Month: May 2025

[Airline Review] – Asiana Airlines A330-300 (OZ361) – Business Class, ICN – PVG (10 May 25)

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The flight path that OZ361 that took us from Seoul to Shanghai
Asiana A330-300 that took us to Shanghai

At the Airport

Incheon Airport

Security Clearance

As this was a connecting flight from Singapore, and we were already checked through to Shanghai, we did not experience the check-in process at Incheon Airport. The security clearance for transit flights at Incheon Airport was very straightforward. We followed the crowd towards immigration, but instead of continuing, we took a turn at the transit door, which was prominently marked with bright green signs along the way. The security clearance process was very straightforward and took us 5 minutes to clear. After security clearance, we headed to the lounge.

SilverKris Lounge

We had the option of either visiting the Asiana Business Lounge or the Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris Lounge, as Asiana Airlines is part of the Star Alliance network. When we visited the Asiana Lounge during our flight from Incheon to Singapore in March of this year (read about my lounge experience here), we found the lounge to be very disappointing. Therefore, we opted to use the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, located near Gate 29, instead. The main part of the SilverKris Lounge exudes a bright and airy feel, thanks to the use of white in the furniture and walls, as well as its placement next to the windows that look out onto the apron. The earthy colour used on the walls and the warm lighting exude a cosy vibe, while the marble used on the tables, buffet counter, and bar counters gives a luxurious vibe. The dining tables are mainly arranged against the walls in the lounge, while the lounging seats are arranged in the centre. The workstations, in the form of long tables with individual power outlets, were dotted around the lounge. The first thing that caught my attention was the bar island in the middle of the lounge, where cocktails and drinks were being made on the spot. The buffet counter, offering more options than the Asiana Lounge next door, features five hot food options and is located by the walls opposite the bar.

The SilverKris Lounge at Incheon International Airport is equipped with three shower rooms. These spacious shower rooms were equipped with a toilet and a sizeable walk-in shower. I like the bench in each shower room, which provided us with a space to place our carry-ons. There is also a beauty corner in the SilverKris Lounge where passengers can try out LED masks before their flight. However, I did not spot anyone manning this counter and am unsure if this service is still available at the time of my visit.

The Aircraft

Asiana Airlines operate two types of aircraft between Seoul and Shanghai, the single aisle A320-300 and the widebody A330-300. We flew on the A330-300 aircraft for this flight.

Asiana Airlines A330-300 livery upclose
Asiana Airlines A330-300 safety card

The Cabin

Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class cabin had a bright and airy feel, with a royal vibe. The seats in the cabin are decked in beige, which matches the cream-coloured seat shells. The headrest cover and pillows are adorned in yellow, a symbol of royalty and nobility in Korean culture. The airline chooses brown carpeting that matches the beige and yellow theme in the cabin. The cabin looked bright, thanks to the use of white lights. Asiana Airlines’ two-class A330-300 is configured with 30 Business seats in a single cabin and 286 Economy Class seats spread over two sections. The Business Class seats on Asiana’s A330-300 are arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration, which appears somewhat dated, as most airlines configure Business Class in their wide-body jets in a 1-2-1 arrangement.

Two lavatories serving the 30 Business Class passengers are located at the front part of the aircraft. The lavatories felt a little cramped, but I still found sufficient space to use the bathroom. The plastic materials used in the lavatory do not lend it a premium feel. I wouldn’t have thought this lavatory served Business Class passengers if not for the additional amenities such as dental kits, combs, and mouthwash on top of the L’Occitane hand lotion and facial mist.

The Seat

Asiana Airlines A330-300 Business Class seats have a pitch of 58″ and measure 21″ wide. As this is an older Business Class product, the seat can only be converted into an angled flatbed with a maximum recline of 170°. These Business Class seats come in three modes: upright, lounge, and flatbed. However, the seat control features four preset modes. There seem to be two lounge modes. In upright mode, the seat felt comfortable due to its thick padding. In flatbed mode, although not a true 180° flatbed, I did not experience any sliding effect due to the friction created by the fabric used in these seats. Lounge mode is my favourite mode, as it allows me to truly relax in the seat. The only difference between the two lounge modes is the angle of recline. There are numerous ways to configure lounge mode on Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class seats, rendering these two preset lounge modes somewhat redundant. We were able to adjust the seat to the desired angle and the extent of the calfrest extension using the numerous buttons on the seat control. There are even buttons to control the amount of lumbar support we want, which is unfortunately not available in the newer Business Class products.

Storage is perhaps the biggest issue on Asiana Airlines Business Class flights, as I experienced during my previous flight on the A350-900 and this flight on their A330-300. However, I thought there was slightly more storage space in Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class. The only storage in these seats is limited to the small cubby hold underneath the inside of the armrest in the centre console. This small cubby hole is sufficient for me to place my passport, mobile phone and charging cables. Additionally, a two-tiered cubby hole is located in front of the seat, offering us more storage options. Passengers with tablets can stow them in the seat pocket during take-off and landing, which is sizeable enough to hold even a laptop. I did not find any space at the footwell to stow our carry-on due to the angled flatbed design of these Business Class seats. All carry-on items would have to be placed in the overhead bin.

On top of the overhead reading lights, Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class seats are also fitted with a reading light between the two seats, which I find redundant. The brightness of these reading lights can be adjusted, but to turn them off, we had to cycle through all the lighting brightness settings. The seat table is stowed in the armrest and folded in half when in storage. It is quite large and sturdy when fully deployed, allowing passengers to work on their laptops. Apart from the seat table, Asiana Airlines designed two cocktail tables into their A330-300 Business Class seats. One uses the space on top of the armrests between the seats, and another is a flip-out small table located in the centre console between the seats. As an older aircraft, Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class seats did not come fitted with any USB charging ports, so we would have to rely solely on the international power outlets in the centre console to charge up our lifestyle devices.

