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Asia November 20, 2023

Visiting Universal Studios Singapore with toddlers

Located in the heart of the fun island of Sentosa in Singapore, Universal Studios is a must-see attraction when visiting Sentosa for anyone with kids! But with toddlers? All your questions will be answered in this post about visiting Universal Studios with toddlers and young children.

_{This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking, I make a small commission. This is at absolutely NO additional cost to you and helps me keep the site running!}

Universal Studios Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore is an attraction that you DO NOT want to miss if travelling to Singapore! Filled with loads of areas to explore, rides, shows and of course plenty of places to shop and eat. There are things to do here that the whole family will enjoy, no matter what age!

Must Do Experiences at Universal Studios Singapore

Sesame Street favourites are a highlight for toddlers visiting Universal Studios Singapore — Sesame Street in ‘New York’ at Universal Studios

The little ones will love having adventures in the Sesame Street Spaghetti Chase and meeting their favourites characters from Sesame Street!
The Jungle Rapids ride will have you thinking that you are right in Jurassic Park escaping a flood surrounded by dinosaurs!
Stroll around the park and rub shoulders with all your favourites like the Transformers and the Minions at the Character Meet and Greet for each themed zone of the park.
Check the times and don’t miss the Live Stunt Show based on the movie by the same name WaterWorld. Incredible stunts and the stage will blow our mind (spoiler…get ready for a plane to crash land!) and the performers are amazing. Get ready to get really soaked if you sit in the ‘Splash Zone’. One that the whole family will enjoy!
The grown ups will LOVE the 3 thrilling rollercoasters of the park: Battlestar Galactica Human & Cylon and Revenge of the Mummy.
NEW!!! Minion Land Due to Open at Universal Studios Singapore on 14 February 2025!!

Purchase Universal Studios Singapore tickets online with Expedia HERE

Stage at WaterWorld stunt show at Universal Studios Singapore — The incredible stage for the stunt show WaterWold

Getting to Universal Studios Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore is located within the Resorts World Sentosa Complex, on Sentosa Island. Here, as well as Universal Studios, you can find a numbers of attractions such as the S.E.A Aquarium, Adventure Cove Waterpark as well as hotels, restaurants and a Casino.

To reach Universal Studios from mainland Singapore, you can easily hop on the Sentosa Express from HarbourFront MRT (Metro station at VivoCity Shopping Centre) and alight at Resort World Station, that is just outside the Resorts World complex.

You can read more on this on my other post coming soon about Getting Around in Sentosa.

resorts world sentosa complex — Resorts World Sentosa

Entry Tickets to Universal Studios Singapore

Entry Tickets for Kids at Universal Studios can be purchased directly at the gates, or for ease you can also purchase them online from Klook. You can also buy here online the Express Pass in Advance to save time and skipping the queues on the rides!

Purchase Universal Studios Singapore tickets online with Expedia HERE

Adult tickets are charged at prices starting from $82 SGD for Adults and $61 SGD for Children Aged 4 to 12 years old.

FAQ: Is a toddler free for Entry at Universal Studios Singapore?

We travelled when our toddler was just under 3 and his entry was FREE. So despite not being able to go on many rides because of the minimum height requirement, as a toddler he still got to do quite a bit at the park and his entry did not cost us anything!

Zones of the Park

The park made up of 7 different ‘zones’ that are each themed differently:

When you enter the park at the big Universal Studios dome, you go straight into HOLLYWOOD. If you then continue walking anticlockwise you will get to NEW YORK (Sesame Street Characters), onto SCI-FI CITY (Transformers), then moving onto ANCIENT EGYPT (The Mummy), to the LOST WORLD (Jurassic Park themed) and finally into FAR FAR AWAY (Shrek). Each zone has also its own themed walkway, souvenir shops and eateries.

You can view the full park map HERE.

The minions are coming to universal studios singapore — The Minions are coming at Universal Studios Singapore

NEW Minion Land – OPENING 14 February 2025

Stay tuned.. there is one more epic theme coming to Universal Studios in Singapore! Minion Land is due to open at the park on 14 February 2025! At the time of our visit (late 2023) a section of the park was closed off, it was the former Madagascar Zone, and that is where Minion Land Universal Studios Singapore is due to open.

The new section of the park will be made up of 3 new areas: Minion Marketplace, Gru’s Neighbourhood and Super Silly Fun Land. The new area will include 3 new rides and Minion Themed Food and Merchandise stores.

Universal Studios Singapore for toddlers and young children

Height requirements

There is a variety of rides and shows that the whole family can enjoy at Universal Studios Singapore, but as a general note most of the rides have a minimum height requirement of 92 cm. The bigger rides and rollercoasters usually have a minimum height requirement of 122-125 cm.

Note that for all the rides, children under 122 cm need to be with an accompanying adult. For some rides, hand held infants are also not allowed for safety reasons.

High rollercoasters at Universal Studios — View of the huge rollercoasters

At the time of our trip our toddler (almost 3 yrs) was around 90-92 cm and could only go on a handful of rides. These listed below are the popular ones for small kids with relevant height restrictions, plus noted some favourites:

FAQ: What rides can toddlers go on at Universal Studios Singapore?

