Location

Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa sits in a somewhat isolated spot on the island of Sentosa, famous for its numerous tourist attractions. Despite being surrounded by tourist attractions like Universal Studios and Madame Tussauds, the resort is still quite far from these attractions or any other shops. Walking is possible, but reaching these attractions would take at least 20 minutes. There are complementary shuttle bus services on the island provided by the island (the nearest bus stop is about a 5-minute downhill walk from the resort), but the infrequent services mean visitors would waste time waiting for buses. When exploring the sights on Singapore Mainland, Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa provides scheduled bus services to the nearest MRT station at Vivocity Shopping Mall. I reckon the location of Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa is not ideal for exploring Singapore, but it is a great place for those who want a quiet place to escape the bustling Singapore.

The lobby at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa

The Villa

The spacious 300㎡ 2-bedroom Villa du Jardin, with a private pool, is the resort’s only Villa-type accommodation. Residents of the Villa du Jardin at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa can park up to two vehicles outside the villa.

Living Room

The main entrance of the villa opens up to the expansive living room. The use of red in the sofas and carpet to contrast the wooden flooring and ceiling and soft yellow wallpaper seems to invite us to sit on the fabric sofas. The chandelier hanging in the middle of the living room gave the villa a luxurious touch. The paintings of the Luxembourg Garden and simple art decor hanging on the living room walls, coupled with the metallic art pieces tastefully placed in parts of the living, gave it a French flair, paying homage to the origins of the Sofitel branding. The spaciousness of the living room space is enhanced by the high ceiling and the panel of floor-to-ceiling glass doors that look out into the pool area. These glass doors can be fully opened to create an inside-outside living concept, inviting the outdoors into the living room. The living room space has a distinct lounge, dining, and small pantry.

Lounge Area

The Lounge Area occupies a bulk of the living room space. The two maroon 3-seater sofas, one facing the standalone and the other the main entrance, took up a bulk of the space in the living room. The sofa provided a generous amount of seating space to relax and gather in the living room. The shin-height glass-top coffee table in the centre gave us a generous amount of space to place the snacks we brought for the staycation. We were able to get entertained by the numerous international cable and local channels from the large flatscreen TV mounted on the standalone cabinet. I like the placement of the TV cabinet, which not only does not obstruct the view into the pool area from the lounge area but also demarcates the space between the lounge and the dining area.

A large dark brown marble work desk occupies the space after the powder room. The large size of the table is great for work, and it has ample space to lay out documents. The work desk is so large that I was able to use it at the same time with my nephew. The easy access to a power outlet fitted next to the table allows us to continue using our lifestyle devices for a prolonged period. The placement of the work desk is next to the small garden outside the villa, where we were able to look out into the green to relax our eyes after prolonged usage of our lifestyle devices. However, the design of the chair that comes with the work desk leaves one to be desired. I found the chair was not very comfortable for longer periods.

Powder Room

A powder room sits on the right of the main entrance to the villa, which allows us to use the toilet while we are chilling in the living room. The space allocated to it was rather generous for a room that only houses a toilet and a sink. Installing a large sink on top of a generous countertop that took the breadth of the powder room and the large mirror made the powder room feel less empty.

Dining Area and Pantry

Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa furnished its Villa du Jardin with a round dining table that can sit up to four pax, providing us with a space to dine properly. Despite the simple furnishing, the artistic chandelier above the dining table reinforces the French flair in this part of the living room. I find the size of the dining table just for four pax to dine. But if the villa is occupied to its full capacity of six, there will be insufficient space for all six occupants to dine at the same time.

Unlike Villa 2, where we stayed last year (click here for my post on Villa 2), which has the pantry as a separate room next to the dining area, the pantry in this villa (4) adopts an open concept and is integrated into the living room. A bar counter separates the pantry from the dining area and gives us space to stow some of the snacks we brought. The pantry also housed the mini bar, where we found the top-of-the-range Nespresso Coffee machine, an electric kettle with all the complimentary coffee pods and tea bags, and the mini fridge hidden in the cabinet at the pantry. The pantry has a kitchen sink, giving us the convenience of simple washing. However, the resort does not provide dishwashing detergents.

Master Bedroom

The two bedrooms in the Villa du Jardin occupy the living room space at both ends. The master bedroom occupies the wing to the left of the living room from the villa’s main entrance. The master bedroom has a contemporary French decor, using mainly dark tones with hints of soft colour, giving this room a comfortable and relaxing vibe. The king bed sits in the centre of the master bedroom. Topped with a thick, firm mattress, the king bed produces excellent sleep quality. I find it weird that only the side nearer to the bathroom has a bedside table mounted onto the wall of the bedroom. Despite having a bedside table, only light switches were fitted onto this side of the bedroom. Instead, power outlets and charging ports were found on the side, which was not furnished with a bedside table.

A vanity desk occupies the space between the bedside table and the bathroom. I thought the design of the vanity desk was very clever. The mirror of the desk was hidden under the tabletop, allowing this desk to double up as a work desk when the top was closed. There are power outlets under the table that allow us to use the vanity desk to charge our lifestyle devices. However, I find the placement of these power outlets rather inaccessible. Mounted on the wall opposite the king bed is the second TV in the villa, which allows us to watch from the myriad of TV channels in the comfort of the king bed. I like how the resort placed a glass-top table under the TV that fills the void and gives us additional space to stow our stuff. A red lounge chaise was placed in the corner of the bedroom, next to the floor-to-ceiling window, which is a great place to relax or to look out into the pool area of the villa.

Master Bathroom

A long carpet from the bedroom extends to the very spacious master bathroom. The two his and hers sinks sitting on the walls across each other can be seen from the entrance to the bathroom. Despite being occupied by a large sink, there is still an abundance of space on both sink countertops to place our facial products. A small two-tiered drawer houses the bathroom amenities and occupies a relatively small space on the sink. The sink area also doubles up as a walk-in closet, where two large wardrobes occupy the space behind each of the sinks. With a knee-high dresser that doubles as a luggage rack, we found lots of space to put away our clothing and luggage. The design of these wardrobes is similar, with the only exception being the length of the built-in drawer. One of these wardrobes features a drawer occupying the entire length of the wardrobe, while the other has the drawers occupying about ⅔ of the space. The in-room safe is found hidden in one of these wardrobes.

Further into the bathroom, it is difficult to ignore the standalone bathtub sitting at the end of the master bathroom. This jacuzzi tub is huge, and the bubbles produced by the jets are powerful. Soaking in this tub melts any fatigue away. There is another outdoor shower accessible via the glass door on the right of the tub. Between the bathtub and the sinks are the shower and toilet cubicles sitting across each other. I find the space in these cubicles to be sufficiently large. The shower cubicle was installed with both a rain and regular shower head.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 1 sits across from the master bedroom, to the right of the living room. This bedroom was originally configured with a twin bed setup, but the resort helped us set up a king-size bed. The colour tone used in Bedroom 1 is brighter, with a bright red headboard and yellow walls. The combined king bed sits in the centre of this bedroom and is topped with a thick mattress. Unlike the master bedroom, Bedroom 1 is furnished with two bedside tables mounted on the wall on each side of the bed. As the bed was configured from twin to king size, there was a small distance between the bed and the bedside tables. Similar to the master bedroom, we found a well-designed vanity cum work desk in Bedroom 1, sitting between the bed and the bathroom.

