotels and resorts offering 2930 rooms, and the opening of Singapore's first W Hotel by the end of the year will take that number to 3100.

Around 20 million visitors come to Sentosa each year.