Perch on top of a knoll, Capella is not too far from the entrance to Sentosa via the causeway. Despite its location, the entrance to Capella is rather inconspicuous. Guests to this hotel would have to look out for the entrance after driving pass the roundabout after the gantry at Sentosa Gateway. The driveway towards the hotel opens up to a spacious beautiful garden and the hotel appears to be a jewel on a crown. The hotel lobby is situated in a colonial building that is part of Singapore’s history. The hotel is situated right smack centre of Sentosa Island, with the beach as its backyard, guests enjoy direct access to the beach via the hotel’s back door. Despite its central location, guests are required to walk at least 10 mins to get to anywhere else on the island. The hotel provides shuttle service to Vivocity on mainland Singapore as well as Resorts World Sentosa, where one would find the theme park and casino. There is also regular beach tram service on the beachside of the hotel, accessible via the back door of the hotel.

Hotel Signage Outside the Lobby

Lobby

Corridor Outside the Lobby

Around the Hotel

Around the Hotel

Around the Hotel

Around the Hotel

Around the Hotel

I had the opportunity to return to this hotel for my advanced birthday staycation, arranged by my friend, after my horrid experience last December. The room I checked into this time round is Seaview Premier Room. The room layout is similar to the Garden Premier Room I stayed in last December. The room combines functionality with a contemporary theme and made use of technology.

Entrance to Room 417

Walk-in Wardrobe

The main door to the expansive 77m² room is oriented to the left of the room. The vanity cum walk-through wardrobe is situated to the right of the main door. The dual-sink massive vanity area with 2 mirrors and separate vanity lighting, stretches across the room. The counter-top where the sinks are located has sufficient space for guests to stow their toiletries. This is also where one would find a comfortable cushioned stool for ladies to sit on while putting on their make-up. One can also find the hairdryer here. Behind the vanity area is the walk-through wardrobe. I like the design of the open walk-through wardrobe, which not only saves space, it looked chic and is also functional. The open-concept wardrobe is convenient that gives guests direct access to their clothing without needing to open wardrobe doors. There is sufficient space for guests to store up to 2 weeks or more worth of clothing. There is also a couple of 3-tiered drawers for more storage space. There is a ledge on top of the wardrobe for guests to stow away their luggage when not in use.

Large Counter-Top with Dual Sink Vanity Area

Quality Aesop Amenities and Amenities Kit Pouch

Wardrobe

Double 3-Tier Drawer

To the end of the wardrobe is where one will find the toilet cubicle. Further into the room is where one would find the bath area. The open walk-in shower features both the rain shower and a massage showerhead. There is a ledge at the walk-in shower where one will find quality Aesop bath amenities. Upon reading the wordings on the bottle, I realise the hotel chose its bath amenities very carefully. For example, the body cleanser, with Geranium scant is chosen so that guests can relax and fall asleep easier; the body balm is chosen with properties that hydrate guests’ skin and to prevent sunburn given the hot and humid climate of Singapore.  The non-slip walk-in area also has a stool placed in one corner for guests who need to seat no to shower. The bathtub is situated opposite the walk-in shower, in front of a large window that overlooks into the balcony. This arrangement makes the bathroom feels bigger than it already is.

Toilet Cubicle

Shower Area

Panoramic View of the Bathroom

Bathtub by the Window

Paint Peeling on the Wall of the Bathroom

Bathtub

Further into the room, beyond the vanity area is the sleeping area of the room. Right in front of the vanity area is the king-size bed. The comfortable bed with firmness level just right for my liking enabled me to sleep soundly throughout the night. The bed is large enough to sleep 4 adults comfortably. There are a couple of bedside tables on either side of the bed.  One can find a tablet that controls the lighting, the blinds, etc in one of the bed-side tables. The bed faces a couch that can seat up to 5 adults without squeezing. The couch is situated in front of a large window that offers a magnificent view of the hotel grounds. There is a coffee table between the bed and the couch. The view from the room that I was checked into indeed offers the best view in the hotel. It overlooked the 3-tiered hotel pool and the sea. One can sit by the couch and enjoy the sunset with their loved ones while sipping coffee or even wine. The mix of greeneries and the waters is a sight that one can simply enjoy for hours.

