Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort on Singapore's Siloso Beach is poised to reopen on January 18, 2011, after undergoing top-to-bottom refurbishment, aimed at luring both business and leisure travellers.
The resort, along with the Beaufort Singapore – now The Sentosa Resort & Spa – were Sentosa Island's first resorts to open in 1993. In 1999, it was given a soft renovation, making the US$60 million facelift a milestone in its years of operation.
General manager Ben Bousnina, said: “We had wanted to renovate for a long time, but we were waiting to see which direction Sentosa Island would take. We wanted to adjust to what the island would be and therefore decided to wait until now, after the island matured.”
For generations of Singaporeans, Sentosa Island represented an amusement park boasting a cable car and various themed attractions. In later years, its beachfront attracted hip parties and lively nighlife options. Earlier this year, the first of Singapore's two "integrated resorts", Resorts World Sentosa with a casino and Asia's first Universal Studios opened there, enlarging its appeal
Shangri-La's make over has swept through the entire hotel and includes the guestrooms, swimming pools and function spaces. The number of rooms went down from 459 to 454 rooms, with all categorised according to the view: hill, garden, pool or sea view rooms. Each room has a balcony and upgraded amenities such as wifi internet access and an iPod dock for selected room types.
The hotel is also slated towards the business traveller, said Bousnina. “Guests have the opportunity to stay close to the economic hub of Singapore, but outside of the busy city. After a hard day’s work, many business travellers prefer a more relaxed atmosphere close to nature.”
For events, five new ballrooms and meeting rooms equipped with advanced audio-visual and lighting technology are available. The smallest meeting space can accommodate up to 350 guests while the largest room can accommodate up to 600 guests, all of which capitalise on the beachfront location by providing sea views and unique opportunities for outdoor cocktail events.
Other recreational facilities include a sea sports centre, a flying trapeze and a new children’s club – "Cool Zone", which hosts activities for children aged four to 12. Guests can also choose from eight restaurants and bars.
Jade and Diamond members of Shangri-La's Golden Circle programme are entitled to the 72 hours and 48 hours room guarantee at this property as with other resorts in the network.
For more information, visit www.shangri-la.com
Alisha Haridasani
