Everyone in Singapore knows that Sentosa is the place to be when it comes to a weekend getaway.
With attractions, yacht clubs and beaches aplenty, it’s no surprise that the holiday island has become a destination that summer-loving residents have a soft spot for. While the island is studded with plenty of hideaways for every type of guest, those interested in wellness activities should pay attention to a brand new (well, sort of) hotel on the island that would make for a great staycation spot: Oasia Resort Sentosa.
In case you’re wondering why the address sounds familiar, here’s a quick recap. Far East Hospitality took over the former Le Meridian property which closed last year and turned it into a wellness-focused, 191-room bolthole in the Group’s property enclave (which includes Barracks Hotel, Village Hotel and The Outpost Hotel) in Sentosa.
“Every effort was taken to ensure that Oasia Resort Sentosa and Oasia Spa elevate the wellness experience to provide a memorable staycation. From the curated programmes to amenities, every offering in the resort and spa is designed to imprint on guests the importance of self-care. We look forward to taking guests through an all-encompassing wellness experience that will leave them rejuvenated and refreshed,” comments Mr Arthur Kiong, Chief Executive Officer of Far East Hospitality Management.
Ahead of your stay, guests will be asked to choose from a selection of wellness itineraries: Recharge, Refuel and Refresh. Each are designed by health experts from the resort to achieve fitness improvement, nutrition and mindfulness respectively. Regardless of whichever you choose, this idea of a holistic wellness programme found itself in just about every aspect of our stay. Read on for the full review.
Recharge
Upon arrival, guests are ushered into a lobby that had wafts of orange peel, lemongrass, pepper, ginger and hinoki in the air, accompanied by a calming playlist that signaled the start of a weekend of relaxation. The welcome drink of choice is the hotel’s signature Recharge Tea, a sparkling blend of organic South African rooibos, Thai lemongrass, galangal ginger and French lavender. Similar to other Far East Hospitality establishments, the infusions in Oasia Resort Sentosa have been crafted by local award-winning tea company, Pryce Tea.
Recharging the senses with smells and tea isn’t the only way the hotel is interpreting the verb. Here, a suite of complimentary fitness activities await guests of varied athleticism. If you’re an early riser looking for a slow, controlled practice, then perhaps a 7am Qi Gong session might be up your alley. For those who can’t drag themselves out of bed like us, yoga, Zumba, Aqua Zumba and UFit fitness sessions are available as well.
Gym-goers won’t have to skip their routine either, as there is a cosy 24-hour one just down the hallway from the lobby. Do take note that bookings are recommended (same goes for pool usage) and only a maximum of five guests are allowed at any given time. Need maximum social distancing? Don’t fret. Simply call up the front desk to rent a Lululemon mat or two, and switch on your television in the room for guided yoga and meditation sessions, or hit up a Les Mills® Body Balance or Les Mills® Core exercise video.
Refuel
Beyond the guest rooms, food is definitely one of the major draws for anyone looking to enjoy their weekend away stress-free. After all, the usual selection of stale bread and butter with jam in plastic tubs doesn’t exactly scream wellness.
Oasia Resort Sentosa is home to its very own in-house restaurant, Bedrock Origin, the sister outlet to the wildly popular Bedrock Bar & Grill in Somerset. Here, breakfast consists of a choice between three categories: continental, local comforts or western, and each of the sumptuous sets are more than enough to sate the appetite of a light eater through lunch and breakfast. The trio of dishes found within the local comforts menu for instance, even comes with an additional serving of buttered bread sticks and soft boiled eggs.
If we have to pick a favourite, it’d have to be the Barramundi Mixed Oat Congee. The comforting option saw a claypot of beautifully slow-simmered, low-GI whole grain oats that was mixed with sustainably and locally-farmed Kühlbarra Barramundi belly, and made for a wonderful start to the day.
Kingfish Sashimi Spicy Brussels Sprouts Turbot on the Bone
Like the grill-focused dishes at the original outlet, the Sentosa outpost also offers a large variety of Applewood-fired favourites like the Mac & Cheese. One notable difference? Bedrock Origin has also taken the liberty to spotlight a variety of seafood dishes like the Kingfish Sashimi and the delightfully creamy Turbot on the Bone as an ode to its island location. It doesn’t neglect the wellness intentions of Oasia Resort either; plant-based and gluten-free options are available to cater to any dietary requirement.
Refresh
Body scrub and balm making sessions are part of the hotel’s well-being workshops Tea appreciation session held by Pryce Tea
The timetable of rejuvenating activities doesn’t stop there. You can also pop-by during the hotel’s Wellness Hours at the Wellness Lounge for some hands-on body scrub and balm making sessions. Besides instructions on how to craft your personalised tubs of these handmade salves, Spa Director Sabrina also gave us tips on how best to use them, and how to continue making them at home after to continue the wellness experience, even after check-out.
We’re a sucker for spending most — if not all — of our time at any hotel. Sure, Imbiah Station may be right across the hotel entrance, but we’re here to rest and relax. In case you’re wondering what else there is to do, we recommend heading to the property’s educational and wholesome workshops. These complimentary classes span from Managing Food Waste by UglyFood, Farm to Table by Grobrix, and Food Myths, Nutrition, & Herbalism by Asmara.
The Oasia Spa is located within first floor of the hotel Out of the seven treatment rooms, one room has been accommodated for a couples room.
No wellness getaway can ever be complete without a trip to the spa. Here, we opted for the Bamboo Detox Massage that incorporated the use of Kotoshina products for the ultimate zen experience. We were agonisingly aware of existing sore spots, but the skilled masseuse here managed coax any piled up tension out of our bodies.
Rather than just ending the session right after the treatment, it was really useful that the therapists at Oasia Sentosa resort gave us feedback on how we could best alleviate these muscle aches in the future.
If you haven’t already booked a facial here, we also recommend the cryotherapy facial add-on after your massage. The first of its kind by a hotel spa in Singapore, this short treatment sees an intense blast of cold-air from a blue LED mask on your face that not only tightens out pores, but will also leave you with a natural glow. If only we could carry this mask everywhere, right?
The bedroom of the Junior Suite can be accessed via the Bathroom or the Living area, and it includes a desk and a television on the opposite end of the bed The dimly lit living area of the Junior Suite complete with a minibar that’s stocked with bottled still and sparkling water as well as a selection of healthy snacks and drinks. Jump into the rain-shower for a post-pool rinse, or relax in the free-standing bathtub (selected rooms only).
Yet, while the wellness-focused locale takes pride in a slew of wholesome programmes to keep us distracted from the real world, there were a few details we did find ourselves noticing. Little had been done to differentiate the rooms from its previous iteration as Le Meridian, and a number of tech updates like USB chargers on both sides of the bed (there was only one power outlet on one side of the bedside table) could have made a world of difference for those with one too many gadgets (read: every Millennial).
While this might be a discontent that stems from a comparison to its neighbouring Far East Hospitality establishment, The Outpost, we thought touches like an optional Pillow Menu or a bottle of pillow mist for turndown service will still do plenty to ensure that busy city dwellers get the wellness escape they deserve, especially with since this is the very theme that Oasia Resort Sentosa is championing. After all, what better time to ditch those gadgets than during your stay here?
Oasia Resort Sentosa is located at 23 Beach View Palawan Ridge, Sentosa Island, 098679.
Jocelyn Tan
Senior Writer
Jocelyn Tan is a travel, food and design writer who loves to explore lesser-known cities abroad and chat with locals about their favourite eats in town. When she's not writing, she's probably indulging in serial killer podcasts or reading one too many books on East Asian history.
Most Popular
