Five-star, 240 rooms,
Tel: (65) 6808-7257
Email: wevents.singapore@whotels.com
Website: www.wsingaporesentosacove.com/en/meetings
If you’re familiar with W Singapore – Sentosa Cove’s marketing collateral, then you might, like me, expect it to be a nightclub that rents out beds.
So there was some surprise when I strolled into the cream and khaki Living Room (lobby) adorned with orchid motifs, filled with a gentle buzz rather than thumping bass beats. The opposite wall of the Living Room was all glass, allowing in natural daylight and views of the hotel’s lawn, Wet (pool) and pier.
“Part Miami, part Barcelona and part Sentosa, we’re more like a W Retreat,” said the hotel’s director of sales, Alvin Lim. Indeed, for a hotel that had supposedly sold out for the weekend, there wasn’t the furious cacophony of sound or mad rushing about that might have been the case elsewhere.
Later I returned to the Living Room to witness another face of W Singapore. Here came the booming bass as the DJ worked the console at Woobar; here came the flaring purple lights that erased the earlier resort vibe. The transformation injected an additional dose of hip factor into the guest experience.
Meeting facilities
MICE experiences at W Singapore come spiced with a dash of fun.
The Strategy Room sits 16 pax in boardroom style while Studios 1-4 takes 30 pax each in classroom style. When these spaces are joined, they can seat 180 pax altogether in theatre-style. The Great Room accommodates up to 50 banquet tables and can be split into two for smaller groups and is decked with plush carpets and “fairy” lights, literally. These venues come with drop down projectors and screens.
Smaller spaces are also available. The W Lawn is good for a 220-pax sit-down function, while the adjacent Rock Garden can host cocktails for 80. When I stopped by the Secret Garden, located in the sliver of space between the Great Room and Studios, a punching bag was set up for feisty or frustrated delegates. A ping pong table can also be arranged.
Besides the usual refreshments, dispensers are set up at the back of the room offering marshmallows and M&Ms. The iconic Asian bubble tea drink is served up as a welcome drink, while macarons and handwritten notes greet delegates in their rooms. At turndown, guests receive a matronly handwritten post-it note reminding one to brush his teeth and a tube of toothpaste that turns out to be a tube of chocolate!
Rooms
W Singapore’s 240 rooms come in several tiers, with top-tier ones featuring private plunge pools.
I stayed in a Wonderful Room and was pleased with its array of creature comforts. The room’s cool greyish hue turned into a canvas for four mood lighting options (Hello, Escape, Runaway, Flirt) by night and gave the space a futuristic feel. The king sized bed was firm and sheets comfortable, though the pillows were too flat. The modern traveller is sure to appreciate the multiple cables provided for charging gadgets with, complete with plug heads catering to a range of brands.
I was very fond of the bathroom. One could watch TV while soaking in the bath. Privacy is offered by slidling shut the frosted glass panels. The rain shower was a highlight as was the Bliss brand toiletries.
Above all, it was the devil in the details that captured the essence of the W brand (and my heart) – the mood lighting rimming the bed, a CD of W-approved tracks to capture the spirit of the hotel, the plaster cast ‘hand’ emerging from the wall and clutching a test tube that served as a vase, and the nifty wood panels that concealed the minibar.
F&B
Skirt serves premium grilled meats and wines, while The Kitchen Table dishes up a range of international cuisines buffet style. For those looking for a more casual sit-down, there’s the swim-up Wet Bar and Woobar. Lounge and bar Woobar offers a special high tea experience for two between 15.00 to 17.00, served in a decorative bird cage and hung on a tree-like stand beside the table.
Other facilities
The hotel’s pool comes with an underwater sound system and gigantic floats. I had a 90-minute signature massage at AWAY Spa on a bed that was held up by a glowing blue structure. Masseuse Ani was very good, but I couldn’t help feel that the W focus on avant garde designs made the interior less relaxing. There’s also a big gym next to AWAY that will delight health-conscious road warriors.
Fact file
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Maximum pax for meetings
680 pax, theatre-style in the Great Room and Studios 1-4 combined
Maximum pax for banquets
64 tables in the Great Room and Studios 1-4 combined
Recent events handled
The Festival of Media Asia; meetings and conferences by JP Morgan, Estee Lauder and Standard Chartered
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