King Size Bed

The artwork on the Wall

Bedside Table

I like the use of Technology. This Tablet Controls the Curtains and the Lightings

Very Thoughtful Housekeeping Staff who took the initiative to coil up my wires so that it will not look messy. The attention to details is superb

Couch with a view

Welcome Fruit and Chocolate

This room has the best view in the entire hotel

View from the Room. I can see the 3-Tier Pool and the Sea

Facing the window, to the right of the couch is where one can find the work desk. The desk is large enough for one to do some decent work on. The hotel provides standard stationeries, placed neatly in a box on the desk. There is a 2-plug PowerPoint on the desk. The desk has 2 drawers, creating more space for storage. The in-room save can also be found in the cabinet under the work desk. To the left of the couch is where one can find the minibar and in-room entertainment. 3 cabinets tucking away the complimentary mini-bar, Nespresso capsules, tea and electric kettle. The Nespresso machine is placed on top of these 3 cabinets, together with Bose sound system and iPod dock. Here is where one can find a 46″ flat-screen TV, mounted on a rack that allows guests to swivel to allow one to watch cable channels on the TV on either the couch or on the bed. One feature I like about the room is the automatic blinds. Somehow the sensor in the room would detect prolong periods where guests are not in the room, upon entering the room, the blinds and curtains automatically draw up to allow light into the room.

Work Desk with Stationeries

Entertainment Area with Nespresso Machine and Bose System

Complimentary Wine

Contents of the Minibar are Complementary. The Staff already placed my birthday cake with compliments from the hotel in the fridge before my arrival.

Coffee and Tea

Electric Kettle and Ice Bucket

Balcony

Between the Bathroom and the entertainment area of the room is the doorway to the balcony. The balcony has a single-seater armchair and a 2 seater long couch for one to enjoy the sea breeze. The balcony in this room is rather small, nonetheless, it is still a great spot to chill out or even smoke from.

Seating in the Balcony

View from the Balcony

The Library is the lounge of Capella, which is located on the floor above the lobby. Guests are invited to enjoy and chill out in the Library regardless of the type of room one stays in. The Library is rather cosy and is decorated that gives one a homely feeling, more akin to a posh study room in a mansion. There are 3 areas in the Library, one where guests can find a considerable amount of reading materials, including major newspapers. This is the area where one can help oneself to the beverages, which included coffee, tea and soft drinks. This area has 2 sitting areas, catering to larger crowds. The next area in the Library has more natural light. This is where one can find some finger food and during High Tea timing, one can find pastries being placed in a buffet style for guests to enjoy. Other than a couch, most of the seating here is for 2. On either side of the wings of the Library is the outdoor seating with seating that is as comfortable as the ones indoor.

Library Signage

The Library is located on the Second Level

Cosy feel inside the Library

The couch in the Library

Books in the Library

Complimentary Drinks in the Library

Finger Food for High Tea

Capella has a 3-tiered infinite pool that overlooks into the sea. The top two tiers featured a free form pool and the lowest tier features a lap pool. The pool is a great place to soak in the sun on the sunny island of Sentosa. I did not utilise the pool on my previous stay as it was raining most of the time. This time around I had plenty of time to relax by the pool. The pool on the top tier is adult-only, while the middle tier is more of a family pool, with a shallow end for children to swim in. There is no lack of deck chairs around the pool. The water in the pool is not too cold and provided us with a great place to cool off the scorching sun during the period of my stay. The pools are not too deep (1.2m), which is rather “friendly” even to those who are not strong in swimming.