There is another TV mounted opposite the bed here, which provides the same entertainment options as in the living room and master bedroom. The TV placement was perfect for its occupants to get entertainment while lying on the bed. Bedroom 1 is also furnished with a table beneath the TV, increasing the storage capacity for its occupants. The single-seater lounger sitting in the corner of the bedroom provides its occupants with an alternate space to relax and fills up the void in this area of the room.

Bathroom 1

The bathroom in Bedroom 1 looks smaller compared to the master bathroom and adopts the same design as the master bathroom. Like the master bathroom, this bathroom is also fitted with a dual sink on each side of the wall with a pathway that leads further into the bathroom. The sink and countertop space are identical to that in the master bathroom. The wardrobes sit behind the sinks, on either side of the entrance to the bathroom, creating a walk-in closet within the bathroom. These wardrobes are the same as the ones found in the master bathroom, with a two-tiered dresser designed into the wardrobe, giving its occupants storage space for smaller clothing items.

Passing through the sink and at the bathroom’s end is a bathtub sitting in a black marble fixture. Unlike the master bathroom, the bathtub fitted here does not have a jacuzzi function. Despite being fitted with a shower wand, we couldn’t find any switch that allowed us to switch from tap to shower wand mode. Cubicles stood guard on either side of the bathtub, between the tub and the sinks. The cubicle on the left has the toilet fitted behind a frost glass door, while the walk-in shower occupies the space on the right of the tub. The spacious walk-in shower is fitted with rain and regular shower heads. The lack of shelving for our toiletries in the walk-in shower did not bother us too much, as we were able to use the ledge at the window inside the walk-in shower to place our facial wash and dental kits.

Private Pool

Our private pool mainly occupies the Villa du Jardin outdoor space at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa. I thought this pool was sizeable enough for its occupants to do some decent laps, yet it was able to cater to family fun with children in the pool. The pool has a deeper middle section, but families with small kids can utilise the space near the end of the pool, which has steps and is shallower. I like how Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa furnished the outdoor space with furniture ranging from outdoor sofas and chairs to sun deck chairs, which is superb for us to enjoy the outdoor space. We like the pool area in Villa 4 as it does not have thick vegetation surrounding it, which meant we could sunbathe and not be bothered by the fallen leaves from the trees. I find the pool area in Villa 4 to be cleaner at any one time.

Service

The service was impeccable from when I stepped into the resort lobby, as we remembered from our experience last year. I was greeted by the concierge the moment I arrived at the lobby for check-in. The resort recognises Accor’s membership status. The concierge staff saw my reservation and status and quickly arranged for his colleague to attend to me next, expediting my check-in process. The check-in process was quick, and it only took the reception staff to complete my check-in within 5 mins. We requested some items when in the Villa, and these amenities were delivered promptly. The staff we met around the resort always wore smiles and greeted every guest who walked past them.

Service at the restaurant is generally good. We were warmly welcomed by the staff at the entrance and prompted to our seats. The servers were attentive despite the busy morning breakfast rush hour, and our plates were cleared every time we left to grab more food. However, I observe somewhat inconsistent service. We were not asked if we wanted coffee when we were seated at our table, but I observed the same server asking guests at other tables for their choice of beverage when sitting. While plates are cleared promptly, somehow, the staff will always leave one or two empty plates on the table.

The diligent housekeeping staff were great. Despite not meeting them personally, I noticed their meticulousness and attention to detail in their work. Every corner was made up with much care, and it looked like the villa the day we checked in. The housekeeping staff even made an effort to coil my charging cable neatly. We were out for breakfast, and they cleaned the villa in about 1 hour. In the evenings, we would received a bell from the housekeeping staff asking if we need turn down service, when declined, he went the distance by checking with us if there are any supplies we needed top up.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Kwee Zin

Breakfast is available in the resort’s main restaurant – Kwee Zin, opposite the reception. Breakfast consists of a mix of Western and local flavours. The buffet breakfast is served both indoors and outdoors. A bulk of the food, such as pastries, egg stations and salads, to name a few, are found in the indoor buffet section. A small section of local flavours like the laksa, noodles and congee are served in the outdoor buffet line. The food served during breakfast was tasty, and the staff topped up the food constantly. I highly recommend laksa, which is flavourful with strong hints of coconut. Seatings likewise are segregated indoors and outdoors, with indoors having fewer seatings. I prefer the indoor table as the resort is pet-friendly; guests would bring their pets for breakfast. Guests allergic to dog fur should insist on sitting at the door. Perhaps due to the busyness during breakfast, the restaurant staff might be unable to check if nearby guests are allergic to dog fur.

Swimming Pool

The resort has a large main pool just outside Kwee Zin. There is a large number of seating in the form of tanning chairs and cabanas surrounding the pool. The main pool is a great place for guests who want a good tan, as no vegetation is around to block the sun. The pool gets progressively deeper and has a 2.5m deep end. The main swimming pool is segregated into three sections. The resort barricaded the shallower ends for children to use because there is no kid’s pool. On top of the floating lane segregation, Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa also provides lifevests for kids and placed a lifeguard on duty during the main pool’s opening hours. Next to the kid’s play area, the resort cordoned off a lane for guests who wanted to get a swim workout. The rest of the pool towards the deeper end is free for anyone confident enough to use.

Gym

A small gym in Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa is next to the swimming pool and is open 24 hours a day. The resort used to have a relatively large gym off-site, next to the spa area. However, the land has been allocated for the development of Raffles Sentosa. Despite its small size, the gym has a good mix of cardio and strength training machines.

Overall

We had a comfortable stay in Villa du Jardin at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa. Compared to the other villa that we have previously stayed in, Villa 4 is in a more secluded location and is free of vegetation, which not only gave us great tanning opportunities, but there are also significantly fewer fallen leaves compared to the other villas in the resort. The Villa has a large space in the form of a living room and outdoor pool space for friends and families to mingle, and yet it provides us with our own secluded space in the bedrooms when it is time to retire for the day. There is some wear and tear around the villa, but overall, the villa is well-maintained. The villa’s interior has a strong French element, paying homage to the origins of the Sofitel brand. The bed in the villa gave us excellent sleep quality. The service around the resort was great, the staff were welcoming and always wore a smile on their face.

Location

The location of Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa feels somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle of the popular Sentosa Island. The hotel is located in central-eastern Sentosa, which tourists would not visit due to the absence of attractions around the hotel. However, those staying in Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa would find peace and tranquillity on the hotel premises, partly due to the beautiful gardens within the hotel. There are no convenient stores or restaurants nearby the hotel, and the nearest “civilisation” is located around 20 mins walk from the hotel, at Resorts World Sentosa. However, Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa does provide regular transport to the nearby shopping mall in mainland Singapore for guests to top up their supplies or dine.

Villa Du Jardin

I have stayed at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa on multiple occasions and stayed in almost every room configuration on the hotel premises. We checked into one of the three massive 300m2 2-bedroom Villa Du Jardin during this staycation. The villa has two parking lots right at the doorstep and a private pool. Although the villa from the entrance did not look luxurious, a simple single-storey building mainly in white, our impression changed when we opened the main door into the villa.

