Since moving our family of five into a house following fears of reliving further circuit breakers in a cramped condo, the idea of cramming the kids into a tiny hotel room for a staycation has not really appealed.
That is, until we discovered Singapore’s ultimate family staycation destination – the Shangri-la Singapore’s Family Playcation. What a treat we enjoyed!
Checking into the Shangri-la’s opulent lobby had the kids already excited, then they noticed the giant chocolate (yes chocolate) art installations there to celebrate the Shangri-la’s 50th anniversary. Truly incredible works of art.
We decided to check in early to maximise our family fun time (and book our activities in), but as our room wasn’t ready we opted to use our 2 hour pool slot and enjoy one of the perks of the Family Playcation – our picnic lunch. The pool was not too busy and has excellent facilities for both kids and adults alike. Some poolside cocktails were mandatory for mum and dad (using the $100 food and beverage credit which comes with every night’s stay) and we managed to rest while the kids played.
At lunchtime, our beautiful wooden picnic basket appeared so we ventured off to a soft grassy knoll behind the pool and peacefully enjoyed our sumptuous picnic lunch. It was well appointed with a selection of gourmet cheese and crackers, salads, sandwiches and special treats for the kids too.
After more pool time our room was ready and my word this was this a highlight. We had opted to upgrade to a Garden Wing Premier Balcony Suite – an enormous 137 sq m space nestled at the end of the tranquil garden wing and complete with huge outdoor terrace, hot tub jacuzzi and BBQ facilities. It was most definitely a luxurious home away from home.
Booking a suite includes complimentary lounge access, which offers free flow champagne and cocktails all day from 10am to 10pm in the salubrious Valley Wing lounge. As this was particularly tempting for my husband and I we needed to find some suitable kid friendly activities and fortunately the Family Playcation comes with two bookable kid-friendly options, the amazing indoor playground Buds and the outdoor water playground Splash Zone.
Buds is an impressive 572 sq m professionally managed indoor playground which features swings and slides, a piano floor, ball pit and vintage kiddie rides plus many engaging activities for older kids. Our kids were safely checked in and quickly off on their own journey of discovery while we indulged in afternoon canapes and champagne a the stunning Valley Wing lounge.
After burning off all their energy at buds, it was time to refuel the kiddies with a hearty dinner at the authentic Italian restaurant Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. The freshest seafood, hand-me-down recipes and homemade pastas are part of the charm at Waterfall where you can enjoy al fresco dining by the pool. We indulged in the Burrata for starters – where creamy stretched curd cheese is served with seasonal sweet tomatoes, Mediterranean herbs and slices of Parma ham. The Carpaccio Polipo was also fresh and succulent – Mediterranean octopus carpaccio with fennel, carrots and celery salad in light lemon dressing with cherry tomatoes and olives.
For our main, we were recommended to try the Zuppa di Pesce (seafood stew for two) and this was absolutely wonderful – an enormous mouth-watering hotpot of lobster, prawns, clams, mussels and fish served in a tomato based sauce. Desserts equally excelled with Profiteroles that came housed in a chocolate dome melted by pouring on a warm chocolate fudge and the Semifreddo made with mango and passionfruit, accompanied by a mixed berry fruit salad.
Fully satisfied and ready to retire to our suite, the kids were immediately out like lights and we enjoyed some tranquil adults only time in the balcony hot tub. A theme we continued on in the morning after our truly exceptional breakfast at Summit in the Valley Wing (think beef tenderloin, salmon and even eggs served with lashings of caviar, a royal treat indeed).
Our final kids activity was the recently revamped Splash Zone, complete with pirate ship, wading pool, fountains and many other engaging water play activities. Fortunately there were plenty of relaxing loungers for the parents to relax on while the kids went wild.
All too soon our fun-filled and indulgent two days had come to end. But we takeaway incredibly fond memories of the warm hospitality, luxurious accommodation, divine meals and kid-friendly experiences. This is definitely a family staycation that should be right at the top of your list.
My recommended itinerary to maximise the Shangri-la Singapore’s Family Playcation:
Day 1
- Check in early before lunch
- Pool time for 2 hours with picnic lunch
- 3pm check into room after lunch
- 4pm send the kids to buds and send the adults to the Valley Wing lounge
- 5pm kids join in at the Valley Wing lounge
- 6pm dinner at Waterfall
- 8pm bed and hot tub time
Day 2
- 9am breakfast
- 10am spend time in the room (if you have the hot tub)
- 1pm lunch
- 2pm take the kids to Splash Zone
a. 22 Orange Grove Rd Singapore, Singapore 258350
w. www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/
About Rebecca Assice
Rebecca Assice is the Founder and Director of Virtual Room in Asia Pacific. The future of entertainment is now here with Virtual Room – the world’s best team-based virtual reality experience located right in the heart of Chinatown, Singapore. Expat Choice readers enjoy a 15% discount when you book Virtual Room experiences with code EXPATCHOICE15 and receive a 15% automatic discount when booked online at HERE
