I love to staycate – but it’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity and time to take one. The moment I had the opportunity to do so, I grabbed it (and the hubby) with both hands.
This June, the Park Hotel Group ran a campaign to encourage you to make time, for the people that matter, with a staycation at either Grand Park Orchard, Grand Park City Hall or Grand Park Clarke Quay.
I picked Grand Park City Hall because frankly, I think the location is fantastic. It’s near good shopping malls, an MRT station and all the nightlife spots (along Boat Quay and Clarke Quay). When I staycate, I want to spend quite a bit of time in the hotel, but I also like to do things around the hotel and take in the sights and sounds that I normally wouldn’t get a chance to – especially since the journey and hassle to get back home is always at the back of my mind.
[divider]The Room[/divider]
We arrived around 1pm and check-in was a breeze. The staff were really friendly and there wasn’t any hassle getting to our room – we were placed in on of the Hotel’s club rooms on the 9th floor. Every person has their favourite part of the room, and i’m no different – mine is the Bathroom.
Why? Well, the bed is something that I already have at home and I really do love my bed. For me, the hotel’s bed usually just varies from size and level of softness. The bathroom on the other hand is where you go and de-stress. The bathtub (to me) is very important – this is where I’m going to spend a good hour or two. Just lay in there and soak – relieve all that pent up tension and stress. I’m also very particular about the cleanliness of the toilet (no sightly stains please) and the mirrors that I’m going to use to get myself ready for a night out.
While the room was adequate in most parts, I did find it quite small – especially for a club room. The bathroom, while it had all the amenities (and was clean), was a little too small for my liking. If a couple stays in the room and the lady is putting on make up, there should be enough space behind for the partner to walk in. Unfortunately, it was really quite a squeeze and not much “room” to manoeuvre.
One thing that really stood out in the room is the Handy Phone. It’s basically a smart phone that allows you to make free local and International calls. You can even bring it out of the hotel and use the internet. It’s really cool. I think it’s a really nice feature for tourists AND locals. I remember times when I’ve made a local call, only to find that it’s been charged to my bill upon check-out. It also has a camera function for selfies 😉
[divider]Spa Park Asia[/divider]
Grand Park City Hall has their very own Spa “Spa Park Asia”. During check-in the hubby and I had already placed a reservation for a 60mins massage in the couples room at 2pm. So we didn’t waste too much time in the room and just freshened up a little before we went back down for our session.
It was a pleasant surprise that the Spa was already waiting for us and had everything ready – 2 check-in forms, the slippers and cups of warm water. While I LOVE to Spa, it’s the part of an itinerary that i’m the most apprehensive about. I’m pretty sensitive and can’t take too much pressure. I want to RELAX, not get tenderised and served for dinner.
The masseuse was very attentive to my comfort level and from the beginning to the end it was a very relaxing experience. I would say that it was the highlight of the staycation. I normally feel even more sore after a full body massage – this was PERFECT.
The couple room itself looked very nice and serene. It also had a jacuzzi which unfortunately, we didn’t get to try it during this visit. But I really hope to use it sometime in the future (and soon).
[divider]Facilities[/divider]
Other than the spa, there’s also a Swimming pool, a cozy and semi-private outdoor Jacuzzi and a gym. The pools were a nice size and looked clean. Unfortunately, yet again we didn’t have much time that evening to chill out by the pool-side as I had to get ready to head down to the Guardian of the Galaxy red carpet event that evening at Shaw.
[divider]Lunch @ Indulge[/divider]
There’s nothing quite like staying out late at night in the heart of town knowing that a comfy bed is waiting for you just around the corner. After a late night, we decided to sleep in, skip breakfast and head right for a Carnivorous buffet lunch at ‘Indulge‘ – the Hotel’s restaurant.
From what I understand, they have a great meat spread on Sundays. You get to choose a variety of cuts which is then cooked to your liking – lamb, beef, chicken pork and sausages – they have them all. It was a really hot that day and I pity the chef who was looking after the grill station. The heat from the grill and the sun would be unbearable for me.
If meat is not your thing, there’s cold seafood as well – oysters, prawns and other types of shell-fish as well as cold cuts and sushi.
One that caught my eye is the cheese spread. I love cheese and I felt like I could spend the whole day there. However, it is a little puzzling that there’s no cheese or cold cuts platter on the room service menu though. Would be really nice if we just wanted to stay in the room.
But we enjoyed ourselves and had our fill of beef, lamb, 7 different types of cheese (there were more), apple strudel and ice-cream. Felt like a glutton (cheat day yay!)
[divider]Conclusion[/divider]
All in all, we really enjoyed ourselves and it was a really good opportunity to unwind. I especially love the location as there’s lots of things to do around the hotel and it’s very accessible by public transport. If you’re driving in, ERP might be a consideration though.
The room was a little too small for my liking, however the spa and massage was fantastic. It’s a shame we didn’t have more time to spend by the poolside and jacuzzi (definitely something I’d look forward to doing the next time).
There was lots of variety at the buffet and the overall quality of the food was pretty good. Would I plan another stay cation here? Yes! Especially to use the spa again 😉