Living Room

As we entered the villa, we were immediately wowed by the amount of space the Villa Du Jardin offers. The living room’s open concept design looks very spacious, coupled with the high ceiling and the glass doors that gave us access to the private pool area, which created an indoor-outdoor living concept and impressed us with the vast amount of space in the villa. The use of wood and a dark red colour scheme in the living room with subtle hints of French-inspired decors makes this part of the villa feel cosy and classy at the same time. Our eyes were caught by the elaborate crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, giving the villa a luxurious feel. A couple of red fabric couches occupy the bulk of real estate in the living room on top of a huge carpet. One of the couches faces one of the three 47″ LED TVs in the villa, and the other faces the main entrance. The living room is where we gather most of the time, getting entertained by the numerous local and international channels the TV offers. I like the large knee-height marble-top coffee table in the centre of the couches, which is functional and practical. This coffee table did not obstruct the view of the TV and gave us ample space to place our snacks while watching movies on the TV. We can see the hotel’s efforts in creating a Christmas atmosphere in the villa with Christmas decorations, from the real Christmas tree by the main entrance to the balloons to the Christmas Wreath at the front door.

The TV sits on an open wooden cabinet at perfect eye level when watching from the couches. On the back of the TV, we found a generous amount of 36 bottled water that the housekeeping staff at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa placed to keep us hydrated during our stay. The hotel did not skimp on topping up these bottles of water during housekeeping. A large work desk is placed in front of the powder room on the right side of the living room, giving us space to do some work. As this is the festive period, we used this work desk to place some of our stuff instead of working. Sitting on one side of the work desk is an egg-shaped beer dispenser. The first capsule of the beer is complimentary to guests in the villa. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about the villa is that none of the villa’s telephones works. We called reception and were told the staff would deliver a hotel iPhone to call them to communicate with the hotel.

Pantry & Dining Area

We have a small pantry in the villa, which mainly houses a sink and a small fridge to chill our drinks. We find it peculiar that given the size and the number of people the villa can accommodate, it is only equipped with a standard mini-fridge in their standard suite rooms. Even their Imperial Suite, which accommodates two, has a full-sized fridge. In addition, the villa is equipped with a top-of-the-range Nespresso Machine to make lattes and cappuccinos. However, we thought the lack of storage space for the cups and glasses in the pantry made it look messy, and it is a shame that the pantry does not offer us any utility for us to place the snacks we brought.

Behind the TV console is a dining table where we had our meals. I like the non-obstructive placement of this small round dining table in the villa. We also thought dining in this corner gives us a cosy feel, thanks to its placement and the small hanging lighting. However, it is a tad weird that Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa only furnished the dining table with three chairs when there is space for a fourth chair and the villa can accommodate up to six guests.

Powder Room

There is a Powder Room next to the main entrance to the villa. The half bathroom houses a toilet and a sink. We like the convenience of this bathroom in the living room, as we do not have to walk to the bathrooms in the bedrooms during a movie on the TV.

Master Bedroom

Both bedrooms are located on opposite ends of the villa, far from each other. The master bedroom is at the end of the left corridor from the living room. I like the not-over-the-top French theme that extends into the master bedroom. The motifs on either side of the headboard bring some French chich into the cosy bedroom. However, I do find the master bedroom to be poorly maintained. From the missing aircon cover to what seems to be missing furnishings to the non-functioning power curtain buttons, the master bedroom seems to require some serious upkeeping. The bulk of the master bedroom is occupied by a large King bed which provides excellent sleep quality, but the standard pillows provided by Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa are too soft for my liking. Fortunately, the hotel provides a pillow menu that offers us firmer pillows. I find it weird that the master bedroom is furnished with only one bedside table near the entrance to the master bathroom. It seems that the purpose of the bedside table is for the hotel to install the phone that does not work. There seems to be sufficient space for another bedside table in the master bedroom next to the floor to ceiling glass panels. The only power outlet at the king bed is at the side without a bedside table, which we were unable to use these outlets to charge our lifestyle devices due to an absence of a bedside table. In place of a bedside table, we found a single armchair tucked awkwardly in this corner of the bedroom.

A dressing table next to the bathroom entrance is great for guests to wear make-up or stow their belongings. However, the lack of a dressing chair makes me feel the dressing table does not serve the purpose it is meant to serve. In the master bedroom, mounted on the wall opposite the king bed, is another 42″ LED TV with the same entertainment options as the TV in the living room, which we could enjoy while lying on the comfortable king bed. I like adding a table under the TV that provides additional storage space.

Master Bathroom

Through a couple of wooden doors in the master bedroom, we found ourselves landing in the master bathroom. The contemporary master bathroom feels larger than the master bedroom, which I think is attributed to the open space concept employed in the bathroom. The first thing that caught my eye as I entered the master bathroom was the dual sinks on either side of the bathroom. I like how Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa placed the sinks, which means we can use them without fighting over them. Separating the sinks also means we do not have to fight over real estate space while using the sinks. However, I find the countertop space a tad too tight, leaving us little space to place our toiletries. I particularly like the fountain’s tap design, which very much befits the resort theme of the hotel. At the sink area, we find a couple of wardrobes by each side of the sink area that doubles up as a walk-in closet. The placement of wardrobes makes sense as we can access clothing after showering. Having two wardrobes here also means we can have a wardrobe each. There is also space to place our baggage on the ledge between the wardrobe and the sink.

The walk-in shower and toilet cubicles are located further into the master bathroom after the sink areas. The walk-in shower has both rain and regular showerheads, with sufficient space for us to place the bath amenities and even two glasses with our toothbrushes. However, perhaps due to ageing or poorly maintained shower heads, I found water leaking from the regular shower head despite switching to the rain shower head. There is a bidet in the toilet, but we could not find any controls. It seems like the hotel did not maintain the bidet function in the toilet.

Sitting at the far end of the bathroom is a large jacuzzi tub. The standalone bathtub provided us with a good soak, and the water jet massage function in the tub is strong. I had a good soak in the jacuzzi tub. Covered by one of the wooden blinds is a door that leads to the outdoor walk-in shower. Unfortunately, the power blind control buttons do not work in the master bathroom, so we discovered this outdoor shower area on the second day.

Second Bedroom

Turning right from the living room, past the work desk, we found ourselves strolling into the second bedroom at the other end of the corridor. The layout of the second bedroom differs very slightly from the master bedroom. The second bedroom was originally furnished with twin beds, and we had requested the hotel to configure it into a king bed with a mattress topper. The bed is still comfortable, thanks to the thick mattress topper the hotel has installed. The second bedroom has a simpler décor coupled with an earthy colour scheme, making it feel cosy. The second bedroom is furnished with two bedside tables, providing us with space to put our lifestyle devices. I like the cosy armchair in the corner of the bedroom, with the ottoman. It makes sitting here feel relaxing. The second bedroom also has a small dressing table. Like the master bedroom, there seems to be a missing one at the dressing table. The 42″ LED TV mounted on the wall opposite the bed provided entertainment while lying on the bed. A glass-top table is placed under the TV, giving us more space to stow our stuff.

Second Bathroom

The second bedroom has an ensuite bathroom but feels smaller than that in the master bedroom. There are a couple of his and her sinks on either sink of the wall to the bathroom, which means we did not have to fight to use the sink in the mornings. Like the master bathroom, the countertop space at the sink is a tad tight here. The wardrobes in the second bedroom are also found in the bathroom, which gave us the convenience of accessing our clothing after a shower. There are also two wardrobes in the second bathroom, providing us ample space to hang our clothing. Like the master bathroom, there are also ledges to stow our baggage next to the wardrobes.

