Basilico
1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2, Conrad Singapore Orchard

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sinodci-conrad-singapore-orchard/dining/basilico/

Zabaglione With Mixed Berries

Alley On 25
5 Fraser Street
Level 25, Andaz Singapore

https://www.hyatt.com/andaz/sinaz-andaz-singapore/dining/alley-on-25

Malakoff-Torte

D'Resort @ Downtown East
1 Pasir Ris Close

https://www.dresort.com.sg/


Decently Comfortable Modern Chalet

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Dec-2022
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $810 per stay.
- $700 Accommodation 3D2N
- $70 Ground Floor Unit Surcharge
- $40 Barbecue Pit Rental


Hotel Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, 1 Cafe (Rainforest Cafe & Grocer), Meeting & Function Rooms, Convenience Store, Vending Machines, Barbecue Pit Rental Service, Bicycle Rental Service (Bike Stop), Currency Exchange Service, Pasir Ris Park & Beach, Wild Wild Wet Water Theme Park, E!Hub @ Downtown East & E!Avenue @ Downtown East


Hotel Activities: Internet Surfing, Meetings, Relaxing, Shopping, Barbecue / BBQ, Cycling, Water Play Activities, Indoor Skating, Nature Walk, Karaoke, Rock Climbing


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Introduction
Located about 15 minutes drive away from the Changi international airport in Singapore, D'Resort @ Downtown East is a nature inspired, all-inclusive family resort chalet, with an integrated water theme park (the Wild Wild Wet Water Theme Park) and shopping mall (the E!Hub @ Downtown East & E!Avenue @ Downtown East). Being affordably priced and with such diverse activities and amenities nearby, D'Resort @ Downtown East is a popular staycation experience for Singaporeans. My memories of this chalet from years back was that it was rather shabby, but ever since their revamp, the place is more akin to a legit hotel now.


Ambience
Ambience at D'Resort @ Downtown East is a mix of urban and nature. Surrounding the resort is the natural greenery and beaches of Pasir Ris Park & Beach, but within, the place is a distinctly urban setting. Personally, I felt some of the buildings look like a prison. However, the layout offers easy access with some privacy, and the overall place feels relaxing and tranquil. Great for catching up with family and friends.


Room
Rooms at D'Resort @ Downtown East are spacious, clean, and decently stocked with amenities. I stayed at the Mangrove Walk, requesting for a room on the ground floor which opens to a nearby barbecue pit. The 2 queen size beds were clean and comfortable, and the blankets were soft and warm. The bathroom and shower were clean and easy to use, with basic amenities. The working desk and plentiful charging points were put to good use, and the in-room wifi was fast and stable. I also appreciate the medium sized refrigerator which can store a good number of items. The only drawback was the television, which features the bare minimum of Singaporean channels.


Food
Food at D'Resort @ Downtown East is provided by the Rainforest Cafe & Grocer as well as the Convenience Store, offering a smattering of local Singaporean dishes and snacks. The bigger appeal for me was the Barbecue Pit Rental Service, where you can BBQ / barbecue / grill your own food. This was easy to set up and use, and the common outdoor sink and large trash bins nearby were thoughtfully placed.


Service
Service at D'Resort @ Downtown East is friendly and efficient. Checking in and out was easy, hassle-free, and quick. Staff were helpful, demonstrating good knowledge in answering queries. Housekeeping is hardworking and efficient, and there's also cleaning of the barbecue pits. I particularly like the parking service which allows residents to park anywhere in Downtown East complex for a small daily fee (about SGD $13 per day), which I made full use of.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at D'Resort @ Downtown East are plentiful and family-friendly. Within the resort itself are several gardens, meeting and function rooms, and a bicycle rental service. Around the resort is the Pasir Ris Park & Beach, and the adjacent shopping malls of E!Hub @ Downtown East & E!Avenue @ Downtown East boast movie theaters, karaoke joints, indoor skating rink, rock-climbing facilities, wellness shops, and more. Residents also get discounted rates to the Wild Wild Wet Water Theme Park.