Gorgeous Pool

Panoramic View of the Pool

The gym in the hotel is located next to the spa. The gym, though small has all the necessary equipment that tones one’s body from abs to arms to legs. There are also treadmills and stationary cycles for one to burn off those calories. There are only one toilet and no changing room in the gym, however, I spotted a sign that directs guests to the changing room next door where the spa is (I subsequently checked with the staff at the spa and was told to use the toilet in the gym for changing). Despite the small size and its emptiness, there are drinks such as plain water and 100 plus for guests to keep themselves hydrated after a good workout. There are also cold towels for guests to use.

Small but well-equipped gym

Small but well-equipped gym

Business Centre

The hotel also caters to business travellers. There is a Business Centre in the hotel where one can surf the internet and get work done as well as printing facilities. The Business Centre has 2 rooms for guests to get their work done. There are also some meeting rooms in the Business Centre where guests can utilise for their meetings.

Signage of the Business Centre

Reception Area in the Business Centre

Facilities inside one of the rooms

Outside the Business Centre

Outside the Business Centre

The service I received this time round is impeccable and different from my last experience. This time around the service rendered around the hotel truly reflects its 5-star status. I was well taken care of by the staffs in the hotel and almost everyone is friendly and warm.

Before my checking in, I received a call from one of the personal assistance, Jayce. She checked if there are any special occasion during my stay in the hotel and my preference for the room. I mentioned that I will be in the hotel for my birthday celebration and that I would like a room that faces the swimming pool and the sea. I also requested for firmer pillows from Jayce and to my delight, these pillows where found in the room waiting for me when I checked in. Jayce called back a few days later to inform me that she has gotten the best view room in the hotel. She even checked the timing that I will be at the hotel so that the room can be ready. Indeed when I reached the hotel, the room was already ready for my occupancy. Jayce took the initiative to arrange for a birthday cake and a bottle of wine in the room with compliments from the hotel for my birthday. Jayce not only followed through my requests and even went above and beyond my requests.

I met with Emanuel who was the duty manager at the time of my arrival at the hotel. Emanuel greeted me with the warmest smile.  The efficiency of processing my check-in by Emanuel ensured that I will be in my room in no time, comparing to my previous experience this is heavens and earth apart. Emanuel personally showed me to my room and took the pains to explain the features of the room. Emanuel repeatedly requested me to call the front desk if there is anything they can do to make my stay more comfortable. A few occasions I walked past the front desk and met Emanuel, he checked with me if the room was alright and if there is anything else that they can do to make my stay more comfortable. Whenever I walked up to the front desk and met Emanuel, he would address me by my family name, taking note of me as a guest in the hotel. This gesture shows that Emanuel bothered to remember his guests by face and addressed them by their family name. This has made me felt welcome and somewhat important.

Daniel is the Front of the House Manager and remembered me from my previous stay. He ensured that I was well taken care of by his staffs and my requests are being attended to almost immediately. I brought to Daniel’s attention that the air-conditioning in my room did not seem to be working well. Without delay Daniel personally sees to it and brought a technician staff with him to my room to investigate the air-con issue. Daniel has done what most managers of other hotels have not, he actively engages his guests and ensuring that all are felt welcomed in the hotel. Whenever I bumped into Daniel, he would always ask how was my day and how’s the stay so far. Daniel shared with me the architecture of the hotel and the different rooms there is in the hotel. He even volunteered to show me some of the other category rooms, unfortunately, I was not able to visit these other rooms due to clash in the schedule. Daniel displayed what being customer-centric is all about and went all way to ensure that my stay is fantastic.

I met Sherwin at the Library, who is one of the personal assistants in the hotel. Sherwin recognised me and my friend and addressed us by our family name whenever we visited the Library. This small but warmth gesture made us felt welcome. Sherwin would always ask how was our day and initiate a conversation with me. There was this instance we met Sherwin at the Library, he immediately recognised me (my sister and brother-in-law popped by the hotel to visit and was pleasantly surprised at the impeccable service Sherwin rendered). My sister is very impressed with the service that Capella has rendered through the acts of Sherwin. He even brought us freshly baked pastry from the kitchen before it is being displayed during high tea without asking. This thoughtfulness and the passion in customer service is being embraced by Sherwin.

