Naumi Liora Hotel Singapore Staycation Review

Posted on March 3, 2014 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

How’s it going chewys! I have not been updating my blog as regularly as I would like to because I’m either feeling lazy or too exhausted after a long day at work 🙁 Yes! I’m still working even though I’m about to pop anytime now! I don’t intend to take maternity leave early. Say hello to my 9-month old baby bump! Hehe ok I think it’s not very obvious in this photo. Getting really nervous because I don’t know how it’s gonna turn out on the day I go into labor! :S Yeah I’m more nervous than excited actually. Glad that misterchewy and I managed to squeeze in a weekend staycation at Naumi Liora Hotel recently to take my mind off things! 🙂

Located in the heart of Chinatown, Naumi Liora is The Hind Group’s second boutique hotel that opened in November 2012. Naumi Liora boasts a design concept of an old yet modern charm that is strongly reflected throughout the hotel. To remain true to the inherent spirit of the 1920s Peranakan-styled building’s heritage that Naumi Liora is housed in, the original timber flooring, French-styled windows and ‘five-foot way’ have all been traditionally preserved.

Through the use of its signature light motif alongside a harmonious balance of warm and vibrant colours such as hues of Chalk and Pumpkin, the craftsmanship of Naumi Liora creates an intimate environment that invigorates and soothes at the same time. Abstracted from the lattice design of traditional Peranakan tiles as well as the original metal railing pattern from the exterior of the hotel, these light motifs are also translated into timber screens and used strategically from the lobby to the rooms.

Guests are more than welcome to help themselves to the complimentary 24-hour self-serve Nibbles snack bar at the reception lobby. There is a whole range of treats such as Nespresso coffee, Dilmah tea, and ice cream!

Biscuits, cookies, chips and chocolates are also available at the snack bar.

We had to rush off to the Babycare Festival at Singapore Expo, so earlier in the day, I contacted the hotel shortly after we finished lunch at Ion to see if they could accede to my request for an early check-in at around 1pm. Was told that the only room available is located on the ground floor and it is also smaller than our designated one 🙁 Didnt have a choice but to accept it. This is the Liora Heritage Double, which is approximately sized up to a comfortable 28 square meters. Single bedding option is also available.

Liked the personal touch that made us feel at home in an instance. The welcome note highlighted Naumi’s signature service philosophy. During the later part of our stay, I phoned one of the Naumi Aides upon finding out that there wasn’t any toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom. Wanted to confirm if these were being provided for by the hotel and was told that they will be issued only upon request. I had two sets promptly sent to our room in a couple of minutes! Was super impressed by the Naumi Aide’s efficiency!

Open wardrobe concept.

The size of our room was modest yet it feels adequately spacious for two at the same time. The layout of the room is also perfect for families with babies or toddlers in tow as there is definitely enough space for a stroller and a travel cot.

My favorite Malin + Goetz peppermint shampoo and rum body wash are provided!

The mini bar is complimentary and is well-stocked with coffee, tea and soft drinks.

A selfie in our room before heading out! Haha now you can see my huge baby bump 😛

We were supposed to meet my in-laws at the fair but they couldn’t make it at the last minute. Buying stuff to prepare for the arrival of Little misschewy was a pretty mind-boggling affair because there were so many things that we weren’t sure if we needed to buy.

We snagged a limited edition Maclaren stroller, which is pretty chio (in our opinion lol). Good thing there was free delivery! Also bought other stuff like organic baby bath, milk bottle sterilizer and loads of pampers (some with free delivery). In the evening, we went our separate ways to meet our friends for dinner. Guys’ night out and girls’ night out 😛

Complimentary breakfast is provided just next door, at Keong Saik Snacks. Was looking forward to it since it’s by Michelin Star Chef Jason Atherton. Breakfast starts from about 7am and ends at 10am. We intended to wake up earlier but the bed was seriously so comfortable that we kept hitting the snooze button and woke up with only 20 minutes to get showered and changed!

We went there expecting that the breakfast would be somewhat similar to what was being served at Cocoette during our stay at Wanderlust Hotel. To our dismay, the spread at the buffet counter was quite limited. A small selection of bread, cheese, ham, cereal, yogurt, etc, nothing to get excited over.

The ambience at Keong Saik Snacks was nice though. If only we had more time to enjoy our breakfast, I seriously wouldn’t mind paying extra for the weekend brunch which is available from 11am to 3pm but that would mean we had to wait an hour for it.

Taking a quick look at the gym before checking out. It’s open 24 hours. It’s a pity that there’s no swimming pool in the hotel.

As part of its celebration of Holi, an ancient Hindu festival, also known as the “Festival of Colours” as all ages go into the streets for fun, throwing of powder paint and coloured water to celebrate the victory of ‘good’ over ‘bad’ and also the triumph of devotion to god, Naumi Hotels celebrate the colour ‘Pink’ which symbolises the significant support of Breast Cancer Foundation and its cause. During this playful ‘Festival of Colours’, Naumi Hotels will proudly donate up to SGD$15 for every eligible room stay on 17 March 2014.

In the meantime, do visit ZALORA SG, Asia’s leading online fashion destination! Zalora carries a huge range of apparel, footwear, accessories and beauty products from various brands, you will definitely be spoilt for choice!

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews! Stay connected with us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Valentine’s Day Staycation @ Oasia Hotel or The Quincy Hotel

Posted on February 4, 2014 by missuschewy

February is the month of love. If you are planning a romantic staycation in Singapore this Valentine’s Day, Far East Hospitality is offering two very attractive hotel stay packages for all you lovebirds out there.

