Eveclair It’s been some time since we last had the chance to catch our breaths, so we decided to take a break from work and indulge in a brief, rejuvenating vacation. Instead of travelling abroad, we opted for a brief 3-day, 2-night getaway to unwind and recharge.
Benefits of Staycation Trips
If you are crunched for time, a staycation is a great alternative, no rushing to the airport and taking various modes of transport to get to your destination. Often, we overlook the facilities and attractions in an area; staying locally allows you to explore, rediscover and enjoy the local cultural places and find hidden gems right at your doorstep.
In a way, staying local also helps local businesses and contributes to the economy.
I was searching for an exceptional hotel with a serene atmosphere and a few relaxing amenities without breaking the bank. That’s when I stumbled upon Quincy Hotel, an exclusively adult-oriented establishment with a 12th-floor offering with a pool, gym, and sauna.
One of the main reasons we chose this hotel was because it was located close to Orchard Road, a stone’s throw from Far East Plaza. We eagerly anticipated our stay at this conveniently located boutique hotel. These days, we hardly venture to Orchard Road as the malls in the heartlands have more or less the same stores as they do in town, but heading out to Orchard and revisiting our teenaged haunts was a treat for the both of us.
This year, National Day falls on a Wednesday, and our staycation started on a Tuesday afternoon. We looked forward to escaping the city’s crowds and anticipated the standard hotel pleasantries. To our delight, our experience at Quincy Hotel exceeded our expectations.
Upon our arrival, Issa, the hotel concierge at the front desk, greeted us. She was warm and friendly. We were delighted to receive a goody bag filled with five mini bar snacks or drinks and two ice creams. What a treat! It felt very personalised because we had to choose the drinks and snacks instead of having a standard choice in the mini-fridge.
All-day light refreshments
What’s more, the lounge offers canned drinks and packets of snacks such as popcorn, nuts, and granola throughout the day. We popped into the lounge after an outing on Orchard Road.
On regular days, evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Evening cocktails, canapes, and cheese sets are served. It is delightful that each guest can get up to two rounds of beer, mocktails, or wine on the house. Subsequent drinks are chargeable.
We were most delighted by the invitation to an evening cocktail event in the lounge, where we could enjoy a live screening of the National Day parade. It became the highlight of our staycation, and it was a sweet gesture that the hotel included an additional pack of potato wheels when they gave us the invitation. These local childhood favourites brought back a sense of nostalgia.
We stayed in the Premier Room, which was very spacious. It had a bathtub and a shower, which had a full glass view to the bed, which I found odd, but thankfully, it had blinds to cover when you shower in case you didn’t want your other half to have a whole show of you bathing, haha. A lovely bay window seating adjacent to the coffee machine area/ desk area. It was nice to have coffee capsules replenished daily.
Some hotels charge for these, but not Quincy. It was complimentary. I love the automated blinds you can draw down in the evenings when you need that extra privacy.
Mornings were delightful as well. We spent an hour at the gym, washed up and had breakfast at the lounge. You can order from the menu of Western or Asian, and there is a very basic breakfast buffet consisting of fruit, milk and juices, coffee, salad and bread. They didn’t have hot chocolate or the Asian favourite, milo.
I am caffeine intolerant, so it was a little disappointing, but cutting back on the sweet drink is a plus, too. Breakfast is until 2:30 pm, delightful for those who like to sleep in and catch that extra rest before drifting down for brunch.
We didn’t have a chance to use the pool or sauna because we had forgotten to bring our swimwear or appropriate clothing, but the cosy pool area, which was right next to the gym, had a nice view from it. I like that there were lockers and a proper shower area; there is no need to rush back to your room to get a take shower before you go about your day.
How Small Touches Can Create Big Impacts for Hotel Guests
National Day was upon us. We spent the day in Orchard Road cafe, hopping and shopping. We were enjoying a walk in the long-stretched retail malls, basking in the sunlight before heading back for dinner.
Dinner was spectacular with a live-station of Laksa. You can customise tour Laska to your liking. Dear is not fond of fish cakes, so he could request not to have that added in. There was a make-your-own Rojak area at the buffet area, Satay and chicken wings, which were delicious.
Many tourists weren’t sure how to go about the rojak, so they watched me as I created my own. It was nerve-wracking, as I never liked being the centre of attention. But as always, I’m glad to help. Dear, I had a beer while I had sweet wine as we watched the live telecast of the National Day Parade.
To end our evening, it was a treat when Issa offered to take a Polaroid photo of us. A picture of the occasion, with a personalised message from Issa on the sleeve as a souvenir, was a nice touch.
I end my post now by saying that Quincy has hit the nail on the head regarding small touches to make their guest feel relaxed and extra special. I like that Quincy supported the local snack companies wherever possible, putting their snacks for guests at the lounge. Dear was raving that Quincy would be at the top of our list given the chance for another staycation. To the management and Staff at Quincy, thank you and keep up the excellent work!