The walk-in shower and the toilet cubicles are situated beyond the sinks. The walk-in shower is equipped with both rain and regular showerheads. The toilet is a regular toilet and does not come with a bidet. In the centre of the two cubicles sits the bathtub, which is not equipped with a jacuzzi function. However, we had problems turning on the tap in the bathtub initially. The maintenance staff told us that the tap would leak, and the hotel was procuring a tap to fix the issue. We were advised to wrap the tap with a towel to prevent more water from flowing into the bathroom when filling the tub with water.

Private Pool

One of the Villa Du Jardin highlights is the private pool in the villa in the outdoor area, with the deepest part in the centre of the pool measuring 1.7m. Looking out into the private pool area from the villa’s living room makes us feel like we are holidaying in a forest oasis, thanks to the thick vegetation that provided us with privacy. My 5-year-old nephew was thrilled when he saw the pool and wanted to jump in immediately when we entered the villa. He loves the pool so much that he would swim a few times in the day and hang out by the poolside even if he is not swimming in it. The pool is sizeable enough for us to do a few decent laps and, at the same time, large enough for all of us to have a great time in the pool. The poolside is furnished with two sun deck chairs to suntan by the pool, a sofa, and day beds to chill in by the pool. We also spent time at night around the small table and five chairs by the poolside, which kind of reminded us of our trip to Bali when we stayed in a private pool villa. We spent most of our time in the pool, and we did not need to visit the main pool or the pool at Sofitel Spa.

Service

The service at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa is nothing short of impeccable. We felt the hotel went all out to ensure we were comfortable during our stay. Our experience started with the warm welcome by the staff at reception during check-in. Check-in took longer than usual due to the numerous questions we posed, which the staff patiently answered. Samantha, the duty manager we interacted with during our previous stays, recognised us and welcomed us back to the hotel. The One-Touch team promptly answered all our calls, seeing our numerous requests from plates to room amenities. We called One-Touch several times as we found some defects in the villa, who promptly sent staff to rectify these issues.

The service we received during breakfast was good, although most staff seemed to be youngsters working during their vacation break. Our orders were delivered promptly, and the attentive restaurant staff immediately cleared empty plates.

The housekeeping staff were amazing. Not only did they tidy the massive villa in a relatively short time, but all amenities were also being topped up without us asking. During turndown service timing, upon knowing we did not need to turn down, a housekeeping staff took the initiative to ask if there was anything that we needed to top up. The cleanliness of the pool and the outdoor area was maintained by another housekeeping staff, who diligently cleared the fallen leaves in the pool and the poolside and ensured we had a clean environment to enjoy our stay.

During check-out, I highlighted some of the defects in the villa that I observed to the staff processing our check-out. Instead of being defensive and cooking up a slew of excuses, the staff listened attentively, and she was seen taking notes to have their maintenance staff look into the defects brought up.

Hotel Facilities

Swimming Pool

Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa has a huge free-form swimming pool next to the hotel’s lobby. We did not need to use this pool as we used the private pool in the villa throughout our stay. The main pool is one of the deepest pools I have seen so far in the hotels I stayed in Singapore, with the deepest end of the pool measuring 2.5m deep. We were made to feel safe in our previous stays due to the well-demarcated lanes and the ever-vigilant lifeguard on duty keeping watch of all guests using the pool. The shallower end, where the lifeguard is stationed, is marked off for children to use. Due to the pandemic, the hotel has a strict pool usage policy. Guests wanting to use the main pool would have to make prior bookings, and each room is entitled to a 2-hour use each day.

Gym

There is a small gym next to the main pool in Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa, which felt a little make-shift. The gym in the hotel used to be bigger but in a more isolated location, next to Sofitel Spa. The old location of the gym has made way for the construction of the Raffles Resort Hotel. I like the current location, accessible to guests wanting to workout in the gym. The gym is fully equipped with machines to do a full-body workout despite the small size. Like the main pool, guests would have to make bookings before heading to the gym.

Breakfast

We had breakfast in two different locations on both days during our stay. Due to the high occupancy rate over the Christmas period, breakfast was served at the nearby ballroom where weddings are usually held. I like the buffet breakfast setup at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa, which the hotel tries to restore some sense of normalcy of the pre-pandemic days. Despite being a buffet, we were not allowed to handle the food directly; staff will prepare the food behind plastic screens according to our requests. I wish more hotels followed what Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa is doing, instead of going the cost-cutting measure of limiting to one breakfast set per pax. Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa serves up local and international delights during breakfast. Breakfast on the second day is served at the resident restaurant- Kwee Zeen, offering similar options with just very minor changes to the menu. The breakfast served at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa is delicious and certainly kept us full till the evening.

Overall

We had an enjoyable stay at the Villa Du Jardin over this Christmas period. The villa is spacious and feels very self-contained. The bed is comfortable, and I like the jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom. We particularly enjoyed our time at the private pool, which meant we could choose to swim whenever we wanted and not have to book and limit ourselves to one 2-hour slot per day. However, we did find the villa to be a little poorly maintained, which did not deter us from enjoying the villa. We also thought the staff at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa was very eager to ensure that we enjoyed our stay at the hotel with the service that we received. We understood from the staff that the Villa Du Jardin is due for renovation soon and look forward to returning to the Villa Du Jardin after the renovation.

The Location

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is situated in a relatively isolated part of Sentosa, an island in the southern part of Singapore. The location makes it an ideal destination for staycationers and guests who wanted a quiet time during their stay in Singapore. There aren’t any eateries or shops within the vicinity of the hotel. The nearest food place is located at Resorts World Sentosa, a 20 mins walk from the hotel. Guests without cars would have to rely on the hotel’s shuttle service to get around Sentosa for dinner or confined to the restaurants on the hotel premises. There is a flight of stairs at the hotel’s swimming pool that grants hotel guests access to Tanjong Beach located below the hotel.

The Suite

This is my fourth time staying in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. For this staycation, I checked into both the Prestige Suite and the Imperial Suite. I have reviewed the Prestige Suite previously, and this review mainly focuses on the Imperial Suite. The decor of the Imperial Suite in Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa takes inspiration from the  Orient-Express train service, embodying the epitome of luxury and travel that once ran from Paris to Vienna. The spirit of Orient-Express is well translated into the Imperial Suite at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. There are elements of train travel, and Orient-Express found in some of the doors and furnishings of the 190m² one-of-a-kind Imperial Suite in the hotel. The expansive L-shaped Imperial Suite spreads across five to six luxury rooms at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. It has elements of a typical Presidential Suite (although the hotel does not name this suite as a Presidential Suite) and is the highest category Suite in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. With impeccably designed rooms and halls of old-world charm, the Imperial Suite screams of luxury and opulence for its guests. 

The Grand Foyer

I was wow-ed by the grandeur of the Imperial Suite the moment I opened its main doors. The Grand Foyer, laid with dark blue marble topped with a carpet that ends just short of the powder room in the suite, screams of luxury and opulence. The warm yellow lighting from the chandelier hanging from the antique-gold ceiling shines onto the dark blue oversized carpet with “Orient-Express” embroidered onto it, coupled with the wooden doors from the study at the side, makes me feel as though I am being transported back in time onto the Orient-Express. A couple of cabinets on either side of the Grand Foyer provide additional storage space for guests of the suite. Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa tastefully decorated the cabinets with art pieces that breathe sophistication into the Grand Foyer.

