A small sun-soaked island lined with white sandy beaches, Sentosa is home to various well-known attractions which are suited to all ages and interests.
Some of these include the SEA Aquarium (the largest oceanarium in Asia), Universal Studios theme park and Fort Siloso (the tiny nation’s only preserved coastal fort from the World War II).
To fully explore the island and all that it has to offer, we suggest to embark on a multi-day getaway.
And where better to rest your weary legs after each day of adventure than at the finest hotel on the island – the Capella Singapore.
The Capella was built with the concept of restoring and showcasing two magnificent Tanah Merah colonial bungalows. Along with preserving the colonial structures at its core, the main hotel architecture is elegantly designed to emphasize openness and to be in harmony with the beautiful surroundings.
One of the major strengths of the establishment is that they excel at creating memorable customer experiences.
With the assistance of the dedicated Capella Culturists and friendly team of staff, hotel guests will enjoy unique personalized interactions.
With that being said, here are the top three reasons you should treat yourself to a stay at the Capella Singapore.
The Ambience
First and foremost this resort-style hotel exudes extremely relaxing vibes that cannot be matched elsewhere in Singapore.
Partly because it is situated away from the hustle and bustle of the main Singapore island – there is also absolutely no sound of traffic.
A feeling of calm and detachment from city life can be felt from the moment you pull up the driveway to the entrance of the hotel.
This serene atmosphere extends into the rooms and carries over to every outdoor dining area.
We were at the alfresco area of Bob’s bar on multiple evenings. Over there you can expect to be serenaded by birdsong, which sometimes escalates into raucous shrieking; but it is a very refreshing change to feel like you are being surrounded by wildlife in a rainforest.
Even the rain could not dampen our spirits. In fact, the cool temperatures and soothing surround-sound of raindrops added to the sense of tranquility.
During their stay, all hotel guests will have full-day access to the ‘Living Room’, which is situated on the second floor of the main bungalow.
This is a very convenient amenity to have when you are suddenly craving a cold café latte or a hot cappuccino.
There is even a wide range of seating options to cater to every taste – from plushly furnished cozy indoor sofas to breezy outdoor seats with a view.
The Dining
There is not a large number of dining options within the hotel since the restaurants are mainly catering for hotel guests.
However, each of the restaurants has extensive food and beverage options.
The Cantonese restaurant Cassia offers extremely good dim sum at lunchtime. Each of the items is exquisitely made with refined flavours.
The more unique items are the baked seafood tart and their fancily-named rendition of the steamed barbecued pork bun.
Even the XO fried carrot cake, which is a common item on dim sum menus, is a notch better than at other restaurants.
Their regular ala carte menu also has many excellent choices.
We especially liked the prawn with glass noodles in claypot. It is easy to see why this is one of the signature items.
Bob’s bar focuses on serving rum-based drinks. They also conduct rum appreciation classes every once in awhile for guests who would like to brush up on their skills of discerning the French rums from the British or Spanish-style rums.
Their flavour profiles vary drastically due to different base ingredients, distillation methods as well as regional taste preferences (which influences the type of casks the spirits are aged in).
If you prefer rum-based concoctions rather than straight-up rum, there is also a very lighthearted Mojito making class; less of a class and more of an excuse to get drunk on a tasty cocktail.
As an accompaniment to your drinks, you can have common bar snacks like fried chicken wings, burger sliders and fries.
Maybe a minute detail but they serve their fries with the best ketchup ever – the 100% Australian Beerenberg tomato sauce.
The Knolls restaurant is where hotel guests have their daily buffet breakfast. The restaurant is also operating all the way through lunch and dinner.
The breakfast menu has a wide selection of healthy, sweet or savory, and local food options.
It is also in our opinion the best hotel breakfast we have had so far in Singapore.
The unassuming roti prata with chicken curry was surprisingly good. It is probably one of the finest pratas you can find – with a combination of a soft, warm, fluffy flatbread and a really creamy and decadent curry.
If you prefer a more unusual pairing, try dipping the prata into their onsen eggs – it is a mind-blowing fusion of flavours.
The kaya and coconut pastry is also a perennial favourite of hotel guests.
Peacocks are a frequent sight at the outdoor breakfast area. They saunter past nonchalantly but you can tell from the devious looks in their eyes that they are looking for an opportunity to hijack someone’s unattended breakfast.
The combination of good food, great service and encounters with exotic wildlife makes for an extraordinary start to your day.
The Views
Staying in one of the rooms nearer to the hotel’s villas, we had views of the picturesque Palawan beach extending out to the South China sea and the horizon beyond.
Also we got to see the iconic Sentosa attraction, the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia, from a different perspective.
The lavish layout of the room, together with the floor-to-ceiling windows, ensures that you get the same incredible views whether you are relaxing in the large balcony, lounging in the room, or even reclining in the bathtub.
The lush surrounding greenery is home to a wide variety of birds (including a flock of the seldom seen white-beaked Oriental Pied hornbills), which offers a rare opportunity for up-close birdwatching.
You could spend hours just being fascinated by the antics of the wild birds – the larger ones clamouring for more food or real estate; the tiny ones perched right at the tip of the thinnest branches to avoid predators; the pairs of white dove-like ones romancing each other among the foliage.
You will probably be tempted to skip visiting some of the attractions in order to spend more time in the room.
But we highly suggest to go for a dip in one of the hotel’s three cascading infinity pools – an adult-only pool, a family pool, and a small lap pool.
The pools and surrounding decks feel like secluded enclaves carved out of the secondary rainforest. The overall aesthetic of the pools blends seamlessly with the environment.
The neighbouring trees and well positioned sunshades help to keep the pool areas mostly cool. It is easy to find yourself dosing off while lounging on the deckchairs – hypnotized by the beautiful views and calming sounds of nature.
If you are looking for more engaging forms of recreation, the hotel also offers a host of activities allowing travelers to discover local heritage, arts, gastronomy and wellness.
A stay at the Capella Singapore is like being given a mandate to relax, unwind and temporarily forget about the world outside.
However you choose to spend your time here, you are guaranteed to have an unforgettable vacation.
Voyage Grande 