For pet parents, Capella Singapore is the perfect staycation destination
Whether you have a gentle giant or a hyperactive terrier, Capella Singapore is the ideal destination for both pet parents and their furry friends.
As a dog owner, planning a holiday is always something of a moral dilemma. Do you place your dog in the care of a boarding house and live with the guilt of not seeing him for a week? (Bearing in mind the old ‘7 dog years’ equation, that’s more like a month in his mind.) Or do you scour for a place that’s both dog friendly and, hopefully, actually quite nice? Add to that the caveat that most dog-friendly hotels in Singapore aren't that conducive either: Often, they're located in city centres, places that don't hold that much appeal for a dog.
Capella Singapore takes away that stress; they're also one of the few (if not the only) hotels in Singapore that allow larger-sized dogs in their rooms. We spent a night at the plush resort, and during our stay, our 17kg mongrel met a sizeable Samoyed while taking a walk on the hotel's grounds.
Capella's location at the edge of Sentosa (nestled amidst lush greenery, overlooking the South China Sea) means that you'll feel like you're somewhere far away from Singapore — all while having Fido at your side.
The rooms
Our one-bedroom garden villa was spacious enough for an active, gangly mongrel like ours to have all the zoomies he wanted up and down the corridor. Villas also come equipped with sizeable terraces and plunge pools, which dogs are allowed to paddle about in.
Certain parts of the villa felt visibly dated — the corrugated roofs, the slivers of green creeping up the sides of the plunge pool — but you'll be glad to know that the interiors have been recently refreshed by famed designer André Fu, the brains behind concepts like The Fullerton Bay Hotel and Hong Kong's cult-favourite destination, The Upper House.
The designer completed his refresh of Capella's 110 suites and villas back in July, bringing with him a palette that's both earthy and wonderfully homey, and a style that marries mid-century elegance with tropical luxe; curl up with a book in a handsome, oversized rocking chair, or catch some sun on the balcony's generous lounge beds.
Things to do
If you stay in a villa, you'll also have a private pathway that leads directly to Palawan Beach, though Capella itself comes equipped with a large lawn for dogs to take their necessary walks. There are plenty of sculptures and art installations scattered about the lawn that you can admire on your walk, including creations from the likes of Pablo Reinoso and Bernar Venet (though our dog, a philistine, was none too interested.)
You'll also encounter plenty of fauna roaming the hotel grounds. On our walk, we ran into a pack of three self-assured peacocks who thought nothing of staring down an imposing Range Rover that was trying to pull into the driveway. We later saw the same bunch of peacocks — clearly used to having the run of the place — milling about the villas, though no one seemed to mind.
And though you’re technically not allowed to leave your pet unaccompanied in the room, no one will bat an eye if you dip out for a quick mid-afternoon snack at the hotel's picturesque Living Room (as we did.) We returned to find our dog no worse for wear, busying himself with the contents of Capella’s thoughtful canine gift pack.
Staff at the hotel also seemed genuinely happy to meet our dog, whether it was for a wave and a cheerful greeting, or even to allow a brief sniff. One even stopped to admire our mongrel’s perky ears and wolfish snout, a mien that reminded him of a famous breed back in India. (“You know, that breed can cost up to $15,000!”)
What to eat
Dogs aren't allowed in any of Capella's restaurants, which means that you'll either have to take a hike to one of Sentosa's many dog-friendly eateries (Tanjong Beach Club is a scenic 10-minute walk away), or order in-room dining.
Fortunately, the hotel offers up a fairly respectable in-room dining spread; you can order across Capella's various restaurants, but the only letdown is the lack of an in-room cocktail menu from Bob's Bar. Service was generally quick — with an entire spread for two arriving in a brisk 40 minutes — and everything came piping hot.
Conclusion
As with most staycations in Singapore, there isn't a whole lot on the itinerary — but as we learned, a good holiday doesn't necessitate a packed schedule.
At the edge of Tanjong Beach, we encountered a woman with a somnolent husky and an overly-friendly Jack Russell Terrier (who wasted no time in getting immediately and intimately acquainted with our dog.) The woman told us she comes to the beach with her dogs almost every other day, each time for hours. Didn't it get boring?
“I sit under the palm trees and watch the ocean with my dogs. Then I run with them along the water,” she said, smiling. “That’s all I need.”
After a stay at the Capella, we — and our happily worn-out dog — concur.
