Staycations. We have had our fair share of it while not being able to travel overseas due to the pandemic. Lucky us.
With the SingaporeRediscovers Vouchers (SRV) that our government has showered upon citizens (how fortunate are we), now's the best time as any, to finally drop into that dream hotel you have always been wishing to check-in to.
With the slow recovery and re-opening of Phase 3 since 28 December 2020, Singaporeans are encouraged to turn their spending to local leisure facilities. With staycations in hotels being a popular alternative to curb that travel thirst, local style.
No doubt we were apprehensive initially, as many hotels were also Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) dedicated facilities during the initial phases and there were the concerns of safety and breathing in those same air particles from the central air vent system and whatnot.
but after several measures came up such as SG Clean certifications and the enhanced health and safety assurance from the hotels, we were eventually pretty assured of the stringent safety measures the hotels and the government have in place were sufficient and reassuring.
Mandarin Oriental (MO) was our very first staycation in a span of what is to follow. Will be linking up more reviews on the hotels we have been to soon.
For an early anniversary celebration, we got the Marina Bay View King Room and planted a surprised for bae, knowing his love for such a view and to wake up by the bae (pun intended). The large floor-to-ceiling windows span out a panoramic view of the bay and the city.
Such a room, going by the rates on their website now, would have cost about S$490 with breakfast on a weekday and let's just said I bought the room package at a very attractive price during the reopening phase just after the Circuit Breaker, with added perks like late checkout at 6pm, rather than 12 noon, 25% off spending in their F&B outlets, the usual buffet breakfast and a three-course dinner set for two.
Of course, now that we have the SRV, you can search for package deals on authorized platforms such as Klook or Trip.com, Traveloka etc. A search on Klook returns packages bundled with photoshoots sessions! How interesting.
Without further ado, here's a room tour!
Look at this gorgeous bay view. I was literally blown away.
Bright clear skies framing the bay, an iconic sight of Singapore. Isn't this just so lovely.
The floor-to-ceiling windows made for an unobstructed view and good photo opportunity.
The lovely folks at MO have also done up the room nicely upon special guests' requests. We had our pre-anniversary celebration and was welcomed with lovely balloons and a celebratory treat.
Can I say the personal note can make a whole lot of difference to the guests experience. I absolutely love the little touches.
Spanning 34SM, the room is huge and spacious with a work desk and your basic amenities. The large bath room was luxuriously done up with a walk-in shower and bathtub! Hurray! No pictures here, but we did a video room tour on my IG 'Staycations' highlights, So head -> there
Next Pool Time, which is a must for any staycays.
Putting on our lush Terry bathrobes to the pool~
Catch that Sunset Glow
Pool booking was also done through the reservations team via email, prior to arrival and we were entitled for a 2-hour slot before our dinner. Pool experience was awesome though more crowded than we expected, during that period. Guess everyone's excited to catch the setting sun too. Recommending you to book your pool time around 5pm so that you get the best of both day and night. The transient of the setting golden sun against the streaks of white clouds and the bluish sky was so pretty
MBS in frame too.
The night view merging with the surrounding was just dazzling and gorgeous
It was an action-packed afternoon after check-in, but when all's done, we moved on to admire our surroundings.
The architecture of the MO was quite a statement on it's own.
MO Bar is a very popular place to chill with drinks and a good view of the bay area. We did not head there as our room has an unobstructed view anyway.
Recommending you to bring your dates here if you want to impress. Or a chill out with your friends or clients would be appropriate as well.
Dinner was a 3-course Epicurean Cuisine also inside the Melt Cafe and was lovely and well executed with the pan-seared chicken and duck confit as mains. Of course, with excellent service crew.
Breakfast the next morning at Melt Cafe was dine-in buffet style, but served. That was the very first time we had experienced breakfast served, instead of self-servicing. Guests choose from a menu selection. The MO staff were great with their exemplary services and the orders were delivered fast, despite the many guests when we were there on a weekend.
Taste was not compromised and the selection was sufficient for a hearty good start. We noticed they were stringent with adhering to the breakfast hours from 7.30am to 10.00am so don't be complacent and oversleep, else you may not be granted entry.
Before I end this post, here's sharing some night views from the Marina Bay View King Room framing the beautiful Marina Bay area. How mesmerizing.
In all, we felt very happy with the services of the MO staff whom we encountered and felt very safe and assured with the cleanliness and hygiene of the hotel, though it was for just a one night stay.
Till next time.
For more details on an MO stay, head to their page