So I came across this amazing deal on Groupon that a night's stay at
Bay Hotel in their
DELUXE room(23-26 sqm) costs only S$158 - S$188 or something around beginning of January. And I thought....oh ya...Jan 20th(or 21st I was wondering. HAHA) is our pa-tor(dating) anniversary. It was a weekday, thus the price is S$158 only. I thought we can have a simple and inexpensive staycation to have a break from our hectic lifestyle. God knows what a busy and tantamount Dec and Jan we had..... I'm a thrifty part-time housewife and generally I dont really splurge. There are simply too many dates to celebrate if you'll reallyyyy into celebrations. However, I feel couples, despite 老夫老妻 liao, should still try to keep things fresh and interesting once in a while. =) And counting with my fingers....oh....it's like our 7th year since the day we pa-tor. Or so I thought....I think it's year 2007 when we started.
Actually it's most funny. I have a colleague hor, who is extremely good in memory and with dates. Virgo girl. No wonder. You know I'm so bad with dates lor, I do remember important dates
fairly well, for the month and day, but I have a problem remembering which year all the time. Even dearie dont remember very well too. And everytime when we were chatting among colleagues and the subject of how long have we been together, or how long since we ROM......often tossed us into a blur bout of confusion. But this cute colleague of mine, can always answer for us within
seconds.
There was once when we were asked WHERE and WHEN we had our wedding banquet dinner...and I was like...."Ahhh....we had it at....*thinking*...Fairmont...but year ah...erm.....I think it's....2008 huh....*looking to hubby for affirmation, who looked back at me with a BLANK look*...and there my colleague answered with confidence, "No, your banquet was in 2009. I remembered very clearly. The same year XXX had his banquet too mah." And yeahhhhh, I went "Ahhhh yaya....we pa-tor in 2007....ROM in 2008....then banquet in 2009. Yaya you are right!" LOL
Amazing. If you forgot any details about anything, yes, just go for your female virgo friends. They remember (almost) everything!
Opps, without further ado, here are some pictures which I taken of the room.
Earth tones everywhere. I like...but will prefer a slightly lighter shade.
Not much of a view and the caterpillar cushions near the windows are not comfy at all; they're so hard. More for you to put your stuff than to sit. There's a small writing table at the corner which is not suitable for seating too because there is no room for your legs! Unless you flip your legs 90degrees to the sides. How this design got approved siah?
As you can see, the rooms are no way considered big but told ya, I love cozy rooms. Fortunately it doesnt seem cramped or oppressive. From the reception to the lift and eventually to the room, the humble decor simply prepare you NOT to expect luxury so I was kinda glad that the room is actually not bad. The corridor was simply....ah...dampening; I've never been to Hotel 81 etc but I think it should be something like that too; just simple and humble. So thank god the room is actually not bad!
I love the queen bed because it was super fluffy and comfy; it's as good as any 4 or 5 star hotels. And they have a real big TV, much bigger than the one at
Park Regis or some other hotels, which I feel is kinda too small in regards to the distance from the bed. Not many channels but HBO is there to save the world. Decor itself, it's really minimalistic. Pretty much prefer
Park Regis's deco anytime.
A really tiny basin and washing with the one and only mirror in the room which can really pose a problem when for e.g, you need to makeup while he wash up at the basin. Not to mention, the distance from the mirror is strictly a no-no for makeup. It also means you have to stand longer. Apart from the default shower and brush teeth/wash face etc, you'll stand while using the hairdryer to dry your hair(as plug is nearby) plus finish your makeup. Old hag like me does find it tiring on the legs. Just drying my hair need 15minutes, mind you, hairlength was near my waist at that time.
The rain shower was okie, with a flexible neck. You can tilt it if you're tall enough to touch it. Shower room neither big nor small, let's just say 2 person still can bathe together inside la. =P The other toilet cubicle was kinda arrrghhhhh..........it was just next to the room door so please either slide the toilet door closed which can feel oppressive......or lock the room door. Else who knows a room service personnel can just stride in and see you doing your business.
Never say never. A room service boy did once entered my room while I was showering in the bathtub which was a distance away from the bathroom door. I remembered I was alone at that time but I didnt lock the bathroom door ; it was ajar. And the bathroom was very near the room door. I was so handdicapped with so much suds all over my face and body but I heard sounds. And I simply shouted, "Get out!!" I heard a very apologetic "Sorry" before I heard the door closed. "Phew"
Shampoo & Conditioner? Shit, it means NO CONDITIONER.
However, I love them both to bits! The smell and texture is very much like the
Chopard toiletries we had at
Klapson's hotel, very masculine and moisturizing. Smells like Calvin Klein's
Eternity fragrance I think. But I think Chopard's is more moisturizing, love.
Actually the next morning then I realized they have another set of toiletries in travel sizes where the conditioner is available. Also very nice scent, more of citrus. So maybe you can request too.
All complimentary! So happy to see my San Miguel beer!
Complimentary sweets because it's our 7th anniversary. Thank you.
He was sick. So was I. Le sigh...basically we just nua in the hotel with blankets up our chin. Still a very enjoyable night though. =)
Medicine before his meal. Haha.
We did went out for a simple dinner. It's like a 5-10minutes walk to Vivo only. Have to mention the walk wasnt entirely safe, in my opinion because I'm a super kia-si Singaporean.
Canto Paradise was it? Dont remember, not worth remembering. My seafood chinese ramen lacked a promised scallop and for once, dearie actually noticed and pointed it out. I got a giant scallop then. Lol. But still, I dont feel the standard of the dinner justify the price.
The Room Menu pricing was surprising very friendly as compared to most hotels(I think). Ordered a sandwich and it was so bland and dry. FAIL. However, the apple strudel is very nice. BUT, we were served with a scoop of ice-cream which was half melting. Sigh......
Breakfast table
Complimentary breakfast. A mix of more misses than hits. Oh well...at least there is smoked salmon. No omelette station, very sad, only mushy scrambled eggs...yucks....
Porridge is bland and...blank...cant even taste any fish when it's supposed to be fish porridge.
Didnt take picture of the pool but it was a decent small rectangular pool.
VERDICT:
For the price I paid, of course it's definitely worth it! How and where else can you get a room this price in the central within walking distance to a giant complex where you have so many shops with a cinema! Awesome bed and TV, nice toiletries and rain shower. Complimentary carpark too.
On the website without any voucher deals or promotions, it may costs S$226 and above for this DELUXE room. I say it's still worth it because the hotel is relatively new. And the most important factor is it's location. It's so near Vivo, you can do your shopping there or go harbourfront to take a cable car ride into Sentosa. It's also very near St James so if somehow you get knocked out and cant drive, you can just book a night there. Their STANDARD room is smaller at around 15 sqm and costs around S$200 or above. I think it's great if you just want to crash somewhere.
However, for dearie and me, when our sole purpose for staycation is to NUA in the hotel room instead of spending time outside shopping or clubbing, we will most probably be willing to top up more for a nicer hotel with more pleasing deco, which can up the "luxury" staycation "feel" and "chemistry", if you get what I mean. =) Not somewhere to impress a new girlfriend or to rekindle lost spark. It's somewhere where you can have a nice sleep, enjoy convenience and efficiency. =)
