Monday, March 06, 2023

6 Best Luxury Hotels Recommendations in Sentosa Island

I have many happy memories of Singapore. It's possibly my favorite city in the world after Manila. It's like London (my third favorite city) but tropical like Manila. And everything is just a thousand times better when the weather is summer all year round! And, like, Manila, the food and shopping is sooo good! That's Singapore! I still use the pewter bowl I made at Royal Selangor as my catchall for my everyday jewelry. Every time I take off my earrings and rings, I remember Singapore. So now that my boys are vaccinated against COVID-19, I'm hoping we could go to Singapore soon! 


So here's a thorough guest article on Singapore hotels in Sentosa. Sentosa is a 500-hectare island located off the south coast of Singapore and a very popular tourist attraction. Previously, Sentosa was a British military stronghold tasked with protecting the port of Singapore. After the Japanese Occupation in World War II, Singapore returned to British rule, and the island was named "Sentosa" which translates to "peace and tranquility".

If you want to enjoy nature tourism, you can visit Siloso Beach and Palawan Beach. Here you can relax or play on the beach at a very affordable cost. Apart from that, you can also visit Fort Siloso which is a war fort built in the 19th century. Here you can see various war equipment used at that time and get to know more about the history of Singapore.

Don't forget to visit the Sentosa Merlion, one of the famous symbols of Sentosa Island. Here you can see the Merlion statue which is located right on the beach with a beautiful view. Apart from that, you can also visit Tiger Sky Tower, one of the largest amusement parks on Sentosa Island. Here you can climb the tower which is at a height of 110 meters and enjoy the beautiful view from the top of the tower.

On Sentosa Island, there are also many accommodations such as hotels and resorts. You can find many Sentosa hotels that offer great services and facilities. Below are recommendations for several hotels on Sentosa Island that you can try. Check out the full reviews below.
 
Hotels For Holiday Trip in Sentosa Island

1. Resorts World Sentosa – Hard Rock Hotel

The first hotel recommendation on Sentosa Island is the ideal luxury hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Sentosa Singapore, the right choice for travelers like you.

This resort is directly integrated with Sentosa Island. It's also close to Universal Studios, Jurassic World, aquarium attractions, and so on. The facilities provided at this resort include spacious and comfortable rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, a fitness center, and a restaurant serving international cuisine.

Around this resort, there are also many entertainment venues, such as playgrounds, maze parks, and water parks. In addition, this resort also provides water sports activities, such as jet skiing, water soccer, and so on.

Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway 098269 Singapore



2. Shangri-La Singapore

This beachside resort will enliven your vacation even more. The rooms at this resort are elegantly designed, comfortable, and equipped with the best facilities. You can choose a room with a sea or garden view, according to your preference.

At this resort, you can also enjoy various interesting activities such as snorkeling, jet skiing, or fishing. You can also enjoy the nightlife on the beach, or try delicious dishes at the restaurants in this resort.

If you want to enjoy a quieter atmosphere, you can visit the spa at this resort. Here, you can enjoy various treatment packages that will make you feel refreshed after having a great holiday.

Address: Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa, 101 Siloso Road. 098970 Singapura



3. Capella Singapore

Guests staying at this 5-star hotel will be offered a choice of comfortable and luxurious rooms. There are standard rooms, suite rooms, and executive rooms which are all equipped with the expected amenities.

The hotel also has fun recreational facilities, such as an outdoor swimming pool, spa, and fitness center. For dinner, guests can enjoy delicious food at the hotel's famous restaurant with international cuisine.

For those wishing to hold a business event, this 5-star hotel also provides spacious meeting rooms complete with presentation facilities. In addition, guests can also enjoy free wifi service throughout the hotel.

Address: 1 The Knolls Sentosa Island, Sentosa Island, 098297 Singapura



4. Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa is a 5-star hotel offering beautiful views of the South China Sea. In addition, this hotel also provides spa services that will pamper you after a day of work or relaxing at the beach. The rooms at this hotel are also quite spacious and so luxurious, and equipped with modern facilities such as a flat-screen television and speedy internet access.

