Singapore is so well connected that most beach resorts in the region are within a 2-hour flight radius.  Hence, it’s rare for me to be keen for a staycation in Singapore.  If I am, there are only a couple of hotels that I’m willing to spend my time in.

Capella Singapore is one of the only three hotels in Singapore that has earned  the 5-star accolade in the Forbes Travel Guide 2013.  This unassuming beauty, which occupies an old colonial army barrack in Sentosa Island, exudes an air of understated luxury. Unlike the other luxury hotels that try to wow you with opulence and ostentatious fittings, this property takes a more subtle approach. Attention is paid to every single detail to ensure that the guest’s five senses are intrigued and satisfied.  Hence, it is no surprise that the hotel is given the said Forbes accolade.

Check-in

The check-in was fast and swift, yet personable. Since this is not my first time with the hotel, I was promptly given my preferred Premium room.

Room

Like the hotel, the rooms are designed with a contemporary style which do not undermine the hotel’s aim to provide luxurious offerings to its guests.  I particularly enjoy the clean and simple interior design.  Before you dismiss Capella, look deeper and you will discover the luxury lies in the Pratesi bed linens and towels, the Gryphon tea and Nespresso gourmet coffee in the room.

The Library

The Library is a lounge above the main reception area where guests can have complimentary beverages and snacks throughout the day.  Manned by a hotel staff, the Library is a nice place to have some peace to read a book or two.  They also serve simple pastries in the morning.

Restaurants – The Knolls and Cassia

Out of the two restaurants, I still prefer Cassia over The Knolls. I’ve reviewed the Cassia (Addicted to Cassia at Capella Singapore) in one of my earlier postings. It’s an excellent modern Chinese restaurant and you should try at least once when you are at the hotel.

Unfortunately, The Knolls pales in comparison to Cassia. The breakfast is served at The Knolls. I was not overwhelmed by the standard breakfast fare. The consolation is the restaurant has a more laid back atmosphere, and it’s a great place to enjoy afternoon tea. The restaurant serves a more international cuisine throughout the day. I believe that the restaurant could be better if it’s upped by a couple of notches.

The gym and pool

The gym is well equipped and reasonably sized for a property of this size.  There are three pools in this hotel but the main pool nearer to The Knolls restaurant is probably most popular.  But there are two other pools which are within walking distance from the main pool. They are more private, and one of them is a lap pool.

Auriga Spa

Tucked away in a corner on the ground floor of the hotel, the Auriga Spa is probably the best spa in Sentosa island.  This exclusive and gorgeous spa has separate facilities such as vitality pool, herbal steam room and sauna for its male and female guests.  Its treatment suites are nicely decorated.  If you have the time, I recommend that you try the treatments at Auriga.

If I were to nit pick, then I wished the housekeeping was a bit more observant. There were two overnight bags in the room, but Housekeeping assumed that there was only one guest and had prepared one bed only for the turn down service.  But the overall experience at Capella was great and I’m not overly bothered with it.

Without a doubt, I will definitely come back to Capella and recommend my friends to stay at this exquisite resort.

Capella Singapore
1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098297
www.capellahotels.com/singapore