Because of work, I had to miss out on taking my kids on a holiday last week (which was a school holiday). So, to make up for it, I booked a room at Festive Hotel on 26 March 2010 and bought tickets for the family to Universal Studios Singapore (USS).
Driving into Sentosa, the signs are clearly marked as is the directions to the car park. However, be warned that the signs do not tell you where is the nearest parking to the hotel entrances. Asking the car park security was not helpful. Apparently, everywhere IS near the hotel entrance. For the uninitiated, go for the RED zone. That’s nearest to the bus and taxi points, which is also the entrance to the Casino. There is a small tunnel on the right hand side of the Casino entrance (if you are facing the entrance) that will lead to an escalator to the hotels. Personally, I think it’s quite evil to make families on holiday walk past the Casino entrance to get to the hotel…kids in tow.
Check-in at the Festive Hotel was SLOW. OK, there is a long wait and then there is S-L-O-W. Had to wait for 10 minutes at the reception (and I was the first in line) before someone actually bothered to look up from their computer screens. A receptionist was counting brochures, another counting money and the third one just tried to look busy. I see all staff believe that it’s “show-time”!
Once I got the card keys, we made our way to our room on level 6. The decor of the hotel was refreshingly different. Colourful and very eye-catching. Even the lifts were pasted with pictures of frangipani, orchids and all sorts of flowers. I really love this hotel…..they even have built-in saunas in the lift (‘cos it’s like 42 degrees Celsius in them).
Upon entering the room, there was more of the flower and colourful theme. The ceiling board directly on top of my bed has a circular cut out with a picture of orchids. Nice!
The kid’s bunk was a folding bed cum sofa and a bunk bed set on top of the cupboard. My kids loved it.
But for those who want to really enjoy the hotel facilities, wait until end of 2010 or something before making your way there. The pool on level 3 isn’t open to the house guests yet. Neither was the room service (even though there was a room service speed dial button on the one phone in the entire room). I thought it was standard practice to have a phone in the toilet but apparently this hotel don’t see the need.
Those wanting to relax by the pool, try the Hard Rock Hotel pool. There’s a fake beach area (seems to be the in-thing these days), a childrens’ playground water area, a beach ball area and a general swimming area. There’s even small mini pools (but lacking the jacuzzi) around the main pool.
Checking out was not as slow as the check-in. It was S-L-O-W-E-R. After 15 – 20 minutes wait time in line, I went up to the next available receptionist. Only to find out that the checkout counter is on the other side…..hmm……why wasn’t it marked as such I wonder……
Asking the receptionist to call me in my room when the checkout receptionist is available, I was about to go back up to my room via the lift-sauna. Then the receptionist called out to me. Apparently, it was easier to grudgingly ask a receptionist from behind the back office to help check me out then it is to call my room. OK……and after 5 more minutes, I’m done! Yippee!
My ratings (10 being world-class):
Location: 7.5 (It’s not really near USS or anywhere else but it’s a pleasant walk nonetheless).
Ambience: 6.5 (I guess it’s not that rest-and-relax sorta hotel.)
Room: 8.5 (really nice rooms but the bath tub is a doozy – the edge is sharp, slippery and potential slip-to-your-death trap for the elderly….but then again, if you’re traveling with oldies, maybe this isn’t your sorta hotel.)
Value for money: 6.5 (S$350, excluding tax and other stuff. And this does not include breakfast, pool or other stuff.)
Service: 5.5 (Well, to be fair, they’re just starting….so it might be a while before the full-time staff reports for work.)
Value added services/amenities: None – zilch, zippo. But they have an ice machine and junk food dispenser on each floor.
Return to stay: Try Hard Rock Hotel, they actually have a pool…and probably breakfast, too.
- Universal Studios
Although $66 per adult sounds expensive, I was given a $10 meal voucher and a $5 retail voucher. So, it’s actually $51 per ticket.
The rides were so-so. On a scale of 1 (yawn) to 10 (rip your hair out exciting), they ranked a 7 (okay, where did I leave the car keys fun). And Battlestar Galactica rides were closed on 26 March 2010. Heck, even the Madagascar rides were ‘not ready’. Hmm…are you getting the feeling that this entire place is like a work-in-progress? Well, I guess they needed to recover some of that money they put into the place…..
The Shrek 4D movies was actually fun (rated a 8.5 OMG it’s funny). The Waterworld show was excitingly funny. OK, the actors overact but the bod on that blonde – pssst! Hot, baby, hot! I wish I had her biceps!
Now, here’s the best thing about USS. The food is amazingly delicious. I ate at Friar’s at Shrek (a really nice hawker centre ‘cos you got to queue and pay for your own food before you get served) and Mel’s at Hollywood. Nice! That is the best thing about USS – Food, food, food. Even if they are carbo enriched.
Lost World is where most of the better rides are located. But the queue can get up to 45 mins. I kid you not.
The Egypt section is actually quite nicely done. If only USS offers dinner by candle-light in a Revenge of the Mummy setting, it’d be perfect for Valentine’s Day! Especially if you have a Nubian princess for a girlfriend!
The only draw back was the long waiting time for rides, the sweltering heat (everyone will be in the gift shops enjoying the air-con by 3pm…which makes the place smell ripe) and the not-very-smiley staff.
The last stop was the movie magic show where we got a video welcome by Steven Spielberg. The special effects was awesome!
The gift shops were well stocked and I bought a tonne of stuff back. Yeay, I suppose I can claim to have single-handedly rescued the ailing Singapore economy from its woes…even if it’s for one day.
I suspect I would return shortly this year…..USS should consider family packaged tickets like they have in Gold Coast. Or special rated weekend passes.