Oasia Hotel Singapore Valentine’s Day Package

Pricing: $588++

Package includes:

· Stay in Club Room
· Buffet breakfast
· Evening cocktails (6pm-8pm)
· Complimentary mini-bar
· One bottle of Helenenhof Hubertushof Pinot Noir red wine
· 5-course Valentine’s Dinner for 2 by Zaffron at The Living Room
· One complimentary 45-minute Couple Spa Retreat by Enchanted Spa Retreat
· One Naturalis Tea Gift Set

Terms & Conditions:

· Booking period: 27 January – 16 February 2014
· Stay period: 13 February – 17 February 2014
· Limited vacancies are available for Dinner at The Living Room on a first-come-first-served basis. In the event of full house, the complimentary dinner will be held at Zaffron.
· Guests may choose to enjoy the complimentary Couple Spa Retreat at the hotel’s Spa Suites at levels 24/25 or at Enchanted Spa Retreat at level 2, on a first-come-first-served basis. In the event of full house, guests may choose to make use of the spa voucher at a later time, valid for a period of 3 months
· Naturalis Tea Gift Set is subject to availability
· Price is subject to 10% service charge and prevailing government taxes
· Standard cancellation policy applies

Click here to book your Valentine’s Day Staycation at Oasia Hotel Singapore now. You may read about my experience staying at this hotel.

The Quincy Hotel Valentine’s Day Package

Pricing: S$368++
*Early Bird (book before 07 Feb): S$338++

Package includes:

· Stay in Studio Room
· One bottle of Bottega’s Il vino della Amore sparkling moscato
· One Molton Brown Traveller Gift Set*
· Dinner for 2

Terms & Conditions:

· Booking period: 20 January – 17 February 2014
· Stay period: 13 February – 17 February 2014
· Top up S$30++ for room upgrade to Studio Deluxe Room
· Book before 07 February 2014 at S$338++
· Promotion includes one bottle of Bottega’s Il vino della Amore (The Wine of Love) sparkling moscato
· Excludes one-way airport transfer
· Price is subject to 10% service charge and prevailing government taxes
· Standard cancellation policy applies

* Selection of gift set subject to availability

Click here to book your Valentine’s Day Staycation at The Quincy Hotel now.

Rendezvous Hotel Singapore Staycation Review

Posted on January 30, 2014 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

Happy Chinese New Year, chewys! May all of us HUAT in the Year of the Horse! Anyone looking forward to Valentine’s Day already? Do consider a staycation in Singapore if you don’t have any solid plans yet! I’m sure we are all familiar with Rendezvous Hotel Singapore, one of the many hotel establishments by Far East Hospitality. But do you know that the 16-year-old hotel recently unveiled a brand new look after undergoing a transformation in November 2013, guided by three core values A.R.T. – Attitude, Retro elements and Technology?

Located in the Museum Planning Area of Singapore, Rendezvous Hotel Singapore draws inspiration from its surrounding arts and cultural district along Bras Basah, while at the same time offering its guests convenient access to several popular art galleries and museums such as Singapore Art Museum, SAM at 8Q and National Museum of Singapore. To top it off, guests will enjoy free or special entry rates to museums in the vicinity simply by presenting their key cards at the respective ticketing counters.

Upon entering the hotel, guests will be greeted by a magnificent floor-to-ceiling sculpture along with wall panels behind the reception counters that changes colors every four hours throughout the day, taking guests through a cycle of warm orange, purple and magenta to reflect a sense of vibrant excitement during the day, to a soothing, classy warm yellow, cyan and deep blue during the evening.

The hotel’s bar lounge, renamed The Library, is fitted with plush seats and has a wall of shelves lined with books. This totally takes chilling out to a whole new level.

The artistic revamp is also extended to Club Rooms which occupy the three highest levels of the hotel. These rooms may either be adorned with breathtaking photographs or may bear quotes by famous authors such as the Club Room which we put up at.

The Club Room isn’t one of the largest around but there is a choice of a large king bed or two single beds. The height of the large king bed was around my waist level (maybe I have really short legs) and had difficulty hoisting myself up given my huge baby bump in the way. The husband clearly had a lot of fun jumping from the side and doing some kinda side roll onto the bed. LOL.

Our room comes complete with a large screen television, writing desk and complimentary WiFi.

Bathroom amenities from French Connection.

If you are hankering after a cup of tea, The Courtyard basks in natural sunlight, making it a lovely place for you to indulge in freshly baked scones and other dainty pastries.

Club guests will have access to the Plaza Club Lounge on the 11th floor offering all day complimentary coffee and tea, and also light bites and cocktails from 6pm to 8pm. We popped in after an early dinner tasting around the area to check out what the lounge has to offer.

Interestingly, within the lounge, the different views that guests observe through each particular window are imprinted on the curtains in grayscale. In time to come, the hotel façade facing the junction of Orchard, Stamford and Bras Basah roads will also be transformed into a piece of interactive anamorphic art where pedestrians will be able to see the intended composition at a specific spot diagonally across the street.

Still quite full from dinner earlier on but we happily helped ourselves to piping hot dimsum and some other desserts. We saw that a young couple sitting two tables away from us order practically every single drink from the alcohol menu. Poor server was kept really busy marching in and out of the kitchen the whole time.

Went back to our room to chill for awhile. Our initial plan was to either make a trip down to Switch for some live band music or catch a late night movie. At around 9pm, we looked at each other and decided that we just wanted a good rest after a long day. We were feeling a teeny bit hungry and misterchewy wanted to try Maki-San at The Cathay.

This time, I was captivated by the sculpture’s beautiful shade of blue when we arrived at the lobby because it’s my favorite color!

Love Rendezvous Hotel’s superb location! So many food choices around the area. It took us only a 5-minute walk to get to The Cathay.

Took a long hot shower before hitting the sack! Bed was so comfy that we slept for an additional hour before dragging ourselves down for breakfast 😛

Club guests can choose to have American breakfast served at the club lounge from 7am to 10am. The selection is limited but I suppose there has to be some sort of trade-off for exclusivity.