The Study

The Study is the first room that guests of the Imperial Suite see when entering. Located on the right side of the Grand Foyer, this enclosed space is a great space for one to do their work. The wooden French doors at the Study provides guests privacy and solitude for their work. The parqueted flooring and the choice of brown-toned furniture at the Study give it an earthy vibe. At the centre of the Study is a work desk that is sufficiently large for guests to place their laptops and documents while working. The Study is also furnished with two comfortable fabric armchairs allowing the residents of the Imperial Suite to host guests at the Study and provide an additional option for residents of the suite to read a book. The decor in the Study is by no means bland, exuding a heavy sense of French elements from the small table lamp to the decorative table placed in one corner of this room. The Orient-Express theme is also found in the Study from pictures of the train hanging on the wall in the Study. With such sophistication in its decor, guests will find working in the Study of the Imperial Suite a pleasure.

Powder Room

I like the inclusion of a Powder Room in the suite as it gives its residents the convenience of using this toilet while they are in the Living Room or Dining Room. On top of that, residents of the Imperial Suite can maintain their privacy if there are guests over in the Suite. These guests would not have to go through the Bedroom to use the toilet. The Powder Room location is very well thought through during the design of the suite, and it is situated straight from the main entrance down the Grand Foyer just before the Bedroom entrance. The Powder Room is very functional and only equipped with a toilet and a sink with huge mirrors. Despite the minimalistic design of the Powder Room, it still looks luxurious with the wood colour walls and the green marble tiles used in the Powder Room. The toilet in the Powder Room does not come with a bidet function (unlike the one in the main Bathroom).

The Bedroom

Further into the Imperial Suite at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa from the Grand Foyer, past the small corridor that houses the Powder Room, guests will arrive at a double panelled wooden door. Behind the French style doors lies the Bedroom of the Suite. As soon as I walked into the Bedroom, my attention is drawn to the King Bed and the two-seater couch, sitting on top of a red carpet with a floral design that occupies a large real estate in the Bedroom. The decor in the Bedroom is more contemporary elegant, but with hints of French chic in some parts of this room. The choice of gold colour theme in the bedroom adds to the luxurious feel in the room. From the king bed base to the headboard, this room’s gold colour is not too overly used. The king bed, placed by the part of the wall in which the entire wall is the headboard, is comfortable and offers residents of the Imperial Suite an excellent sleep quality, recharging them with good night sleep. I find the pillows on the bed too soft for my liking. However, the hotel does provide firmer pillows upon request though there are no pillow menus in the suite for guests to choose from. On the sides of the bed are two reasonably large side tables. These tables, decorated with retro French-themed glass lamps which illuminate the bedside gently at night, provide guests with ample space to place their lifestyle devices with the abundant charging ports and power outlets by the bedside table. The addition of the two-seater couch in front of the king bed provides an additional option for guests of the Imperial Suite to laze on being entertained by the TV in the bedroom or to read a book. Guests will find comfort being warped by the goldish brown fabric on this two-seater.

In front of the king bed, next to the Bedroom entrance, sits a TV console topped with a 46″ LED TV that offers numerous international cable and local channels that keep occupants of the Imperial Suite entertained throughout the night. I find the TV console’s height a tad too short that when lying on the bed, one can only watch the TV at a certain angle. The couch also hinders the signal from the remote control, which can only control the TV at a certain angle. The TV in the bedroom is the same size as that found in the Living Room with the same entertainment options.

Residents of the Imperial Suite at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa will be surprised to find a large walk-in closet in the bedroom. The walk-in closet is located behind a wooden door next to the king bed in the bedroom and provides ample space for residents of the suite to hang their clothes with hanging bars around this space. A reasonably large cabinet inside the walk-in closet offers ample space for guests ample space to stow the largest luggage one can find. As the walk-in closet is a tad far from the bathroom, I used this space mainly to put away the bags that I brought for this staycation.

There is a smaller work desk in the Imperial Suite, tucked by one corner further in the Bedroom just by the entrance to the Bathroom. The glass top with metal frame in gold colour work desk, fully equipped with power outlets by the wall behind it, allows guests to do some work in the Bedroom. The accompanying fabric work chair is very comfortable to sit on with its ample cushioning. A single armchair by the other corner of the Bedroom with an accompanying small side table provides guests with another option to read a book from. Together with the art pieces displayed on the shelves next to them in this part of the Bedroom, these furnishings further complement the luxurious French theme felt throughout the suite.

The Bathroom

Further into the bedroom, past another double panelled wooden doors between the work desk and the armchair, one would arrive at the main Bathroom in the Imperial Suite. Laid with a parquet wooden floor and carrying an earthy tone, the Bathroom in the suite is enormous. It is segregated into a wet and dry area. The dry area is the area nearer to the entrance to the Bathroom, where guests would find two sinks separated by the access to the wet area of the Bathroom. Each sink sits on a sizeable marbled countertop that provides ample space for the hotel to place the luxurious French branded Balmain bath amenities on each of the sinks and guests to place their toiletries on. Each sink area is furnished with a large mirror that covers the entire length of the wall. This is the first suite I have stayed in where I find not one, but two couches in the Bathroom, showing the expansiveness of the Bathroom in the Imperial Suite.

Behind the sink area is where guests can find two additional closets for them to hang their clothes. I thought having extra closets in the Bathroom is an excellent idea as it provides greater convenience for guests in the Imperial Suite to access their clothing after a shower. Guests also do not have to walk to the walk-in closet in the bedroom to gain access to their clothes. These closets, together with the four-drawer cabinets inside the closets, are large enough to stow a week’s worth of clothing. Both closets are almost identical, except for the in-room safe being installed in one of the closets. The iron and ironing board are also tucked inside one of these closets.

Beyond the sink areas are the wet area of the Bathroom where guests do their showering. Tucked in the windowed corner of the wet area is an oversized Jacuzzi tub that gently massages the stress away using bubbles. The use of bamboo blinds at the window gives the tub area a spa feel to it. To take the boredom away when soaking in the tub, Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa install a small TV by the Jacuzzi tub to entertain guests. However, the cable and international channels found in the other TVs in the suite is missing, and this TV is only limited to local channels.

Opposite the Jacuzzi tub is where the toilet and walk-in shower cubicles are located. The white marble in these two cubicles gives it a luxurious feel. The toilet in the Bathroom is equipped with bidet functions, while the walk-in shower has regular and rain shower heads with perfect water pressures. I like the small ledge installed in the shower cubicle, which has sufficient space to place the bath amenities provided by the hotel and still has room to place personal toiletries and even a glass to place your toothbrushes in.

The Living Room

The Living Room in the Imperial Suite is located to the left of the Grand Foyer and is one of the largest areas in the entire suite. The use of mahogany coloured walls with an antique gold ceiling, coupled with yet another chandelier hanging from the centre of the ceiling, screams of poshness.  The French style highback couches furnished in the Living Room reminds residents and guests of the Imperial Suite the French root the Sofitel brand entails. The Living Room in the Imperial Suite can further be separated into entertainment and reception areas. Upon entering the Living Room, a two-seater highback purple French couch catches the attention of occupants of the Imperial Suite. Placed in front of the 46″ LED TV, this couch is very comfortable to sit on while enjoying the numerous international and local channels on the TV mounted on the feature wall that separates the Grand Foyer from the Living Room. The addition of a table beneath the TV provides additional space for guests to stow small items and snacks.

