The Hotel Sentosa is the closest I can feel like I am overseas at the moment and hence I planned a stay at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa after my recent stay at Raffles Singapore. The Accor property is located opposite the Sentosa Golf Club, and has a beautiful landscape with lush vegetation around the resort. I was excited to check out the resort post circuit breaker in Singapore as it was my first time staying in this Sofitel property, where I booked the Luxury Room.

My check-in process was smooth and I arrived before 11am, and was surprised that my room was already ready. The hotel rooms are mainly located in two wings, Peace and Tranquil. Peace wing is located closer to the pool, The Cliff and the temporary gym and I was happy that my room was assigned to Peace wing.

In terms of the property design, I like the fact that there is plenty of greenery, no high rise buildings and free roaming peacocks in the hotel’s compound. It takes a little of Singapore out of my mind, though the peacocks remind me of Capella as well.

The Room I checked into the 36sqm Luxury Room in the Peace Wing on level 5. My first thought is that the room has started to show signs of aging, partially due to the interior design of the room as well. The gold leafs templates above the room looks dated, and it doesn’t quite spell luxury for me. Not helped by the seemingly makeshift study table and chair in the room.

The room comes with a king size bed, with charging points on each side of the bed. The minibar closet is equipped with a mini fridge, with Nespresso capsules and TWG tea bags sealed in a separate bag as part of safe measures during this period.

There was also a small amenity kit on the work desk, which contains hand sanitizer and a bundle of wet wipes. It is quite a nice gesture for guest, and Raffles Singapore has a similar albeit more luxurious looking cafe pack during my stay last month.

The bathroom size for the Luxury Room is decent, with a separate bathtub and shower section. Similarly, the shower gels and bathroom amenities are concealed in a separate bag as part of safe measures.

The Facilities The main pool is definitely one of the selling point for Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, which is one of the rare hotels in Singapore where you do not see any high rise building from the pool.

Each pool slot is 2 hours during this period, and the length of the pool is good for serious lap swimming, with a depth of up to 2.5 metres. Yes, you read it right, 2.5 meters deep swimming pool. Take a dive, and swim away from our busy city life.

The gym, SoFit, is a makeshift location right now beside The Cliff. It used to be housed in SoSpa, but I understand that it is currently undergoing a revamp. The container space of the temporary gym currently is decently equipped, though it can only admit a maximum of 5 people and no pre-booking of gym slots is required. There is also no waiting list system, therefore guests may run the risk of being turned away or not being able to use the gym during the stay if the facility is occupied throughout.

I managed to check out SoSpa during my stay and had a 60 minutes deep tissue massage. Note that SoSpa is not within the main resort premise, and the hotel’s shuttle bus service can bring guests to SoSpa. For spa guests, there is also facilities within the SoSpa compound such as a wellness restaurant The Garden, outdoor pool, and jacuzzi facilities in the changing rooms.

I had a great massage and the service at SoSpa is quite professional. While the facility is not spanking new, it is well maintained, and the early afternoon spent in the facility was definitely rejuvenating.

If you fancy a nature walk, there is a small forest trail right beside the main pool which leads to Tanjong Beach.

The Restaurants Located at the entrance of the property, Kwee Zeen is the main dining restaurant in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, where breakfast is served as well as the hotel’s Sunday Champagne Brunch.

A note on breakfast service is that each guest is only entitled to one breakfast set, which include coffee, fresh juice, bread basket and fruits.

The breakfast menu is a mix of local delights like laksa, or go for the American breakfast I had. It is certainly not the most extensive breakfast option, and I am not quite used to a one breakfast set only setup. For comparison, the breakfast at Raffles Singapore is unlimited servings.

I had a 3-course dinner at The Cliff during my stay, an Italian restaurant with indoor and outdoor tables overlooking the pool. Go for the outdoor tables where there is a cool evening breeze. The food is decent Italian fares, and is more of a convenient option for guests who are lazy to head out.

I like the vibe at LeBar, where I had some evening cocktail and wine. The space at LeBar is very airy with ample spacing between each table. In terms of view, you either face the pool or the water feature in the property which makes it a very soothing ambience.

Rants The communication between various desks can definitely be better. For instance, I asked the reception about the gym slot booking but she wasn’t sure and directed me to check with the staff at the gym instead. When I was at the gym, I was told by the staff that no pre-booking of the gym is required. This is one small fact which I feel the front desk should be clear about.

I also experienced some hiccups with my dinner reservation at The Cliff. Long story short, it was all sorted. I just wish that the restaurant’s staff was able to maintain a more flexible attitude in accommodating guest’s needs, and it is good for a luxury hotel brand to offer alternative solutions to guest’s requests. Isn’t that what good service is, especially for a luxury hotel?

Overall Experience This is a beautiful resort in Sentosa with lush surroundings and is probably one of the closest “out of Singapore” vibes. I enjoy the resort’s surroundings and compound, though I am not a big fan of the Luxury Room’s interior design. Grab your sunscreen, chill by the pool, or stroll to Tanjong Beach. That’s a vacay!

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa
2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa
Singapore 099891

For more information, do check out Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa website.

Ranted by The Ranter