For a much wider variety, I suggest heading down to Straits Cafe on the ground floor. The buffet line closes at 10.30am and we were there at around 10am.

We were gently reminded that the buffet line closes in 30 minutes so we grabbed whatever looked yummy to us. Should have gotten more of those hot fluffy waffles with maple syrup!

We were entitled to a late checkout at 3pm so we took a little tour around the hotel.

As part of the new Rendezvous Hotel Singapore’s opening promotion, guests who make bookings now to 16 March 2014 for a minimum two-night Club Room stay now to 30 April 2014 will enjoy 30 per cent off the hotel’s best flexible rate. To sweeten the deal, guests will be eligible to enjoy the Far More Perks programme, such as guaranteed early check-in from 10am or late check-out till 4pm, as well as complimentary FunVee City Tour. So many perks! How to resist! 😀

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
9 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189559
Tel: +65 6336 0220
Email: info.rhs@fareast.com.sg
Reservations:
Tel: +65 6496 7699
Email: reseasy@fareast.com.sg

Capri by Fraser Changi City Singapore Staycation Review

Posted on January 10, 2014 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

What better way to kick off the first weekend of 2014 than by pampering and treating yourself to a revitalizing Singapore staycation? Here’s a photo of us, happy to have finally checked into Capri by Fraser Changi City! 🙂

Capri by Fraser is a new hospitality concept which cuts through the conformity of typical hotels, bringing together the extensive range of facilities and services of a smart hotel together with the comfort and convenience of a full serviced residence, designed to meet the 24×7 lifestyle needs of today’s tech-forward travellers.

The hotel which just had its grand opening in January 2013, is located moments away from Singapore Expo, Changi City Point, and a mere 5 minutes from Changi Airport. There is an airport shuttle service which runs to and from the airport on a frequent basis. The MRT station is just opposite the hotel, which makes travelling to popular shopping belts like Orchard Road extremely convenient for both locals and overseas guests.

The lobby area exudes sophistication and yet, feels warm and homely at the same time.

The check-in procedure was pretty smooth. No hiccups whatsoever.

I always look forward to swiping the electronic hotel card key and pushing past the room door to see what surprise awaits me! We were given a 44sqm Studio Premier room on the 6th floor which is immensely spacious as compared to the rooms of most hotels that we had reviewed over the previous two years.

Welcome fruits and drinks.

The king bed looks so tempting!

Gotta love the extra living space! Perfect for lounging on the couch and watching movies on the LED television all day long. You can borrow DVDs from the hotel and play them on the DVD player as well.

Another unique feature about Capri by Fraser which I adore is the kitchenette! You are free to do light cooking in the room but we didn’t because yours truly can’t cook to save her life. LOL.

Electrolux microwave oven

One of the major advantages of induction cooking is safety, especially if you have young children in the hotel room. The stovetop stays cool even when you are cooking.

A must-have at every hotel stay these days, the Nespresso machine!

The bathroom is connected to the bedroom on one side and the walk-in wardrobe on the other. We didn’t have a bathtub but we loved the rainshower feature.

The safety deposit is also unique because there is a charging point inside where you can charge your devices while locking them safe should you decide to leave the room.

Played songs from 98.7fm via the powerful Geneva sound system.

The view which greeted us when we looked out the window!

Hopefully this is a better shot of our room enough to justify its magnificence. I can’t emphasize how awesomely huge it is!

Another selfie before we check out the hotel amenities! I realized I blend well with Capri’s choice of cheery color, orange 😀

There are 24/7 laundrettes on every floor which go by the name Spin & Play because all you have to do is chuck your laundry into the washing machine and play while you wait!

This is on the 6th floor, where you can utilize this unique-looking cycling machine to get some cardio exercise.

There are also interactive games such as Wii and XBOX, etc in the Spin & Play rooms on selected levels.

24/7 gym with pool view. The 20-metre pool is very cool too, because there’s a hydro treadmill if you are sick of doing laps after laps.

I think misterchewy fell in love with the suntanning rocking beds.

If swimming is not your thing, there are bicycle loan services as well!

The Pod is a 98sqm function room for up to 36 persons classroom-style seating. Looks very relaxing and fun to just lie around on the giant bean bags!

Keep yourselves occupied during your staycation by borrowing some console or boardgames to play.

We were hungry from all the walking and decided to pop by Delite which is open from 10am to 7pm serving soups, burgers, pizza, sandwiches and other light bites.

The husband had Buffalo Wings ($15) to go with his pint of Erdinger.

My Albacore Tuna Sandwich ($13) tasted delish. Loved the flaky tuna and crusty Turkish wholewheat toast.

Caprilicious is an all-day dining oulet with hotel buffet breakfast, set lunch, a la carte dinner, and 24-hour room service.

Also located on level 1, Drinx has quite a few Happy Hour deals!

Boys will always be boys. The husband was having fun with the XBOX in one of the Spin & Play rooms while I played Hay Day on my iPad. Hehe.

We had late dinner and decided to have it in the comfort of our room. We phoned Caprilicious and it didn’t take long for our food to be served.

Char-grilled Portobello Mushroom ($11)

Rock Lobster Bisque ($13)

Seafood Tom Yum ($11)

Saffron Risotto ($20)

Grilled Lamb Cutlets ($32)

Snuggled in bed and was planning to watch Pacific Rim which we borrowed earlier. Decided against it in the end when we realized that there would be violent content that I better not expose myself to right now 😛 Off to slumberland!

Breakfast in bed is the ultimate experience! Nothing beats waking up to the smell of delicious American breakfast and a glass of freshly squeezed juice.

Our staycation experience at Capri by Fraser Changi City was a splendid one and we felt really reluctant to check out after a night’s stay. We will be back again with little misschewy! 🙂 In the meantime, do check out Capri’s Lunar New Year Festive Staycation Package for a really good deal!