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The Food Pan 3
65 Jalan Ma'mor

https://www.instagram.com/thefoodpan3/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Thefoodpan3/100084932408558/


Home-Based Business With Made-To-Order Pies & Festive Seasonal Goodies

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: N.A.
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 9
Spent about SGD $26 per person.


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As this particular staycation at D'Resort @ Downtown East was planned for a Christmas 2022 celebration, beyond just ordering raw food for the barbecue, we also ordered several ready-to-eat cooked food festive dishes from The Food Pan 3. A tongue-in-cheek name on "the food pantry", The Food Pan 3 is a home-based business offering made-to-order pies and other seasonal specialities.

Placing the order with The Food Pan 3 was easy and quick, with payment transferred electronically (though the eventual receipt is in hardcopy). I made arrangements to self-collect direct from their kitchen. Packing of the items was nicely done, and the food transports well, being warm and ready to eat upon arrival.

The Shepherd's Pie Beef (SGD $58 for 1kg) features a large tray, lined with juicy minced beef, tender diced carrots, and crisp celery, marinated in worcestershire sauce, spices, and a rich beef stock gravy. It's then covered with a layer of creamy smooth mashed potatoes, and oven baked till golden brown. Dig in and the enticing aroma greets you, while every mouthful is a burst of starchy sweet vegetal meaty salty savoury flavour. Comforting and delicious. Good!

Shepherd's Pie Beef (SGD $58 for 1kg)

Shepherd's Pie Beef

Shepherd's Pie Beef

Shepherd's Pie Beef

The Apricot Glazed Shoulder Ham (SGD $65 for 1.5kg) features a large hefty pork shoulder, studded with cloves and glazed with an apricot preserve, then oven-baked till tender, juicy, and succulent. So satisfying to carve thick slices of the pork ham, and each bite has a beautiful meaty salty savoury fruity sweet spice flavour. A favourite of all during our barbecue. Highly recommended!

Apricot Glazed Shoulder Ham (SGD $65 for 1.5kg)

Apricot Glazed Shoulder Ham

Apricot Glazed Shoulder Ham

A traditional holiday classic, the Beef Wellington (SGD $108) features a large hefty beef striploin, seasoned with salt and black pepper, dressed in a wild button mushroom pate, and wrapped in a puff pastry and baked. Cut in, and you get the crisp flaky puff pastry with its buttery bready sweet savoury flavour, then the soft mushroom pate with bold vegetal earthy salty savoury notes, then the tender moist beef striploin done to medium-rare with pleasant meaty savoury flavour. Served with a red wine au jus. Highly recommended!

Beef Wellington (SGD $108)

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington

The Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake (SGD $28) is unlike other versions elsewhere, which I personally feel are terrible. This however, was pretty good. A rich, moist, soft sticky cake is studded with a mix of fruits and nuts, lending a chewy crumbly juicy crunchy texture. Includes orange zest, red cherries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, golden sultanas, black raisins, apricots, cranberries, and hazelnuts. Each bite has a lovely burst of fruity zesty tangy sour sweet nutty flavour, yum. Good!

Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake (SGD $28)

Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake

Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake

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Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy
50 East Coast Road

https://www.grandmercureroxy.com.sg/


Ye Olde Reliable Hotel

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Visited: Aug-2022
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 5
Service: 7
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $1,350 per person.
- $1,350 Accomodation 5D4N


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, Gymnasium, Swimming Pool, 2 Restaurants (Feast Roxy, Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant), 1 Cafe (Wave Cafe), 2 Lounges (Lobby Lounge, Executive Lounge), Meeting & Function Rooms (East Coast Function Rooms, Roxy Function Rooms), Self-Service Launderette, Cable TV, Currency Exchange Service, Roxy Square I & II Shopping Centres


Hotel Activities: Working Out, Internet Surfing, Swimming, Meetings, Relaxing, Doing Laundry, Dining, Shopping, Hair Cut & Styling, Beauty Treatments


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes drive away from the Changi international airport in Singapore, the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy is a 4-star business hotel, owned and operated under the Accor Group. Situated close to town, and within walking distance to the dining and entertainment areas of Marine Parade, Katong, and Joo Chiat, the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy hotel has an old-world charm. Although we have prior corporate and commercial history, I visited and stayed as a regular paying customer.


