Village Hotel Sentosa by Far East Hospitality

For Christmas 2023 we spent it on a cruise (Cruise Review: Royal Caribbean 4-Night Cruise Review: Singapore – Penang – Phuket) and so for 2024 we decided to try something different. Instead of the stress of travelling far and wide, we thought staying in Singapore would be worth a try.

Staying on the main part of Singapore didn’t make a huge amount of sense as we regularly see lots of the touristy areas. The one area that we don’t go to frequently is Sentosa. It’s a bit further away for people without a car and has more of the holiday feel. When exploring Sentosa’s hotel scene, we decided to stay at the Village Hotel Sentosa by Far East Hospitality a 4-star hotel, which a more affordable option compared to its upscale counterparts, and booked it through Trip.com (as you know from some of my other reviews, this is rare for me to book through an agent). Having said that, it’s not just about the price though—this is supposed to be a family-friendly hotel with spacious rooms and lots of kids’ amenities. It was described by Far East Hospitality as “a veritable children’s wonderland” Keep reading to see if that’s what we found out !

Village Hotel Sentosa is part of a resort complex by Far East Hospitality, alongside Oasia Hotel Sentosa and The Outpost Hotel Sentosa. Opened on 1st April 2019 (Obviously not superstitious being April fools day), the hotel has 606 rooms and offers shared amenities such as an award-winning spa, diverse dining options, and access to event spaces at the Events Centre. Guests can enjoy unique experiences, wellness offerings, and a variety of activities across the three hotels.

Just minutes away from Imbiah Station and Singapore’s best family-friendly attractions, head out on foot for an adventure at The Palawan @ Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium, and KidZania or hop into a cable car from Merlion Station next door to explore the island’s rainforest amongst the treetops.

The hotel’s has a free shuttle to Beach Station and VivoCity, but with popularity comes a price. This bus can fill up FAST, so don’t be that person who shows up just in time. Arrive at least ten minutes early to snag a seat. Don’t forget your key card! You will need it on the way back to the hotel. Here is the link to the Shuttle Bus Schedule. Basically it leaves the Village Hotel every half hour from 8 in the morning to 9:30 at night (but not at 7pm). Pickup from VivoCity is roughly 15 minutes after departure time from Village Hotel Sentosa.

Check in

Check-in commences after 3pm on the day of arrival, but we thought we would try to arrive a bit early and then use some of the facilities. However, as most people know, when you have young kids it’s difficult to really be on time to anything! So we actually only arrived at the hotel around 2pm and by the time check-in was finished it was 2:30pm and we could go to our rooms as they were already available. The reception area was fairly empty when we arrived, so checking in was quick and easy.
Right next to the main entrance was the display in the style of old hawker carts. And there were many sweets available inside. Fortunately, the kiddies are too small to reach for them so they never had an opportunity to really take a whole bunch though we did see a number of people adults and children taking their fair share. It’s free after all.
After a fairly quick check-in. We were given directions to our room which turns out to be quite far away. In fact, if you imagine the hotel was in the shape of a year, our room was almost at a very far end 5010-5012 and 5003.

The Rooms – Spacious Family and Deluxe Rooms

We had booked two separate rooms. One was a deluxe room and one was a family room.

Our family room was a unique setup—two rooms connected by doors, giving us just the right mix of privacy and togetherness. The view was a winner: the pool, the bar, and even a glimpse of the sea all in one frame! The layout, though, took a bit of getting used to. One room had a shower and toilet with the sink oddly placed in the corridor, while the other offered a traditional bathroom with everything neatly inside.
The bathrooms were well-equipped. The showers came with both handheld and rain options, stocked with wall-mounted bottles of shampoo/conditioner and body wash—practical but firmly bolted down, so no sneaking them into your luggage! By the sink, there was hand soap and lotion, also wall-mounted. Little details, like a shower curtain to keep the floor dry (and your privacy intact), made a big difference. It’s functional, thoughtful, and just quirky enough to be memorable.

The deluxe room felt like a step up—spacious and more streamlined than the split family setup. One thing that caught my eye? The toiletries. Unlike the wall-mounted bottles in the family rooms, here you get small, portable bottles of shampoo and body wash, perfect for tossing in your bag for later. Maybe they figure families go through more soap and lotion (fair assumption, honestly). Either way, it’s a small touch that makes the deluxe room feel a bit more personal and luxe.
The rooms here are full of clever little details that make a difference. Take the glasses, for example—at first glance, they look like fancy crystal, but nope, they’re actually plastic! Great for avoiding spills, especially with kids around. By the sink, you’ll find not just body wash and lotion, but also a filtered water tap—perfect for a quick drink without worrying about bottled water. The real question is whether the filter is changed regularly.
There’s a standard mini-fridge, though it’s empty, so stock up on your snacks and drinks beforehand. The safe is handy for stashing valuables, but don’t expect a wardrobe—there are a few spots to hang clothes, but no proper cupboard. The best part? The soundproofing is stellar. The corridors are whisper-quiet, and once you’re inside your room, it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. For light sleepers like me, that’s an absolute game-changer!

Housekeeping was very efficient. On our first morning at the hotel, we put our make-up room, sign and then went to the pool. And we were at the pool, but maybe an hour to see Santa and by the time we came back to get changed to see the full Centre show. Our room was already fully made up and cleaned.

My main complaint about the rooms is that there is a very long way to walk if you are at the furthest points of the building, which is, of course where our rooms were. But I suppose is how they designed the u shape of the whole building.

The rooms do not come with coffee or tea, but you can pick up at one of the village hub that they have. There is also a vending machine with a variety of drinks, snacks and pot noodles.

