So I’ve not quite got it why Far East Hospitality has not started its own loyalty programme, particularly so when it’s presence in Singapore has sprouted with the opening of The Outpost Hotel, The Barracks Hotel, and Village Hotel. I get it that this may not be their main business but its also not difficult to get a white label software to kick start something.

Anyways, because of my FOMO, I’ve been on their mailing list forever. Following my recently acquired taste of travelling alone, I jumped at the opportunity of being upgraded to a Club Room for free when the mailer came in with the offer for any stay booked within my birthday month.

I considered their various options in Singapore (there are 12 in Singapore!) and settled on this cheaper end property but at the same time, a spot where I’ve always been curious about.

Address – 8 Sinaran Drive Singapore 307470. Website.

Contact – Tel: +65 66640333 Email: info.ohs@fareast.com.sg.

Price – I netted a rather good price of $161.92++ = $190.58 for my night’s stay. The price is for a Deluxe room booking, with the upgrade to a Club room promised with use of the promo code “Birthday Treat” indicated under the remarks column. Neat!

Location – Versus its newer and louder sibling, Oasia Downtown, Oasia Novena is more about understated simplicity. Located within the same building as Novena Medical Centre (and they share a carpark too), the entire property is decked out in neutral tones of brown and beige, giving off a very chill vibe. It is also connected to Novena MRT, Novena Square, Square 2, and United Square via the (mostly) underground walkway. Not a lot of shopping to do but definitely plenty of food options.

Check In – I was lunching at Marmalade Pantry so zipped out to check in at 1+pm. The staff who checked me in was polite and patient and even wished me happy belated birthday. They also accommodated my late check out request of 2pm when asked, and patiently explained my club benefits to me. A very welcoming touch to the stay 🙂

Room – Deluxe room upgrade to Club Room (25SqM) with club access. As far as I can tell from the website, there is no materials difference in the rooms except for the absence of a day bed (whyyy??). I was assigned the highest floor in the property – Club room 2518 – and it looked exactly like the photos on their website.

Designed by award-winning Japanese interior designer Takashi Sugimoto of Super Potato, the Club Rooms come with Nespresso® coffee-making facilities, spacious bathtub with rainshower, 46” LED TV with cable TV channels, complimentary in-room selection of healthy beverages, and premium bath amenities!

The use of neutral tones had quite a calming effect, and cleanliness was not an issue. I even had the chance to make use of the nespresso in the room! Plenty of TV channels to keep me entertained throughout as well.

Club Lounge – The Living Room on level 22 is the property’s interpretation of the Club Lounge. The marketing spill:

Club guests can also enjoy complimentary breakfast, all-day coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks as well as evening cocktails, alcoholic drinks and canapes from 6pm to 8pm at The Living Room.

I was surprised by how small the space is when I first saw it. I can see the resemblance to someone’s living room with the mix of communal tables, sofas, and multiple cosy tables for 2pax. Although on level 22, the space does not offer sweeping views due to the structural ledge but high enough for tall building spotting.

Part of level 22 is also an area exclusive for Cub guests – a section of outdoor seats plus a lap pool and a jacuzzi. Pretty ncie to while away some time in the afternoon.

Afternoon in the Living Room:

Although there were no official afternoon tea, you can see some simple snacks and titbits available in the space throughout the day, with coffee tea of course. I do feel though that the ‘barista coffee’ is a little overhyped – you had to get the attention of staff if you wanted a coffee / tea and the staff is not always available in sight. In terms of coffee quality, the few cups I had was quite weak. Maybe a fancy nespresso machine for guests to help themselves would be better?

Evening cocktails:

The spread in the evening during cocktail hours of 6:00 – 8:00pm saw a handful of hot food alongside individual portioned appetisers, some cheeses, salads with dressings, a couple of sweets, and breads. For alcohol, 4-5 kind of spirits were available – gin tonic was also on the menu that evening. Prosecco, although displayed, was chargeable at $80++ a bottle (they do not serve it by the glass).

Breakfast:

For breakfast, I opted to dine at The Living Room as well to escape the possible madness at Marmalade Pantry downstairs. Variety was a simple affair with made-to-order eggs available – I appreciated the super peaceful ambience a lot.

Facilities – The property has a separate pool on level 8 which is accessible by all in-house guests and was obviously busier. The same floor also houses a small-ish gym

Check Out – Painlessly completed at The Living Room at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon.

In summary,

a great staycation considering the price I paid. This makes me want to try one Far East property every birthday month!