Sesame Street Spaghetti Chase, a favourite ride for toddlers visiting universal studios singapore — New York Zone and the Sesame Street Spaghetti Chase ride

Sesame Street Spaghetti Chase (New York Zone) – Min 92 cm but we were allowed on. This one moves quite slow compared to most other rides but was still great fun for the little ones seeing their favourite Sesame Street Characters ***Highly Recommend***
Lights, Camera, Action! (New York Zone) – No min height
Accellerator Ride (Sci-Fi City Zone) – No min height
Treasure Hunters (Ancient Egypt Zone) – No min height. This ride was heaps of fun. The kids can pretend to drive a jeep into the desert uncovering hidden treasures! ***Highly Recommend***
Dino-Soarin’ (The Lost World Zone) – No min height
Shrek 4D Adventure (Far Far Away Zone) – No min height

Far Away land in Universal studios — The Enchanted Castle at Far Far Away

So if you are visiting with a toddler below the min 92 cm height you will likely be doing some of the same rides over and over. There are other things to do, such as the Character Meet and Greet that happen all day at the park and lots of exploring.

Popular Rides for Young Kids

For older kids higher than the minimum 92 cm, my older child (5 yrs) was around 110cm, he was able to go on these:

Jungle rapids, one of the family favourite rides at Universal studios Singapore — Image by Fonthip Ward from Pixabay

Transformers the Ride – the Ultimate 3D Battle (Sci-Fi City Zone) – Min 102 cm. Walk through a Sci-Fi lab and be submersed in a 3D experience with the Transformers escaping from the evil guys ***Highly Recommend***
Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure (The Lost World Zone) – Min 107 cm ***Highly Recommend***
Canopy Flyer (The Lost World Zone) – Min 92 cm. Rollercoaster.
Puss in Boots (Far Far Away Zone) – Min 100 cm. Rollercoaster. ***Highly Recommend***
Enchanted Airways (Far Far Away Zone) – Min 92 cm. Rollercoaster.

Transformers the ride, a popular ride for young kids visiting universal studios singapore — Transformers Ride

Handy Tips for Visiting Universal Studios Singapore with toddlers

Get there early – plan to spend a full day there

The park is usually open from 10 am to 6 pm, but on some days it opens a bit later at 11 am. Check the website for the most up-to-date information.

Allow to spend a full day there as there is so much to see. With kids you will need to take lots of snack/drinks/ice cream breaks if it’s a hot day, and most days are.

If you only have half a day to visit the park – I would opt to go in the afternoon from 2 pm onwards. We went midweek and a lot of the bigger crowds had left by mid afternoon and the morning was a lot busier as the crowds entered when the park just opened.

Ancient Egypt where there was some great rides at Universal Studios Singapore — Ancient Egypt

Go midweek and outside holidays if you can

The park gets very busy – we went on a weekday and still some rides had some very long lines of 1+ hours wait. If you can, visit midweek and outside of popular holidays!

There is also the option to pay extra for an Express Pass to skip the queue once per ride (Universal Express Pass starting at SG50 pp) or as many time as you like (Universal Express Pass Unlimited starting at SG80 pp). Note the cost in additional to the Entry ticket.

Purchase Universal Studios Singapore tickets online with Expedia HERE

A walkway in Universal Studios Singapore — Walkway to the Sci-Fi Zone

I can see that it would be totally worth it to purchase the Express Pass if you are visiting during busy periods like a weekend or school holidays, as waiting in the long lines in the heat with young kids is defenitely not fun!

Leave the most popular rides for early afternoon or just before closing time

We noticed that as we got in as the park opened, the most popular rides had long queues almost immediately, some with waits of 45 min to over 1 hour.

But in the afternoon at around 2 pm a lot of the queues had gone and we managed to do quite a few rides. That was the same at around 5 – 5.30 pm just before closing time, a lot of people had left already and we could go on several rides one after the other with no queue.

Puss in Boots Ride, a popular rollercoaster for young children visiting universal studios — Puss in Boots Rollercoaster

The other tip for parents is to make use of the Single Rider lanes if you are tag teaming to watch the kids. These lines are usually shorter and there were no queues on these towards the end of the day!

Bring a pram

There is lots of walking and it’s hot, so the little ones get tired very easily! Prams can also be hired from Universal Studios Singapore at the entry.

Venture outside the park if you need to stock up on drinks or snacks

Universal Studios has heaps of places to stop and refuel for drinks or snacks but it is very expensive! Get a pass out and venture just outside the park to the 7/Eleven around the corner to stock up on cold drinks and Ice cream for a third of the price of what you would find inside the park.

Where to Eat and Stay when visiting Universal Studios Singapore

Eating in Universal Studios Singapore

There are several eateries within the park as well as several snack and food stands to grab drinks. Some popular eateries include Goldilocks, KT’s Grill & Loui NY Pizza Parlor for some classics like pizza, burgers & fried chicken and Shrek-themed waffles.

But note that, for the convenience and experience of eating inside Universal Studios Singapore, you will be paying a premium for it!

If you want to venture outside the park for lunch for some more choice on what to eat, you can also get U/V light pass-outs (yes very cool…as we thought!) and check out the eateries just outside the park within Resorts World Sentosa.

Malaysian Food Street just outside Universal Studios — Malaysian Food Street at Resorts World Sentosa

The popular ones are Malaysian Food Street, which has a lot of different Hawker street style classic dishes (around 10-12 SGD per meal). For a fancier feed, also across from Universal Studios, check out Gourmet Park, for some seriously gourmet food trucks.

Around the corner there is also a 7-Eleven convenience store, if you need to stock up on cold drinks and ice creams to cool off with prices from $1-2 SGD, a fraction of what the same would cost inside the park.