Fun Christmas Activities for Kids at the Village Hotel

As this was Christmas, there were some activities, set aside for kids.

For example, on Christmas Eve, they had hot chocolate and keychain making you got vouchers for these activities. When you check in and then for Christmas Day it was snow cone and making christmas stockings.
There was also an opportunity to meet Santa. We bumped into him by the pools which was before the official meeting time. It was a nice surprise to see him outside of the official time.
And on Christmas Day they were handing out free ice cream!!
One observation I have to make about the stay were the staff, especially on the front of House in reception. They were engaging and friendly, especially with the children. And it’s important to bear in mind that this was Christmas, so these staff could well be relaxing at home, enjoying their time off with their family, but they were working. And they did not appear to be sad about it – though I’m sure they were!

Swim, Relax, and Play: 4 Epic Pools

Four pools, one epic experience. That’s what level 3 serves up, and trust me, it’s a swimmer’s paradise. From the panoramic sea views at the Pamukkale Pool (say hello to the perfect Instagram shot) to the Adventure Pool sprawling across the deck, there’s a pool for every mood and person. It’s also filled with plenty of green space. The Lazy River promises a chill float though I never worked out how to use their floats. For families, the Children’s Play Pool is a splashy haven of shallow waters and mini slides (unfortunately one of them was out of order when we were visiting.
You can buy various items for the pools from the little VW campervan they have on the pool deck, but as you can see, those prices be c-r-az-y!!
But here’s the catch: no lifeguards. None. And as someone who swears by lifeguards after stays at Bali’s Mulia and Hilton resorts, this felt like a glaring miss—especially with so many kids around.

Staying Fit at the Village Hotel Gym

If you’re planning to stay active during your trip, the gym at Village Hotel Sentosa is a handy spot to break a sweat. Located on Level 3 near to the pools, it’s well-equipped for both cardio and strength training. While the space is compact, it has everything you need for a solid workout, making it ideal for fitness enthusiasts looking to balance relaxation and exercise. Plus, with the nearby pools, you can always cool off after a session! Perfect for keeping up your fitness goals while on holiday. It is shared with The Outpost Hotel so guests from both hotels will have access.
Oasia Spa

The spa is actually found in the Oasia hotel, not actually part of the Village Hotel. And once again, as was the case in Anvaya Resort, it’s a case of being so occupied with the children that we weren’t able to use the spa.

Dining

It’s important to note that we ate no meals at the village hotel. Originally we were going to eat at the Native Kitchen for maybe one breakfast on Christmas Day so we could see Santa. However, when we read the reviews we didn’t really want to risk it, and if you look at the reviews, you’ll understand why.

Our stay did not include breakfast but if yours does, it would be served at Native Kitchen on level 2. I did have a chance on my last day to have a walk around the nature kitchen at breakfast time for the buffet. It was not as bad as I imagine it could have been when reading the reviews online. The food looked decently fresh and there were fruits as was a continental section.

1-Altitude Coast

One – altitude is a bar at the top of the outpost. Now what’s confusing is, the outpost hotel is at one end of the Village hotel. Anyway, once you figure that out you can find one altitude at the top of that hotel. I suspect there is an element of trying to be a Marina Bay Sands, but the view is literally just the to see with all the oil tankers and it’s not very high. It’s only on the seventh floor so you don’t get to see very much anyway. And when I visited it was really really quiet. There were only a handful of guests and so there was no ambience.
OPERATING HOURS

Monday & Tuesday 11am to 10pm

Friday & Saturday, 11am to 2am

Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday, 11am to 12am

Bedrock Origin

On Boxing Day we decide to eat at the Bedrock Origins. In-house guests enjoy a 20% discount on à la carte items, though the set menu is not included. The discount doesn’t apply on public holidays, but Boxing Day isn’t one, so the set menu was available.

Having visited Bedrock at Somerset, I noticed similarities, though Bedrock Origins had a brighter ambiance and a smaller menu. Freshly baked bread, served with butter and garlic, was a nice touch, but be careful not to fill up on it!

We opted for the set menu, which we found offered the best value. The fish and chips and burger were tasty, though the fish was a bit dry. The desserts were delicious but disappointingly small.

A more in depth review will follow.

OPERATING HOURS

SUNDAY – THURSDAY Breakfast: 7am – 11am (L.O. 10.30am)

Lunch: 12 – 3pm (L.O. 2.30pm)

Dinner: 6 – 10.30pm (L.O. for Food at 9.30pm and Drinks at 10pm)

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Breakfast: 7am – 11am (L.O. 10.30am)

Lunch: 12 – 3pm (L.O. 2.30pm)

Dinner: 6 – 10.30pm (L.O. for Food & Drinks at 10pm)

Le Faubourg

This restaurant was shut when I went to take a look on Christmas Day and on Boxing Day. It may well have been shut just of the times. I was there in the afternoon but it looks pretty quiet to me as if no one was there.


MIYOSHI by Fat Cow

It’s located in the same heritage building as Le Faubourg, just a step away from the hotel. I’ve always wanted to try the Fat Cow, but when you have kids, you’re always rushing to eat your food so probably would not have been the most enjoyable of experiences.

OPERATING HOURS

Lunch:, Wed-Fri: 12-3pm, Sat-Sun: 11:30am-3pm,

Dinner:, Wed, Thu & Sun: 6-10pm, Fri-Sat: 6-10:30pm,

Closed Monday & Tuesday

Feel free to read this in the original setting: Hotel Review: Family-Friendly Getaway at Village Hotel Sentosa by Far East Hospitality

A YouTube video will follow at some point!