If you want to enjoy the beauty of the sea, you can visit the beach around the hotel which is famous for its fine white sand. You can also enjoy water activities such as snorkeling.

Visit the shopping center which is located not far from the hotel. In addition, there are many tourist attractions that can be visited around the hotel, such as Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquariums, and many more.

Address: 2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa (Sentosa Island) 099891 Singapura



5. Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa

The next recommended resort on Sentosa Island is Amara Sanctuary. This hotel has the best service and facilities for every guest.

The facilities available at Amara Sanctuary are a fitness center, spa, restaurant, and outdoor swimming pool. You can also enjoy the beautiful scenery around this resort from the rooms that are open to the entire resort.

This resort also provides a wide range of stay package options, from weekend packages to honeymoon packages. If you are looking for a romantic place for a vacation with your partner, Amara Sanctuary can be the right choice.

Address: 1 Larkhill Road, Sentosa, Sentosa Island, 099394 Singapore.



6. Oasia Resort Sentosa By Far East Hospitality Singapore (formerly Le Méridien Singapore)

This 5-star hotel has many facilities ranging from a fitness center, and swimming pool, to a restaurant. Not only that, but Oasia Resort Sentosa also has spacious and comfortable rooms and is equipped with complete facilities such as a flat-screen TV, internet access, minibar, and so on. Guests staying at this hotel will also be pampered with friendly and professional service from the hotel staff.

Oasia is perfect for tourists who want to enjoy their holidays with luxurious facilities and services. In addition, the hotel's location close to tourist attractions makes this hotel the right choice for tourists who want to explore the area. So, if you want to stay in a hotel that has the best facilities and services, then this hotel is the right choice for you.

Address: 23 Beach View, Sentosa, Sentosa Island, 098679 Singapore



Those are some recommendations for star hotels on Sentosa Island. Find various other hotel options on Traveloka. On Traveloka, you can also find recommendations for tourist attractions on Sentosa Island. Visit Traveloka now to get various attractive promos and discounts.

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Sunday, March 05, 2023

Job hunting tips for moms going back to the workforce

A stay-at-home mom DM'd me asking how it was looking for a job after 10 years as a work-from-home mom, and I was honest. I said it was disheartening.

There was one HR person who kept asking me what my college course was and how it was relevant to the editing job they advertised. And I said, "Look, I'm 46 years old. College was a lifetime ago. In college, I wrote erotica. That's sex stories. I wasted my time and my mother's money. But I have more than 20 years' experience as a writer and editor, even when I was - as you like to bring up - unemployed. That wealth of experience is what you should be asking me about."

Don't let HR discourage you. They ask from a list of questions. That list also told me they didn't even read the CV and sample work I sent. So just keep emphasizing your skills and experience. Downplay whatever flaw they find (in my case, being a devoted mommy was my flaw). 


And don't be desperate, I guess. It's hard not to feel desperate and discouraged but it makes you panic and not think. I was getting really sad! Then I remembered my self-worth is not tied to any job. So I just opened myself up to anything! And now I have a job in an industry I'd never been in! 

Oh, that job earlier? I got the job. But I turned them down because of the low offer. Because I was "unemployed" for 10 years, even as I insisted I earned more money as a freelancer than any job ever (including my current one) 🙄

So, yeah, job hunting sucked but I'm happy with the job I did get. So if you're looking for a job, just don't quit. Tell people you're looking. Don't be shy. People will help but they need to know you need help.

And, yep, I'm still working as a freelancer and blogger. Still getting offers to write and edit. And do other things I've never done before! And I'm in the middle of 2 books, too. Exciting!

So getting past HR can be tough (I really wish they come in AFTER the department manager shortlists you), but don't be discouraged.

Tell everyone you know you need a job. Don't be ashamed to say it. I was, for 3 months, and so I bounced around unhappily. The minute I posted on Facebook that I needed a job, my inbox was flooded with offers to help. People want to help. Just ask for it 😊

Good luck!!!