Best family hotels near Universal Studios Singapore

Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa

The ultimate family resort in Sentosa is the well-known Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa. Located at Siloso beach facing the sea, the resort is complete with it’s own water play area with slides and water sprays, as well as a state-of-the-art Kids Club. This family resort is perfect for families travelling with young children.

Check prices and availability for Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa

Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa – Image courtesy of Expedia Inc

Village Hotel Sentosa

This recently opened hotel is a stunning complex with over 600 rooms, most of them interconnecting so perfect for families. The Pool deck on level 3 is the highlight of the resort with 4 themed pools, including it’s own lazy river and many shallow kid-friendly pools! You can read my full review of Village Hotel Sentosa HERE

Check prices and availability for Village Hotel Sentosa

Village hotel Sentosa located near Universal Studios — Village Hotel Sentosa

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa

This large, expansive complex is located on the south of the island, in the cliff above the trendy Tanjong Beach. For families, there are a variety of accommodation options that include rooms as well as villas. The Kids club and glamping options for the rooms are particularly popular at this luxurious resort!

Check prices and availability for Sofitel Singapore Sentosa

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa – Image courtesy of Expedia Inc

Want to read more about Singapore?

I hope you enjoyed this Guide on Visiting Universal Studios Singapore with toddlers!

Looking for FREE things to do in Singapore? There are plenty of attractions that are FREE for the whole family to enjoy. Check out my post on FREE things to do in Singapore with Kids HERE.

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Asia November 5, 2023

Village Hotel Sentosa Review

On a recent family trip to Singapore we stayed on Sentosa island at the Village Hotel Sentosa, a stunning family friendly resort complex, located right next to Resorts World Sentosa and all it’s attractions. Worth the long flight? Absolutely! This is my Village Hotel Sentosa Review.

_{This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking, I make a small commission. This is at absolutely NO additional cost to you and helps me keep the site running!}

What you are going to love about Village Hotel Sentosa

The amazing 4 pools and gardens at the pool deck. Heaps of space and a real relaxed vibe.
Perfect for families with young children. Clever room design with interconnecting rooms and shallow pools.
In a great location in Sentosa. Close to the beach, as well as to Resorts World attractions and a short monorail ride into Singapore to connect with the Metro (MRT) .

To check out prices and availability of Village Hotel Sentosa, check HERE.

pool at village sentosa — Adventure Pool at Village Sentosa

Where is Village Hotel Sentosa

Village Hotel Sentosa is located on the island of Sentosa, a man made island just off the coast of the south of Singapore. Within a short walk from the hotel you can reach the beach, as well as the many attractions within Resorts World Sentosa like Universal Studios & S.E.A Aquarium.

universal studios, located in nearby resort world sentosa — Universal Studios in Singapore is located just a short walk away

The closest monorail station is 5 minutes away, Imbiah station, which can take you directly into VivoCity shopping centre in Singapore. From there you can take the Metro (MRT – HarbourFront) into anywhere you need to get to in Singapore!

Getting to Village Hotel Sentosa from Singapore Changi Airport

Taxi / Grab

The easiest and quickest way to reach Sentosa is with a taxi from Changi Airport. The trip is around 20 minutes and it costs around 25-35 SGD depending on the time of day. Taxis are available at the airport, and if travelling with children, they can travel on the parents lap on the back seat.

Ridesharing company Grab (think Uber for South East Asia) also widely operates in Singapore and can be more cost efficient than taxis.

If travelling with young children, you must book a Grab Family. Grab Family generally has car seats and boosters installed for young children.

Entry charge when arriving in Sentosa

If arriving by taxi and visiting Sentosa for the day, an Entry Fee to the island is added to the taxi fare.

If you are staying on Sentosa, you will just need to show your accommodation confirmation letter or QR code provided by the accommodation to enter Sentosa and you/the taxi driver won’t be required to pay the Entry Fee.

The fee is between $2-$6 SGD to enter the island, depending on time of day that you enter.

You can read more on this on my other post coming soon about Getting Around in Sentosa.

Facilities & Rooms at Village Hotel Sentosa

children's pool at village sentosa at dusk — Pool at dusk

Village Hotel Sentosa is a large resort complex with onsite restaurant, a stunning pool deck on the 3rd floor with 4 pools, including it’s own lazy river, swim up bar and gym.

Dining

Dining Options – within the hotel

Native Kitchen, Ground Floor, open 7am-11am, 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm

This is where breakfast for Village Hotel Sentosa is served. We did not have breakfast included in our room price so I cannot comment on the food.

It is although a buffet style breakfast serving Western and Asian dishes. It’s also open for lunch and dinner with an extensive a-la-carte menu.

native kitchen, the main restaurant at village sentosa — Native Kitchen, on the ground floor

Supply Depot, Ground Floor, open 8am to 6pm

Located at reception and is available for snacks and light refreshments.

supply depot to stock up on snacks at the lobby — Supply Depot opposite reception

Poor Bar, Pool Deck, Level 3, Open 12pm to 5pm

Located by the Pamukkale pool on the Pool Deck, you can get drinks, cocktails, Pizzas and light snacks.

Dining Options – At Mess Hall complex, located directly across from the Hotel

The gorgeous white colonial building was once a Military outpost, now hosts stylish restaurants and a convenience store. It’s located right across Village Hotel Sentosa, as well as being very easily accessible from nearby Hotels The Barracks & the Outpost Hotel.

mess hall, across the road from native kitchen — Mess Hall, located across the road from Village Sentosa, opposite Native Kitchen

7/11 Convenience Store: Proved to be extremely convenient to pick up some snacks for the room and ice creams when it got too hot. Located just outside reception on the ground floor.
Le Faubourg: French Dining
MIYOSHI by Fat Cow: Japanese Fine Dining
Royal Taj: Indian Dining

Want to explore other dining options in Sentosa? Check out my other post coming soon on Where to Eat in Sentosa.