Inflight Entertainment

Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 Business Class seats are equipped with a 15.4″ personal TV. The picture quality on these IFE screens is quite bad and grainy. Despite the poor picture quality, we were still able to watch shows on OZ:enter. As these are the older Business Class product, these Business Class personal TV screens do not come with touchscreen functions, and the selection of our choice of entertainment requires us to use the IFE controller. These IFE controllers have buttons to choose the entertainment and a phone on the back. The headphones that Asiana Airlines provides to its Business Class passengers look rather cheap. Despite their lack of noise-cancellation functions and cheap appearance, these headphones are quite comfortable to use. OZ:enter, Asiana Airlines’ IFE system, is stocked with entertainment options ranging from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to TV shows from yesteryear. Despite its aged appearance, the entertainment options are well-organised, arranged in five main menu options and further segregated into sub-menus, making it very easy to search for our preferred entertainment options. There is also no Wifi on Asiana Airlines’ A330-300 aircraft.

Meal

Asiana Airlines provided a full three-course meal, served in one setting, to all their passengers despite the short 2-hour flight time. Similar to my previous experience in their Business Class, we were also given two options for today’s breakfast: Beef Stew for the Western option and Smoked Eel with rice for the Korean option. I opted for the Korean main course option. The seared scallop appetiser was fresh and well-seasoned with a hint of ocean freshness, and the Strawberry Cream Puff dessert was delicious and not overly sour. However, I can’t say the same for the Smoked Eel main course. The eel tasted flavourful with the Gochujang sauce, but it was a little rubbery and tough.

Service

The only amenity available for this short flight is a pair of slippers and a couple of wet wipes, placed on our seats. Pillows and blankets are only available on request. As with my previous flight, Asiana Airlines did not serve welcome drinks to their Business Class passengers during boarding. However, the service onboard this flight is much better than my experience on the previous flight we just got off. The cabin crew were much friendlier and more willing to assist passengers. Apart from the standard greeting at the door, distributing the menu and taking orders for our choice, the cabin crew was observed to go above and beyond the standard procedures. They were seen ready to guide passengers to their seats and render assistance to passengers with stowing their luggage in the overhead bin. The cabin crew were seen working as a team, like clockwork, elevating each other’s work so that passengers could receive the service befitting of Business Class. I was pleasantly surprised when the cabin manager went around the cabin introducing herself to every passenger and thanking us for flying with Asiana Airlines. This is something we no longer see today, even among the highly acclaimed so-called 5-star airlines. The cabin crew were observed to be diligent and frequently patrolled the cabin, checking if passengers required any assistance. They were also efficient when it came to distributing meals and ensuring they had sufficient time to finish.

The inflight manager introducing herself to all passengers in Business Class
The friendly and professional cabin crew distributing meal

Afterthought

The Asiana Airlines A330-300 is an older aircraft, but its thickly padded seats and a variety of seating positions, customisable to every passenger’s needs, made flying this aircraft on a short-haul route very comfortable. It did not bother me that the seats did not recline to 180°, as we did not use that mode due to the short 2-hour flight time. The catering was a mixed experience, while the appetisers and desserts were tasty, the Korean main course was tough and rubbery. The service onboard is the best I have experienced on Asiana Airlines so far. Cabin crew were observant and appeared to be ready to assist passengers.

Asiana Airlines A380 taking off before us in Incheon Airport
We are approaching our landing in Shanghai Pudong Airport

[Airline Review] – Asiana Airlines A350-900 (OZ752)/(OZ751) – Business Class, SIN – ICN (9 May 25)/ ICN – SIN (18 May 25)

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The flight path of OZ752 and OZ751 flying between Singapore and Seoul
Asiana Airlines A350-900 that flew us between Singapore and Seoul

At the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Check-in

Asiana Airlines departs from Changi Airport Terminal 3. The airline operates check-in counters in Row 8, to the right of the terminal building, with Door 6 being the nearest door to these counters. Of the seven check-in counters, two are dedicated to Business Class passengers, one to their Diamond-tier members, two for Economy Class passengers, and another two for passengers who have completed their check-in online. Asiana Airlines check-in counters open 3 hours before the flight. As we arrived slightly ahead of the counter opening time, we used Asiana Airlines’ early check-in counter in counter 7. Although not located in a dedicated Business Class counter, the ground staff’s check-in experience was very pleasant. The staff welcomed us and were very efficient in processing our check-in, and we were checked in within 5 minutes. Before sending us off to our boarding gates, the friendly ground staff presented us with a lounge invitation and provided us with directions to the two lounges we could use.

SilverKris Lounge

Flying out of Singapore, Asiana Airlines Business Class passengers can use the SATS Premier Lounge or Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3. Both lounges are located near each other, one floor above the airside departure hall. We went to the SilverKris Lounge. The escalator diagonally opposite Bacha Coffee brings us directly to the lounge entrance. As the flagship lounge in their home port, the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge did not disappoint. The lounge was spacious, with clearly marked areas for relaxing and dining. The area to the right of the main entrance houses the lounging area, which is mostly furnished with armchairs. There are also some high tables with power outlets that double up as work tables for passengers who want to get some work done. Singapore Airlines thoughtfully included a small buffet area in this part of the lounge, allowing passengers to grab some small bites without having to walk over to the main buffet line on the other side of the lounge. The bar is also located to the right of the entrance to the SilverKris Lounge, where passengers can select from a wide range of drinks, including cocktails and mocktails, from the extensive drink menu.