Ambience
Ambience at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy is old-school. While the lobby appears modern with its gleaming marble tiles and high ceiling, the rest of the place harkens back to the 1980s, with low lighting, wooden furnishings, and muted carpets. Small windows offer views of the surrounding area. This was probably better back in the day, when you had ocean views, but today, the built-up residences surrounding the hotel block line of sight. Interestingly, the lower floors are brighter with a more modern, contemporary, airy feel.


Room
Rooms at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy is aging but functional. I stayed at the Studio Suite, which had warm earthy tones, low lighting, a marble tiled bathroom, and a carpeted living room. Said to have a "chic minimalist zen" vibe, I didn't quite feel it, although I still decently enjoyed the experience.

The large king size bed is clean and comfortable, with sheets changed daily (!). The working deck is spacious, and the wireless internet is fast and stable although the router is exposed beneath the table. The television has a decent range of cable channels, but isn't a smart TV, so there's no option for streaming.

The pantry has a daily stock of coffee and tea sachets, while the small mini-bar is useful for keeping drinks cool. The wardrobe and vanity area is of decent size, though I wished for more hangers and shelves.

The bathroom features a toilet, shower, and bathtub in separate areas, with amenities stocked. The shower has options for regular or rain shower mode. The bathtub is decent sized, easy to use, however, you cannot shower standing up due to the lack of a splash guard.

The living room has a nice sized sofa lounger, which also doubles as a relaxing secondary area for resting. The lack of a TV here is an odd choice, guests are left staring at a blank wall. I like the complimentary fruit basket provided in suite, as well as the complimentary hygiene care pack provided at reception. Safety is good, with in-room electronic safe and sturdy chain door lock, as well as elevators that require keycard access.


Food
Food at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy is primarily from their all-day dining restaurant, Feast Roxy (formerly known as Feast @ East Roxy). Sadly, the Executive Lounge was undergoing refurbishment during my visit, so a section of Feast Roxy was carved out as a replacement lounge. The service staff at Feast Roxy seat guests quickly, and proactively offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, but don't engage in much conversation. Quality of dishes, at least for breakfast, is decent enough (though with the myriad dining options around the hotel, I'd rather dine elsewhere). Dishes are generally about average in taste and presentation, not terrible, but not particularly exciting or memorable. This was the lowest point for me.


Service
Service at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy is professional and efficient. Reception staff work quickly, checking guests in or out, with porters to assist with baggage during peak periods. They demonstrate good knowledge of the surrounding areas of interest. Housekeeping staff work efficiently as well, turning around rooms with good effort, though a little more attention to detail in cleanliness would be welcome. Their affordable price range per room night, and proximity to the airport, make the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy hotel one of the better options for business travellers and airline crew.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy are catered to business travellers. The business kiosks and function rooms have been refreshed with modern meeting equipment and technology, well-suited and reliable for business meetings. We had previously used their function rooms for corporate events, and had a good experience. The gymnasium is well-equipped and clean, and the swimming pool is a nice size for doing laps. An unusually large sun deck and terrace allows for relaxing. Instead of laundry service, they offer a self-service launderette. The Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy hotel is also co-located to the adjourning Roxy Square I & II Shopping Centres, and just opposite Parkway Parade Shopping Centre, which has options for shopping, dining, entertainment, and self-care treatments.


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