Location
Easily accessible by public transport from Singapore’s mainland, Oasia Resort Sentosa is a mere two-minute walk from the Imbiah station on Sentosa island.
Opened in September 2021, the resort, which prides itself as a wellness destination, is housed in an impressive white colonial building that has stood since 1940.
Stepping into the lobby, the eyes immediately land on the towering plant wall at the far end of the hotel, while the senses are soothed by the resort’s own The Recharge, a calming scent, curated by the Oasia Spa.
Accommodation
The 191-room resort has six room types – Premier Rooms, Junior Suites, Courtyard Premier, Suite Room, and Suite.
Its newest room type, the Courtyard Premier, spans 63m² and comes with an alfresco area with bean bags and dining table, and is also pet-friendly.
I had the opportunity to stay in one of the recently refreshed 62 Junior Suites. Upon stepping into the room, I was pleasantly surprised by its spacious layout and high ceiling, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook either the Sentosa Sensoryscape as my room did, or the resort’s pool.
The wooden accents within the room, from the floor and cabinets to the wooden beams across the ceiling, added to the homely, welcoming feel while a vintage-looking ceiling fan above the king-sized bed, lent a stylish touch to the room’s look and feel. It also helped that the lights in the room were warm and soft, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
The living room was separated from the bedroom by a set of double wooden doors, while another set of doors led to a small area wardrobe and luggage space, and into the large bathroom.
A standout for me was the bathroom that was large enough to accommodate a bathtub, two sinks, and a spacious shower stall equipped with a rain shower. Toiletries from Australian clean beauty brand Biology had a comforting blend of lemongrass and some citrus fragrance.
I also appreciated the Pryce tea blends curated for the resort and the Nordaq premium water, which was refillable — another nod to the sustainability ethos.
True to its promise as a wellness destination, all rooms have a Wellness Channel where you can tune into workouts and meditation exercises. There are also various fitness programmes from sunrise yoga to sunset Pilates.
Guests staying in a Junior Suite and above can join complimentary wellness workshops. I had a go at making my own candle and body scrub, which were nice souvenirs to take home.
F&B
The hotel’s signature restaurant, Bedrock Origin, is where guests have the option of continental, local and western style breakfasts, with vegetarian and vegan options.
I had the local style breakfast, where I tucked into the comforting Barramundi mixed oat congee which was served in a large pot. The meal was filling and contained large slices of tender fish.
The restaurant is also known for its signature dry-aged steaks cooked on the bone, as well as an exclusive seafood spread prepared in various ways. Those who want to imbibe can choose from a selection of wines, whiskeys and whiskey-based cocktails.
Facilities
The wellness resort would not be complete without the Oasia Spa. It offers massage and treatments, as well as exclusive products from Japanese brand Kotoshina.
There is an inviting 22.5m pool which catches your attention from the front desk, while a compact gym is located at the end of the lobby.
Guests also have access to the facilities of the three other hotels – The Outpost Hotel Sentosa, Village Hotel Sentosa, and The Barracks Hotel Sentosa – under Far East Hospitality, all located within the same enclave. Guests at Oasia can use the pool at the other hotels (except The Barracks), as well as join the fitness programmes at these hotels.
There’s also a shuttle bus service shared between all hotels that takes you to the Sentosa Beach Station and back to VivoCity at Harbourfront MRT.
Service
The check-in process was smooth, while check out required just dropping your card into a wooden box at the lobby.
To register for the wellness activities, you had to inform the front desk and show up at the Wellness Lounge beside the spa. Note that the front desk can get quite busy during peak times.
Verdict
I thoroughly enjoyed the spacious room with wooden accents that made it feel like a home away from home. Being located on Sentosa island also helped make it feel more like an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Contact details
Website: https://www.oasiahotels.com/en/singapore/hotels/oasia-resort-sentosa
While the tourism sector in Asia-Pacific may be a major employer for women, who make up 53 per cent of the total industry workforce, social-cultural traditions have deterred many others from joining the industry.
Conservative societal expectation and norms in the region prioritise women’s roles within the family, where women are the default spouse or parent responsible for fulfilling domestic and caregiving roles, according to a UN Tourism report.
Speaking at the 2nd UN Tourism Regional Conference on the Empowerment of Women in Tourism in Asia and the Pacific in Bali recently, Prachi Thakur, technical coordinator of the conference, emphasised the need for education on gender roles – specifically the fact that no one gender is built for a specific job – and to break the belief that women should not consider unconventional jobs.
Mariyam Nasheetha Nasheed, deputy minister of the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives, also highlighted the challenge women face in their career after getting married or having children, as traditions expect them to give up on their jobs.
“We are trying to address the issue by formulating specific policies, like introducing a friendly environment (and) workplace for women, which aim to retain women in the industry,” Mariyam added.
Meanwhile, World Women Tourism co-founder Nisha Abu Bakar opined that other factors preventing women from joining the tourism industry are low salaries, gender discrimination, lack of career growth, and even sexual exploitation.
Nisha stressed the need for “a concerted effort to support zero tolerance (towards) discrimination” as well as strong policies that protect women in the workforce if the industry hopes to attract more female workers and professionals.