The area to the left of the SilverKris Lounge entrance primarily houses the dining area, where the main buffet line and showers are located. In addition to the dining tables and chairs for two people, a small lounging area is furnished with armchairs, located closer to the entrance in this part of the lounge. This is also where the toilets and shower rooms are located. There is another lounging area in a separate area opposite the buffet line. I like how Singapore Airlines has allocated a significant portion of the SilverKris lounge to dining seating in this area. Being housed in the same space as the main buffet line creates convenience for passengers to access the extensive food offerings, which include local dishes. On top of food from the buffet line, passengers can also order made-to-order noodles from the two food stations at either end of the buffet line. I highly recommend the laksa served at the SilverKris Lounge.

There are several shower rooms in this lounge, which are usually quite popular. Fortunately, there is hardly a queue for them during our visit. To use these shower rooms, we simply had to approach the staff stationed at the toilets to obtain a buzzer. The shower rooms in SilverKris Lounge are sizeable and well-designed, exuding luxury with their dark grey marble walls and light grey marble flooring. In addition to the large walk-in shower, equipped with both rain and regular shower heads, the shower rooms are also fitted with a toilet.

Incheon International Airport

Check-in

Asiana Airlines has a dedicated area for Business Class passengers at Row A of Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, located at the extreme right of the terminal. The Business Class check-in counters are located in an enclosed area, where a staff member is stationed to ensure only Business Class passengers can be admitted. Asiana Airlines has four check-in counters here serving Business Class passengers. There was no queue during our visit to the Business Class check-in area. As we did not have to perform check-in, we did not experience the check-in service at these counters. We could have used either the Asiana Lounge or the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, located at the airside, and opted for the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge. From our experience at the Asiana Lounge on Mar 25, we felt the lounge was rather underwhelming.

SilverKris Lounge

The Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge is located opposite Gate 29, one floor above the east side of the departure hall. The SilverKris Lounge at Incheon Airport exudes luxury with its use of marble walls at the entrance. The bar in the centre of the lounge captures one’s attention, serving a range of cocktails, mocktails, and iced coffee. The dining seats in the lounge are primarily arranged along the walls, with most of these seats located in the area after the reception, and four of these seats next to the buffet line. The main part of the lounge is primarily furnished with armchairs and small side tables, as well as a limited number of high-back armchairs. There are several long tables, mainly located near the bar and along the perimeter of the lounge, which can accommodate larger groups or serve as a workstation.

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge offer a small selection of hot food, but still more choices compared to the Asiana Airlines Lounge next door. In addition to the hot food selection, a counter serves cold dishes, including salads, bread, and cold cuts. The famous Singapore Airlines Laksa is available at this SilverKris Lounge, and can be ordered from the staff at the buffet line. The SilverKris Lounge is fitted with three shower rooms and is mostly empty during both our visits to the lounge. The shower rooms are a little small, but they are still fitted with a toilet on top of the walk-in shower. There is no dedicated space for me to stow my carry-on, other than on top of the toilet. However, I appreciate that shower facilities are available here and the absence of a queue.

The Aircraft

Asian Air operates A350-900 aircraft for this flight between Singapore and Seoul, featuring their “newest” Business Smartium Seats.

Asiana Airlines A350-900 livery upclose
Asiana Airlines A350-900 safety card

The Cabin

Asiana Airlines’ A350-300 Business Class cabin had a bright and airy feel, with a royal vibe. The seats in the cabin are decked in beige, which matches the cream-coloured seat shells. The headrest cover and pillows are adorned in yellow, a symbol of royalty and nobility in Korean culture. The airline chose brown carpeting that complements the beige and yellow colour used in the seats very well. The cabin felt bright and airy, thanks to the extensive use of white lights. Asiana Airlines’ three-class A350-300 is configured with 28 Business Class seats in a single cabin, 36 Economy Smartium seats (essentially Economy Class seats with longer seat pitch), and 247 Economy Class seats spread over two sections. The Business Class seats on Asiana’s A350-300 are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration.

There are only two lavatories located at the front of the Business Class cabin, serving all 36 passengers onboard the Asiana Airlines A350-900 aircraft. The lavatory feels a little smaller than those of the same type of aircraft operated by other airlines, and the choice of fittings in these lavatories does not convey a premium feel. Perhaps the only differentiating factor between these lavatories is the additional amenities, such as dental kits, combs, and mouthwashes, in addition to the L’Occitane body cum hand lotion, and Eau de Toilette, available in these two Business Class lavatories.

The Seat

Asiana Airlines named its Business Class seats the Business Smartium seats (which is hardly “smart”). The Business Smartium seats are arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, with even-numbered seats placed next to the window, while odd-numbered seats have the side table next to the window. Each Business Smartium seat has a pitch of 77″ and measures 22″ wide, which I find the seats a little narrow. Like most long-haul Business Class seats, Asiana Airlines’s Business Smartium seats also come in upright, lounge and flatbed modes. While these Business Smartium seats were sufficiently padded to prevent one from feeling the knicks and crannies of the seat, they are not exactly thick enough for me to want to stay seated for prolonged periods. In bed mode, Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats can be reclined 180°, turning the seat into a bed. The high shell back design of the seat provided some privacy, especially for passengers not seated next to the aisle. In between the flatbed and the upright mode is my favourite lounge mode, where the seat is adjusted to an angle for greater comfort. Other than the preset angle, the seat angle can be further adjusted to suit one’s preference using the seat control buttons situated above the armrest on the side table console.