I called up in-room dining at 11.30 pm as me and my friend wanted to have some fish and chips. Michael took the call and ensured that we got the fish and chips that we wanted despite this dish is not in the in-room dining menu. The fish and chips that were delivered to our room are fresh and tasty, thanks to Michael, who went all out to meet our request. In some establishments, if the item is not on the menu, the food will not be made available. However, Michael did not do what the others would, instead he checked with his colleagues and made it happen for us.

When we were at the pool, Jani, one of the staffs working at the pool, saw us laying towels on the deck chairs and immediately brought two buckets of ice with bottled water in it for us to drink while we were at the pool. This was done without asking. The pool area is always tidy as I had witness Jani cleaning up after guests left the pool tirelessly. Jani even did his rounds with complimentary apple and cranberry juice for guests at the pool to enjoy.

There is however one instance of service lapse and this time is in the Knoll restaurant, where breakfast is being served. I was at the juice bar wanting some freshly squeezed juice. The bar was not manned and I waited for around 10 mins. Numerous staffs walked passed me without even acknowledging my presence. I was left hanging until one of the staff, who was responsible for the tables in the area I was seated, saw me standing and there was no one serving me. She quickly asked what I would like to have and the drinks would be delivered to me. Almost immediately after I returned to my seat, the fresh juices were delivered to me.

The hotel has great hardware as can be seen from the room and the facilities. The room is spacious and comfortable. What I like most about the room is the view that overlooks the pool and the sea. In terms of service, it is 180 deg from my experience in December when I first stayed in Capella. This time around it felt like an old friend returning the hotel for a stay. At the end of the stay, my friend and I agreed that we do not feel like checking out. We will definitely return to try out the other category accommodations. The services that were rendered this time around truly reflects the 5-star status of Capella.

Capella Singapore is an ultra-luxury hotel located in the heart of Sentosa Island. Despite its central location on the holiday island, the hotel remains isolated from the rest of the island. One is expected to walk a good 10 – 15 mins to Resorts World Sentosa. The hotel also allows guests to access to the Palawan Beach via the back door. The hotel provides daily shuttle service to Resorts World Sentosa (however only 2 trips per day each way) and numerous services to Vivocity Shopping Mall on mainland Singapore.

The Garden Premier Room, which I checked into has an expansive 77m² floor area, very large for a standard room in comparison with most other hotels. The room has 3 main sections: the bedding area, the bathroom and the outdoor area. The room shall be reviewed in the order of bathroom, bedding area and the outdoor area. I checked into room 203, located on the second floor. To access the room, guests would have to take a flight of stairs down from the lobby (the lobby is located on 3rd storey). This room remains isolated from the rest of the room and does provide guests checking into this room maximum privacy being a corner room.

Upon entering the room, a vast open styled wardrobe greeted us on the left side of the main door. This open wardrobe, also doubles up as a walk-in (more like walk-through) wardrobe spans the entire length of the room to the toilet area. The huge wardrobe allows guests to stow away at least 2 weeks of clothing, it also comes with a tie cum belt rack which is lacking in most of the hotels. On the base of the hanger bar, one will be able to find a couple of short cabinets with 3 drawers each. The addition of these cabinets allows guests checking into this room more storage space. As the cabinets are rather short, it does not intrude into the hanging bar right above it, allowing guests to hang their pants and evening gowns. There is single shelving on top of the hanging bar, where one will find a couple of additional pillows. This area also provides guests with additional storage space, ideal for their luggage. In front of the wardrobe is where one will find the sink area. The dual sink, with vast space for one to store your toiletries, is ideal as guests do not have to fight over the sink in the mornings. There are vanity lighting on each side of the 2 mirrors in front of the sink, which adds a certain classiness to the style of the room. There is more storage space beneath the sink area (under each sink), a large comfortable stool is stowed away in the space between the 2 sinks for ladies guests to rest while putting on makeup.

