Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa has always been one of our favourite hotels in Singapore, with its location providing a feeling of privacy and tranquillity. This was not our first stay here, which says something about this hotel. We managed to get a night’s stay at the Prestige Suite, which equates to 64sqm of luxury. Check out our review below!
Check out our Facebook page here for more pictures taken during our stay at this hotel!
Service:
The service we received throughout our stay was fantastic, as we encountered friendly faces who were only too happy to assist us.
At check-in, as we arrived too early, at 1 pm, the suite was not ready yet. Nevertheless, the concierge informed us he will contact us once the suite is ready, and that we should go enjoy the hotel facilities first. Although the official check-in time was 3 pm, the concierge called me at 2.10 pm to inform me the suite was ready, and that our luggage was already on its way there.
When we needed more amenities and drinking water at various times of the day (12 am, 11 am, 12 pm), the concierge was always quick to tend to us, and we received them pretty quickly.
Hotel Facilities:
Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa’s facilities are top-notch, to say the least. The entire complex is huge, and that translates into large spaces of gardens and greenery. Guests walk around the resort feeling like they are in the middle of nowhere, and the resort is really paradise.
The swimming pool, which is amazing by the way, is located right in the middle of the resort, so all guests can make their way down quite quickly. Sunbeds are aplenty, while the pool is segregated into 2 parts. This way, children can swim safely while adults can make use of some serious depth and do some proper swimming. Free popcorn and a tended pool bar (which is not always the case at other hotels) are available so your children or spouse will not too bored while you swim!
Le Bar is a good place for families and couples alike to relax, regardless of the time. We saw families and couples chilling at the bar throughout the day and night, and the large space means it is not noisy like some fish market! Depending on when you head over, you can enjoy some afternoon tea or bar bites, along with some tasty beverages! During evenings, there is also live music, with a singer and her pianist belting out classics. As a Le Club AccorHotels Silver member, we received free welcome drinks that we used at Le Bar. The Piña Colada and Sentosa Sling were good choices!
For those preferring a more exclusive experience, much like the hotel’s location, Sofitel’s signature SO Spa is available here. It is the largest in the world, where guests are provided with 14 indoor treatment rooms and six outdoor pavilions. The spa also has its own pool, a mud pool, and a waterfall. What?! Not only that, it has its own restaurant, so you can eat healthily after working out! We were not able to fit this in during our stay, so we were not able to enjoy the spa and its facilities. However, we will be sure to check this out during our next stay!
Tanjong beach, an almost private beach, is also located a five-minute walk away. Conveniently located below the hotel, guests have direct access to the beach, just 132 steps to the bottom. However, during our stay, the staircase was under maintenance. So the hope is that it will provide a better experience for future guests!
The hotel must know that its location has one main con in that it is quite far away from most attractions. Hence, it offers a complimentary bus service for hotel guests to Resorts World Sentosa and Vivocity every half hour. Even better, it provides another shuttle service to Paragon, located at Singapore’s main shopping belt Orchard Road, every 2 hours.
Breakfast Buffet:
Kwee Zeen, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa’s all-day restaurant, serves the daily buffet breakfast service. Open for breakfast between 6.30 am and 10.30 am daily, this is quite the standard for most hotels around the world. It features both indoor and outdoor seating, and we do see the majority of guests opting for the outdoor option. This could be due to the rather low temperatures in the restaurant. Having said that, the indoor option suits guests who are simply not used to Singapore’s tropical climate.
Hardworking guests can get their hands on some newspapers, such as the local daily The Straits Times. Having originated from France, it is fitting that Le Monde is available for guests’ reading pleasure, while The New York Times, my preferred reading material at Sofitel, is also available. When we arrived at 9 am for breakfast, the newspapers were still available, so we believe there should be enough for guests.
Food-wise, we were quite pleased with the options. While it may not have the largest variety we have seen at hotel breakfast buffets, it is the quality that counts here. There are gluten-free bread and pastries, while there is also a self-service pancake machine that is suitable for children to have fun with. Waffles are freshly cooked and always with sufficient supply, so you can taste the crisp waffles doused in maple syrup and blueberry sauce.
For more conventional breakfast options, there is an abundant supply of bacon, baked potatoes, hash browns, and sausages. The health-conscious can also get their hands on salads, yoghurt, and freshly squeezed juices, including concoctions that promise detox and anti-ageing! Of course, one should always get their hands on some brie after all that healthy eating.
Guests who fancy some local delights will not be disappointed, as nasi lemak, prawn noodles, and curry are available. The choices may seem quite limited, but Sofitel once again makes up for it with the quality of the food. The nasi lemak comes with all-you-can-eat hard-boiled eggs and sambal chilli, while the broth used in the prawn noodles was really tasty.
Although the official breakfast timing was until 10.30 am, and we do see staff beginning to clear the tables at that time, there were still several guests having their breakfast. It is worth noting that staff did not chase them away, but continued to serve them, with quite a lot of food options still available. This is once again proof of Sofitel’s top-notch service, where customers’ needs are consistently met.
Room:
When you enter the suite, you are first faced with Sofitel’s signature art piece. You can then turn left to the bedroom or turn right to the living room.
The living room was clearly designed with the intent to make guests feel at home. When we stepped into it, we immediately felt as though we were at home, feeling very cosy and all. The rocking chair is also a nice touch, although it took some effort to sustain the rocking.
It is also spacious enough to fit a three-seater sofa, with an office table situated behind. This is especially good for families, so you can focus on doing some work while your children watch some television, ensuring you can still watch over them and spend some quality time with them. The sofa is really comfortable, as it provides you with that satisfying sinking feeling when you sit on it. That the television is a 47-inch one does not hurt either!
The coffee-table books on the shelves suit tourists, as they are mainly about Singapore. I know I spent some time reading “Over Singapore” despite being local!
The coffee machine is from illy, which is not what one might expect from a five-star hotel. Do not be too quick to judge though, as we thoroughly enjoyed the espressos made from this coffee machine.
It is clear how much we enjoyed the living room, as we almost did not want to leave it to head into our bedroom when we were watching television late into the night!
The bedroom itself is unquestionably spacious. In fact, it is so spacious that it can fit both a lounge sofa and another chair. In the bedroom is also another 47-inch television, so you do not have to fight with the missus over what channel to watch. After all, the hotel room is meant for watching television.
The king-size bed is immensely comfortable, with the height of the television just right so you can watch CNN, or any other news channel, the moment you wake up. If you prefer, you should head to the equally comfortable lounge chair and watch some television too. The choice is really yours.
The bathroom is large enough to fit a bathtub and standing shower, which is the standard for most five-star hotels. I personally like the floor tiles chosen for the standing shower. Its colourful tiles remind me of being amongst seashells at the beach while the rough edges prevent falls. Functional and aesthetically pleasing! The standing shower is quite big, with both a conventional shower head and a rainforest shower. It is also actually big enough to fit 2 adults in it. Just saying.
Sofitel uses Lanvin products so we were expecting them. In the Prestige Suite, we received 2 bottles each of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and body lotion. Which is really sufficient for a night’s stay. What I really like is their bathroom slippers. Not many hotels get this right (even the five-star ones!), but Sofitel hits the spot. Properly padded, it is really comfortable to walk around. We observed quite a few guests walking around the hotel in these bathroom slippers, a testament to its quality!
In conclusion, in case you have not realised by now, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. We really felt as though we were at home whenever we walked around in either the living room or bedroom. It was certainly cosy enough for families, while more than spacious enough for couples to chill and relax. One thing’s for sure, we will be back!
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