Singapore is not short of luxury hotels and we've been blessed to have stayed in a few but what makes a stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Millennia Singapore truly one of the most memorable? In our home, I’m usually the 'crafty' one. No, I don’t do handicrafts but I do like to spring the occasional surprises for the wife and family. Recently, it seems that my wife and daughter have inherited my ‘craftiness’ – they planned and executed a surprise staycation for my birthday successfully. Both were … [Read more...]
The Pan Pacific Hotel – The luxury of space for a relaxing staycation
We all know that space is a premium in this tiny island of Singapore. That's why Singaporeans are one of the world's most well-travelled lot. We we go on holidays to look for places with space to breathe, unwind and be liberated from the daily cares that suffocate us. Be it beach hopping, shopping, reading a book, enjoying a walk or just lazing around in the hotel…Space is a luxury that we seek when on holiday. Actually, long before the term ‘staycation’ was coined, one of the … [Read more...]
The InterContinental Singapore – Capital ‘H’ for Hospitality
We had a foretaste of the level of hospitality we were going to have at this hotel months before we even stepped in. You see, we had initially booked for a V-day staycation but were forced to postpone the booking due to family bereavement. We wrote to the hotel. The very same day, the PR & Marketing Director herself wrote back, assuring us that we would be welcomed any time but not before penning a personal note to tell us that she share our loss as she too had also lost her … [Read more...]
Shangri-la’s Rasa Sentosa Resort – where family fun meets luxury.
There it was, right before my eyes, sitting inside a tall chiller – rows of quality baby food and organic drinks from Heinz and Gerber that cater for babies and kids from a few months old to a few years old. I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen a hotel restaurant (or any restaurant for that matter) serving a buffet spread of baby food - free. There at the baby’s corner are sterilizers and milk warmers complete with baby diapers for use. Free. In fact, right in the middle … [Read more...]
Club Med Bali – Never a Dull Moment
In all our travels, we have never had a vacation that kept us talking months after we've returned. In 2012, when we had our first Club Med experience, the sight of the Resort’s Chief of Village, Mr. Michael Clarke and his team waving us farewell as the facade of Club Med Bintan faded into the Bintan Island shrubbery is something I will always remember. So, when we were invited to experience Club Med again last month, this time on an island we love and know so well (Bali), we instantly put … [Read more...]
A letter to the GOs of Club Med Bali Kids’ Club
(‘GO’ stands for ‘Gentil Organisateur’. They are the ambassadors of Club Med. Led by the Resort Village Chief (‘Chief de Village’), they are the international staff who would personally attend to the needs of the Guests, run activities while still being able to jive, act, play sports and do amazing acrobatic skills each and every day. They are the essence and pillars of Club Med. Dear GOs, My apologies. This letter is long overdue. 2 years to be exact since our very first Club Med … [Read more...]
Golden Sands Resort, Penang – The Grand Dame of Luxury Family Hotel True and True
Stepping into the lobby of the Golden Sands Resort Penang recently was a surreal experience for me. Growing up in Penang, THIS was the hotel where my parents would house our closest family friends visiting from afar. THIS was also the hotel which my parents would sometimes check us in for our very own well-deserved, once-in-a-blue-moon family getaway. Not surprisingly therefore, I have very fond memories of the hotel – the large, comfy rooms, the beautifully landscaped pool and the sandy … [Read more...]
Scariest Moments…from our Travels
It’s Halloween. While we don’t celebrate Halloween, I thought it’d be ‘in season’ to share three of the scariest moments which happened to us during our trips. While there are always some sense of adventure and apprehension associated with travel (especially with child in tow no less) our experiences are not the supernatural type, but rather scarily real. For most, there are some important travel lessons to learn from them. In order of the ‘least’ scary of the three: No. 3. The … [Read more...]
Banana returns to…Taiwan: First Stop, Leofoo Resort (Guanshi, Taiwan)
Smitten by my first trip to Taiwan in June 2012 (and also losing my gamble to the wife), I’ve been pestering her (yes she handles all our trip itineraries and bookings) to plan a trip back to ‘Formosa’ – the Portugese name for Taiwan, which means ‘Beautiful Island’ – a name that doesn’t even do justice to the region and her people. Our maxim when we travel is the ‘3Es’ – Experience, Exposure and Education. We travel so that we open the pages of what our world has to offer in terms of culture, … [Read more...]
Village Hotel Katong – Modern Chic with Old World Charm
Mention 'Katong' and it would immediately conjure up images of Peranakans (Straits Chinese), their cuisine, their rich heritage and intricate patterns of geometric shapes, birds, plants and flowers. On the surface, we see vintage shop houses that line the East Coast Roads of Singapore. On a more personal level, we experience the warm and 'homey' hospitality THAT is exactly what you'd experience right here in the heart of downtown Katong. Opened since mid October 2013 on the site formerly … [Read more...]
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