The place

The Village Sentosa, Singapore

Check-in

Located on Singapore’s island of fun, Sentosa, The Village is part of a precinct of four hotels by Far East Hospitality, each with a different focus. The Outpost is a sophisticated, adults-only space with a rooftop bar and pool, Oasia is wellness focused, while the Barracks, inside a former Singapore military barracks, offers a luxurious stay in a heritage setting. The Village, meanwhile, is squarely aimed at families, which is apparent from the outset where a small set of steps allow little ones to stand up at the reception desk and complete their own check-in forms. It’s also popular with Australians, who make up one quarter of all guests.

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The look

Opened in 2019, The Village features a sleek, modern look that’s a little on the bland side on the interiors, but the exteriors offer more character, embracing a bubble motif that runs throughout. The focal point is the huge series of swimming pools in the centre of the complex, which are shared with guests at The Outpost. But the focus of these is really on the child guests, with several different kids pools, each with its own style (for example, The Lazy River is a flowing pool that passes through fountains, while the Adventure Pool is a shallow, but large, space for games).

The room

Rooms are compact at just 22 square metres for a Superior room, while a Deluxe room is just four square metres larger (the only noticeable difference is the inclusion of a chaise longue next to the bed). Like many modern hotels, there’s no bathroom as such, with a shower and toilet off the entryway, with storage and a sink on the other side. That said, there is, at least, a heavy sliding door that can be closed to separate the entry and the bed area to provide some privacy. There’s no desk, but a shelf in front of the bed folds out so you can sit on the end of the bed to use it like one. I’m travelling with my partner and two kids, so we’re in a “Deluxe Family room”, which is two Deluxe rooms connected through a door. There are some nice kid-friendly touches, like activity packs and mini-bathrobes. The natural timber look and bright colours offer summer vibes and give the rooms a sunny, airy, feel despite the compact space. Rather than provide tea and coffee in the room, there’s a “Village Hub” on each floor. As someone who often uses up all the tea bags in the room before they get replenished by housekeeping, I’m a fan of being able to help myself.

The food

Across the four properties there’s a wide range of restaurants, covering a wide variety of cuisines from traditional Chinese to French and Eurasian fusion. Native Kitchen is The Village’s restaurant, specialising in local Singaporean favourites (though with a few Western dishes on the menu too) including Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak and laksa (though you’ll pay much more than you would in a hawker centre or food court on the main island). There’s also a takeaway food counter in the lobby for quick snacks like sandwiches and pastries.

Stepping out

There are plenty of things for families to do on Sentosa, both free and ticketed. I admit I’m a little dubious about attending The Wings of Time show – the updated version of the musical fountains that have been an attraction on Sentosa for decades (and first seen by myself back in 1997). But the modern version of the musical fountain, moved to the beach and using pyrotechnics, projections and lasers to tell its simple story, is great fun and undeniably impressive. At just 20 minutes long, it’s also the perfect length to hold the attention of younger kids. Our kids also love the Sentosa Cable Car, which has a station a short distance from the hotel. We ride at dusk and watch the sun set over the bay.

The verdict

While you’re some distance away from the highlights of central Singapore, if you’re looking for somewhere to unwind during a stopover that the whole family can enjoy, The Village is a good bet.

Essentials

Rooms at The Village Sentosa start from $S370 ($410) a night. See villagehotels.asia

Our rating out of five

★★★½

Highlight

The variety of the pools keep the kids entertained for hours.

Lowlight

The lack of a proper desk or table makes working, or eating in, a bit awkward.

The writer stayed as a guest of Far East Hospitality.