Swimming Pools

The Pool Deck on level 3 is the jewel in the crown of this resort. Lush greenery and coy ponds surround the pool deck and there is plenty of space to have a lounge or curl up on the many round pods to read a book. All the pools are located on Level 3 via lift or escalator from reception. From Level 3 you can get a great view over the sea.

area to relax on level 3 near the pool deck — Relaxing pods in the Pool Deck Area on level 3

Adventure Pool: the largest pool in the centre of the resort with a shallow end and terraced higher end.

Adventure pool at village sentosa — Adventure Pool

Pamukkale Pool: A stunning infinity pool that looks over the sea, with terraced shallow pools to resemble Pamukkale in Turkey. It’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy the views over the water (and the monorail depot, the highlight for the kids!)

the terraced Pamukkale Pool at village sentosa — Pamukkale Pool

Children Play Pool: shallow and with 2 small water slides and water sprays, this pool is a real hit with the little ones.

Lazy River: so refreshing and surrounded by lush greenery and mangroves. You can grab one of the bright yellow pool floats from the resort and be carried along the river for a float.

To check out prices and availability of Village Hotel Sentosa, check HERE.

Other Facilities

Gym: located on level 3 on the pool deck. Well equipped with modern equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes, bench press and weights. Open 8am to 10pm.
Complementary Resort shuttle to Beach Station & VivoCity running every half hour from 8am to 21.30pm
Tour desk
24 hour reception

Reception at Village Sentosa — 24 hour reception at Village Sentosa

Rooms at Village Sentosa

This hotel is a large complex with 606 guestrooms. The resort is largely catered to families with lots of rooms set up as interconnecting family rooms.

Room types

There are just 3 room types at the resort. Deluxe Rooms (for 2 people), Family Rooms and Deluxe Family Rooms (both family room types are 2 rooms interconnecting). Deluxe family rooms are slightly larger than the family rooms and have a bathtub in one of the rooms. We stayed in a standard Family room.

Family Rooms

Many of the rooms at Village Hotel Sentosa are Family Rooms. The Family Rooms are essentially 2 rooms interconnecting with 2 doors, which you can keep open or closed for privacy.

Family room at village sentosa — Family room with open interconnecting doors

Each room has it’s own 49 inch TV, bathroom, shower and storage. There is also a safe to store valuables. The bed configuration can be set up as 2 doubles or one double and 2 singles.

We opted for 2 doubles and had a bedrail on one side of the kids bed (3 and 5 yrs old).

Room amenities

The rooms are compact, of minimalistic design and with neutral colours. There are large windows facing either the pool, island or sea. The windows have curtains and some great blackout blinds which made it easy for the kids to get to sleep.

Luggage Storage, tiny robes for the kids and amenities in the rooms

The rooms are very well designed with smart use of space, but keep in mind, they are very compact. There is no wardrobe, just a shelf to store a suitcase and a few drawers and hangers to store belongings.

A kettle, mugs, glasses and a jug for ice/water in the room as well an a small fridge (provided empty).

Luggage storage in the rooms — Luggage storage and small fridge upon room entry

No tea or coffee is provided in the room. Instead, on each floor, there is a vending machine for snacks and drinks, as well as a communal Tea / Coffee station.

tea/cofee station and vending machine area — Vending Machine and Ice Machine at each lift

Here, you can take what you need for your room and there is also a water / ice machine, which proved to be extremely handy to fill up water bottles with ice on our way out for the day or in the evening to have a cold drink.

They have the same set up at every lift and floor and everything was always well stocked.

filtered water tap — Communal Coffee and Tea Station

Rooms are serviced daily and we found it to be very good with the rooms thoroughly cleaned each day.

In Room Dining is available across day and night and the menu can be seen on the hotel TV.

Bathroom

A clever feature in these rooms is that instead of plastic water bottles, each room is fittet with a Hyflux filtered water tap so it was great to refill our own water bottles. The water in Singapore is perfectly safe to drink anyway but this was a nice extra touch!

Filtered water tap next to the tap in each room — Hyflux Filtered Water Tap

The wash basin is located at the hallway, next to the luggage storage as you enter the room. The rain shower & Japanese Toto Washlet are in a separate cubicle.

Family Friendly facilities at Village Resort Sentosa

Despite being a hotel that is very geared around families – there is no kids club at this resort. That said, the hotel is very comfortable for families travelling. These are some of the family friendly facilities at Village Hotel Sentosa:

Shallow end of the Adventure Pool, at 0.50 cm

Convenient interconnecting room layouts, which was hard to find for a similar price point in Sentosa. While researching we found that most of the other larger resorts in Sentosa offered family rooms with all the beds in the one room, one bathroom and one tv, rather than in interconnecting but separate rooms.
Blackout blinds in the rooms
Bed rails and cots available upon request for smaller babies and infants (up to 9 kg only)
We found that the Swimming Pools were fantastic for kids, especially young ones. The Children’s Play Pool and part of the Adventure Pool are very shallow, between 30-50 cm.
The restaurant Native Kitchen has plenty of high-chairs, as well as a kids menu

Family Movie Nights at Village Hotel Sentosa

Family Movie Nights on Friday and Saturday nights by the Adventure Pool was a highlight and a great family activity organized by the hotel. They set up bean bags and provide you with mosquito patches and overall had a really great atmosphere.