Behind the purple couch lies the central part of the Living Room. The set of large golden brown French-style couch set furnished in this area compliments the chandelier and the purple floral designed carpet to exude classic French charm. The comfortable fabric highback couch set, comprising a three-seater couch and four armchairs, provides ample seating in this area of the Living Room for residents of the Imperial Suite to host guests. Right in the centre of this couch set is a large dark-brown wooden coffee table that adds to the grandeur of the Imperial Suite. The addition of numerous art pieces elevates the sophistication and luxury vibe in the Living Room. I find the number of art pieces in the Living Room is just right and not too accessive. The only thing I find a tad disappointing is the size of the TV in the Living Room. Due to the spaciousness of the size of the Living Room, having the 46″ TV here seem a tad too small, especially for guests who are sitting on the three-seater couch, which is placed furthest from the TV.  Looking out from the window in the Living Room, residents in the Imperial Suite can get a commanding view of the resort grounds and even the sea afar.

The Dining Room

The Dining Room, located behind the Living Room of the Imperial Suite, continues the French-inspired theme throughout the suite. The two French wooden style doors on either side of the entrances to the dining room provide its diners with the privacy they require. When all the doors in the Dining Room in the Imperial Suite at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa are closed, it resembles a dining car on the Orient-Express thanks to the colour theme on the walls green carpet. The addition of the chandelier hanging on the antique-gold coloured ceiling, together with the art pieces, makes the Dining Room feel elegant. In the centre of the Dining Room sits a long dark brown table and six comfortable fabric chairs. The size of the dining table is large enough to be able to sit eight to 10 people. Despite being one of the smaller parts of the Imperial Suite, the use of mirrors on the Dining Room walls makes this space feel larger than it actually is and adds to the luxurious feel radiating in the Suite.

Kitchenette

Past the Dining Room, guests of the Imperial Suite will come to a kitchenette. This small space houses some common kitchen appliances that one can find in a typical hotel room on top of the mugs and glasses. The kitchenette is furnished with a mid-size fridge, the top range Nespresso machine with frothing functions and even double sinks. There is even a wine rack in the kitchenette. Opposite the entrance to the kitchenette is a second entrance to the suite, where staffs can access from for in-room dining. However, during our stay, this door was not used by the staff.

Service

During this stay at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa, the service received during this stay is impeccable and a stark difference compared to my last visit in Dec 2020 with the hotel. The excellent service started even before we stepped into the hotel. Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa honoured the Platinum status of my friend with an early check-in at noon. As soon as I stepped into the hotel grounds walking towards the reception, I was warmly welcomed by Aaron from the concierge team. He diligently ensured that all guests entering the hotel grounds did their check-in and had their temperature taken. Aaron then showed me the way to the reception for the reception team to process my check-in.

The service at the reception was nothing short of excellent. I witnessed what makes great teamwork during check-in. I was initially served by Synedrella (I hope I got her name right), who greets us with warm welcomes. As our room arrangement is a tad complicated (we had two suites for the first night and another night in the Imperial Suite), seeing that she was overwhelmed, Synedrella’s colleague, Timon, standing at the next counter immediately jumped in and helped her to process the check-in for one of the suites. Timon and Syndrella split the check-ins amongst themselves to not have to wait too long for the check-in process to be completed. As the arrangement for my stay involves switching suites the next day, Wai Wai stepped in to help out with the complicated arrangement. Wai Wai even went the extra mile to check if the Imperial Suite is being occupied at the time of our check-in and offered to upgrade us to the Imperials Suite if available, so we do not have to go through the trouble switching suites during our stay. As there is only one Imperial Suite at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa, Wai Wai apologised for the inconvenience of making us go through the hassle of switching suites (although by no means was her fault). She also offered to send help with our luggage during the suite swap the next day, which we declined as we did not have a lot of baggage. Wai Wai promised a seamless suite swap the next day. Wai Wai honoured the benefits of Platinum Accor member status and gave us a late check-out for the Imperial Suite. The suite swap was seamless the next day, and keycards were brought to our suite when the Imperial Suite was ready for us to move into.

The service at Kwee Zeen was also significantly improved from our last visit. This time around, we were welcomed by Kour at the front of the restaurant, who immediately got us seats and even helped us swap seats when my nephew insisted on indoor seating. The staff at the restaurant were observant and immediately cleared the plates when we are done with the food. The team at each buffet counter were superb and always ready to serve up the choice of guests during breakfast.

The new government measure of dine-in restriction occurs during our stay, the F&B team at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa were ready to comply with the new restrictions. I am impressed with the readiness of the hotel team in complying with new government policies. We received a call from Kour on the second night, informing us of the new measures and to take our orders for breakfast and the timing for our breakfast to be delivered to our suite. Kour was patient during the call and answered all my queries on the food arrangements. As the Imperial Suite has a proper dining table, the initial setup was for my sister’s family’s breakfast to be delivered to our suite to dine together. However, close to 11 pm, my sister told me that they wanted to have their breakfast in their suite. I called the One-Touch service to alter the breakfast arrangement. The team helped us change the arrangement, and the breakfast was delivered correctly and on time the next day.

On top of the great service we experienced with the staff at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa, the hotel’s hospitality is also felt when we entered our suites. We were pleasantly surprised to discover a high tea set (which was not common in hotels) was placed in the Imperial Suite waiting for us, on top of a fruit platter and a bottle of wine. Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa also provided its guests with care kits comprising sanitising wipes and sprays, and hand sanitisers in each room to ensure guests stay safe during the pandemic.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Kwee Zeen

Guests staying at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa will be having their breakfast at Kwee Zeen restaurant, located opposite the reception. Unlike most of the hotels in Singapore that I have stayed so far during this pandemic, I am pleasantly surprised to find that breakfast is served as a buffet-style instead of pre-determined sets. Each station has a plastic shield and is manned by a staff readily serving guests’ choices at their station. There is a good spread of local and international options for breakfast at Kwee Zeen. Due to the new COVID-19 measure of banning dine-in announced by the government, which starts on the second day of my stay at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa, breakfast was served to guests in the room. Each guest is entitled to one set of the pre-determined breakfast sets, which was promptly delivered to the suite during my stay.

Swimming Pool

There are two pools in Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa. The main pool is situated in the heart of the hotel grounds, near the hotel’s lobby. The black tiled pool is large by any hotel standards is segregated into three parts catering for families with children and guests who wanted to do a few laps in it. It is also one of the deepest pools in any hotels around Singapore, with the deepest end of the pool measuring 2.3m deep. This is one of the few hotels in Singapore that has a lifeguard on duty. There is no lack of sundeck chairs and cabanas around the pool for guests to laze their day away. As part of the COVID-19 measures, Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa control the crowd at the pool very well. Guests wanting to utilise the main pool are to make a booking for the usage of the pool. Each room is entitled to a 2-hour time slot per day. The other pool at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa is located off-site at the SO Spa premises. Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa offer its suite guests staying complimentary access to the facilities at SO Spa. As the SO Spa is somewhat out of the way, I did not use the pool at SO Spa during my stay.

