What attributes to a pleasant hotel stay? The lush interior and the oh-so-comfy bed? The in-house fragrance and the overall cleanliness? Personalised and impeccable service? The view, or the F&B options? The proximity to the main areas of Singapore?

Whatever you are looking for, The Fullerton Bay Hotel probably has them all covered. We all have our favourite brands, and hotels are no exception. The Fullerton brand is in our list, and when we were invited for a one-night stay at one of the best hotels in Singapore, it was with much delight and excitement that we packed our bags and checked in to the gorgeous 99-room property that is perched atop the waters of the Marina Bay area. Needless to say, the view is a stunning one – a panoramic one that overlooks the beautiful skyline of Singapore, including Esplanade, the Floating Platform and the iconic Marina Bay Sands.

And our humble abode for that night was the Premier Bay View Room with Jacuzzi – quite a mouthful, but in essence, The Perfect Room for a couple. We had all the privacy that we needed, and being located on the first level makes it feel like we were staying in a water bungalow. An afternoon of soaking in the jacuzzi and hearing the calm ripples from the waters is such an indulgence and one that is unique to our experience with Fullerton Bay Hotel.

There is also a rooftop pool on the 5th level for guests who prefer to swim around in the sheer space, and to make things even sweeter, there are pool butlers who go around with fresh towels and light refreshments like fruit kebabs. This is what we meant by personalised service, one that you can hardly find in any other large-scale and overly commercialised hotels.

At the lobby of the hotel is La Brasserie, easily one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore. A venue so gorgeous that it works perfectly for all occasions. While you are staying in the hotel, you should go for an afternoon tea and treat yourself to a fine selection of scones, petite sandwiches and delicate cakes. Lantern is a stylish rooftop bar to enjoy a cocktail before retreating to the comfort of your room.

Thinking of giving your partner a surprise this Valentine’s Day? The hotel has a “Time for Romance” room package which is available over the Valentine’s Day weekend from 14 to 16 Feb 2014 at S$668++/night for its deluxe room. It comes with a three-course dinner, butler-drawn candle and rose petal bath, and breakfast at La Brasserie.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel is a hotel that effortlessly combines excellent restaurants and bars, a super luxe design, and a good location with a terrific view.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Tel: +65 6333 8388
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Note: This was an invited media stay

Since 2009, we have been regulars of Aramsa, The Garden Spa at Bishan Park. Because we always walk out feeling so recharged and de-stressed, the brand has won our hearts and loyalty. Last year, the Asmara Lifestyle group introduced a new arm – The Spa Artisan at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore – and we paid a virgin visit to the luxury spa and had half a day of indulgence under the care of the dedicated staff.

Upon stepping in to the spa, we were warmly greeted by the exuberant receptionists. And because we were going for the newly-introduced PowerSlim, we had our body analysis done. We were very impressed because the staff were so fluent with the explanation of the body analysis, and we were given recommendations for treatments based on our body needs.

We understood from the consultant that he was previously from Aramsa, The Garden Spa. But because he had the opportunity for a job rotation, he accepted his new role at The Spa Artisan and underwent training and upgrading courses to better understand the more complex treatments offered here.

Not every worker gets a similar chance like this consultant to upskill and move up the career ladder, which is what the NTUC’s Progressive Wage Model (PWM) seeks to achieve. This is why NTUC is pushing for employers to adopt the PWM so all workers, regardless of job type, can benefit from career advancement and wage progression according to their productivity improvement and skills upgrading.

The staff at The Spa Artisan are all happy to be presented growth and personal development opportunities by their company. With such passion for their careers and so much enthusiasm for their roles, as patrons, we could truly feel the service from their hearts, and most definitely happy for them that the company values every worker.

After the body analysis, we proceeded with the PowerSlim treatment, which is a revolutionised method to efficient slimming by using synergising infrared radiation and ionisation with specially devised concept. It is said to be equivalent to 5 hours in the gym with what would only take 55 minutes in the PowerSlim studio.

The therapist helped to apply a special velvet cream on my targeted areas before I was put in the incubator-like machine. It was effortless, and the entire process was most definitely painless.

Next, we went for a 150mins Japan Spa Journey couple ritual. Priced at S$518+ per couple, it is one that encourages blood flow and promotes relaxation through the myriad of scents. The ritual began with a purifying wash and scrub. We were pampered with a fragrant yuzu mimosa algae wash, then an exfoliating gingergrass scrub. It was nothing fanciful, but certainly much needed.

Next was an hour-long full body massage and scalp massage. Choose from a tray of flower skin massage oil, including Moroccan Rose, Italian Blood Orange and Ocean. The supposed massage for the Japan Spa Journey is that of a relaxing one, but because we are both fans of strong massages, we opted for Shiatsu – which focuses on pressure points. Our masseurs were very well-trained and experienced – every stroke hit the right spot; every touch was so firm and strong. Not for the faint-hearted, surely, but if you can take the pain, we would highly recommend this option because it eases the body of all knots and tension, leaves you feeling a lot lighter.

This message is part of a ladyironchef x Labour Movement project where we seek to share with you insights on the different initiatives by the Labour Movement to give workers in Singapore better jobs, better pay and better work-life balance.

The Spa Artisan
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square, Mezzanine Floor
#01-13/14
Tel: +65 6423 1382
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Note: This was an invited media session

Having afternoon tea is one of my all time favourite activities. What’s there not to like when you get to have delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, savoury treats and pretty desserts?

When you ask people to recommend a place for a luxury afternoon tea, most people would probably mention The Courtyard at Fullerton Hotel Singapore.

If you have always wanted to try the Fullerton High Tea, gather your friends and make a reservation today!

For $42++/pax, you get a traditional English afternoon tea which comes with a selection of English tea sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, and an assortment of sweets. And the best part is the food and tea/coffee are replenish-able.

There is also the option of topping up for a glass of wine at $52++, or champagne at $62++.

If you are a big fan of scones, you must check out the ones here. They are quite possibly one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

An assortment of sandwiches: salmon corn, ‘otak’ cheese, pumpkin crackers, asparagus beef, and cucumber tomato.

Pastries and sweets: cream puff, kueh lapis, puff pastry, and chocolate cake.

While it may seem like you are paying a high price for finger sandwiches and petite desserts, what you get in return is a perfect afternoon. The Courtyard at Fullerton Hotel, without a doubt, has one of the best afternoon high teas in Singapore.

The Courtyard
1 Fullerton Square
GF Fullerton Hotel
Tel: +65 6877 8128
Daily English Afternoon Tea $42++
Mon to Fri: 3pm – 6pm
Sat & Sun 2 -4 pm, 4.30pm – 6pm

For more recommendations, please read my list of afternoon tea places in Singapore