At our time of stay there were no other kids activities running so it would be best to contact the hotel ahead of time as some activities may only run seasonally during the holidays.

What is nearby Village Hotel Sentosa

Attractions nearby Village Hotel Sentosa

Village Resort Sentosa is conveniently located a short walk away from Resort World Sentosa (10 minute walk or 1 stop on the Sentosa Express Monorail). At Resorts World Sentosa you can find Universal Studios, S.E.A Aquarium as well as many eateries, shopping outlets and the Casino.

You can read more on my posts about Visiting Universal Studios Singapore with Toddlers HERE!

cable car over adventure cove waterpark — Cable Car over Adventure Cove Waterpark

There is so much more to the above though and so many attractions to suit all ages. Some popular ones include Adventure Cove Waterpark, Madame Tussauds as well as go karting at Hyperdrive, Indoor Skydiving at Ifly, ziplining at Mega Adventure Park and the night show at Wings of Time.

For a lazy day by the beach, walk at the back of the hotel to reach Palawan beach and stroll along to cross over the Big Bridge. There are many beach clubs along the beach to relax and have something to eat too. This is one of the most popular FREE things to do in Sentosa!

Check out more FREE attractions in Singapore to enjoy with Kids in my other post HERE.

Catching the Singapore Cable Car across Sentosa and at the top of Mt Faber across to Singapore is also a must do attractions and a great way to see the island from a high viewpoint.

VivoCity Shopping Mall is a huge shopping centre (the largest is Singapore) only 2 stops away on the monorail. From there you can catch the MRT (metro) into anywhere in Singapore.

Hotels nearby Village Hotel Sentosa

Sharing the same complex and pool as Village Hotel Sentosa (and part of the same hotel chain) is the Outpost Hotel. This hotel is more geared for couples / friends and has its own stunning Adults only Sky Pool and Bar with cool beats playing throughout the evening, called 1- Altitude Coast.

You can check out prices for the Outpost Hotel HERE.

The Outpost Hotel Sentosa – Image courtesy of Expedia Inc

The Barracks Hotel Sentosa: Luxury, heritage rooms located next door and can be seen from Mess hall across the road.

You can check out prices for the Barracks Hotel HERE.

The Barracks Hotel – Image courtesy of Expedia Inc

Village Hotel Sentosa Review – Final thoughts

All in all, we really enjoyed our stay at Village Resort Sentosa! Would I come again to Village Hotel Sentosa? Absolutely YES! Would I recommend it for families? YES.

I highlighted the things that I loved about the Hotel and some things that I didn’t love so much about our stay below.

To check out prices and availability of Village Hotel Sentosa, check HERE.

What I loved about Village Resort Sentosa

The standout feature for this resort is without a doubt the Pool Area. It is the most impressive pool set up that I have ever seen in a hotel. I loved that there were so many areas that you can go to, always sunbeds, you can move across to the 4 pools and they are all so different.
The design with immaculate gardens, coy ponds to the side and greenery that is on top over the roofs of the pool too, make this the highlight of the stay.

the green roof above the pool deck at village sentosa — The greenery overtaking the roof of the Pool Deck on Level 3

Location we found to be really great. It was so easy to get around in Sentosa or into Singapore with the the Sentosa Express Monorail directly into Vivocity Shopping Centre and from there hop on the MRT.

What I didn’t like so much about Village Resort Sentosa

The main thing that we found a bit challenging during the stay was the size of the rooms. The rooms are quite compact and as we stayed just over a week – we had quite a bit of luggage and the lack of storage just meant we had things lying around everywhere.

We also had quite a bit of laundry to do (always the case with young kids) and there was little or no space to dry it. There was a laundry service at the hotel but it was quite pricey (charged per item) so we did not use it and arranged our own washing.

I think perhaps the room set up for this hotel is more geared towards guests staying for a short stay, rather than longer stays hence the smaller rooms.

Want to read Read More on How to Save Money when Travelling to Singapore? Article coming soon.

BOOK Village Hotel Sentosa

To check out prices and availability of Village Hotel Sentosa, check HERE.

Want to read more about Singapore?

Check out my other articles about Singapore like Free things to Do in Singapore with Kids & Popular and Unique Dishes to Try at Hawker Centres.

Note: This post is NOT sponsored and is my honest and personal opinion only.

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Travel Tips August 20, 2023

5 Mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation

Ever ended up in a hotel, after hours of travelling and lots of $$$ spent, just to be disappointed with it? Here’s my list on the Top 5 mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation.

Top 5 mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation or hotels — Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

So you got the flights booked (if you haven’t, check out my other post on How to Book the cheapest flights Online) and next thing on the list is to book accommodation.

So where to stay? What accommodation to go for? What’s in the area? Is there Wi-Fi? SO MANY QUESTIONS! Surely it’s not just me, I’m an over-planner in travelling. No matter what trip it is, there are some things that you should always check before booking so that you don’t end up disappointed.

Not checking amenities inclusions like wifi is one of the common mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation — Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Top 5 Mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation

Mistake # 1: Not researching Hotel Location

This has to be my number 1 on the list of Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid when booking accommodation. Because even if the hotel or accommodation turns out to be a total dud – you can leave your stuff and go out. Go and see some fabulous places. Eat something amazing at the best food places in town at your doorstep.. and it won’t take you hours to get there.