Gym

There is a small make-shift gym on the hotel premises, occupying the lawn space next to the pool. The gym in Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa is a tad small compared to other hotels or the SO Fit that it once occupies. Despite its petite area, the gym at Sofitel Sentosa Resorts & Spa is well equipped with machines and gym equipment that allows guests to do a decent workout. However, the gym was close due to new government restrictions to curb the rising COVID-19 infections in Singapore. When the gym was operational, guests are entitled to a daily 2-hour booking slot per day.

Overall

We had a wonderful stay at Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa. The Imperial Suite is tastefully designed with old world charm that blends the essence of Orient-Express and classic French elements. The suite is very comfortable in every part of the suite, from the Living Room to the Bedroom. I am most impressed with the Jacuzzi tub in the suite that relieved the stress and provided a great night sleep in the king bed in the bedroom.  The service is nothing short of excellent from the moment we stepped into the hotel to the time we leave the hotel. The hotel is also agile in complying with the new governmental pandemic restrictions. The only room type in Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa that I have not stayed in is their villa, which might be on my list the next time I return for another staycation.

Location

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is located on Sentosa Island, a tourist attraction on the south of mainland Singapore. Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is situated slightly to the southwestern part of Sentosa Island and is a tad far from the main attractions on Sentosa, which are mainly located in the central and eastern part of the island. Other than a golf course, there are no shopping or food options near the resort. Guests staying at the resort can only dine in the resort or take the island’s complimentary public transport and head to Resorts World Sentosa for more dining options. This isolation is great for guests who want to stay in a resort away from the bustlings of Singapore. Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa provides regular shuttle service to mainland Singapore. 

The Suite

I stayed in the Junior Suite at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa over the Christmas long weekend for this staycation. Occupying a total floor area of 55m², the Junior Suite has a strong French decor. Entering the main door of the Junior Suite, guests are greeted by a small entryway that also doubles up as a place to change to their shoes before heading out. There is a double-panelled wooden door that gives guests extra privacy from the main entrance. A whimsical 3D art piece, featuring a man climbing the wall, decorates the otherwise plain entryway. 

The Living Room

Passing the double-panelled wooden doors, guests will find themselves in the living room of the Junior Suite. The living room occupies a bulk of the real estate in the suite. Emitting a strong French theme, the living room is decorated with furniture that is both functional and chic. I especially like the soft fluffy carpet that lies in the middle of the room. Despite the minimal furniture, I find the living room a tad cluttered.

A black slim-legged work desk coupled with a hard leather chair sits immediately to the left of the entrance to the living room from the hallway facing the TV. The desk does not have a lot of space on it and only allows residents of the Junior suite to do some light work on. There are no power outlets at the work desk which can be inconvenient for guests working on their laptops. The work desk was cluttered with drinking water and fruit basket at the time we checked into the suite. 

Running along the wall from the entrance to the suite, a couple of wardrobes and some spaces to stow luggage on sits tucked onto the wall. The placement of the wardrobe is somewhat unconventional as it is placed in the living room instead of the bedroom. I quite like the design of the wardrobe door, instead of the boring plain wood, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa decorated the wardrobe doors with brass art pieces. The wardrobe provides sufficient space for guests to put away their clothing either hanging or in one of the four drawers inside the wardrobe. This is also where the iron and ironing board is tucked away, out of sight, when not being used. The in-room safe can also be found in the wardrobe.  There is more storage space in the drawers and open shelving below the ledge where luggage can be stowed.

Placed right in front of the work desk is a two-seater couch. I find the couch to be a tad soiled and there is even a cigarette burnt hole left behind by previous guests. Despite that, the couch is comfortable to sit on while guests enjoy a variety of local and international channels from the 47″ LED TV mounted on the floating wall that separates the living room from the bedroom. Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa uses an unconventional hard leather top coffee table to add to the chic in the living room. The living room is also furnished with two purple stools, placed by the side of the coffee table, providing additional sitting space for guests of the residents in the Junior Suite. There is a small shelving space underneath the TV for residents of the suite to stow some small items. Sitting by the large windows in the living room of the Junior Suite is a rocking chair, which is very comfortable to sit on while watching TV or to read a book. There is an empty metal shelf placed in one corner of the living room, which would otherwise be decorated with books or ornaments if not for the pandemic. The empty metal shelf provides more space for guests in the suite to store their items.

I like the design of the minibar in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. The mini bar in the Junior Suite is very well designed into a cylindrical stand that does not occupy a lot of space, yet have heaps of storage space for your usual minibar needs. The white and gold mini bar cabinet is nicely tucked in the corner of the living room. Guests can find an electric kettle and even a Nespresso machine in the minibar. Wine glasses and champagne flutes are stored on the right of the cabinet. There is even sufficient space for Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa to fit a fridge in the minibar cabinet. Due to the pandemic, the fridge is empty at the time of our checking-in.

The Bedroom

The bedroom in the Junior Suite at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is separated by a floating wall from the living room and is accessible via the openings on either side of the wall. The floating wall segregates the living room from the bedroom space and gives the bedroom a cosy vibe coupled with the use of purple carpet in this part of the Junior Suite. Unlike the living room, the bedroom is minimally furnished that makes it feel less cluttered, adding to the relaxed feel in this part of the Junior Suite. The lighting used by the hotel throughout the suite gives it a very warm and comfortable feel, which is especially pronounced in the bedroom. The centrepiece of the bedroom is the King bed, which occupies the main bulk of real estate in this area. The sleep quality on the King Bed is excellent, leaving me recharged every morning. Despite not having foam pillows or a pillow menu (perhaps due to the pandemic), I do find the pillows to be comfortable and not too soft. Instead of a traditional bedside table, a couple of ledges with a single draw is mounted on either side of the bed. Here is where guests can find bedside lamps as well as power outlets to charge their lifestyle devices. The mounting of reading lights onto the headboard of the King bed adds to the clean look in the bedroom. There is another metal shelf sitting by the entrance of the bedroom, providing additional storage space for guests of the Junior Suite in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa.

Mounted on the bedroom side of the floating wall is another 47″ LED TV facing the King bed. The entertainment options on this TV is exactly the same as that in the living room. Like that in the living room, there is a ledge beneath the TV that allows guests to put away some small items. 

The Bathroom

The bathroom in the Junior Suite at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa can be accessed from the living room. The French decor in the entire Junior Suite flows into the bathroom with the use of colourful mosaic tiles in both shower and toilet cubicles. The lighting in the bathroom is great thanks to the numerous lighting in the bathroom as well as the mirrors installed here. As one enters the bathroom, a large vanity mirror and sink countertop greet the occupants of the Junior Suite. Having only one sink in the bathroom provides generous countertop space for guests to stow their personal toiletries. Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa provides its Junior Suite guests with Lanvin bath amenities which is very fragrant and luxurious. All toilet amenities are packed in plastic bags due to the pandemic. On the right of the sink area is a large bathtub which guests can enjoy a relaxing and comfortable soak. The hotel also provides bath salts for guests to soak in the tub. 

Across the bathtub is where the walk-in shower and the toilet cubicles are located. The walk-in shower cubicle is large and comes equipped with both a regular shower head and a rain shower. Water pressure is excellent in the shower cubicle, with hot water readily available when the tap is turned on. The toilet cubicle is pretty standard.

