Staycation must-knows in Phase 2: What to expect for your hotel holiday in Singapore

With travel off the menu for this year, staycations are the passport-free solution to feeding our wanderlust.

But before you start packing your swimsuit and party spirit, there’s just a handful of things you need to take note of.

From pre-arrival forms to swimming pool bookings, here are the seven must-knows to make your hotel holiday go smoothly and safely.

1. Express check-ins

Forget draggy lobby waits – hotels have streamlined the check-in process to cut down on intermingling in common areas. Staggered check-in times are the new normal, so all you need to do is to stick to the time slot you’re given.

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa , for one, has a nifty pre-arrival form for guests to pick their check-in timings, and even make facilities and dining bookings.

At some hotels, things get even breezier with no-contact online check-ins and speedy key drops when you check out.

2. Optional housekeeping

While you can count on a veritable army of sanitation measures by hotels – frequent cleaning of high-touch areas, air purifiers everywhere, hospital-grade disinfectants – your room stay is another matter.

To reduce contact, some hotels are offering opt-in and opt-out preferences for the usual housekeeping.

At The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, for instance, guests can now opt out of daily housekeeping services – a practical choice if you’re only staying a couple of days.

3. Goodbye to self-service buffets

It’s hard to believe we once happily picked from the same buffet spreads alongside dozens of strangers, isn’t it?

Self-service hotel buffets are going the way of the dodo, though thankfully, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same epicurean extravagance in a different form.

Over at The St. Regis Singapore, the Sunday champagne brunch at Brasserie Les Saveurs is a beloved affair – all you need to do is sit back and luxuriate in exceptional platters of seafood, meats, and sweet delights served directly to your table.

With staycation packages featuring $100 credit for dining and spa experiences, you’re in for some serious indulgence.

4. Party stops at 10.30pm

As you barflies would already know, 10.30pm is the golden rule for liquor sales and consumption – past that time, all hotel bars and lounges can no longer serve alcohol.

Planning an evening of boozy fun? Be sure to check on the timings for last orders – this usually ranges from 9.45pm to 10.15pm. If you’re still up for more revelry, of course, you’re welcome to move the party to your own room.

5. Rule of five

This one’s a no-brainer. While you’ll still be able to invite guests to your room, the Phase 2 cap on social gathering size applies – no more than five people in your room at any one time, unless you’re all from the same household.

For most of us, that’s probably no issue at all – staycays are for getting away from everyday life, aren’t they?

6. Swimming restrictions

The bad news? You won’t be able to plunge into the hotel pool whenever you feel like it (unless you’ve got a private one, of course).

The good news is that your pool dip is set to be a lot less crowded, thanks to Sports Singapore’s guidelines for safe pool use.

Due to mandatory three-meter distancing between groups, hotels are setting up booking slots for swimming pools, with strict capacity caps. Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore’s gorgeous infinity pool, for instance, is open to a max of only five pre-registered guests at a time – it’s practically your own personal pool paradise.

7. Spa measures

With hotel spas back in business, you can get all the rejuvenation you need and love – with a couple of caveats. In line with Enterprise Singapore regulations, no food or drinks can be served with the spa experience, and any reading material – magazines, newspapers, and so forth – have been removed.

And yes, you’ll need to keep your mask on throughout, unless you’re having your treatment in a private room.

Some hotels are also going the extra mile in safety – The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore requires all spa guests to wear masks, with the only exception being during facials.

This article was first published in City Nomads.