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Capri by Fraser Changi City
3 Changi Business Park Central 1
Singapore 486037
Tel : +65 6933 9833
Fax : +65 6933 9888
For hotel bookings or reservations:
Tel: +65 6338 0800
Local Toll-Free: 1800 338 0800
reservations.singapore@capribyfraser.com

The Plot Hostels Singapore Staycation Review

Posted on December 12, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

I thought this would never happen in a million years but thanks to The Plot Hostels, I can finally do this – ~~stay in a hostel~~ to my bucket list! Hurray! Prior to this hostel experience, the very idea of sharing a room with complete strangers is exceedingly intimidating and bothers me a lot. Even misterchewy was completely taken aback by my decision to review The Plot Hostels because he’s well aware of this unexplainable paranoia of mine. But I have to say that I was quite impressed by what I saw on The Plot’s website, so much so that I was convinced enough to give it a shot.

Now, the question is, “Why The Plot Hostels”?

The best stories have a great plot. And at The Plot Hostels, you will encounter lots of intriguing and interesting stories from other travelers and backpackers. Then, once you’re finishing interacting and sharing stories and your best travel adventures with other backpackers and travelers, it’s time to plot your future travels. Plotting journeys is part of the fun for backpackers! Plot your next solo adventure or join forces with one of the other adventure seekers that you’ll meet at The Plot Hostels. It’s a place to forge new friendships, to share stories and delightful conversation and it’s the perfect place to plot your journey and plan your next adventure!

Conveniently located within walking distance of Chinatown, Tiong Bahru and Outram, along with the local heritage area, travellers staying at The Plot Hostels will discover a unique blend of Singaporean cultures.

I didn’t see the need to wake up bright and early that Saturday (for the record, I woke up at 12.30pm) since the check-in could only be done from 3pm onwards. The husband and I took a cab from the East and reached slightly around 3.15pm. Guests had to produce either their identification cards or passports, of which a photocopy will be made upon checking in. We were each given a security access key which came in the form of a silicone rubber wristband.

One of The Plot’s friendly staff showed us up to our room on the fourth level, which is also the highest level.

This is how the access key looks like. Pretty cool right! And you don’t have to worry about misplacing it because you should be wearing it around your wrist everywhere you go, even in the shower since it’s waterproof. The wristbands come in two colors – blue if you are staying in a Mixed room and red for Ladies room.

The Plot Hostels consists of 11 rooms, all of which are air-conditioned. The mixed rooms are available in 3 different configurations – 4-Pod, 6-Pod, and 8-Pod, which you can select during your booking process. Room rates are around SGD35 to SGD50 per person per night, depending on room type, length of stay and stay period. We were assigned a 6-Pod mixed room which comes with an ensuite bathroom and shower. You can easily identify your own pod based on the alphabet indicated at the side of the personal lockers attached to each pod.

When we first stepped into our room, I knew for sure that pod B was occupied by another guest because the curtain had been drawn shut and told misterchewy, “Oh no! We have another male companion in our room!” He asked how could I be so sure that it’s a male and I went, “Why would any solo female traveller want to stay in a mixed room if there are ladies rooms available? Unless…”

I don’t sit on my bed if I’m not showered and in clean clothes but I made this an exception since we were only going to stay for one night. Besides, sitting at the side of the bed wouldn’t hurt right? 😛 I used to think that staying in a hostel is almost akin to staying under slum-like conditions but The Plot Hostels proved me very wrong. Our room was impeccably clean, reasonably spacious and brightly-lit. It really made me feel right at home.

The husband’s pod was just above mine. I was actually quite worried that he would roll off the bed in his sleep given the fact that he’s quite a heavy sleeper at times.

Every individual pod includes a personal locker which has ample space to store your bags, personal valuables, and definitely that precious tablet or laptop which you cannot live without.

There is an international electrical outlet for charging your devices and also a light switch if you wish to do some packing or reading within the comfort of your own pod. Blankets are provided for and if you need towels, you can request for one at the reception.

Washing up area at the other end of the room.

There are conditioning shampoo and shower gel dispensers in the shower room. And for those who are concerned, there definitely is hot water.

Guests are free to use the common bathroom and shower area located outside the rooms on each level. The Plot Hostels is also thoughtful enough to cater to travellers with physical disabilities.

Taking a selfie in the room. Darn, should have backfaced the green-tinted windows 😛

Taking the elevator down to fetch our guest of honour. Haha!

We were pretty much entralled by the futuristic outlook of the elevator. No chance to take photos earlier as we were accompanied by The Plot’s staff. Paisey la 😛

Communal TV lounge with movie screening

Comfy seating area

Complimentary use of iMac computers

Mini library

Hot & cold filtered drinking water dispenser

Chargeable snacks and mini bar

Guests are free to do light cooking in the kitchen. There is a refrigerator and a microwave, as well as cutleries and crockeries.

There is also a Laundry Area with a coin operated washing machine, coin operated dryer machine and communal drying area.

Still very fascinated by the elevator.

YP and I 🙂

Balcony area where you can get some fresh air, chill and exchange stories with fellow travellers.

We headed out for very late lunch around the area. It was almost 5pm and I had not eaten all day! Little misschewy must be very hungry but still had tremendous strength to kick me. LOL. Hopefully I will have time to do a separate review on The Orange Thimble 🙂 There are plenty of cafes and eateries located near The Plot Hostels. Thumbs up for its strategic location!

After late lunch, we had late high tea at Drips Bakery Cafe, a place which specializes in tarts. I chose the Lemon Meringue tart which had just the right amount of sweetness and its zesty lemony taste was very refreshing.

We also shared the Chocolate tart (raspberry was from the lemon meringue) which was slightly bitter as it was made with dark chocoaltes. Reminded me of Awfully Chocolate’s dark chocolate truffles. Yummy!