Service

The overall service at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is a mixed bag. Having said that, I find there are more positive than negative services rendered at the hotel. Our first service point of contact is during check-in. Despite the small space at the check-in reception, the hotel managed the flow of guests checking in very well. The hotel opened up an additional two counters to cope with the flow of guests during their check-in time. Only one guest is allowed into the check-in reception room and there is a staff at the door ensuring that all guests maintain safe distancing during this pandemic period. We notified the staff of our status with Accor and was promptly ushered to the sit-down counter for our check-in to be processed. Check-in took a little longer than expected, and there was no mention of Accor benefits that should be accorded to our membership tier. There was also no briefing on the details on how we can go about claiming the benefits that come with our package or the Kid’s Club package that we booked. At the end of our stay, we did not utilise the Kid’s Club package (the package was taken off the final bill when I raised this issue to one of the duty managers).

Our package comes with vouchers for lunch or dinner and we had our first dinner at Kwee Zeen Restaurant. The service at Kwee Zeen was horrendous during the times we were there (we were there for breakfast and one of the dinners). During our first meal (dinner) at Kwee Zeen, we had a hard time getting the attention of the staffs to place the order for our meal. We stepped into the restaurant at 7 pm and finally got our orders placed at 7.51 pm. It took them 51 mins just to get our orders. Staffs were seen crowding in one corner chatting away throughout our stay at the restaurant, leaving plates on the table after guests had left the restaurant. The staff handling our order did not seem to understand the product offering. After taking our orders for an appetiser, main course and dessert, the staff then came back to us and told us that our meal only includes two courses instead of three when their menu stated three courses for dinner. The staff also failed to inform us that some of the choices we made for our meal require additional charges. Frustrated, I asked for the manager and the manager told me there is some printing error on the menu and we should be getting two courses instead. I subsequently raised my unhappiness to the hotel’s duty manager and she verified that for dinners we should be getting three courses and not two. The horrendous service at Kwee Zeen did not stop there. When I requested for chilli sauce, the staff pretend not to hear by request. I had to approach the bunch of staff crowding and chatting amongst themselves for someone to bring us some chilli sauce. We had our breakfast at Kwee Zeen on the third day, at the restaurant reception, one of the staff informed us that our table will be ready after they clean up. She then told us to sit on the sofa by the entrance in a derogatory manner. The staff raise her voice and commanded: “go there and sit”. I do find this inappropriate. During breakfast, we faced the same problem as the first day during dinner. Staffs were nowhere to be seen to take our orders and plates were left around not cleared when guests vacate the table. 

Fortunately, the horrendous service is only limited to Kwee Zeen restaurant, which is also unfortunate as this is the place designated for breakfast for guests. I spoke to two duty managers – Juliana and Samantha to raise my unhappiness with Kwee Zeen. I spoke to Juliana on our first night with the hotel after our encounter with Kwee Zeen. Juliana listened with empathy and expressed her disbelieve that such service standards exist at Kwee Zeen. She also clarified that the package that we booked comes with three-course dinner and not two courses as the restaurant claims. Juliana helped us arranged for our dinner location to change to another restaurant following our feedback to her at Kwee Zeen. She promptly got back to us and managed to arrange a table for us at the other restaurant despite being late at night. I also spoke to the other duty manager – Samantha after our horrendous experience at Kwee Zeen on our third day at the hotel. Similar to Juliana, Samantha listened with empathy and provided solutions so that our staycation will not be spoilt again by Kwee Zeen. Samantha helped us arrange for breakfast to be delivered to our rooms instead of having it at Kwee Zeen. Samantha also helped us arrange for late check-out despite the hotel was fully booked.

The only time we experienced any form of good service at the restaurants at the hotel was at The Cliff restaurant. We made a booking for dinner on our third-night stay and we were warmly welcomed by the staffs at the restaurant. Faith ensured that we were well-taken care off and was very observant in clearing the empty plates on our table, despite us being seated in one corner of the restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised when Nataliya approached us to recommend the food that we should try. Nataliya was very detailed in her introduction of the food on the menu and demonstrated excellent knowledge of the items on the menu. We heeded her advice and we did not regret Nataliya’s recommendations. We were also very well taken care of by Jason, who brought us our food. Jason came back shortly and checked with us if we were satisfied with the food.

The other staffs at the hotel were also very pleasant. We were always greeted with “Bonjour” whenever we bumped into any staffs in the hotel property, including the housekeeping staffs. When requested for additional items, the housekeeping staff brought them to our suite promptly. The staffs at the pool were excellent and promptly reply to our call button. We were always updated on the progress of our food preparation by the diligent staff at the pool bar.

Hotel Facilities

Swimming Pool

The main swimming pool in Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is one of the larger pools in the hotels in  Singapore I have seen. It is also one of the deepest pools at 2.5m at its deepest and is capable of allowing its guests to do some decent laps while on vacation. There are ample deck chairs and cabanas at the pool for guests to enjoy their time at the pool. The use of tropical plants and trees around the main swimming pool makes it a great place to chill and relax and gives a resort vibe to the property. There is no wadding pool for young guests, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa used some floats to demarcate the shallower parts of the pool for their younger guests. To improve on the safety, lifeguards are deployed at the shallower part of the pool watching their young guests under their eagle eyes to ensure their safety at the pool. The crowd at the pool is very well managed due to the pandemic. Guests are required to make prior bookings via a QR code provided before using the pool.

Gym

There is a small gym in the hotel, located opposite the entrance to the main swimming pool. The gym was shifted from its original location offsite to the current site due to construction of a new property under Accor. Despite its size, the gym at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa comes well equipped with machines and weights for guests to do some decent workout. The hotel seems to take safety measures for the pandemic very seriously. Guests using the gym are required to book a slot via the QR code and some of the machines are also closed to ensure safe distancing between guests. The gym was empty most of the time during my stay. 

SO Spa

SO Spa is the spa centre at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa where guests can opt for massage sessions during their stay at the hotel. SO Spa is located a tad far from the main hotel premise. Guests wanting to visit the SO Spa can arrange for a buggy transfer from the concierge. Guests staying in suites at the Sofitel Sentosa Resort & Spa are entitled to complimentary usage of the SO Spa facilities. There are a lap pool and another waterfall feature pool that are open for suite guests to use. The other facilities like the steam room and jacuzzi as well as the mud pool are closed due to the pandemic. As the facilities at SO Spa is exclusive to suite guests and patrons of SO Spa, coupled with the isolation from the main hotel grounds, I find the pool at SO Spa to be very peaceful. I did not use the pool at SO Spa as I thought the water is a little dirty from the pollens and leaves from the trees around the pool.

Overall

The facilities in the suite and the hotel seem to show signs of ageing. There are some stains and a cigarette burn hole on the couch in the living room of the suite. Some tiles in the bathroom also fell off during our stay. Having said that, the Junior Suite in the hotel was comfortable and the sleep quality on the King bed is good. The state of the main swimming pool at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa was worse off as compared to our stay less than a year ago. In terms of service, our experience was marred by the attitudes and the lack of knowledge of the staffs and the manager at Kwee Zeen. Calls to the main operator on the in-house phone took some patience before someone answers the calls at nights. The only saving grace in terms of service in the hotel was the great staffs at The Cliff Restaurant.