Staycation Review: A Babymoon Celebration At Shangri-La Singapore
The iconic hotel offers a family-friendly staycation not just for those with young kids, but also for pregnant couples
By Melody Bay -
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A babymoon can be a tricky thing to organise, especially when you’re 34 weeks pregnant. It gets even more complicated if you already have a little one who’s tagging along and needs to be entertained and fed. In my case, that’s still (thankfully) a faraway scenario, since this is our first child.
But even with just a pregnant belly to cater for, hitting the right note between celebratory and relaxing can be tough. So when we had the opportunity to celebrate our babymoon at Shangri-La Singapore, we were delighted.
The package on offer was the Enchanting Celebrations package, which runs from now till 31 March 2024. It not only includes the stay itself, but also a celebration marked by special decor for the occasion and a yummy spread laid out in the room for you to enjoy. You can choose from the Horizon Club Junior Suite or the Valley Wing Deluxe Room, both of which come with breakfast and 25% off treatments at Chi, The Spa.
Celebrations made effortless
The highlight of check-in was stepping into the Horizon Club Junior Suite, which was large, airy, and filled with natural sunlight. A long foyer leads to the living area, and a dining area connects you to the bedroom. The best part? The bedroom was brightly decked out for the occasion — complete with helium balloons that can be customised according to your occasion or preferences. Definitely worth considering for a birthday celebration.
The decor’s not all. The Enchanting Celebrations package comes together with a delicious charcuterie platter, prosecco on ice, and a scrumptious cake all served in the comfort of your room. The platter is filled with cold cuts, various types of cheese, crackers, rillette — enough for a family to fill their stomachs and still have some left over. For our cake, we opted for chocolate truffle (I can never say no to anything chocolate) but there’s also the choice of a strawberry shortcake if that’s what you fancy.
The highlight of the spread for me was the chocolate truffle cake. Photo: Melody Bay
The entire setup is perfect for a fuss-free celebration, especially if you’re inviting a few family members or close friends over. With the décor and food already taken care of, you don't have to lift a finger to do anything else.
Exploring the suite
The living area is large enough to accommodate several people. Photo: Melody Bay
The suite itself is spacious enough to hold about 8 to 10 people comfortably for a gathering, with a large living space, dining area, a mini kitchenette, a desk in a bay window, and generous bedroom and bathroom.
This gives you the option of holding an intimate party in the comfort of your own space without worrying about the time constraints that typically come with renting an event venue.
Shangri-La also very thoughtfully included touches like a full-sized pillow mist and a tin of cookies set out on the desk next to a handwritten welcome note.
On the vanity lay a pouch filled with necessities such as makeup remover towelettes, L'Occitane lip balm and hand cream, and even a sleep mask, which made me feel right at home. I really appreciated this thoughtfulness, especially as a third-trimester mum who cherishes every little bit of sleep now.
Everyone loves a large bath and his-and-hers sinks. Photo: Melody Bay
Closer inspection revealed that all the rest of the toiletries were also by L'Occitane, even down to the bar of hand soap. You can experience a mini spa in the comfort of your own bathroom if you like, though we’d strongly recommend getting pampered at Chi, The Spa, for a real treat.
Getting pampered at the spa
The soothing atmosphere in Chi, The Spa. Photo: Melody Bay
We had the opportunity to try the 60-Minute Deep Cleansing Facial at Chi, The Spa, which was located on the ground floor but tucked away from the rest of the noise and bustle behind a koi pond. It’s a quiet haven for parents looking to take a break — you can drop off your kids first at Buds, Shangri-La’s play space for kids on the same floor, then escape to Chi for an hour of peace and pampering.
We love that Buds has such a generous play area, and even has a stroller parking area and lockers. Shangri-La has thought of everything to make both parents’ and kids’ lives easier.
The facial left my skin glowing, and I really appreciated that they had the option of reclining my bed to 45 degrees since it’s uncomfortable for me to lie on my back at this stage of pregnancy. The therapist also made sure the temperature was just right, and the soothing feel of her hands on my face helped me drift off to a relaxed sleep.
The Horizon Club lounge
The package includes access to the Horizon Club lounge on the 24th floor, with sweeping city views and a selection of snacks always on offer — great news for a family with kids, or a very hungry pregnant woman. It’s worth taking note, though, that if your kids are under 12, they’re only allowed in the lounge on Saturdays and Sundays.
Part of the breakfast spread at the Horizon Club lounge. Photo: Melody Bay
The lounge offers a daily breakfast buffet and evening canapes.
The former offers a smaller selection compared to the full breakfast buffet spread served at the family-friendly The Line restaurant, but it’s a great option if you’re there with just your partner and prefer somewhere quieter in the morning.
The evening canape spread includes hot and cold canape selections, enough to fill you up if all you’re after is a light evening meal.
A cold cuts station next to the cocktail bar offers different varieties of cheese, ham, and crackers. Photo: Melody Bay
There’s the usual salad bar and cold cuts station, plus interesting options like a crab burger and chicken murtabak — not to mention a cocktail bar serving red wine, Chardonnay, and a selection of Asian spirits like Nikka whisky and Amrut Two Indies rum. Don’t worry if you’re teetotal, there’re plenty of non-alcoholic options, too.
A great family-friendly option
What makes Shangri-La stand out as a great place for a family staycay isn’t just the Buds playground, or Splash, their water playground with six different play areas and plenty of room for your kids to enjoy themselves. It’s the little touches that they thoughtfully include to make your stay easier, like the app that you use for room service.
The app that you use for prompt and efficient room service without having to speak to anyone. Photo: Melody Bay
On the app, you can order anything from their extensive pillow menu, whether it’s lavender or buckwheat. There are also baby essentials like a bottle warmer, steriliser, or even a playpen that they can send to your room at a moment’s notice. I had to order an extra pillow at 3am and it was delivered almost immediately, which I was really impressed by. It’s comforting to know that if your little one is crying for milk in the middle of the night and you’ve forgotten to bring a bottle warmer, you can get one within minutes.
While we haven’t gotten to experience it yet, Shangri-La also offers a Kids’ Slumber Bundle that includes kid-sized bathrobes, slippers, and toiletries. There is a Family Pantry in the Tower Wing where you can borrow anything from a Stokke baby bathtub to disposable swim diapers. We all know how easy it is to forget something when packing for the family, so it’s nice to know that these options are there.
The lobby at Shangri-La was lit up for Christmas at the time of review. Photo: Melody Bay
With all these in mind, we’re definitely going back to Shangri-La for our first family staycation when our little one is old enough, and perhaps even bring the grandparents along too. After all, there’s always something to celebrate with the family.
The Enchanting Celebrations package at Shangri-La Singapore starts from $760 per night, with a choice of the Valley Wing Deluxe Room or Horizon Club Junior Suite. Breakfast included. Book here.