By the time we were done with our mini pigging out session, it was 7pm but this didn’t stop us from wanting to eat dinner. We agreed that the best way to work up an appetite was to take a 2-hour nap 😛

The husband was teasing me, “Eh? You haven’t shower, so dirty leh. You dare to lie down on your bed ah?” -_-

YP highly recommended Tian Tian Seafood, a mere one-minute walk from the hostel. Fish head steamboat!

Ordered additional sliced pork, golden mushroom, fried yam and hotplate beancurd.

Decided to relax at the communal area after dinner. YP and I caught the last 20 minutes of Life of Pi while the husband updated himself with soccer news and MapleStory on the iMac. The three of us then trotted over to Cheers to get bottled water.

After a nice hot shower! Pardon my eyebrowless face and dark circles >_<

A group selfie before lights out 🙂

The guy at the reception sure wasn’t kidding when he emphasized that “simple breakfast” will be served.

Plain white bread or wholemeal bread with peanut butter, margarine or strawberry jam. You can also help yourself to the toaster.

I had cocoa krispies with milk. Headed back to our room to pack up and nua a bit more before checking out at 11am 🙂

It was a very delightful experience for us staying at The Plot Hostels for one night. The amenities were more than just basic, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the seasoned backpacker found himself being pampered during his stay. I strongly recommend The Plot Hostels not only to travellers seeking maximum comfort and value at a low cost, but also to locals who are keen on organizing staycations for large groups on a budget.

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews! Stay connected with us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Plot Hostels
259 Outram Road
Singapore 169056
Tel: +65 6223 5866
Fax: +65 6223 9626

Central Reservation
Tel: +65 6298 8889
Fax: +65 6396 8356
Email: reservation@theplothostels.com

Village Hotel Katong Singapore Staycation Review

Posted on December 5, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

It had been a good 3 months since the last time misterchewy and I went on a romantic staycation in Singapore. It’s always nice to spend quality time with your spouse over the weekend, experiencing a totally new yet comfortable and chic environment such as the newly launched Village Hotel Katong, which is the latest addition to Far East Hospitality’s growing portfolio of hotels and serviced residences.

Located in the eastern region of Singapore, Village Hotel Katong is a non-smoking property housing a total of 229 hotel rooms and is integrated with the family-friendly shopping mall, Katong V. Being just a 15-minute drive to the Changi International Airport, Central Business District and Orchard Road, the hotel provides excellent connectivity to key business and leisure locations. It is also within a 5-minute walk to the Parkway Parade Shopping Mall and 10-minute walk to the East Coast Park. Superb for family staycations as well.

My parents dropped us off at the ground floor of Katong V and we took an escalator up to the lobby of Village Hotel Katong. The husband and I waited in line for quite sometime and we both thought that the check-in process could be faster and more efficient.

This was our lovely home for one night, an expansive 35 square metre Club Room on the 6th floor of the hotel. Do note that the larger rooms are all situated on the lower floors. Our club room, in a soothing shade of blue, was not only cosy but very homely. I was already making notes for our future abode! We certainly don’t mind coming home to this every night 🙂

In line with the Village brand’s philosophy of drawing inspiration and vitality from its surrounding neighbourhood, Village Hotel Katong reflects the strong Peranakan heritage of the surrounding Katong and Joo Chiat district in Singapore.

The larger rooms are also designed with a comfortable couch sitting area where you can relax with a good book and a pot of hot tea.

Adequate supply of complimentary coffee and tea.

Clearly, misterchewy was very impressed with this. He exclaimed, “WAH! New one! For iPhone 5!” The iPod docking systems that we encountered during all our previous staycations were designed for the older iPhone models and not suitable for iPhone 5.

A sliding glass door separates the bathroom from the room.

Our room didn’t come with a bathtub. The husband phoned reception in order to satisfy my curiosity and they mentioned that rooms with bathtubs were not ready yet. We weren’t exactly affected anyway because of my pregnant state, it’s not advisable for me to take hot baths.

All bathrooms are equipped with a powerful standing rain shower to revitalize and refresh tired guests after a long day of work or shopping.

My OOTD for this staycation was from Maternity Exchange! Absolutely love this black number from my maternity sponsor as the cut is flattering and it accentuates my baby bump. Best of all, the material is light and stretchy (made of lycra fabric if I’m not wrong) which does not trap heat or cling to my skin. To jazz up my outfit, I paired it with my black and gold necklace from Diva 🙂

I would also like to thank Beauty Direct for the Star Lash falsies in Dark Brown #17 which is very natural-looking.

I was kinda starving as we didn’t have lunch. It was almost 4pm when misterchewy came back with 328 Katong Laksa! He took only 20 minutes (including having to wait for the food). Plenty of eateries around the area! It’s too good to be true! Anyway, I have been avoiding cockles ever since I became pregnant. Somehow, laksa doesn’t taste as shiok without cockles but this was quite good. Very satisfying lunch for the both of us 🙂

Not only is Village Hotel Katong integrated with Katong V, NTUC FairPrice Finest is just directly below the hotel, on the ground floor. Talk about ultimate convenience. For those who have always wanted to check out Group Therapy Cafe, it’s there too!

Staying in the Club room combines exceptional comfort with a host of exclusive privileges like access to the Peranakan Lounge for daily breakfast and evening cocktails from 6pm to 8pm, in a comfortable environment, both for both work and leisure that will make you feel right at home, Peranakan style.

We popped by the Peranakan Lounge for some light bites at 6pm and saw that finger food such as cold cuts, chicken satay, seafood quiche and pastries were available. The husband had two cans of beer while I opted for freshly squeezed orange juice.

We were supposed to check out a newly opened restaurant for dinner at 8pm but we changed our minds since it was raining and also because of the fact that we were kinda full from the numerous sticks of delicious chicken satay. Earlier in the day, Judy the baker from Happy Avenue delivered her homemade kueh lapis and cupcakes to us. My intention was only to try a few slices of kueh lapis but misterchewy and I ended up finishing up the whole box! :O

We felt so guilty that we woke up at 6am the next morning to… take photos of the gymmasium.

