The pandemic has stuck with us for almost a year now and like some Singaporeans who used to travel out of Singapore a few times a year; the wanderlust itch is killing us!
Alex and I couldn't hold it anymore and decided on having a staycation! To let us have the psychological feel that we were "travelling", we even lugged along a piece of rolling luggage.
Our destination; Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road.
Less than stellar drop-off absolutely didn't match up to the beautiful decor once you step into the air-conditioned lobby; modern with a touch of luxury. As it was a Tuesday, the place was relatively deserted and we were attended to swiftly by the service staff on duty.
Key cards; suite given was room 2001 and I am super happy as the hotel has just 21 floors with the top level housing just the fitness centre and the swimming pool. Which means we would be staying at the highest floor! p.s. it's nothing much when some public housing can be over 40 floors!
Complimentary snacks; comprising a bag of Kettle Honey Dijon potato chips, a bar of Hershey's creamy milk chocolate and a pack of Walkers chocolate chunks nd hazelnut biscuits. I am not a snacker but the items would not be wasted as Alex loves to snack.
Room 2001 - a one bedroom deluxe suite that's a humongous 45 square-meter large; to put it in perspective, my flat is just a bit bigger at 67 square-meter!
Living room with a dining table; it felt very much at home and I can understand why some would make do with a studio apartment as it sure wasn't too much of a squeeze. Plus point is that the smaller it is, the lesser you have to clean up. Not that it matters here since it's a serviced suite.
Multi plugs below the television for you to hook up your devices!
View on the 20th floor - the lavender area both in the daytime and at night. After staying one night at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road, I am loving the city living in this area. Sadly, even the public housing in the vicinity is way over my paltry budget.
Bedroom with a queen sized bed and two good-sized wardrobes. There's also another television right in front of the bed in case you want to binge-watch till you fall asleep.
Hair-dryer in the drawer below the bedroom's television.
Walk into the bathroom via the passage in between the wardrobes and voila; a shower and a separate bathtub, and there was the dreaded weighing scale! Loving the rainfall shower!
Hotel amenities using the METIS brand.
Click here if you need more information.
Yes, there's a kitchenette which is common in serviced suites. I think Alex got a shock as it's his first time staying in a serviced suite (just like me) and he didn't realize it comes with a fully functional kitchen.
It came with pots and pans, cutleries and crockeries. Want rice? No problem; there's a rice cooker and if you need toast, here's a toaster too! Guess it's more beneficial for those staying for long term, not for us as we only paid for a night stay.
Bar fridge wasn't a choice; here's a decent fridge with plenty of room for you to keep a few tubs of ice cream and maybe even a few packs of FreezePak Crispy Chicken Nuggets!
Want to wash your clothes? Get them washed at the hidden washer cum dryer right below the oven! Frankly, I was a bit overwhelmed; were all these the norm for a serviced suite?
Common setup in hotels.
This upped the game slightly with Nespresso machine that came with complimentary capsules! Since it's free, why not make myself a nice cup of ristretto!? Well, not really my cup of tea.
Was wondering if there's an iron and ironing board (not that I needed to use them but they can sometimes be placed in some hotel rooms) and I found them in the shoe cabinet right next to the entrance!
To say I was impressed would be an understatement as both Alex and I were totally in love with the one-bedroom suite; it would make for a fantastic staycation for those who can't stand small hotel rooms! p.s. above picture was taken the next morning; was supposed to catch the sunrise but we overslept.
Living Room - located on the mezzanine floor, it's like an get together and activity arena with shelves full of books, a pool table and even an Xbox 360. No one was there when we checked out the place and I am unsure if the pool table or Xbox can be used given the restrictions imposed during this pandemic to avoid congregation.
Given the pandemic, we have to register at the lobby in order to use the gym and pool. Register your interest early to avoid disappointment or book the hotel on a Tuesday / Wednesday, as we did, since the demand would be very much reduced so long it's not during school holidays.
Gymnasium - pretty decent size with a great view of the cityscape at the weights area. I was intrigued with the device next to the water dispenser; how to use it huh?
Swimming Pool - before scanning your card to access the swimming pool, grab the pool towel from the rack beside the gym entrance! Quite a number of guests actually asked where I managed to get the towel.
It's not as breathtaking as the view at Marina Bay Sands but I was still in awe of the amazing scenery in front of the infinity pool! There are Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer, Suntec City Mall and Towers, Benjamin Sheares Bridge and the Tanjong Rhu residential area.
From this angle, you can even see the Singapore Indoor Stadium!
The infinity pool is unsheltered; hence, you might still be able to get some tan if the weather is scorching hot. Depth is manageable at just 1.1 meters but still continue to keep an eye if you are bringing young kids.
Button to activate the jacuzzi bubbles.
Very therapeutic for the back muscles!
Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road was located right in the between of two pretty tall buildings; The Gateway at 150 meters and the 30-storey The Plaza. Wouldn't be a surprise if occupants inside the two buildings can see you at the infinity pool although you can't really see them.
Convenience - There are other advantages to staying at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road; for one, it's located right across the quaint yet charming Haji Lane and within walking distance from many good eateries like Eat 3 Bowls, Happy Crab etc.
The hotel is also right next to The Plaza, a mixed-used building with a bakery that usually sold out its signature yam tarts by noon! I left empty-handed twice and I made sure to get them after my sleep at the serviced suite.
Got them finally; enjoying the epic yam tart from June Bakery, together with their cheese and egg tarts! For more photographs and details of my review, click here!
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7500B Beach Rd,
Singapore 199592
Map
As above.
Website
Pricing
One Bedroom Deluxe - S$208 (via Trip.com)
(Inclusive of taxes and fees)
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