The biggest issue I have with Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats is their limited storage space. There weren’t any cabinets on the side table console for us to stow our smaller items. The only storage space in these Business Smartium seats is the pathetically small cubby holes under the armrest next to the side table console. Even this cubby is too small to fit my passport or mobile phones. Most of the time, I either have to hold on to my belongings (since placing them in the footwell was not an option during takeoffs and landings) or place them on my seat next to where I am seated. When it comes to power outlets, Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats are equipped with a USB-A charging outlet located above the side table, which charges at a slow rate. There is another power socket in the seat, but it is located below the armrest cubby hole, which means passengers wanting to use this socket would require a long charging cable. I also found it weird that Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats have two seat pockets. One is beside the seat by the side console table, and the other is near the floor under the seat table storage, which is a missed opportunity for the airlines to provide their Business Class passengers with more storage space. The Business Smartium seats feature a dedicated spot to hold bottled water, available upon request, and a headphone holder located in front of the seat pocket, adjacent to the seat. Another spot for storage is the space under the footwell underneath the TV screen.

Despite its flaws, I like the design of the seat table in these Business Smartium seats. The seat tables can be conveniently pivoted, allowing passengers to exit their seats without needing to return the table to its storage position. In addition to the reading lights above the seat, Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats are equipped with another reading light located next to the seat.

Inflight Entertainment

Asiana Airlines’ Business Smartium seats are equipped with a large 18.5″ personal monitor with touchscreen function. I thought the picture quality was mediocre, not sure if it was due to ageing. Although the screen does not have a tilting function, I was still able to watch movies on it while lying in bed mode. Asiana Airlines’ Inflight Entertainment is also equipped with an easy-to-use PSP-like IFE controller. The IFE controller primarily utilises the touchscreen function to manage the various entertainment options curated by the airline for its passengers. The headphones supplied by Asiana Airlines are comfortable to use, but the lack of noise cancellation functions meant we had to combat listening to the audio from the show we were watching with the ambient noise from the cabin and the engines throughout the flight. Asiana Airlines termed its entertainment system OZ:enter, where entertainment options are catalogued into Movies, TV, Music, Shopping and Connectivity. The Movie menu is further categorised into regions for faster selection. I’d say OZ:enter has a large variety of entertainment, from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to the latest Korean and Asian movies, as well as TV series that kept me entertained when I wasn’t sleeping.

Meal

Asiana Airlines serves one meal throughout the 6-hour flight between Singapore and Seoul. Onboard these flights, apart from the main meal, the airlines also serve up instant ramen on demand to passengers who are peckish after the main meal. Meals include a choice of Korean and Western options.

SIN – ICN

The cabin crew serve meals about 1 hour after takeoff to maximise sleep time for passengers. For this leg, the menu comprises two Western options: Prawn Pasta and Braised Chicken, while the Beef Bibimbap is served under the Korean option. I chose the Korean option, where meals were served on beautiful Korean-patterned china. Meals were served course by course, and the stuffed cucumber with beef appetiser was delicious. The Korean main course came in a set with rice, soup, kimchi, and pickled quail eggs, accompanied by beautifully presented vegetables and stir-fried beef. The bibimbap did not disappoint. The Korean Gochujang harmonises the rice with the bowl of vegetables and beef. Fruits and Korean bean jelly, accompanied with rice crackers, were served as dessert. While I swapped my dessert with my friend, the fruits served were sweet and juicy. I was not given options to choose from the bread basket for the Korean option I chose. My friend opted for the Braised Chicken Western option and was presented with the bread basket for his selection of bread after the salad with salmon appetiser was served. I had a bite of the salmon and thought it was a little dry. The Braised Chicken main course was delicious and flavourful. I had my friend’s Oreo Tiramisu dessert, which was very tasty. Overall, I thought the Korean option was far tastier.

ICN – SIN

Meals were also served approximately 1 hour after takeoff. For this flight, grilled beef tenderloin and yellow curry chicken steak were the two main courses from the Western option that passengers could choose. As for the Korean option, Ssambap was the only option for dinner. I opted for the Ssambap, which is beef bulgogi served with rice, complete with kimchi, soup, and a cold steamed egg. The way to eat Ssambap is to wrap the beef in the many vegetable leaves that came with the meal, topped with rice and Gochujang. My Korean option meals began with eggplant as an appetiser, which is rich in flavour. The beef in the Ssambap was very well seasoned and tender, and the kimchi was very flavourful. For dessert, I was served fruits, followed by a Red Bean rice cake (which I exchanged with my friend for his dessert). My friend opted for the chicken curry Western option, and I sampled both the shrimp and the chicken. The shrimp in the salad tasted fresh, and the curry chicken was delicious and tender. I had my friend’s Cherry Blossom Cheese Cake for dessert. The cake is fluffy, but I did not taste any cherry blossom flavour.

Service

SIN – ICN

I found the service on this leg of the flight to be mediocre and unmemorable. The cabin crew came across as task-oriented, as if they were simply checking off whatever their SOP required. They are by no means rude or anything, but just felt a little scripted. We received the usual greetings at the door and were guided to the aisle for our seats. Cabin crew were not seen helping passengers to locate a spot for our bags, nor seen patrolling the cabin after meal service. Having said that, I observed the cabin crew was very responsive when I accidentally pressed the call attendant button. I’m not sure if it’s a practice by Asiana Airlines, but we were not served welcome drinks during boarding or warm nuts while meals were being prepared.