Just pretending to be working out.

I was quite amused by the swimming pool. Does swimming around the circumference count as one lap? 😛

Katong Kitchen, located on the 4th floor of the hotel, opens as early as 6am for breakfast. I’m glad we woke up really early for our best meal of the day!

This is by far my favorite at Katong Kitchen, the Nasi Lemak station! 🙂

If you have enjoyed our Village Hotel Katong staycation review, check out the opening promotion valid till 9 February 2014 or take advantage of the Holiday Savers+ and get 25% off per night when you book now till end January 2014!

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Village Hotel Katong
25 Marine Parade
Singapore 449536
Tel: 6344 2200
Email: info.vhk@fareast.com.sg

Ritz Carlton Singapore Staycation Blog Review

Posted on September 9, 2013 by missuschewy

Happy 2nd wedding anniversary to us and happy birthday to misterchewy! Yes 9th September is another date on the calender that holds tremendous significance for the both of us 🙂 We decided to celebrate one week in advance because I can’t get away from work this week. Today’s post will be a combination of a staycation review of The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore and how we celebrated this mega special occasion, The Chewys’ style! 😉

We checked in last Sunday, 1st September, at around 3pm after having a quick lunch at Marina Square. The check-in time is one hour later than most hotel’s standard check-in at 2pm. Time is money and money is time. When we stepped into The Ritz-Carlton, we were promptly whisked to the check-in counter and then asked if we wanted coffee, tea or juices.

Before giving you a virtual tour of our hotel suite, here are some parts of The Ritz-Carlton that we explored. This is Chihuly Lounge, which is named after famed American Dale Chihuly. How does high tea sound?

Greenhouse offers an attractive Sunday vintage champagne brunch from 12pm – 3.30pm, featuring an unlimited flow of Moët & Chandon, wines and selected cocktails accompanied by freshly shucked oysters, seafood, roasts, 50 French farmhouse cheeses and freshly baked soufflés.

Swimming pool with plenty of sun tanning chairs.

The gymnasium is located on the same floor as the swimming pool and is extremely well equipped.

It is also the largest and most impressive hotel gym that I have come across so far.

Business Centre

Ok here comes the exciting part! I made reservations in mid July and prior to that, I chanced upon a Happy Birthday package on The Ritz-Carlton’s website (which I think is no longer available) and decided to take it up since we could upgrade to a Premier Suite upon availability at check-in. I’m not sure if this is common but we were elated that we were lucky enough to score a suite room on the 7th floor! 😀

The Ritz-Carlton houses one of the largest guest rooms and accommodations of any hotel in Singapore, averaging 550 to 650 square feet, and The Ritz-Carlton Suite boasts a lofty 2347 square feet. Our luxurious suite spans approximately 646 square feet and features an unobstructed picturesque scene of Marina Bay.

The separate bedroom also has an element of timeless elegance, which seem to be consistent with The Ritz-Carlton’s definition of the essence of luxury, evident from its contemporary furnishings and state-of-the-art technology.

Doors separating the bathroom and living room from the bedroom can be closed for enhanced privacy.

The Ritz-Carlton is the first hotel in the world to be furnished with flushed wall-mounted 46-inch Hospitality LED TVs. There was one in our bedroom and another one in the living room.

Even the bathroom is so spacious that guests can enjoy his-and-her sink vanities. Mirrors are anti-fog, so you can no longer use your finger to write “I love you” after coming out from a hot steamy shower. LOL. There is also a separate shower stall with rain shower feature. Wrap yourselves in His and Hers micro-fiber Ploh bathrobes after your shower!

This is what I call the SEXIEST HOTEL BATHROOM in Singapore with the bathtub just beside The Ritz-Carlton’s signature octagonal window. Sorry this photo was taken in the afternoon when the sun was shining in, but I swear it looks sooo much better and also more romantic at night! The husband assured me that people staying at Mandarin Oriental and Pan Pacific won’t be able to see us because the windows are tinted on the outside. Anyway if you are scared, you can always lower the blinds. Ours was stuck and did not work. Oh wells.

Asprey bath amenities

Hair dryer in a bag. I used it after my shower and it gave me ridiculously soft and straight hair.

Separate cubicle. Told you the bathroom is damn spacious!

Walk-in closet. Are you thinking about playing hide-and-seek already?

Back to the living room! There is an iPod docking station at the writing desk but what impressed me was the Bose audio system. Tuned in to 98.7fm and the sound quality was quite good!

Mini bar stocks a range of beers, wine, water and juices.

There were 6 lit-up drawers within the credenza cabinet in the living room and pulling each one of them out was like unveiling a mini surprise.

Our Happy Birthday package was inclusive of a small bottle of champagne.

Welcome amenity consisted of cupcakes, strawberries and a very adorable Ritz-Carlton lion soft toy! Since our staycation cost us the husband more than $600, misterchewy and I decided to maximize the length of time spent in our suite and agreed on in-room dining. We were also entitled to $30 hotel credit which could be utilized for dining, shopping or spa at The Ritz Carlton, and used it for our in-room dining. Unfortunately, we poured through the menu for 15 minutes and carbonara was the only dish that we wanted to order.

Glad that Marina Bay Sands was nearby and it was a good chance for misterchewy to try the truffle fries from Au Chocolat because I kept raving about it after a casual brunch session with my bridesmaids earlier this year. So, out went the mister while the missus lazed in the hotel room waiting for her husband to tabao food back from Au Chocolat 😛

Truffle fries from Au Chocolat are da bomb! Really the best of all the truffle fries that I have eaten. The husband agrees with me! Still tasted damn good even when they were cold (I ate some leftovers the next morning).