Especially if you are staying somewhere for a limited amount of time, you won’t waste precious holiday time (and money) trying to get to and from wherever you are going.

In smaller cities or towns if you want to be close to the main attractions its quite straight forward. Just stay in the city centre or historical town centre. But in bigger cities it can get more complicated.

the vast metropolis of Tokyo. Not checking location is one of the mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation — Tokyo Skyline – How do you choose the best location to stay in a city so vast?

In bigger cities like Tokyo for example, which has over 20 districts, where do you even start with choosing somewhere? So get researching on the popular areas to stay and speak to someone you know that has been there already.

Think of what you want to be doing while there. Are there main attractions that you absolutely want to see? Is it shopping or is it checking out the best local dining spots that you are after?

Once you have a rough idea of the location you want to stay in, go on Google Maps, on street view, and check out the area, the streets. Does it look dodgy? Does it look nice? Has it got your vibe? This will give you a good starting point and narrow down accommodation options from hundreds, to perhaps a handful.

Mistake # 2: Not checking accommodation options

checking alternative accommodation other than hotels in worth it depending on the where you are travelling to — Image by Erick Palacio from Pixabay

This will of course depend where you are travelling to – but generally, be open for compromise from your usual place to stay when travelling. Don’t make the mistake in just assuming there is just one accommodation type to stay in.

Some destinations might not be equipped for large hotels. The larger hotel might be on the outskirts of town, away from all the action. An example of this is the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. If you want to stay right in the Old Town, smaller accommodation providers and Guesthouses are generally where you can stay if you want to be in right the beating heart of the walled city.

old town Dubrovnik is a place where you generally won't stay in hotels to be right in the centre of the old town — Old Town Dubrovnik

When travelling to a major, modern city and you want to have amenities (but read #Mistake 3 first too) and just need a place to sleep while you are out exploring, hotels will probably be your best bet.

But if you are looking for a place to stay that has a bit more space for kids and facilities like a kitchen? Then serviced apartments are a great alternative. In regional areas, family friendly cabins in accommodation parks are also a good option too.

If you are on the hunt for a one of a kind place place that has a local ‘home away from home’ feel, holiday and short stay rentals from VRBO or AirBNB might a more suitable option for you.

Mistake # 3: Not checking room inclusions

not checking amenities and room inclusions is another mistake when booking accommodation — Image by Soner Köse from Pixabay

This has to have happened to everyone at least once when travelling. You get to your hotel or accommodation, unpack and then think. OPPS. I should have checked that before booking!

Think of this example. While the room you booked might not have a coffee machine for you to have your morning cup of espresso, that can be a minor inconvenience. But not having air-conditioning during a scorching hot European summer or spending exorbitant amounts on roaming because there is no Wi-Fi (yes, some places still don’t include it so don’t assume they all do), these sorts of things can put a damper on your holiday.

breakfast buffet is worth adding on if at the right price — Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

So, think of what are the non-negotiable amenities that you want or need when staying somewhere and check, check, and check again before you book! If you can’t find the information online, call the hotel or email them for peace of mind. A surprisingly high number of accommodation providers DO NOT list all their amenities on their websites. Yes, it’s crazy!

A word on Breakfast Inclusions:

Rooms in serviced hotels in particular may have the option to include breakfast at an additional cost. Do consider if it is worth it to add to the cost of the room. Knowing what type of breakfast it is might also help in seeing if it’s worth adding it on or not. A generous cooked buffet breakfast might cost a bit more but it might also mean that you won’t need to buy as much for lunch.

But a continental breakfast in a 3 star hotel in Rome for example might cost you around 7 to 10 Euro per person, when you can go a local bar and have a cappuccino and a fresh pastry for less than 4 Euros per person. Brushing elbows and standing at the bar with the locals, completely free :).

Mistake # 4: Not comparing prices

Booking a hotel online can be pretty straight forward if you know exactly where you want to stay and if you want to book directly with the hotel/accommodation provider.

comparing prices is important when booking accommodation — Image by Cristian Quezada from Pixabay

These days there are also many comparison sites like Kayak, Trivago, booking.com, Expedia.com that you can use to compare and book accommodation online. Memberships for many online companies are free to sign up to and will give you access to discounts and/or special deals when you book and travel often.

Often the prices listed for all of these sites also differ, regardless if you looking at the same accommodation. Check at least a few of the sites and compare the pricing and booking conditions, but ensure the source you book from is a reputable, well-known company.

Make sure you are happy with the booking conditions so that you don’t end up having to pay for additional things when you arrive. Or even worse – that your booking is nowhere to be found!

A word on cancellation policies:

Travel Plans can change for a variety of reasons and most times it’s outside of our control. Booking a room with a flexible cancellation policy is the smartest idea so that you do have that maximum flexibility to cancel in case you cannot travel anymore. Do know though, that flexibility comes at a price. If you want a flexible cancellation policy it will cost you more so factor than in when comparing rates.

saving money when comparing prices online is totally worth it — Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Mistake # 5: Not checking reviews

Another mistake to avoid when booking accommodation is not checking reviews. A place might look fantastic in the pictures, look new and clean, but you might turn up and the accommodation is dirty, the staff rude, and really be below your expectations. Always check the reviews! Read More on my post on reviews This is the ONE thing you want to see in a bad hotel review.

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I hope you enjoyed my post and found the tips useful in my 5 mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation. You can check out more of my articles with more handy travel tips right here:

How to Book the Cheapest Flights Online & This is the ONE thing you want to see in a bad hotel review

Looking for some great hotel deals? Check out Expedia or Booking.com.

