In July, the Bossy Flossie Family went for a luxurious two-night staycation at the Sofitel Hotel in Sentosa. The Sofitel, a French chain, is apparently a five-star hotel and our stay wasn’t exactly cheap at around $400++ per night. But, we figured that we deserved a bit of luxury. Our last staycation was nearly a year earlier at the Oasia Hotel back when I was still pregnant! We had an enjoyable time. The shower was oh so magical and the swimming pool was fab. However, due to the location, our mini staycation felt more like a four-star experience.
Flossie’s rating: ★★★
The Sofitel is the only “affordable” hotel on Sentosa island with a decent swimming pool. For a standard room with king-size bed you are looking at around $400-500 per night. Now, I know that is damn expensive for a normal person. But it’s a whole lot cheaper than $900 a night which is the average price for most Sentosa hotels. You only live once so don’t spend too much time counting pennies. Below are the video highlights from our staycation at the Sofitel Hotel. Keep on scrolling for all the details.
The room
Our room with a king-sized bed was a decent size. It didn’t feel like a “shoebox” compared to some hotel rooms in the Singapore city centre. The bathroom was incredible. Oh my God, that shower!! I had about three showers a day and washed my hair several times because it felt so amazing. I’m talking high-pressure, piping hot water, which is just the way I like it. Plus the freebies were great! Good quality body wash, body lotion, shampoo, and even a tube of conditioner. Not many hotels put out conditioner, you know.
There was also a wonderful bath. My 8-month-old boy had an absolute blast splashing about in the bath. Once he was asleep in bed, I even poured myself a steamy bath and partook in a sneaky glass of bubbly. Gorgeousness!
The bed situation didn’t quite live up to standard. We requested a cot for my son and it was more of a pack-and-play with soft padding. The minute I put him inside he started screaming. That thing was a non-starter. I would advise the Sofitel to at least have a few proper cribs with firm mattresses in-store. They are a five-star hotel after all. For safety reasons, infants under 12-months must sleep on a firm surface.
The “adult” king-size bed was just as problematic. It was ridiculously soft. Now, in my youth, I would have found such a cushy bed that I could sink into simply wonderful. These days, I just want a regular bed with a flat pillow so I won’t get a sore neck in the morning.
The mini bar was empty but that could be due to COVID-19 precautions. The room did come with a mini Nespresso machine. However, I cannot stand powdered milk so we drank coffee downstairs at the restaurant instead.
Food and drink
This staycation at the Sofitel was all about the breakfast buffet. Unlimited, all you can eat, brekkie at Kwee Zeen restaurant! We broke the diet and took advantage of all the delicacies on display. Now, because of COVID-19, we could not “help ourselves” to the food. But all the various food stations were well-staffed with happy servers ready and waiting to fill up our plates.
My favourite station was the bakery. There were five different types of bread, including wholemeal and seeded, not to mention muffins, croissants, chocolate pastries, and sweet rolls. A chef was cooking up hot waffles and pikelets as well. Condiments included jam, fresh cream, marmalade, banana compote, crunchy peanut butter, chocolate sauce, and maple syrup. I made several visits and indulged in lots of bread with fresh cream.
As you would expect, the hot buffet station was well stocked with bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and sausages. You could also order fresh cooked eggs. A continental breakfast buffet and a local Asian food section were also brimming with delicious treats.
Besides the bread, I drank multiple cups of coffee at breakfast (hello! too soft beds = no sleep). The muesli was also scrumptious. Meanwhile, my little boy feasted on lots of fresh cut fruit. Sorry to the staff who had to clean up his mess.
The pool
The pool is the main reason why we booked a staycation at the Sofitel. We loved the pool! It was big with a proper deep end. The middle lanes were cordoned off for “serious swimmers” while families and kids could splash and play at the shallow ends.
The Cliff restaurant and bar services the pool area. We ordered a couple of cocktails (around $20 each) and a fresh fruit plate ($10). The service was rather slow and there was not nearly enough shady areas. But, I’m just nitpicking now!
Spa Treatment
Take note, the spa is not located at the Sofitel Hotel but at another nearby building. There is a complimentary minibus that comes every 20 minutes to pick up hotel guests for the spa. Well, I didn’t know that. So, I left the room five minutes before my spa booking and arrived to my appointment really late. As a result, our dinner plans were spoilt. Oh well.
The spa venue is nice. There is a large pool reserved exclusively for spa patrons with a strict no child policy. Other facilities include a small spa bath and hot pool, showers, and lockers.
The spa menu is extensive. They offer everything from massage to facials, head rubs, and foot scrubs. The prices are hefty. I originally booked an Indulgence spa package for $360 which included three treatments over 150 minutes. However, as I arrived late I had to cut back my treatments to just a massage. The massage was average and I spent the entire time worried about my son since I would be away longer than expected due to the commuting (and running late). In retrospect, I think I would have enjoyed a cheap reflexology treatment at China Town far more. It wouldn’t have hurt my back pocket so much. At least the showers here were good.
Sightseeing
The bummer about the Sofitel Hotel in Sentosa is its location. Yes, it is situated on the good side of Sentosa. However, it is upon a hill and access to the beach is on via a loooooooong set of stairs. In other words, NOT PRAM FRIENDLY. There is also a tonne of construction going on. We had to walk a long, winding and very unpleasant road – that’s right, a road that we shared with cars, to get down to the beach. Once we got to the beach it was fully barricaded due to various COVID-19 restrictions. There were not many cafes, bars, restaurants, or other attractions close to the hotel. If I were to stay at Sentosa again, I would prefer to be in Sentosa Cove. This location is far more pram-friendly and has a lot more going on.
Opposite the Sofitel Hotel is a bus stop for the Sentosa C bus route. We did one day of sightseeing where we enjoyed an overpriced lunch at Coastes, took a cable car, and had a giggle at Madame Tussauds. In the evening we grabbed a taxi to Sentosa Cove for dinner. It would have been nicer if we had been able to walk. As such, we missed out on having an evening stroll.
Was it worth it?
The highlight of our staycation at the Sofitel was the bathroom. I haven’t enjoyed a shower so much since … well, since I don’t know when. Let’s just say I have been a victim of low pressure showers ever since I moved to this island nation. The pool was great as well.
Aside from that, I was disappointed by the location as well as the heavy construction going on. Neither the area, nor our room, were baby-friendly. As such, it didn’t feel like a five-star experience. I spent much of our trip dreaming of a future staycation at the nearby Sentosa Cove.