How about a couples getaway to escape the daily grind or that work-from-home ‘cabin fever’? You’ll really feel like you’ve had a proper holiday with a Resorts World Sentosa staycation – you could use it to celebrate an anniversary … or even pop the question! The Island Wonder package is a two-day, one-night stay that will transport you to your own tropical paradise; enjoy pool time and cocktails, eat up a storm in fab restaurants, and have loads of fun. Read on for more details.
Exclusive behind-the-scenes aquarium tour
The Island Wonder staycation package includes a stay in a Deluxe Room at Equarius Hotel or Hotel Michael. The spacious room has a balcony overlooking the surrounding scenery – an ideal backdrop for that essential holiday selfie.
Here’s something that’s only available with the Island Wonder package on a Resorts World Sentosa staycation: an exclusive tour of the aquarium, called ‘Behind the Panel: SEAAcrets Edition’. This brand new, back-of-house immersion tour takes guests behind the scenes of one of the world’s largest aquariums.
For starters, you get to experience the top view of the aquarium’s Open Ocean Habitat (OOH); you can see the feeding points, and find out about the divers’ equipment and their roles at the aquarium.
Next, you’re brought to the Marine Animal Quarantine Area in the basement. As you walk among the quarantine tanks, the guide recounts fun and interesting S.E.A. Aquarium facts, such as how the marine animals know that it’s feeding time, and how new arrivals are quarantined before joining the habitats.
At the end of the 30-minute tour, you return to the OOH to sip on cocktails and rest your feet; try to spot all 120 species of animals in the tank while you’re there! It’s also a great chance to get some memorable couple shots without the crowds. The cocktails were rum-based. As I sat within a pod lit with fairy lights, sipping my drink, I felt transported; I almost forgot I was still in Singapore!
Tropical tiki encounters at Universal Studios Singapore and the S.E.A. Aquarium
Fitting the tropical paradise theme of your Resorts World Sentosa staycation is Universal Studios Singapore’s “Tropical Thrills” event, which is now on. This event boasts all the vibrancy and colour of the tropics across a range of attractions. Enjoy Tiki Time with the Stars; hangout with the likes of Gru and the Minions from Illumination’s Despicable Me, and Branch, Poppy and Guy Diamond (making his first appearance at the theme park) from DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls. There’s also a giant fast-talking tiki from Walamak Island. That’s King Kahula; he’ll regale you with stories, and is inclined to crack a joke or two!
The tiki experience continues at S.E.A. Aquarium, with “The Sea of Tiki”, which is on until 11 May, 2021. Five legendary tikis mark out a Tiki Trail that you can follow to find the most fascinating tropical creatures. During your journey, look out for the Tiki Warrior Dive Feed, where warrior divers enter the marine habitats to feed the animals. You might also be greeted by the aquarium’s three manta mascots in colourful island luas and hats.
Sublime staycation dining
A great way to end the first day of your Resorts World Sentosa staycation is with dinner at one of the resort restaurants. There are many options within walking distance from your hotel where you can savour five-star cuisine.
If you can’t decide between seafood (to go with the marine theme) or steak, why not have both? Osia Steak and Seafood Grill reflects the best Australia has to offer from sea and land (‘surf and turf’!). Ingredients are smoked and grilled in a stone hearth oven to bring out their natural flavours. You won’t go wrong with their signatures; these include Mayura Station full-blood wagyu ribeye, Stockyard Angus tomahawk ribeye on the bone, and Boston lobster.
On our visit, we opted for Osia’s five-course set tasting menu. Called ‘The Haute Tropics: A Sun-and Sea Spread’, the menu costs $155 and combines superb seafood and meat dishes. It begins with three starters: Blackmore wagyu tenderloin tartare; surf clam in sauvignon blanc sauce and smoked bacon, and grilled bone marrow with avruga caviar.
The main course is Blackmore full-blood wagyu skirt steak with wild red prawn – among the most expensive prawns in the world, we were told. (Our photographer concurred; he said they were the best prawns he’s tasted!) We requested the steak medium-rare; it was tender and juicy.
By this point, we were satiated, but since we both have a sweet tooth, we just had to order dessert! Good idea, too; the dish of creamy coconut ice cream was perfectly balanced with sweet grilled pineapple.
This set can be accompanied by a wine pairing ($88): four glasses of artisanal Antipodean wines. Or stick with the tropical theme with three different rum-based cocktails ($20 to $25 each) or a spicy ginger mocktail ($13).
If Italian is more your style, Fratelli has given some of its Mediterranean dishes a tropical twist with its similarly themed special menu, ‘The Haute Tropics: Aloha Italia’
Tip: Enjoy a 40 percent discount on The Haute Tropics menus when you make a reservation at the restaurants using the promo code ‘RWSMC40’ and pay with Mastercard. The Haute Tropics menus are available at both restaurants until 31 May, 2021.
What’s included
The two-day, one-night Island Wonder staycation package starts from $288, including set breakfast for two. It also comes with complimentary Monster Energy Mango Loco drinks for two, themed welcome masks for two, free parking and more.
This Resorts World Sentosa staycation deal is valid for stays until 30 June, 2021. If you book and pay for any of the Island Escapes at Equarius Hotel or Hotel Michael with Mastercard, you’ll receive an additional $50 savings. Why not snag this savings by booking a staycation here for the upcoming Hari Raya long weekend?
For reservations and more information, visit rwsentosa.com/frolicinthetropics.
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