I’ve never been one for staycations. If I’m going to the trouble of packing a bag and spending my hard-earned cash on a hotel, why wouldn’t I give myself the buzz of exploring a new destination? Why, indeed. As a mum of a 17-month-old with another sprout due to arrive in a few short weeks, a pamper-tastic babymoon at Capella Singapore helped me to see the error of my plane-travelling-exotic-destination-chasing ways. I’m happy to say, I now get it. And I’ll shout from the rooftops to anyone considering doing the same: this, my mum-to-be friends, is the one and only way to do a babymoon in Singapore. Book. It. Now.
What was so good about it? Well, everything. But the big highlight was the ‘Babymoon Experience’ at Auriga Spa. There were moments during my pampering session where I felt that I could literally melt into the bed, never to move again. And quite honestly, spending the rest of my life on that bed would be perfectly fine: this was a hospital-style adjustable bed, which sounds horribly clinical but was nothing short of magical. The fact that I happily lay there for the entire session is testament to its soft, welcoming, pillowy power. The Babymoon Experience first took me through a heavenly 60-minute prenatal massage, which was firm – as requested – while still being safe during pregnancy. Next came a 60-minute rose facial with beautiful organic products and the longest face massage I’ve ever had, followed by a much-needed hair and scalp treatment. ‘Bliss’ is an over-used term when it comes to spa experiences, but I concede: bliss was the only word for this.
The lovely Auriga therapist was successful in peeling me off the spa bed and gently nudging me off to our Premier Seaview room, which wasn’t a bad place to wind up after such indulgence. The comfy king sized bed served up a rather nice view of the South China Sea, as did the luxuriously deep bathtub and the outdoor hot tub. Little touches catering for those preggers amongst us were appreciated, such as plenty of decaf pods for the in-room Nespresso machine, a ‘snuggler’ pillow for a good night’s sleep, a range of mosquito repellents (a must-have in the age of Zika), and a huge platter of fresh and dried fruit for a healthy nibble (but an emergency club sandwich and chocolate milkshake were always within reach via room service). As a little birdy (me) may have let slip that it was my birthday that week, a lovely bunch of fresh flowers also lay in wait when I arrived.
I could easily have not budged from this glorious room for the rest of the weekend, but the buffet breakfast at The Knolls (included in the room rate) was calling. It didn’t disappoint, with fluffy made-to-order pancakes, perfectly cooked eggs, and a gorge-tastic spread of fruits, pastries, Asian dishes, and basically everything anyone has ever considered eating within the vague vicinity of breakfast time. The cameo appearance from the resident peacocks was a fun little distraction while we sipped on fresh coconuts and tried a few baby names on for size.
As we had to get back home to baby number one we didn’t have time to enjoy all the Capella spoils (including the reportedly fantastic afternoon tea, which is included in the Babymoon package). But there’s plenty on offer: three gorgeous swimming pools, an excellent fitness centre, The Library, Bob’s Bar, two restaurants, and Chef’s Table – a private dining experience perfect for an evening of gazing into each other’s eyes before things lose the plot at home. Personally, I was content to just kick back, relax, and enjoy every last minute of kid-free time, while adding to the list of things I never knew I always wanted: more staycations, please.
The writer stayed at Capella Singapore courtesy of Capella Hotels and Resorts.
