Time Out Weekend Staycation at Shangri-la Singapore

Shangri-la Singapore has recently unveiled a tempting staycation package that’s bound to make guests think twice about leaving the comforts of the hotel during their stay. Aptly called the “Time Out Weekend Staycation,” this package for two for a stay at the Garden Wing comes full of extras to differentiate it from the typical staycation. During a recent weekend, I managed to check out firsthand exactly what makes this package special.

shangri-la singapore garden wing

As with my previous stay at Shangri-la Singapore’s Garden Wing, I checked in via dedicated counters located near the entrance to the resort-like building. At the time of my check-in there was just one person manning the desk. As soon as I was seen queuing, a second person came by to check me in so I did not have to wait long.

Garden Wing Deluxe Room

my bedroom

The Deluxe Room at the Garden Wing is more than comfortable at 49 square meters. It comes with a distinct resort-like theme that separates it from the hotel’s other wings so expect plenty of leaf prints, warm colors and heavy usage of wood. The room has a smart rectangular layout with enough space for a couch and an armchair in its sitting area. I loved the balcony which opens up to the pool and has a sitting area of its own. In keeping with this wing’s garden theme, my room did not have a proper work desk – the hotel has those in the two other wings. But if you really must get some work done, there’s a round table cleverly placed beside power outlets and ethernet ports where you can plug your laptops.

What I particularly love about Shangri-la hotels in general is the Asian brand of hospitality that has become synonymous to the group. For this property in particular, this was manifested by a teapot served to my room mere minutes after I checked in. A box of sweets and a fruit basket also greeted me when I first entered my room. Little touches like these served to enhance the experience and gave me the feeling that I was being looked after.

The bathroom was a spacious affair, with his and hers sinks and plush towels of all sizes. There’s a tub set beside a window with wooden blinds which could be opened to get a glimpse of the bed. There’s also a separate shower area with rain showers. Toiletries were of the in-house brand.

Afternoon Tea at Lobby Court

With its high ceiling and expansive views of the hotel gardens, the Lobby Court has for a few decades been one of Singapore’s most popular places for high tea. During weekdays, the spacious lounge sees plenty of businessmen talking trade while during weekends, one would normally see friends and tai tais catching up over the property’s iconic three-tiers of sandwiches, scones and cakes.

high tea

Part of the weekend staycation package is afternoon tea for two at this majestic venue. I was literally spoiled for choice with at least eighteen types of teas to choose from. I eventually decided to have Sencha with peppermint and cinnamon. Just a word of warning, the afternoon high tea is quite filling so unless you intend to skip dinner, I suggest scheduling it at an earlier time. I counted no less than six types of cakes, three types of finger sandwiches and of course, scones gracing the handsome three tier stand in front of me. The afternoon high tea is available from as early as 3pm so it may be wise to schedule it at this time if you still intend to have dinner later.

Bellini Hour Inside My Room

Probably the most unique aspect of the staycation is the Bellini Hour where a mixologist came to my room in order to prepare two glasses of Bellinis using Prosecco and various fruit flavors. While I have never been one to doubt on Shangri-la’s food and beverage capabilities, the personalized mixologist really took the meaning of in-room dining (or in this case, drinking) to a whole new level!

There was an air of exclusivity about the whole process as it did not merely involve having a staff hand over the drinks to me. With a cart in tow, the mixologist opened a huge bottle of prosecco and asked me for my preferred flavor. I went with peach in order to stay true to the Bellini as possible. After some shaking and stirring, my drink came out with a pinkish hue, due in part to what I suspect was the addition of cranberry to finish it off.

Breakfast at The Waterfall

Any guest of the Garden Wing who book their stays with breakfast can have it either at The Line or at The Waterfall. While The Line has perhaps the most extensive breakfast buffet I’ve seen anywhere, I personally recommend having breakfast at the latter. What makes The Waterfall more special in my opinion is the made-to-order menu. It’s also quieter and has a far nicer ambiance compared to The Line which can get pretty busy during weekends.

I chose to have Eggs Benedict for my morning meal at The Waterfall. For those feeling extra peckish, there is also a small buffet inside the restaurant featuring a well-curated array of pastries as well as some hot items.

can’t get enough of this amazing property

Movie Marathon Menu

For those looking to just stay in, the property offers an extensive movie menu for guests. While I have already watched most of the recent blockbusters, I called in for the movie menu one evening just to see what was on offer. The list was pretty extensive, with dozens of titles to choose from. For the family-oriented, I spotted a couple of cartoons as well such as Looney Tunes in their catalog.

Verdict

To assess the package from an economic standpoint, I compared its price with the individual prices of the various inclusions. This package costs approximately SGD 100++ more compared to a Garden Wing Deluxe Room on a standalone basis. On the other hand, if you were to purchase the inclusions separately, they would cost the following:

Breakfast for 2 at The Waterfall — 2 x SGD 39 = SGD 78++
Afternoon Tea for 2 at Lobby Court — 2 x SGD 36 = SGD 72++
Bellini for 2 (without in-room service) at Lobby Court — 2 x SGD 30 = SGD 60++

Total : SGD 210++

In short, the package makes sense as it costs only SGD 100++ more than a standalone Garden Wing Deluxe Room but the value you’re getting is more than double.

Numbers aside, I found the package to be well thought out in the sense that it combines various elements that people look out for anyway when they go for staycations. Guests won’t have to worry about where to have breakfast nor do they have to head out for a nightcap as these are already embedded into the stay experience. For a dip in the pool, there’s also the option to just relax on a larger-than-life inflatable swan! There’s an added sense of convenience into it all, other than the exclusivity factor brought about by the personalized service. This is all on top of the excellent quality of rooms and facilities that the brand is already known for.

The Time Out Weekend Staycation Package is available from now until 30th December 2016. Blackout dates apply. To book this package at the best possible rates, you may proceed to their website directly here.

Here is a comprehensive list of privileges included with the Time Out Weekend Staycation. Do note that the last four are standard inclusions that any guest of the hotel can avail themselves of.

• Complimentary breakfast for two
• In-room movie marathon menu
• Bellini Hour with a bottle of Prosecco and mixers
• Three-tier English afternoon tea experience at Lobby Court for two
• Usage of gold or white inflatable swan floats at the pool
• Complimentary Wi-Fi and broadband Internet access throughout the hotel
• Complimentary scheduled shuttle bus service to Orchard Road
• Complimentary parking
• Complimentary use of the swimming pool and Health Club facilities