Media Review
When it comes to staycations, there are the usual suspects in the city or attraction-centric areas and there are the hotels that are located in a tranquil and far-flung sanctuary in the far eastern tip of Singapore.
Welcome to the world of Changi Village where famous Nasi Lemak aside, time seems to stand still in this sleepy part of the island. Located just 10 minutes away from Changi International Airport, everything about Village Hotel Changi makes perfect sense if you are looking for a serene staycation with the family away from the crowd.
The last time I stayed in this hotel, it was still known as Le Meridien Changi Village Hotel... and I was still a young boy, unmarried and definitely had no kids. Fast forward nearly two decades later, I am back in the same hotel with refurbished rooms to check out... and with three noisy monkies in tow.
Oh, and my parents too. Since Village Hotel Changi was kind enough to provide us with two adjoining rooms, it was the perfect opportunity to have my parents tag along for a short one-night staycation.
The rooms are pretty much what you expect from a hotel room - nothing too fanciful but comfortable, bright, and spacious enough for the family.
If you are staying with the family, I recommend going for the hotel's 'PLAY & STAY' package (from S$170 for a Superior Room) which some with a few family-friendly free activities. Like fish feeding at the koi pond located on the 6th floor of the hotel.
The 'STAY & PLAY' package provides complimentary koi feed for guests, which Ale wasted no time in wanting to fatten up the kois!
Not to worry if you wish to burn more calories - the package also includes a complimentary two-hour bicycle ride OR 2 games of bowling at the opposite Civil Service Club at Changi.
Since my parents were with us, we chose the air-conditioned option.
As with every staycation, the monkies look forward to swimming in the hotel pools. Fortunately for them, Village Hotel Changi offers 2 options with one being on ground floor and a see-through one at that!
Definitely a novel one but it is located right in front of the hotel's Saltwater Cafe, in full view of of dining guests. Hmmm, not sure it would work wonders for their appetite seeing a half-naked pot-bellied man swimming in front of them.
So I decided to bring the monkies up to the 8th floor instead, where an infinity pool awaited.
Even though 8 floors is not considered relatively high but given there is no other taller buildings in the vicinity, we could get a nice sea view overlooking neighbouring islands like Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. Oh, and the occasional plane spotting too since it is near Changi Airport.
In addition to having a jacuzzi, there is a also a children’s wading pool at one end of the infinity pool.
I suppose the great thing about staying at Village Hotel Changi is it is near to a bunch of activities that families would not have typically tried since Changi Village is not exactly the most accessible and central location for everybody.
Besides the more obvious reasons of changi Village Hawker Centre and hipster cafes, Changi Village is the perfect springboard to nature experiences. The nearby Changi Point Ferry Terminal is where families can catch a 15-minute bumboat ride to Pulau Ubin, home to Chek Jawa, one of Singapore’s last remaining natural wetland areas.
If you prefer to stay on the mainland, Changi Boardwalk is of walking distance and links up Changi Beach and Changi Point. Whether cycling or strolling, the Boardwalk is easy enough for kids... and more importantly, less crowded than East Coast Park!
One minor incident marred our stay though - one of our rooms reeked slightly of cigarette smoke when we first opened the door. Our rooms were of a non-smoking nature so the smell was definitely off-putting. I called Housekeeping, who promptly sent someone to spray the room with air freshener but the cigarette smell came back and lingered for the rest of our stay. It was not entirely overbearing though but it was something I felt that the hotel's Housekeeping could have tried to rectify BEFORE releasing the room to new guests.
Overall, it was still a somewhat pleasant stay - the infinity pool and bowling games helped! - and for the monkies, the perfect opportunity to bond more with their grandparents.
Village Hotel Changi's PLAY & STAY Package
Superior Room - S$170 | Deluxe Room - S$190 | Club Room - S$220
*Rates are exclusive of 10% Service Charge & 7% GST
*Includes:
One-night accommodation
Complimentary buffet breakfast for two at Saltwater Café
Complimentary two-hour bicycle ride OR 2 games of bowling per stay
Complimentary koi feeding (first-come first-served basis, please enquire at front desk)
Complimentary Changi Village cycling reference guide
Complimentary Hop-on Hop-off City Tour worth $39.80 for two
More Details HERE
Useful Information
Village Hotel Changi
1 Netheravon Road Singapore 508502
Website: www.stayfareast.com/en/hotels/village-hotel-changi.aspx
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