To compare and book flights to Europe, head over to Skyscanner.

Compare car hire prices at Expedia Cars.

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Travel Tips August 13, 2023

This is the ONE thing you want to see in a bad hotel review

Reviews are everywhere. For where you eat, shop, ride and of course stay! They are essential to check out the real deal on a hotel before you book. We look at why you should read reviews, what to look for and the ONE thing you want to see in a bad hotel review to make sure your stay is fuss free with no hidden surprises.

guest reviews are often rates out of 5 or 10 — Image by Alexander from Pixabay

Why should you check reviews?

A place might look fantastic on the pictures, look new and clean, but you turn up and the accommodation is dirty, the area is a awful and the staff is rude. It’s happened to me and I’m sure it’s happened to many of you too.

That’s why hotel reviews are so valuable. They can give you real insights from travellers that have tried and tested a place before you go and stay. It’s as close as you can get from a recommendation from a friend!

guest reviews are important to understand how the accommodation is before you check in — Image by ming dai from Pixabay

Since sites like Tripadvisor.com and online travel agents plugged in reviews directly on booking sites, reviews are everywhere! But where do you start without having to read hundreds of them? Read on for some tips! And to find out what is the ONE thing you want to see in a bad review.

What do you look for in a hotel review?

Look for reviews that are thorough, factual and to the point. You want to mainly read reviews that focus on the highlights of the location, the cleanliness, amenities & how the staff deals with the guests. Always filter reviews by the most recent. By reading the first 10-20 reviews, this is where you will see patterns and if there have been recent management changes.

If there are photos that guests have left, check these out too! Compare them to the images loaded by the accommodation provider itself and see if they are indeed realistic of what the rooms and spaces looks like.

How many good reviews is enough?

Look for the overall percentage of positive reviews and average score for each review. If the highest score is 5 for example, you would be generally looking for the majority of the reviews with a score of 4 and above for a good standard. Filter by recent reviews to check whether they are consistently good. It doesn’t matter if a place is budget or luxury. Cleanliness & friendly customer service are extremely important to make it a comfortable stay, no matter what is your budget!

good customer service is important to get positive reviews — Image by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi from Pixabay

New Accommodation or Hotels recently opened

Even if a hotel is new & recently opened and they don’t have many reviews – what is there to read is a good indication on how the accommodation is doing so far.

In hotels for example, dealing with reviews is generally the responsibility of a particular person. Especially once a new place has opened, getting good reviews is an important strategy to ensure return customers and to bring in new ones!

new accommodation providers should also focus on getting positive reviews — Image by Tom from Pixabay

If there are mainly bad reviews when a place has just opened, even though the place might be brand new, it’s not a good sign! It might mean that the management has still not worked out all their processes and things are getting missed such as cleanliness standards & staff training.

Negative reviews and the ONE thing you want to see in a bad hotel review

Why people leave negative reviews

It’s extremely difficult to find a hotel that has no negative reviews. Peoples expectations are different. Staff change. All it takes is for someone to have an off day and they will leave a bad review.

Something extremely small might have caused a guest a huge bother (I’ve read all sorts) or, in more malicious cases, people also leave reviews out of spite when they don’t get their way.

leaving bad reviews online is common practise and are an opportunity for accommodation providers to improve their service — Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Sometimes, people also just like to write a negative review as it’s just easier to complain online rather than in person. Once the guests have left, there is very little that the hotel/accommodation provider can do to redeem themself. Read on to find out what is the one thing that you want to see in a bad review.

What to look for in a negative review

Bad reviews are not a bad thing though. In most cases if they are genuine – they are excellent opportunities for management of a hotel or accommodation providers to gain very valuable feedback in what can be improved and what can be done to make future guests stays seamless.

cleanliness at a hotel or accommodation provider is an important basic that helps with getting positive reviews — Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

My advice is, take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. Look for consistent issues that are reoccurring across multiple bad reviews – if they are mentioned several times then perhaps it is an actual issue. A once off negative review on something that has not been mentioned by other reviews recently, or a highly emotionally charged review is unlikely something to be wary about.

The one thing that you want to see in a bad review is this though: A management response!

The one thing that you want to see in a bad review: The ideal management response

What you are looking for is a genuine, professional response where management shows:

That they APOLOGIZE! They are sorry about the issue that has been brough to their attention
What actions have been taken to solve the issue/s
Management might also advise guests to contact them directly, so that the issue can be rectified offline
Thank guests for leaving the review and writing that they wish to see them again!

A management response is SO important! It not only shows that the management cares about the guests but also that they are open to feedback to improve things moving forward. So even if there are some bad reviews, if you see responses by the management that is a great sign!

hotel room photos left by guests are a great way to see if the room actually looks as described

On the other hand, not seeing a response to a bad review, or unprofessional responses by management, just shows that there is little care in what guests think. Issues raised are taken personally or totally dismissed rather that as an opportunity to improve the guest experience for next time.

Hope you are now equipped with some useful information for the next stay that you book!

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I hope you enjoyed this article! You can read more about handy hotel tips in my other post: 5 Mistakes to avoid when booking accommodation

Want to read reviews from thousand of accommodation providers? Check out Tripadvisor.com

Looking for some great hotel deals? Check out Expedia or Booking.com.

To compare and book flights head over to Skyscanner.

Want to read more about helpful travel tips? Check out more of my posts!

