Staycation at Amara Sanctuary
A Review by Leon Traazil.

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it has certainly changed the way many hotels manage staycations, especially when they have to solicit business from the local community due to travel restrictions and the sheer lack of tourists. For many hotels that were already pet-friendly prior, the challenge was, very few allowed dogs above the 7kg. It is uncertain if the Amara Sanctuary Resort at Sentosa was one of those that changed that, because our beloved Kuro is 9kg! That said, whilst this was not sponsored by them, we would like to give an honest review about our experience.

CHECKING IN
We drove over to Sentosa, because we had the Sentosa Islander Membership, we didn’t bother about the entry fees to Sentosa as it would have been free anyway. Sentosa does have their promotions separate to the resort and it is free until March 2022. Traffic was rather smooth as it was a weekday, even though it was the holidays. The car park is a distance from the hotel lobby. We stumbled upon a hotel staff in a buggy and he very kindly sent us to the lobby and to the Courtyard Suite (which is part of their pet-friendly package). We have to start with the bad news. Since it was just Kuro and I, this presented a little bit of a challenge. They did not allow dogs in the lobby area. Another hotel staff had to hang on to Kuro whilst I checked in. This was disappointing because straight off the bat, it didn’t feel very pet-friendly. Whilst I think we can understand that it may be disturbing for other guests or some dogs may have accidents in the lobby (not Kuro for sure), it did make me feel a bit annoyed. But the good news is this is one of the very few pet-unfriendly situation we had throughout the experience.

THE ROOM
So the hotel room is pretty standard as you would expect from a luxury hotel. The only pet-friendly thing is they did provide a dog bed, a dog bowl and a package in conjunction with Silversky where there was ample food, sample kibbles, treats and a toy. I wish the room had a microwave or some facility to make preparing food for Kuro easily, but as with a standard hotel offering, they don’t do this as it’s likely they want you to patronize their restaurant or room service. The disappointing thing is they did not have any food service for pets. Well, understandably, they may not have a lot of guests with pets to begin with. But something to take note of. Unfortunately, the room did not have a bathtub, but they had a nice private jacuzzi in the courtyard. Otherwise, the room is lovely, and exactly what you would expect with a few things for your dog. Kuro seemed to like it. The air-conditioning took a while to figure out, it was pretty cold and drying. 

THE COURTYARD
The Courtyard at the back was where the private jacuzzi was. It was fun and one of the highlights of the trip, not so much for Kuro because whilst she was curious, she doesn’t like baths/water, so she poked a face at the edge but that was it, I didn’t want to force her. It did provide ample space for her to run about while I was taking a dip, but it’s not a place for her to do her business. One big warning is, for people like me who do not have a lot of experience with jacuzzis, DO NOT toss a bath bomb, bubble bath, soap and other such things in there. It is a point that’s hidden in their policy and there is a sign on the obscure corner of the wall in the Courtyard with a caveat that if you do, they would have to reset the jacuzzi and will charge you for it. Yes, I made that mistake but thankfully, it wasn’t a big deal.

THE HOTEL GROUNDS
The hotel grounds had plenty of green spaces. As Kuro is very used to doing her business outdoors, most hotels in Sentosa are great (unlike city ones), and having greenery right outside the Courtyard Suite helps heaps. Pee pads must be ripped, some strange rule that Kuro has in her head. Very beautifully landscaped, I must say Kuro had a ball of a time. There is a lot of nature all around, and Kuro even had an encounter with a Peacock (is it food?).

THE BEACH
Obviously, one of the big plus points of a resort on Sentosa, is the many beaches you can enjoy (despite ships in the backdrop). Walking to the beach was really easy. Well, technically, it is about a 6 minute walk if someone doesn’t stop and sniff every green patch. However, due to COVID-19, the beaches are gated, so the entrances can be quite far away. The beach was on our checklist, but since Kuro doesn’t like the water or ocean in this case (with every splash to the shore, Kuro would take 4 steps away from the coastline, a vast improvement as she previously wouldn’t walk on wet sand). So do your homework if the beach is a big deal for you, so you know how to get there. The hotel staff are very friendly and will give you the tips to get there quickly.

OVERALL
It was definitely a unique experience and Kuro and I did enjoy ourselves. I was glad she gave me minimal fuss too. I did over-prep before getting there as you can learn from our Staycation with your Pet Checklist, but hey, it’s always better to be overly prepared than under prepared. We were thankful that the Amara Sanctuary Resort on Sentosa did a decent job to ensure we had a pleasant experience. What was your experience like? Share with us in the comments below or feel free to contact us to share your story.

Updates:
Do have a read of our Staycation with your Pet Checklist to make sure you’re well-prepared.

Help Us By Signing Up with Trust Bank
So with Trust Bank, what we really like is the ability to save more with the FairPrice Group. This helps us with our daily necessities, which not only feeds us, but Kuro as well. Full transparency, help us by signing up with our referral code J39KW4FZ, and we both get a free $10 NTUC Voucher.

Here are the Core Benefits for Trust Bank:

• Earn up to 2.5% Interest Per Annum on the first $125,000 deposit (to get up to 2.5% you need to be an NTUC Member).

• On top of that, get to enjoy savings of up to 21% on groceries and food with the FairPrice Group with the credit card.

• Get 8% off pet insurance, 5% off home insurance and travel insurance among many other deals.

• Take 7% off Agoda Bookings.

• Enjoy up to 20% off fuel savings with Caltex as well!

• And so many other rewards.

Sign up today via Trust Bank. Don’t forget our referral code J39KW4FZ so that we both can get a free S$10 FairPrice E-Voucher.

Pro-Tip: Don’t forget to bring all-natural, delicious and healthy Kuro Snacks for your dog: