A luxurious long weekend at Raffles Sentosa Singapore - review

The hotly anticipated Raffles Sentosa Singapore opened this spring. Gayatri Bhaumik checks in for the weekend

Raffles Sentosa Singapore review - the resort is an all-villa affair

A VIP greeter meets me as soon as I step off the jetbridge at Singapore’s Changi airport; within minutes, I’m clearing immigration, picking up my luggage, and stepping into a gleaming Mercedes-Benz van. So far, so slick. This is exactly the level of service I would expect from the all-new Raffles Sentosa Singapore.

The Lion City’s first all-villa resort quietly began welcoming guests in March, although it was the grand opening in May that officially signalled new beginnings on Sentosa, better known as Singapore’s leisure island. Design firm Yabu Pushelberg created the new hotel, which cascades down a hillside, covering 100,000sqm of pristine nature. At first glance, it’s impressive, with abundant use of natural materials and contrasting textures that allow the resort to blend into its surroundings. 

But something feels slightly off. The resort, while beautiful, feels a little anonymous, lacking the curated personality of other Raffles hotels, such as the Philippe Starck-designed Raffles Le Royal Monceau in Paris, or the charming colonial aesthetic of Singapore’s original Raffles. There are also some interesting design choices. Signs around the resort contain tiny silver lettering set against grey stone, rendering them almost unreadable; the layout is such that even staff get lost while ferrying guests about in buggies; and at the Royal China restaurant, diners enter through grand doors to find an empty space as the - otherwise lavish - restaurant is situated downstairs.

Still, the designers have worked hard to - ever so subtly – remind guests of Sentosa’s wild side. There’s a majestic, century-old ficus tree by the grand Arrival Hall; peacocks strut around the resort’s main pool and there are perfectly framed peeks at the lush tropical rainforest beyond. Elsewhere, there’s local art inspired by the island’s nature and on my nightstand is a cloth-bound copy of The Jungle Book. And the welcome drink at check-in? A freshly-made Sentosa Sling packed with locally-sourced botanicals.

Raffles Sentosa Singapore review - the extremely comfortable villa sitting room

The Raffles brand is synonymous with luxury and my signature one-bedroom pool villa - one of the 62 villas that make up the resort - certainly lives up to this. The living room pavilion is a haven of comfort with a massive, nature-inspired mural, an oversized sofa, plush armchairs, and an opulent minibar, while the private terrace, which features a pool and canopied daybed, lends itself to casual work afternoons. Then there’s the neutral-toned bedroom pavilion, a cornucopia of luxe textures that includes high-thread-count linens, neutral-toned latticed wood, thick carpeting and, surprisingly, copper drinking vessels on the nightstands - a nod to Ayurveda tradition and the hotel’s casual focus on wellness.

Through sliding doors, the spacious marble bathroom is fitted with a grand double vanity, a standalone tub and opulent Ortigia amenities from Sicily.

A note for families, the villas have lots of floor-to-ceiling glass, heavy sliding doors and the outdoor terrace has a door leading straight into the bathroom which could lead to mishaps when entering directly from the pool. 

While there’s no kids club, several families seem to be enjoying very comfortable stays.

For adults, this is a place to kick back and relax. The main pool, flanked by sunloungers and overlooking the rainforest, is, rather perfectly, almost always deserted. And there’s plenty of dining. The Cantonese weekend set lunch at Royal China is a treat, as is the semi-buffet breakfast at Empire Grill (dinner here isn’t quite up to scratch, though it was the staff’s first night managing a full service). But my favourite spot is the intimate Chairman’s Room bar, which serves excellent negronis.

Raffles Sentosa Singapore review - the resort cascades down a hillside, covering 100,000sqm of native greenery

Accommodation aside, the highlight of my visit is the afternoon I spend touring the island with Raffles Sentosa Singapore’s concierge and wellbeing manager, Ali Alsagoff.

Ensconced in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce, we embark on a journey through Sentosa’s past and present. Our first stop is Fort Siloso, the former British base which played a pivotal role during World War Two; later, we visit Sentosa Sensoryscape, an immersive augmented reality experience that showcases the island’s hyper-modern side. To complete the experience, we drive through some of Sentosa’s private residential areas. It’s a scene straight out of Crazy Rich Asians (rumour has it that Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin lives here) with Lamborghinis and Ferraris parked nonchalantly outside designer homes.

Overall, my stay at Raffles Sentosa Singapore is enjoyable. Staff are friendly and helpful, there’s always plenty to eat and drink and there’s lots of space in which to stretch out and relax. As sometimes happens during a hotel’s early months, though, there were some service slip-ups which meant that the property doesn’t feel like it quite lives up to the Raffles standards yet. While checking out, I got chatting with some industry professionals who had been brought in for training. Without doubt they’ll have things ship-shape in no time.

Asia Family Traveller was a guest of Raffles Sentosa Singapore.

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