Spicy Chicken Wings (Au Chocolat) had a tang of spiciness but was quite salty.

Duck Confit (Au Chocolat) was quite dry and hard, probably because we left it there for quite some time. Busy taking photos 😛

The Ritz-Carlton’s Carbonara dish was quite well-executed, thick and creamy but I think the egg could be done better.

Earlier in the day, I googled and found out that the sun would be setting at around 7pm, so we planned everything well and made sure that our food was served before that. That way, we could watch the skies change gradually as we were enjoying our food.

We find that in-room hotel dining is an ideal way to spend a intimate and romantic night with your loved ones. You have all the privacy in the world, can be yourself and relax without having to worry about being judged by others. The bonus is having lovely music playing in the background and a spectacular night view of the city. It was just the two of us and we dimmed the lights for a more romantic feel. 🙂

Feather beds and Sealy mattresses are used in all rooms, Club rooms and Suites. The bed was comfy but quite high. Think I have short legs because I had to tiptoe and hurl myself onto the bed. LOL.

This was the beautiful night view of MBS that we fell asleep to 🙂

And of course, we soaked ourselves in the sexy hotel bathtub after dinner and played with bubbles 😛 It was very therapeutic!

Hope you enjoyed our staycation review on The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799
Tel: +(65) 6337-8888

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road Staycation Blog Review

Posted on August 20, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

In July this year, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened the first ever Holiday Inn Express in Singapore, located in the heart of the country’s vibrant shopping district and entertainment hub, Orchard Road.
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is the first of two Holiday Inn Express hotels planned for Singapore during the brand’s rapid expansion across South East Asia. With so many hotels concentrated in Orchard, it is needless to say that travellers will inevitably be spoilt for choice.

I was invited to discover the Holiday Inn experience for myself and since misterchewy was working that day, I checked into the hotel on my own that morning. I wasn’t the least bit worried about not being able to locate the place since I had been told that Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is situated in between The Heeren and Paragon. Talk about prime location!

Upon stepping into the hotel, I was warmly greeted with a smile at the 24-hour reception. Check-in procedure was straightforward, swift and hassle-free.

Our room was on the 15th floor, highest being the 16th. There are 221 queen-bedded and twin-bedded rooms with complimentary in-room wifi. In fact, the hotel offers free and fast Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, so guests can stay connected all day, every day. In this day and age, not many of us can survive without Internet connectivity!

Holiday Inn Express’ STAY SMART concept revolves around making sure that every valued guest can expect a fuss-free and refreshing stay with guaranteed comfort and convenience at a reasonable price.

A panorama photo of our queen-bedded room taken with my iPhone 5.

All rooms feature high quality bedding with pillow top mattress and duck down duvet.

Interestingly, guests have a choice of soft pillows..

..or firm pillows. We preferred the firm ones!

To my delight, there is also a comfy couch for people like me who abhors lying on the bed before taking a shower. To me, the bed is sacred. I’m not joking. Haha.

There are also 40 inch LCD televisions, ergonomic desk chairs and efficient work stations in every room.

Tea and coffee making facilities

I was quite surprised to find an un-stocked mini bar but honestly, with so many supermarkets and convenience stores around the vicinity, I would rather choose my own selection of drinks and snacks.

In-room safe

En-suite bathroom

Holiday Inn takes pride in its green initiatives and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium recently received the Singapore Green Hotel Award 2013.

Pleased to find liquid handwash instead of bar soap!

Silly me, I was busy taking photos of the bathroom amenities and then realized in a state of shock that I had not seen the shower area. I was almost ready to believe that there could be another shared bathroom within the hotel.. until I saw the handle of the door! Phew!

Guests can recharge after a long day exploring Orchard Road by utilizing the refreshing power showers in the bathrooms with three-head massage showerhead.

There was a tour around the hotel and the first thing I noticed was “SMART is having your own set of wheels”. So there you have it, Holiday Inn Express provides trolleys for guests to conveniently wheel their luggages into their rooms.

Complimentary internet stations and self-service business centre

Complimentary Express Start breakfast is made available at the Great Room.

There is also a Grab & Go option for guests who do not have the luxury of sitting down to enjoy their breakfast. More on this later.

On the 4th floor of the hotel, a compact meeting facility for 12 persons can be booked, subject to availability.

The self-service laundry and and ironing facilities are also located on the 4th floor.

After the tour, I bought McNuggets’ meal at Cineleisure, which was about a 10-minute walk away, and enjoyed a quiet lunch in the comfort of the hotel room.

Watched a couple of movies while resting on the couch before meeting misterchewy, misstamchiak and her fiancé for dinner. There will be a separate post for this!

Featuring our OOTD! Hehehe.

Breakfast ends at around 10am each day and we made sure that we got there by 9.30am.

Scrambled eggs

Chicken sausages

Fried beehoon

Prawn dumplings

Besides the usual coffee and tea, you can also have hot chocolate. Kids will definitely love this.

This is the Grab & Go breakfast option which consists of a cup of hot beverage, muffin and fruit. Busy guests don’t have an excuse for skipping breakfast. Very thoughtful of the hotel!

Packed our stuff and spent a relaxing moment in the room before checking out at 12pm.

The new Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is the smart choice for savvy travellers who are looking for the best location combined with the best value. The Smart Stay experience offers value-conscious guests everything they need and nothing they don’t. We personally felt that everything that was provided during our stay was adequate and we were very satisfied!

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road
20 Bideford Road
Singapore 229921
Tel: +65 6690 3199

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay Staycation Blog Review

Posted on August 7, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

Happy long weekend chewys! I’m back with a new blog entry! If you have read our previous post, you should have anticipated today’s hotel staycation review ya 🙂 The husband and I enjoyed a one night stay at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay, a splendid 4 stars hotel situated in the heart of Singapore.