The slippers is the only inflight amenity that was given out in Asiana Airlines’ Business Class

ICN – SIN

The service for this leg is much better than my outbound leg. The cabin crew were always wearing their smiles, and nothing seemed too small to bother them. We were warmly welcomed by the cabin crew at the door and directed to our seats for direct access. When seated, another cabin crew member came by, introducing herself and providing a brief orientation of the cabin, including the location of the lavatories and where we could store our luggage. As Asiana Airlines’ A350-900 business Class cabins are not fitted with a centre overhead bin, and the one nearest to mine was all occupied. When I raised this issue with the cabin crew, she immediately put down her task and helped me find a space near my seat to place my carry-on. The cabin crew were very responsive to the call attendant buttons and immediately responded whenever I requested drinks and extra snacks. They were efficient in fulfilling my orders and always did it with a smile. Despite finding it weird, I liked how the cabin crew go around serving pre-landing drinks. Despite the efforts of the female cabin crew, the attitude of an elderly male cabin crew member, presumably the cabin manager, was less than desirable. He was hardly seen around the cabin, and when he popped out from his hiding, I hardly saw any smile on his face. When he goes around serving passengers, it seems that he does not want to be here. Fortunately, he stayed hidden most of the time, and we were able to enjoy the service from the rest of the female cabin crew.

Afterthought

Overall, I had a good flight with Asiana Airlines. The seats are comfortable, but I find them a little narrow, which might impede the sleeping position. My biggest issue with Asiana Airlines Business Smartium seats is the lack of storage space. There is only one small cubby hole that is already full when I store my mobile phone, cable, and charging cable. I thought Asiana Airlines wasted the space by having two seat pockets, when the space allotted to the seat pocket by the side table can be used to provide more storage for passengers. The food served onboard is delicious and of high quality. Services seem inconsistent across the two legs of my flights. Our outbound leg was served by cabin crew who had lukewarm interactions with passengers and were mostly out of sight, except when taking orders for our meal choices and serving food. The service for our inbound flight was much better, as the cabin crew were personable and approachable, always serving with a smile. I enjoyed my inbound flight better.

[Accommodation Review] – Raffles Sentosa Singapore (Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa), Sentosa, Singapore (18 – 20 Apr 25)

/ kktong76 / 2 Comments

Location

Raffles Sentosa Singapore is an all-villa resort in the central part of Sentosa Island, a tourist island south of Singapore. The resort was slated to open in 2020, but the pandemic delayed completion. The resort’s opening was pushed back several times and finally soft-launched in March 2025. Despite its central location, the resort is a tad far from most of the attractions on the island, which are mainly located on the eastern part of the island. The isolated location also meant the resort is far from most amenities, such as eateries and convenience stores. Guests who wanted to use this resort as a base to explore Singapore would spend more time transferring between transportation modes to access other attractions on mainland Singapore. The isolated location of the resort also meant guests could enjoy a tranquil stay away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Villa

We originally booked the Garden 1-Bedroom Pool Villa, owing to my friend’s membership status with the ACCOR group, the resort upgraded us to the 235㎡ Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa. There was not much difference between the two villa types, but slightly more outdoor space in the Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa. There are two smaller buildings (or pavilions, as the resort termed them) within our private villa grounds: one for the living area and the other for the bedroom and bathroom.

The exterior of our Sunset 1-Bedroom Villa
There are two pavilions in the compounds of our villa

Private Outdoor Terrace

Entryway

Beyond the large wooden door at the main entrance to our Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa lies a small corridor leading into the private terrace. The entryway is decorated with a bed of greenery on the right, which pays homage to the resort’s natural theme. From the villa’s entryway, we can see the two pavilions on either side of the entryway and our private pool nestled in the centre of the two pavilions.

The entryway to our Sunset 1-Bedroom Villa
View of our Sunset 1-Bedroom Villa from the entryway

Private Pool

The Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa has a small pool where the two pavilions face. This private pool, partially surrounded by plants inside the private terrace of the villa, is great for families and friends to dip in. Though a little small, the villa’s occupants can use the pool for some laps. A cabana sits on a platform at one end of the pool, which looks like it was floating in the pool. The cabana is perfect for parents to watch over their children playing in the pool or for guests to relax and sunbathe under the intense Sentosa sun.

Besides the cabana, the pool terrace is also furnished with outdoor furniture. The three-seater couch and the accompanying single-seater armchair placed in front of the bathroom of the bedroom pavilion gave us the option of enjoying the outdoors in the day or basking under the moon in the evenings. The dining table with two chairs in the opposite corner of the terrace gave us a place to dine from the room service menu. However, the outdoor placement of this dining table, without any shelters, also meant that dining here was not possible when it rained. We spotted a lot of millipedes and other creepy crawlies during our stay on our private terrace, especially in the mornings.

Living Room Pavilion

The living room pavilion is housed in a standalone building to the right of the entryway to the villa. From the large painting of the rainforest motif on the wall to the wooden ceiling and the mini bar cabinets, the living room gives off a return to nature vibe. The light blue carpet in the living room, which seems to represent the sea, subtly reminds us that we were on Sentosa Island. This living room has one side of the walls fitted with a floor-to-ceiling window panel, which can be opened to create an indoor-outdoor living concept, further blending into the natural surroundings. The living room is mainly furnished with sitting furniture, with a large couch in front of the rainforest painting. Decked in light green fabric, reinforcing the nature theme, the comfortable couch can sit four adults. There are two other armchairs, one with a similar design to the couch and another wooden armchair decked in navy blue cushions, increasing the seating capacity by two in the living room. In the centre of the living room is a large jade green marble coffee table. A side table is placed between the couch and the armchair, furnished with a table lamp and the in-house phone.