Further down the sinks, on the right is where one will find a huge door (in fact bigger than the main door). Behind this door is where the toilet bowl is located. However, there is no lock on this door, making this room ideal for couples and honeymooners. Past the toilet area is where one will find the bathing area. To the right is where one will spot the open walk-in shower, featuring both a rain shower and a regular shower head. There is a stool placed at the shower area to provide for guests who wish to rest their legs after a long day of exploring Sentosa Island or mainland Singapore. Opposite the shower area is where a huge bathtub greets guests. 3 knobs on the side of the bathtub controlling the hot and cold water output as well as a switch for guests to choose between running water for the tub and the showerhead, which is located next to these knobs. The bathtub is placed in front of a huge glass panel, allowing guests to look out into the balcony while taking a soak, giving guests a feeling of soaking in the open.

The biggest area on the room gotta be the bedding area. Walking past the vanity mirrors, which doubles up as a partition segregating the bathing area and the bedding area, the room opens up to a massive bedroom. Located right in front of the partition for the bathroom is a large King bed. The bed is large enough to sleep 3 adults comfortably. The sleep quality of the bed is fantastic and has the right amount of firmness to the mattress. Sleeping on this bed will also not disturb the person sharing the bed due to movement. The only downside to this bedding is the pillows. They are too soft for my liking and gave me neckaches. There are bedside tables on each side of the bed. The one on the left side (where the main door to the room is located) has a tablet embedded into the drawer. The inclusion of this table serves the function of controlling the lighting in the room, the curtains and blinds, the air-conditioning and even the notification such as the “Make-up room” and “Do not disturb” lights as well as any messages that the reception left for the guests. I thought this tablet is a very nice touch and unique to Capella. Looking in from the main door, a working desk greets the guests. The table is of a good size. Capella is rather thoughtful in the placement of stationery in a leather box for guests to use, which adds to the elegance of the room. The is another box placed on the table where one will find 2 PowerPoint outlets in the Singapore standard 3-pin plugs. Only one of the outlets has a multi-pin adaption. Despite having 2 outlets, the one in the room that I was assigned only has one that is functional. I highlighted this issue to the hotel staffs, but yet nothing was being done about it. Beneath the working desk is a 2-tiered cabinet, with the upper tier being home to the safe.

On the other end of the area is where one will find the mini bar area. This is where one will find the Nespresso machine being placed on top of the table. One thoughtful gesture I though Capella has is that when I checked into the room, the water tank of the Nespresso machine is already topped up. Most of the 5-star hotels in Singapore does not do that for guests. Beside the Nespresso machine is another box, identical to the one on the working desk, where one can find 2 PowerPoint outlets. However, one of the outlets is plugged to the coffee machine, leaving only one free for guests to use. Despite that, the room does not suffer from insufficient PowerPoint outlets. One can find an outlet on each side of the bed, semi-hidden behind the bedside tables. On the minibar table is where the hotel placed a DVD player as well. This is player is connected to the huge 46 inch LCD TV, mounted on a swerving panel, that allows guests to swing the TV to angled for watching on the bed. However, there are no connection ports on to the TV on either the working desk or the minibar desk. To connect one’s computer to the TV, one would have to plug it directly behind the TV, making this a losing point for Capella compared to other 5 star hotels in Singapore. Underneath the minibar table, one can find a well-stocked fridge with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, sets of glasses and cups for coffee and tea in the room, as well as an electric kettle. In between the working desk and the minibar, is a nice comfortable couch that spans across the room. This couch faces the large wall to wall window in the room, allowing one to relax in the room looking out into the hotel grounds. It is a pity that the room I was assigned has a depressing view of a huge tree. It can be chilly on this couch as it seemed that the air-conditioning is directly blowing onto the couch. Between the couch and the bed is where the hotel places a rather solid coffee table for guests to place their drinks and snacks.