"You have not because you ask not." James 4:2

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Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Tuition fees are going up. Good luck to our budget!

I went back to the corporate world this year after 10 years as a freelancer/business owner and I got asked a couple of times if I got tired of the hustle culture. Partly yes, but mostly because I have 3 kids to educate and tuition is crazy expensive and needs to be paid quarterly. Unfortunately, when you’re a freelancer, the income is erratic. Sometimes, it pours when it rains. Most of the time, it’s dry season. And that's the real reason I got a regular job with a regular income. It allows me to create a budget for their education. 

I wrote an article for Wyeth ParenTeam, 5 Steps to Save for Your Child's College Tuition. It has an equation there that predicts tuition years and years from now. It’s all estimates but you get a good idea of how much you’re going to suffer and for how long hahahaaa huhuhu.

The equation goes: Current tuition multiplied by 1 plus Interest [P x (1+I)] raised to number of years (N).

In my article, the financial expert I interviewed said, “On your phone, just type 300,000 x 1.10 then press the equal sign 8 times. We have just projected that if tuition fees increase by 10% a year for 8 years, then Php 300,000 today will be around Php 644,000 in 8 years, or around Php 778,000 in 10 years.”

That's where I spent 4.5 years of my life, the College of Arts & Letters

Boy. Almost a million pesos for one year in college. A short-term financial solution is to get a loan. My mother got tuition loans from her job all the time so she could send our eldest brother to school. My and my younger brother’s education was free (thank you, Philippine taxpayers!) while my younger sister’s education wasn’t that expensive either. All our college was subsidized because we went to that state university in Diliman (thank you again, Philippine taxpayers!) so Mama didn’t have to borrow so much anymore.

Some schools accept credit card payments but that’s something I want to stay away from because I was a credit card-aholic (but my marriage saved me). Plus, credit card interest rates are jumping this March! College tuition is just too big an amount to put on a card.

I’m not going to think of college because we already have a college fund for them (that’s another solution: invest in a mutual fund or an insurance policy with regular endowment payouts!). Also, I’m hoping my boys go to my alma mater and be a scholar like me.

So let’s just compute for high school since my kids are 12, 10, and 8. Let’s do my eldest son’s tuition. So his Grade 6 tuition now is Php 150,000. So if tuition increases by 10%, I’ll need to pay Php 165,000 for 7th grade. That means my tuition budget is Php 13,750 a month for a year. Doable!

But then I have 2 more kids. That means Php 495,000 a year. That’s okay. I just need to set aside Php 41,250 every month. Thanks to my new job, this is still doable.

Now my kids go to a school near our place so we don’t spend a lot of money on the school run. Not a lot of time on the road either. It’s a big deal because they used to go to another school just 5 kms away and the school bus service cost me an additional Php 9,000 a month (or Php 90,000 a school year). Plus an hour and 2 hours in traffic, morning and afternoon respectively. Transferring to a nearer school made such a huge difference in time and money saved!

But then here comes the crazy part: We’re thinking of sending our boys to that boys’ school in Katipunan. We have our reasons although they pale after I tell you this: That school is almost 12 kilometers away from our home and difficult to get to because traffic to and fro is hellish. Since my husband also has a full-time job, he won’t be able to do the school run (he can do this now because our current school is very near).

So if the boys go to that boys’ school, we’ll have to get them a bus service. I asked my friend who lives near me how much she pays for her son’s bus service from our city to that school. A whopping Php 10,000 a month! That’s Php 100,000 x 3 = Php 300,000 a year just on the school service!

I don’t think I can afford Php 495,000 tuition + books + uniforms + baon + Php 300,000 bus service, mommies. It's just illogical. 

So we were prepared enough to save for college but I don’t know if we can even get them there because grade school and high school are so damn pricey! 

Lots of thinking to do.

*Photo by Kat Fernandez on Unsplash
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