A 55″ flatscreen TV is mounted on the wall beside the couch, loaded with multiple local and international cable channels, where we had no trouble finding a channel for entertainment. Sitting in a corner of the living room pavilion are a couple of minibar cabinets. The wooden cabinets’ wooden mash-designed doors give off a colonial era vibe. The larger cabinet houses complementary coffee and tea. Instead of the usual Nespresso coffee machine, Raffles Sentosa Singapore provides its guests with the top-of-the-range Singaporean brand Bacha coffee and TWG tea. The three drawers inside this cabinet are where we found tea cups and glasses. The short cabinet next to the coffee and tea cabinet houses the in-villa fridge, one of the more unique fridges I have seen. Other than the usual chilling of overpriced beverages, the top tier of this fridge has a wine chiller that can chill up to four bottles of wine. While the living room may be comfortable, I found the lack of a guest bathroom here very inconvenient. Not only would our guests have to travel to the bedroom pavilion to use the toilet, but we also found it troublesome when getting water to make coffee and tea. We also had some issues with the air conditioning in the living room. The air-conditioning will cut off when the doors are not closed properly, resulting in us having to “slam” the heavy doors every time we enter or exit the living room pavilion.

Bedroom Pavilion

The bedroom pavilion is the larger of the two pavilions in the Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa at Raffles Sentosa Singapore. This pavilion also houses the only bathroom in the villa.

Sleeping Area

The sleeping area occupies about half the space in the bedroom pavilion. Like the living room pavilion, the sleeping area is fitted with three large panels of sliding doors that can be opened to invite the outdoors in. The nature theme in the living room pavilion is also seen here. Instead of a large greenery painting, the nature theme comes in the form of a wooden feature wall, against which the oversized king bed is placed. The ceiling of the sleeping area is also decked with the same wooden ceiling seen in the living room. The king bed here, positioned to face the private pool, is very comfortable to sleep on, and the mattress is of the right firmness. However, the pillows are too soft for my liking. The resort has a pillow menu (after we checked with the butler team), unfortunately, these pillows are unavailable as the resort was running at full capacity. Despite the softness of the pillows (which usually gave me neck aches), I was still able to get some great sleep on the king bed. I like how Raffles Sentosa Singapore furnished two large bedside tables on both sides of the king bed. These bedside tables come fitted with wireless charging functions, but I found the charging speed slow. The two power outlets are fitted inside the drawers, which gives the bedside tables a clean look.

The sleeping area is also furnished with a two-seater sofa with an accompanying coffee table, placed in front of the king bed facing the pool area. I thought the placement of an additional sofa here improved the bedroom’s livability; we could sit in the bedroom pavilion and relax if the weather was bad outside. Another 55″ flatscreen TV with the same local and cable channels as the one in the living room is mounted on the wall at the side. This TV is mounted on a swivel that we used to swing to face the bed, allowing us to watch TV while lying on the comfortable bed.

Bathroom

A large sliding wooden door separates the bathroom space from the sleeping area in the bedroom pavilion. Behind the sliding door lies a small section dedicated to the wardrobe, which gives us the feel of a walk-in wardrobe. Raffles Sentosa Singapore fitted two large wardrobes in this area, both with a similar design, with the only difference being the drawer. One of the wardrobes has a larger drawer below, where the in-room safe is hiding, while the other wardrobe is fitted with two deeper drawers where we can store smaller clothing items. The hanging light fitted in this pseudo walk-in wardrobe gave this space a luxurious vibe.

The bathroom has a more luxurious vibe, mostly decked in sand coloured marble tiles on its walls and flooring, a departure from the nature theme we saw in the living room and the sleeping area. Placed next to the floor-to-ceiling window that surrounds one side of the bathroom, facing the pool, is a deep-seated marble bathtub. I like how the resort fitted a wooden platform with a tablet holder at the bathtub so guests could watch videos on their tablet while soaking in the tub. A door near the bathtub provides direct access to the pool and the terrace. A vanity table sits at one corner of the bathroom, next to the bathtub.

Built onto a sand coloured marble wall opposite the bathtub is the sink area. At one glance, it looks as if the bathroom is fitted with one huge sink. However, upon closer inspection, there are actually two sinks. Despite having oversized sinks, we still found ample space at the countertop to stow our toiletries. The three drawers below the sink provided us with space to stow away our toiletries bags and whatnots. The bathroom amenities that the resort provided were stowed in these drawers. I like the large mirror Raffles Sentosa Singapore installed by the sink countertops, which made the already airy-looking bathroom look even roomier. Behind the sand coloured marble wall lies the toilet cubicle on the left, and the walk-in shower on the right. The resort installed a Japanese-style bidet in the toilet, while the walk-in shower is fitted with a regular and a rain shower head. I like the Italian-branded Ortigia shower amenities the resort provides, which are refreshing and have a hint of natural smell that leaves our skin feeling soft and refreshed.

Service

The service at Raffles Sentosa Singapore was generally good. The staff at the reception were warm and welcoming, and it felt like they were doing their best with limited resources. We received an email detailing the arrival and asking for the location we wanted the complimentary transfers in a Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan. As we drove to the resort, we did not use this service. However, the resort allowed the transfer to be utilised by my sister during their visit. This is one of the many ways Raffles Sentosa Singapore go all out to ensure guests are happy with their stay at the resort. Everyone we met at the resort, from the staff at the arrival area to the staff working around to ensure the resort was ready for its official opening in mid-May, were welcoming and friendly and always wearing a smile. There were several issues with the villa we were staying in, and when we brought them up to the butler team, the issues were resolved almost immediately. At times when we were walking around the resort, staff members driving buggies would stop by and check if we needed to be ferried.

We were fortunate to have Ardena assigned as our butler. The service we received from Ardena started when she welcomed us when we arrived at the resort. As she drove us in a buggy to our villa, she made an effort to orient us to the resort. Ardena always had an infectious smile whenever we bumped into her. She would always check with us how our stay was, and if there was anything she could do to make our stay more pleasant. Whenever we raised issues or defects in the villa to Ardena, she would always take care of them immediately. She was very responsive to our request and ensured they were taken care of. Ardena also displayed empathy when we raised an issue we had during breakfast. Instead of being defensive, she was able to listen with much empathy.