The room I was assigned has a larger than usual outdoor area. Compared with the rooms above me, where one has only a balcony, Room 203 has an outdoor area that spans to the front of the room. There are an elongated couch and a single-seater armchair placed beside the door, in front of the glass where one can look into the bathtub. There is also a table for guests to place their stuff on. Right around the outdoor area, in front of the room is another stone chair for guests to relax one while looking into the somewhat depressing view of a tree. This area can be dark at nights as there is no lighting in the night to illuminate the outdoor area. One would have to rely on the somewhat dim lighting from the room at night. On the whole, the design of the Garden Premier Room in Capella is classy and provides guests with a comfortable stay, though there are still some rooms for improvement.

Having a rack rate of SGD1,000++ a night in the Garden Premier room without breakfast (at the time I stayed), the services rendered does not match up to 5-star standard. There is a huge gap between the services one would expect from an ultra-luxury hotel from the actual service delivered when I was there. 2 days before my checking in, I received a call from the hotel confirming my checking in date as well as to check if there are any special occasions that I will be celebrating during my stay at the hotel. This is a very nice gesture and certainly adds a nice personal touch from the hotel. The first impression given by the hotel is befitting of its stature. I requested for an anniversary cake for my sister and her fiancee, who will be visiting me in the hotel during my stay. The staff took note of my request and informed me that it will be delivered at the timing of my request. I took the chance to check if early check-in is possible. I was informed that it is too early for the staff to determine, ad the staff offered to call me back the next day (which is Christmas Day) to confirm early check-in with me. However the next day I did not receive any calls from Capella, hence I waited another day, thinking the hotel might be busy due to the festivity. On the day of my check-in, there are still no calls from the hotel. I decided to call back at around 1130am to enquire about the early check-in. When contacted the staff asked what time I would like to check-in and I asked if 1 pm is possible. I was pleasantly informed that the hotel will have my room ready for check-in at 1 pm.

I reached the hotel at around 1.30 pm and proceed to the reception for checking-in. One of the staffs took care of the check-in and another staff promptly appeared with welcome drinks and a wet towel. This is a very nice gesture and I was impressed with the level of details in service the hotel paid attention to. The pleasant experience seemed to take a dive from here. I was informed by the staff who was processing my check-in that she would need 15 mins to check with housekeeping if the room is ready and invited me to the Library (their lounge) for refreshment while waiting for our room. The staff even mentioned that she will look for me at the lounge in 15 min’s time. However, I waited at the lounge for a little more than 30 mins before heading back down to the reception to check the status of my room. I was disappointed to find out that another set of staffs who were at the reception had no idea about my checking-in. I was made to wait for another 10 mins, while they check with housekeeping and re-process my check-in. By the time I reached my room, it is already 2.15 pm. There is a time-lapse of more than 1 hour as promised by the hotel.

I called the reception the next day at around 8.30 am the next morning to request for extra bath amenities. I told to staff to send 3 sets in case we ran out of them later in the day so that we would not have to trouble their staff to make a second trip again. I was informed by the staff that the third set is chargeable at $45. I find this arrangement ridiculous as guests paid $1000++ a night staying at a normal room in Capella (with this price, one can get a suite in some other 5 star hotels in Singapore), the hotel still charges for extra amenities set. When I sounded my unhappiness with the staff whom I spoke over the phone stating how ridiculous that sounded, the response from the staff was “I agree it is ridiculous, it is what it is. Shall I proceed to charge the room $45 for the bath amenities?”. I later got to find out from the manager of the hotel that there is no such policy in charging guests for extra amenities. Only at this point, I found out I was being lied to by the staff of Capella.

