It took my husband and I a long while to succumb to the idea of a staycation in Singapore. It just didn't feel worth the money to stay at an expensive hotel for a couple nights, knowing that your own bed is probably not more than 10km away. It felt frivolous and wasteful. And what's more, we highly doubted it would truly feel like a getaway. Well, I'm writing this blogpost to tell you that we were wrong on all counts. 

Who the staycation will be beneficial for: 

1. Those who want to break away from the routine: You have to think from the perspective that a staycation offers you a change of scene (of course it's not the same as a true holiday!). Having seen only the four walls of your house for the greater part of the year, you WILL appreciate getting out and breaking from the usual routine. 

2. You get to be a tourist in your own city and have an immersive experience in a different part of town. We discovered lots of new things about the area we stayed at (Sentosa).

3. Families with young children will have a great time without the hassle of airport travel and lugging bags while getting as close to a "holiday experience" as possible with the hotel stay. 

4. If your child is old enough and if you feel comfortable leaving them with your nanny/helper back at home, you and your spouse can get some kid-free, well-needed time off. 

(Who the staycation may not be ideal for: Those with young babies for whom you probably need consistency with sleep schedules and routines. A staycation can mess with that and in the end, you might end up finding it more tiring than relaxing.)

Now that I have sufficiently convinced you that a staycation is worth it, here are a few things to know about booking your staycation in Sentosa and what to do there.

Hotel Bookings:

Don't book without looking for a deal! And if it means calling up the hotel to ask if they have any special promotions going on, do it. I have done two staycations at The Sofitel at Sentosa in the past 2 months and on both occasions, we got a good deal which included all meals covered plus a discount on the hotel room price. Check out the hotel websites as well as the following links for promos: SassyMama ; RWS Sentosa ; Klook .

I can only comment on The Sofitel Hotel experience - the food was delicous and the hotel has very relaxing, vacation vibes. Both times I have really enjoyed my stay there. Service can be a bit spotty at time, so if you can overlook it, it's a great choice of hotel. Also, they took all the necessary precautions for Covid-19. Hotel guests have to book slots for pool access (2 hour slots available throughout the day) as well as for dining. This is to maintain a certain person limit in the public areas. Also, if you didn't wear a mask while roaming about, the hotel staff was conscientous in reminding you to put it on (they also provided disposable masks upon request). 

As for length of stay, we did 3 days/2 nights. For the first 2 days/1 night, the kids were with us. For the remainder, my husband and I sent the kids back home with our nanny so that we got some time to chill without kids as well. It was the perfect balance! I also recommend doing a staycation for at least 2 days because it takes a day to get into the "staycation" mode and unwind. 

Sofitel Hotel surrounded by peacocks

Beach access: 

If you book at The Capella or The Sofitel hotels, you will be located within walking distance of Tanjong Beach. This is great because you can step out of your hotel and have access to the beach and sand for the kids to play. (Agreed that the beaches aren't anything to write home about but the kids don't know any better at this age, right?!)

Transport: 

If your bags for the overnight stays aren't too cumbersome, consider taking the cable car ride from Mount Faber into Sentosa Island. It's a different way to enter Sentosa and something that would be exciting for the kids. 

Within Sentosa, take advantage of the free tram rides which take you along the length of Sentosa beaches (Tanjong, Siloso, and Palwan beach). Fun for the kids, easy on the wallet! Hotels along the beaches will have easy access to these trams which run all day long.  

Biking:

Ask your hotel about free bike rentals to go around Sentosa. It's a great way to explore the area and we came across such different parts of the island - from lush trails with toucan bird-spotting to areas which looked like Beverly Hills with palm trees and perfectly manicured lawns. The bike rides are easier to do without the kids though (due to the slightly hilly terrain).

Kid-friendly activities:

• Sky Ride and Luge: Super fun! There is a minimum height requirement of 110 cm, and the younger ones can ride accompanied with an adult. Note that tickets bought online are cheaper than those bought in person
• Nestopia is a huge outdoor and shaded playground suitable for kids ages 2 and up. It's located along Siloso Beach.
• Trick Eye Museum
• S.E.A. Aquarium
• Headrock VR is an indoor theme park where you can escape to worlds through virtual reality. Open to kids over height 110 cm
• Segway tours

Having fun at the TrickEye Museum in Sentosa

Restaurants: 

While our meals at the hotel were covered, we did step out for some meals just to get out of the hotel. Here are a few places I would recommend: 

• Rumors Beach Club - Accessible by the free tram ride or cab ride from Sofitel. One of the better beach clubs because of the size of the pool and kid-friendly factor. The place is known for its satay but the pizza and pasta are good too! I really liked the chill vibes here - get the cabanas if you can!
• Panamericana - Within walking distance of The Sofitel, this restaurant is located within the Sentosa Golf Course and has an amazing panoramic view of the sea. 
• Coastes - Chill restaurant by the beach and located just next to The Luge. The place has a variety of food options which are good
• Sentosa Cove - you probably have already been here before but lots of good restaurant options. Actually, this was a great morning spot to come to for coffee after a good, active bike ride

Hanging out at Rumours Beach Club

At Coastes restaurant along Siloso Beach