The service provided by Kate, the housekeeping staff, was exceptional. I bumped into Kate when I got lost while walking to the reception area. Kate spotted me and asked if there was anything she could help me with. I raised my displeasure that I tried calling the operator in vain for 30 minutes for someone to help me with the millipede-infested pool. Kate gave me directions to the reception and volunteered to help me with the issue after she completed her task. True to her words, Kate came by some 15 minutes later to scoop out the drowned millipedes in the pool. She was meticulous with the task and did it twice to ensure all millipedes were scooped out. Before taking her leave, Kate checked if there was anything else she could help me with or any supplies that we needed to top up. We requested additional drinking water; Kate returned moments later with our requests. She popped by in the evening to check if we needed turn-down service and if there was anything she could help us with before taking her leave.

Despite the efforts of Ardena, Kate, and the staff around the resort, our experience at the resort was marred by the service we received at Royal China during breakfast. The staff came around as if they couldn’t care less. During our first breakfast at the establishment, the moment we stepped into the restaurant, there were no staff around to show us to our table or tell us the breakfast procedures. When we finally got the attention of one staff member about 15 minutes after looking lost, we were shown to a table. We were simply being ditched in a corner of the restaurant as if the restaurant was ashamed of having us within the premises. There was no one to set up the table, nor anyone to pop by to tell us what was going on in the restaurant for the next 20 minutes. Most of the time, we observed the central part of the restaurant being overflowing with staff compared to the other parts. When we placed our orders, the food took about 30 mins to come, but with the wrong orders. When my breakfast finally came, about 45 minutes later, a Caucasian staff member asked if I wanted any eggs. I told him I was still waiting for my eggs while pointing to the menu. The staff snatched the menu from me and defensively told me in an impatient tone that it was coming. Our request for chilli sauce also took 10 minutes to arrive.

We were served Sentosa Sling as a welcome drink as we were checked into our villa.
Welcome amenities were placed in the villa before our arrival.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @Royal China

Breakfast at Raffles Sentosa Singapore is usually served in the poolside Empire Grill restaurant. However, due to a private event, breakfast was shifted to the Royal China restaurant. Breakfast was served in a semi à la carte buffet manner, where the pastries were served buffet style, and the main courses were served in an à la carte buffet arrangement. I thought the breakfast was a little limited, as we were given four set choices for breakfast on top of the pastry buffet. These set choices came with a three-tier cheese and cold cuts platter. There wasn’t much local selection for breakfast other than a kaya and peanut butter set. We thought the breakfast tasted decent and was nothing memorable. The menu for breakfast stayed the same throughout our two-night stay at the resort.

Swimming Pool

Raffles Sentosa Singapore has a central swimming pool on top of the private pools in all the villas. The main swimming pool is located at the Grill Empire restaurant, in the heart of the resort. The main infinity pool is large enough for guests to do some serious laps, and there is no lack of sun deck chairs around the main pool. It is a great place for guests to get a good tan due to the lack of vegetation to block the sun. There are three cabanas in the main pool for families to enjoy. The pool was empty at our visit, and we are unsure if the emptiness is due to each villa having its own pool or if the resort was still in its soft launch phase.

Fitness Centre

The fitness centre in Raffles Sentosa Singapore is housed in a separate colonial building near the Royal China restaurant. The fitness centre has a small setup located on the second level of the building. The centre is only equipped with one strength workout machine, some free weights, and a handful of cardio workout machines. The placement of this fitness equipment made the centre look empty.

Overall

While the bed was comfortable to sleep on and the pool was great for families to have some fun in the Sunset 1-Bedroom Pool Villa at Raffles Sentosa Singapore, I did not like the design of the villa for several reasons. The disjointed living room and the bedroom made the villa less livable. This was especially a problem when it was raining outside. The lack of a guest bathroom in the living room pavilion was inconvenient when we wanted water for coffee or tea. It also meant we had to go to the bedroom pavilion to use the toilet. The service was generally good, and the staff came across as trying to find their footing while trying their best to provide service befitting the Raffles brand. Our experience at Raffles Sentosa Singapore would have been perfect if not for the disappointing service we received at Royal China during breakfast, which undermined the efforts of the rest of the staff around the resort who tried their darnest best to make guests feel welcome.

[Accommodation Review] – Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences (Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite), Seoul, South Korea (25 – 29 Mar 25)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

I had covered the hotel’s service and facilities in my previous post (read about them here), this post will cover my review of the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite.

Facade of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences from ground level

The Suite

The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite is the biggest suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences, with a massive 81㎡ of space in the hotel’s residence wing. While the Premier Suite in the hotel wing adopts a wooden decor, this Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite uses a contemporary granite decor. The suite is very well-designed in terms of space allocation and facility fitting.

Entryway

The entryway to the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences was furnished with an enclosed shoe cabinet. The entryway is also home to the entrance to the powder room. At the end of the entryway, the hotel furnished two large cabinets, perfect for us to stow away our shopping.

Entryway of the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite
The shoe cabinet in the entryway

We used this cabinet in the entryway to stow our shopping

Powder Room

The granite decor in the living room flows into the powder room, showing the consistency in design that the hotel employed when designing this suite. The powder room has fairly simple furnishings, fitted with a Japanese-style toilet and a fairly large sink. This powder room provided us with an alternate place to use the toilet and allowed our friends to use the toilet without barging into our bedroom.

Living Room

The end of the entryway leads into the living room, which takes up about half of the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite space. The living room comprises the kitchenette and the lounging area.