The bad services I encountered did not stop there and continued to be manifest themselves at the lounge. The hotel provided complimentary high tea between the hours of 3 to 5 pm. I went to the lounge for high tea on the first afternoon of my stay. The staffs at the lounge seem to be sitting behind a glass wall, where they do not even bother to take notice of guests coming to the lounge. There were no greetings, no staffs even bothered to check with guests their preference for beverages. No greetings were offered even when the staff walked past the guests. It seems to suggest that the hotel staff do not seem to be bothered to establish a relationship with the guests, which is certainly not the way a 5-star hotel staff should behave. The attitude of the staff remains the same throughout my stay at Capella. When I was waiting for my room to be ready for occupancy, I saw an ashtray at the outdoor area of the lounge, with cigarette butts in it, giving me an impression that the area is a smoking area. When I was at the lounge this time round, I did not see the ashtray and requested one from the staff at the lounge. The staff seemed to be irritated by my request and told me that there is no smoking allowed in the lounge. When I explained that I am smoking in the outdoor area of the lounge, the staff insisted that smoking is not allowed. When I mentioned that I saw an ashtray outside the lounge just a few hours ago and pointed out to her that if smoking is not allowed, the ashtray shouldn’t even be there in the first place. This is when the staff barged and brought me an ashtray. I was bemused by the attitude portrayed by this staff.

Discriminatory services were also apparent in the lounge by the staff there. When I was there for high tea the next day, I witnessed a Caucasian guest at the drinks station trying to make a pot of tea (all along no staff offered any guests any drinks). A member of the staff walked past and offered to help the guest with the tea. She even invited them to take a seat and would deliver the tea to them. While she was preparing the tea, an Asian guest came up to the drinks station. The same staff asked how can she help. The Asian guest mentioned that he wanted hot water to top up his cup of tea. The reply from the staff was simply out of the world. She told the guest where the water is and to help himself. I was astounded by the response from the staff. It seemed that she is willing to serve the Caucasian guest with drinks and not offer the same service to her Asian guest!

The only saving grace regarding the service at Capella is from the staffs at the Knoll Restaurant, where guests have breakfast every day. The service at the restaurant is impeccable and is the only place in the hotel that I have found service befitting of 5-star. The restaurant staff welcomed all guests tirelessly at the door every single day without fail. Empty plates are never left uncleared and the staff even took notice at the low levels of my coffee and asked if I would like more coffee, without even asking them for it. The restaurant offered specials menu every day, where the staff would volunteer them without asking about it. Throughout my stay in the hotel, I witnessed a couple of heart-warming situation where excellent service was being rendered without even asking for them. I saw a chef (later found out that he is the Executive Chef of the restaurant) prepared something for a guest to soothe her throat. It seemed that the Chef had noticed that the guest had irritation to her throat and took the liberty to prepare something for her throat. A little later, I saw another guest who seemed that he was about to depart the hotel, coming to the restaurant to tip and bid farewell to the Chef. The Chef must have done something extraordinary for the guest that he felt the need to tip and bid farewell to him before his departure. The staffs at Knoll were welcoming, and warmth which is directly opposite to the rest of the staffs in the hotel whom I have come across.

The location of the hotel does provide guests with a peaceful and quiet stay, with it seemingly isolated from the hustle and bustle of Sentosa, yet it is close to the actions on the Island. The hotel has rather great hardware, although there can be some improvements to the infrastructure of the room to better enhance and bring more convenience to guests. The view from my room is a big let down, with a huge tree blocking the view, doesn’t scream “garden view”. The biggest let down is the service of the staffs throughout the hotel, with staffs lying to guests. The service that I have experienced during my stay in Capella is certainly not even worthy of 3-star standard, letting alone 5-star. The only place I can find 5-star service is only limited to the Knoll Restaurant. Despite the non-changing daily breakfast menu, the food quality is good and most importantly the service one would receive at this restaurant is truly 5-star. To spend $1000++ a night for such service is certainly not worth the money. I will not return to this hotel whose staff would lie to guests.