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay features over 400 rooms which had been recently upgraded, each with a magnificent and amazing view of the Marina Bay, Singapore River, and also the spectacular city skyline of Singapore. We had the luxury of staying in a Premier room on the 22nd floor which is extremely spacious, complete with a balcony which can be accessed upon request for the sliding doors to be unlocked.

One substantial enhancement of the hotel was the discontinuation of queen sized beds such that there were only king sized beds even in Novotel’s smallest rooms.

All rooms have been designed to Novotel’s latest standards offering state of the art amenities. I was busy taking photos while misterchewy entertained himself by browsing channels on the LCD televisions with easy media connectivity panel. Oh did I mention that there is complimentary high-speed WiFi too?

Nespresso coffee machine

Some of the snacks available but are chargeable. FYI, 7-Eleven is conveniently located just downstairs.

iPod docking station. It’s a pity that it’s not compatible with iPhone 5.

The bathroom is also quite spacious. I wish I had my wide angle lens with me 😛

I like the colors that Novotel picked for the packaging of the toiletries.

Photo taken and very heavily edited by misterchewy using his iPhone 5. Hahaha. But the photo sure doesn’t lie that it was a hot and sunny day! Perrrrfect for a swim!

Totally got this resort or holiday feel right? *Sigh*

It was nice having a staycation at Clarke Quay for a change! So many pubs and clubs in the area and you don’t have to worry that much about getting drunk because all you need to do is stagger a little to get back to Novotel. Hahaha.

The night view from our hotel room is also very nice!

We got to enjoy the MBS laser show as well. We could have watched the NDP preview fireworks display too but the husband had already made reservations for dinner. Boohoo.

Premier room guests get to enjoy Premier Floor benefits all day, such as having access to the newly-upgraded Premier Lounge, complimentary American breakfast, WiFi, express check-in / check-out and complimentary use of the boardroom for those all- important business meetings and cocktail hours complete with free flow drinks and canapes every evening. Premier guests have the option of having breakfast at this Premier Lounge or The SQUARE on level 7, or maybe both if you have the stomach for it.

I admit that I was lazy to get out of bed and told misterchewy to eat breakfast on his own 😛 He chose to have breakfast at the Premier Lounge. We had been to The SQUARE for a brunch tasting last year and the husband concluded that the variety was much wider there even though the Premier Lounge was more exclusive.

My simple breakfast from 7-Eleven and The Sunday Times from the hotel! Breakfast in bed for me 😛

It was a great way for us to spend our dating anniversary at Novotel. Stay tuned to our next post as we will be showing you how we did our miniature food clay art as a couple! 🙂 Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay
177A River Valley Road
Singapore 179031
Tel: +65 63383333
Email: H5993@accor.com

Celebrating My Birthday & Our 3rd Year Dating Anniversary

Posted on July 31, 2013 by missuschewy

YOOHOO CHEWYS! It’s my birthday today! Please don’t ask me how old I am, just wish me happy birthday can liao! Hahaha. This post is a short summary of how we celebrated my birthday and our 3rd year dating anniversary over the weekend. Just nice our dating anniversary is on 26 July and my birthday is on 31 July, so it’s a tradition for us to celebrate these two special occasions together every year. Likewise for misterchewy’s birthday and our wedding anniversary, which both fall on 9 September 🙂

I wanted the weekend to be a special one, and made sure that we indulged in some activity that we had not done together before. So, watching movie, karaoke, kite flying, etc were all ruled out. The husband wanted to sign us up for a cooking class with AFC Studio but he was informed that the studio was under renovation. To save misterchewy from the planning, I suggested attending a miniature food clay art lesson together! Actually, I was inspired by my good friend misstamchiak. She is able to make so many types of food clay that look so nice and impressive! I’m glad misterchewy enjoyed the lesson as much as I did! I did the sushi while misterchewy did the ‘McDonald’s extra value meal’. LOL! Will blog about this soon! 😉

After the clay making lesson, we checked into Novotel Clarke Quay Hotel. Breathtaking view from the balcony of our room!

Our premier room was very comfortable but the air conditioning was too cold despite our countless attempts to bring up the temperature. Our next blog post will most likely be a staycation review!

Usually, I would have found out about whatever surprise dinner plans that the husband had for me in the past but this time, I decided not to probe him at all. When we finally stood outside OTTO Ristorante, misterchewy seemed very pleased with the shocked/surprised expression on my face. Keep a lookout for the review!

And lastly, misterchewy spent more than $1.5K on this ultra sexy Fujifilm X100S as a birthday and anniversary present for me. Knowing that I had recently been considering getting a compact camera because lugging a DSLR with macro lens, wide angle lens and external flash (on my own if he cannot accompany me to tastings or events) is no joke, he parted with his money readily and got me the best compact camera (with his budget) after consulting some of his friends. The amount might not be huge to some, but to me, it is a lot of money given that we are a newly married couple and we are trying our best to save as much as we can for our future home. The husband says that it’s ok, money can always be earned back. Yes it’s true but I hope he doesn’t have this mentality all the time! All photos in this post except for the above and the panorama shot of Clarke Quay were taken with the Fujifilm X100S. Will there be a tech review for this baby? Maybe yes, maybe no. We shall see 😉

I really had a marvellous birthday and dating anniversary celebration and all I wanna say is a big thank you to my husband from the bottom of my heart 🙂

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy

missuschewy

Singapore Lifestyle and Travel Blog

Tag Archives: singapore staycation blog

Naumi Liora Hotel Singapore Staycation Review

Valentine’s Day Staycation @ Oasia Hotel or The Quincy Hotel

Rendezvous Hotel Singapore Staycation Review

Capri by Fraser Changi City Singapore Staycation Review

The Plot Hostels Singapore Staycation Review

Village Hotel Katong Singapore Staycation Review

Ritz Carlton Singapore Staycation Blog Review

Celebrating My Birthday & Our 3rd Year Dating Anniversary

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