Kitchenette

The kitchenette is nestled by the wall that separates the powder room from the living room. With two induction cookers next to the kitchen sink and pots and pans, the full kitchenette is very well equipped with facilities that enable one to whip up a meal. The kitchenette is also equipped with a microwave oven, and we even found a rice cooker in the drawer beneath the microwave. The hotel also stocked the kitchenette with china and cutlery for four guests to enjoy a home-cooked meal. Instead of providing bottled water, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences fitted a filtered water machine capable of dispensing hot and cold water with the press of a button by the sink. We also found a washing machine cum dryer in the cabinets beneath the sink, the hotel also thoughtfully provides laundry detergent for its guests to do their laundry.

The kitchenette has a full-sized fridge designed to blend into the room’s decor. The full-sized fridge with a freezer at the bottom allows guests to do grocery shopping and cook their meals in the suite. I like the island table design in the kitchenette area, where the hotel maximises space by installing drawers to stow kitchen equipment. The hotel installed a Nespresso machine on this table island. Despite supplying two Nespresso capsules, I find it weird that the hotel does not provide sugar. As we did not see any work desk in the suite, I would have assumed that this island table was meant to double up as a work desk, as there is a power outlet fitted at the table.

Lounging Area

Past the island table in the kitchenette area and demarcated with a large grey carpet is the space the hotel created as the lounging area. The lounging area is furnished with a large grey fabric couch, and an elongated section at the end of the couch allows us to rest with our feet up. The couch can accommodate four adults comfortably; with the inclusion of the elongated section, the couch can comfortably seat up to six adults. I like how the hotel chose the colour of the carpet and couch to emphasise the granite theme in the suite. A large white coffee table sits in the centre of the couch, allowing us to place our snacks and drinks on while being entertained by the channels on the TV. The 55″ LED TV in the lounging area is mounted onto a granite-looking wall facing the couch. We mainly found Korean channels on the TV, with a handful of English and a few Chinese channels.

Bedroom

The bedroom entrance is next to the full fridge in the kitchenette area. The bedroom takes up about  â…” of the space beyond the wall that separates the living room from the bedroom (the remaining â…“ is allocated to the bathroom). Our attention was directed to the large king bed, sitting on a grey fabric bed frame with another grey fabric bed end bench upon entering the bedroom. We found the sleep quality on the king bed to be excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed every morning. The pillow was a tad too soft for my liking. Fortunately, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has a small pillow menu, allowing us to choose firmer pillows to enhance the sleep quality on the king bed. A couple of two-tiered bedside tables are designed into the bed’s headboard. The space afforded on the top tier of these tables is rather small, leaving us little space to place our mobile phones, and it does not help that the hotel placed the room control tablet on one bedside table and the in-house phone on the other. I guess the hotel intends for guests to use the lower-tier bedside table, which requires guests to use longer charging cables, which was a little inconvenient. I like the armchair furnished between the king bed and the floor-to-ceiling window, allowing guests to relax by the window while enjoying the sight of Seoul. Another 55″ LED TV with the same entertainment options as the living room is mounted on the wall facing the king bed, allowing us to receive entertainment while lying on the bed.

The wardrobe area in the bedroom sits between the sleeping area and the bathroom. The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite is furnished with two wardrobes, one with three panels and the other with two panels. The space afforded in these wardrobes was very generous. The three-panelled wardrobe is mainly designed with hanging racks, with the larger segment designed with a two-tiered drawer. Here, we found the in-room safe hidden in the top drawer. The other wardrobe opposite the three-panelled wardrobe is slightly smaller, with only two door panels. Despite the smaller size, the space afforded by this wardrobe was also rather sizeable. Despite having so much space for hanging and storing our clothing, the hotel supplies limited hangers that we had to request additional hangers. I was pleasantly surprised to find an LG Styler machine between the king bed and the wardrobe. This styler machine not only dries our clothing, but it also reduces the wrinkles on our laundry.

Bathroom

The bathroom was segregated from the bedroom with a large three-panelled sliding door. The bathroom also has the same granite decor seen throughout the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite. From the entrance, the sink was immediately spotted occupying the space on the left side. I applauded the hotel for fitting one sink in the bathroom, which gave us lots of countertop space to place our toiletries. The open cabinetry space beneath the sink, mainly used by the hotel to place toilets, increases our storage space. A large, deep-seated round bathtub took up the space opposite the sink, which we used to soak away the fatigue we gathered from the shopping and sightseeing in Seoul. Due to its size, filling up the bathtub took a while. Two glass panel cubicles sit at the back of the bathroom. The cubicle on the left houses the walk-in shower, equipped with both regular and rain shower heads. I like the spaciousness in the walk-in shower, while the ledge installed in a corner here gave us space to place our dental kits and facial washes. The toilet, fitted with a Japanese-style bidet, occupies the cubicle on the right. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences supplies its bathrooms with Deep Nature spa shower amenities that have a nice ocean smell and leave the skin feeling soft after showering.

Overall

The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is spacious and well-appointed. It has the essentials of an apartment and creates a home away from home with the convenience of appliances furnished in the suite. The washing machine, dryer, and the Styler meant we did not have to return home with a bag full of dirty laundry. The kitchenette allows one to whip up a decent meal. The sleep quality on the king bed was superb, enhanced by the pillow menu that the hotel offers its guests. The wardrobe space was generous, and we could stow at least two weeks of clothing. Despite not being fitted with two sinks, I thought the bathroom was well-designed and the space was maximised. I would return to Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences the next time I return to Seoul for its well-appointed rooms and the conveniences of being very close to the subway and the airport bus stop.