A part of the Far East Hospitality group of properties, and also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, The Barracks Hotel Sentosa was poised to impress. Tucked away on the idyllic offshore island of Sentosa in Singapore, this property was formerly a British artillery outpost, but has since been beautifully restored to resonate with the discoverer in each and every one of us.
The entryway from the parking garage draws you in as though you’re embarking on an adventure, with suitcases and props reminiscent of the golden age of travel. A short ride in the elevator will bring you to the main reception area.
Here, we were warmly welcomed by the staff. As we settled in with the check in formalities, we were offered a cold towel to freshen up, as well as a glass of their welcome beverage each.
A quick look around the reception conveyed what the property aimed to achieve, with the use of warm and inviting tones and adventure themed furniture, you’ll sure to be romanced with the art of travel.
As we had a reservation for two nights, we were fortunate to stay in two different rooms, one on the upper floor, and one on the ground floor, for the first and second nights respectively. Even though the “bones” of the building belong to the past, everything else about it has been fully refurbished. Our room on the second floor was only a convenient elevator ride away, with a short stroll along the corridor that is sure to remind you of the building’s historical past.
Rooms on the second floor have the advantage of having a more spacious feel, partly due to the high and tapered ceilings above. The layout is pretty standard, with the bathroom separated from the sleeping quarters by means of a sliding door.
As expected, the room was furnished pretty much in line with the rest of the property. The metallic finishes on the furniture, including the lamps, added some degree of sophistication to the setting.
The workdesk at the front of the room had little compartments and drawers for your personal belongings. We were also pleasantly surprised with our welcome amenity on the day of our arrival.
The luggage rack at the front of the room appeared like it belonged to the room, with the dark brown leather straps and carved wooden legs. To save space, it can be stowed against the wall too.
All non-alcoholic drinks were complimentary for our stay. The chest housed all the minibar offerings, but funnily enough, the top cover has a fixed hinge arm and cannot be closed.
The light control switches are all located well within reach beside the bed. Guests can also enjoy the use of the bluetooth enabled portable Marshall speaker in the room.
The bathroom was very spacious and cladded in lovely white marble.
The standalone bathtub fits two persons comfortably, and uniquely coloured at that.
All bathroom fittings delivered good high pressure flow of water, as expected from Hansgrohe’s range of products.
The large sink made up for the lack of a double vanity, and the backlit mirror also served as a source of soft lighting in the bathroom.
All toilet seats are fitted with a bidet with smart and intuitive controls located just next to the seat.
You’ll find the bathrobes and slippers in one of the wardrobes in the bathroom.
Rooms on the second floor also open to a balcony that faces the swimming pool.
As for the rooms on the ground floor, the layout is exactly the same.
Note that our room for the second night actually had a double vanity in the bathroom.
Now, the real reason as to why you might want to opt for a room on the ground floor is that instead of a balcony, you’ll have direct access to the swimming pool! Of course, do remember to use the sliding doors where necessary as the frosted glass can only offer so much privacy.
The hotel also has common grounds great for an evening stroll. In fact, do take in the greenery provided by all the palm trees surrounding the property.
On the other side of the building, you’ll find lap pools in front of both wings.
Along the entire length of each pool, water jets can be activated at the push of a button should you require some jacuzzi action.
The staff were very proactive, periodically heading out to interact with guests lounging on the deck chairs, and serving beverages and even ice cream at times.
The Living Room is located on the ground floor in between both wings, which provides all-day coffee and tea.
In the afternoons, you’ll be able to enjoy some afternoon tea, but guests can also look forward to evening cocktails and canapes at dusk.
The canapes are free-flow, and your drinks can be made to order.
Before turning in for the night, it might be worthwhile to take in the sights as the building’s facade and pool become beautifully lit.
As for breakfast, we had the option of having it within our room. All we had to do was to pre-order from a list of breakfast sets the night before, and arrange to have it brought to our room in the morning.
Guests on the ground floor can look forward to enjoying their breakfast right by the pool!
Our stay at The Barracks Hotel Sentosa was pretty much flawless. Apart from the lack of a gym for now, given that guests are not able to access the gym at The Outpost Hotel next door for the time being, the service was above par. Throughout our stay, the staff always made it a point to check in with us to ensure that everything was fine. The duty manager, Emily, deserves special mention, as she went above and beyond her call of duty to make us and other guests feel at home. We’ll be glad to visit the property again for another stay in the future!