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Travel Tips April 27, 2023

How to Save Money when Travelling in Europe

While we lived in London, the ultimate goal was to visit at least 20 countries and stretch our hard earned pounds as far as possible. So how can you get around to a lot of countries without breaking the bank? Here are my 5 Top Tips on how to save money when travelling around Europe – whether it’s for a quick weekend city getaway or a longer holiday, there are so many places that you can go and explore!

5 Top Tips on How to Save Money when Travelling in Europe

Take a Train

We were based in London so when travelling around Europe we mostly got some great flight deals on budget airlines – but we also discovered the convenience and cost saving of using train travel! We did quite a few trips from London with the Eurostar and not just across to the popular Paris – but also to Lille in the north of France, the Netherlands (hello Amsterdam!) and to Belgium.

Brussels main square — Brussels Grand-Place

A flight London to Brussels for example is around an hour long – but with the Eurostar it’s just under 2 hours and you can save on costly airport transfers in both locations. The trains are extremely comfortable, you skip the long queues at security and at the gates and you are taken right in the centre of town!

Another big plus is that you won’t have to worry about having that extra kg or two of souvenirs (like a big supply of Belgium beers and chocolate…) in your luggage, as that something that budget airlines are extremely strict about (and actually make some profit off the cheap fare you booked), so if your bag is even just slightly overweight, you will end up with a hefty fine.

taking the train like the Eurostar is a great way to get around to see different countries in europe — Image by Emil02050 from Pixabay

Venture off the most popular cities

Of course you want to go and see Rome, Paris, Barcelona and tick off those beauties on your bucket list. But don’t be put off by places you have never heard about, just take a punt and go! We would often look at a map and choose a random city we didn’t know much about for a weekend. When we wanted to travel to Poland – instead of going to Warsaw or Krakow, we discovered this awesome university town called Wroclaw. We had an amazing time venturing around this city, trying out the local vodka bars and sinking our teeth in some creamy potato pierogi, all without the tourist crowds and at much more affordable prices. You can read more about Wroclaw HERE.

The colourful market square in Wroclaw, Poland — Wroclaw Town Square

Travel outside the peak holiday times

The busiest time of year that people travel within and to Europe are the summer months between June and August. That is also when a lot of schools have their longer summer break. For beach destinations, consider May and late September to travel as you will find the weather is generally quite warm, for example the south of Spain or Portugal will be a balmy 25 degrees.

A sunny beach in Portugal during spring — Spring in Praya de Luz, Portugal

If you are planning to see cities, any time of the year is great to visit! Even if it’s the middle of winter just rug up! I can assure you that you will always find a cosy place to have something warming to eat or drink, or a museum to see if it rains or snows. You will get to see a place with mainly just the locals and really get absorbed into the local culture and feel of a place.

Winter in Budapest with view on the iconic chain bridge — Budapest Chain Bridge during a very snowy February

In London for example, the weather can be a real hit and miss most of the year. Avoiding the summer and travelling in spring (late March / April) is a great alternative. You will get to see the many beautiful gardens in full bloom and the accommodation will be a bit more affordable.

Spring in bloom in one of the many public gardens in London — Regent Park in London, during spring

Check ahead what’s on where you are travelling to

If you are planning to take a trip outside of the tourist summer season – it’s still worth checking what is on when you are travelling. If there are big events in a particular city or town, you will find that the prices are generally higher, and it will also mean that the accommodation and car hire will be limited or expensive. These events could be anything from large events, conferences or gatherings, concerts or religious celebrations. Local tourism board websites are a good place to check, and unless it’s an event you are planning to attend, change dates if you can and you can save yourself some money!

A busy street during a Royal event in London — One of the many Royal Celebrations in London

On the flip side of that – local markets, are the place to be! Whether that is a weekly farmers market or a small local festival, these are fabulous opportunities to soak up the culture and have some great and CHEAP meals while you are out and about exploring. We stumbled the most incredible markets while travelling which were just an absolute feast for the senses.

Sweets at a market stall in Budapest — At a local Market in Budapest

Hire a car

If you are planning on travelling for longer than a few days in a country or city, instead of taking a tour – hire a car! Even if it’s for a day, you can venture out and explore other towns nearby. All you need is an international drivers license. With the distances in Europe between countries being manageable (with proper planning of course) you can also look into collecting a car in one airport and returning it to a different one. There is usually a one-way charge, but it may not much and worth the expense, to cover more of a country and save you from going back to the same airport you flew into.

Crossing borders when possible with a hire car is a great way to save money when travelling around europe — Crossing the German – Swiss Border

If you are planning to travel across countries that are nearby, car companies in Europe will also usually allow you to take the car across borders – you just need to let them know when you book (I prefer to book a hire car in advance to secure a good rate) so that they can apply the appropriate insurance cover and let you know if there are any restrictions in the countries you are planning to travel to. By getting around with a car you will be able to get to places that may not be accessible at all by public transport or that tours miss all together! You will be guaranteed to stumble upon some fantastic little towns as you drive through that you might have missed completely!

One of the ways to save money when travelling around europe is hiring a car to get around! — Driving on a roadtrip to Scotland

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So are you ready to travel? Hope you found my tips on How to Save Money when Travelling in Europe and save yourself some money useful.

Browse some great Hotel deals, so check out Expedia or Booking.com.

To book a car, check out Expedia in their Car Hire section!

Check out the best airfares to get to Europe, check out Skyscanner.

Want to read more about Europe’s Destinations? Check out my post on The Top 5 of Europe’s Hidden Gems HERE.

Happy travelling!

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