Marina Bay full of magic
Finding the perfect suite to accommodate both kids and parents can be a balancing act
WE WERE more than a little curious abut Marina Bay Sands for different reasons: Tiah wanted to stay in “the spaceship with the pool on top” and I wanted to know if families could fit snugly into the scene at the world’s most Instagrammed hotel and bask alongside the selfie set on the 50-somethingth floor.
We had hardly stepped foot in our room, which was spacious at 86sq m (enough room to dance and do all the silly moves kids do when they are let loose in a hotel room) with a view that overlooked Gardens by the Bay, when the pool beckoned.
I mean the pool is why everyone comes here right? We were not disappointed. It is nothing short of spectacular and swimming 200m above the ground is a pretty thrilling experience when you become part of the view. Tiah thought it might be God’s own pool, in fact.
Most of the pool is reserved for adults, which sounds like a bummer, but actually turned out to be a bonus as the section where a few kids swam and splashed was not somewhere the coiffured hair and perfect pout set would dare to enter.
The hotel has 13 family rooms, each designed to cater for four guests. The views of Gardens by the Bay are spectacular.
When the sun set, we ordered in-room Hainanese chicken rice (so good here), popped on our PJs and sat and watched the light show feeling like we had a front-row, grandstand seat.
By day we wandered the gardens, which are an easy walk even for little legs, or you can grab a bike from right outside the hotel. Get there early.
This place is perennially popular and, if you want a pic in front of the world’s largest indoor waterfall in the swoonworthy flower dome, early is a must.
Marina Bay Sands Shoppes is also supremely child-friendly with a dedicated section for little fashionistas, scientists and explorers. Ride the Samban, a Venetian-style boat that sails its way around part of the shopping centre, or be immersed in the Digital Light Canvas, where the nature theme had Tiah enthralled with giant flocks of birds and thousands of fish at her feet.
The Science Museum was her favourite place of all. Created in collaboration with teamLab, a renowned Japanese interdisciplinary art collective that delivered Digital Light Canvas, it is immersive technology fusing cutting-edge science, art, magic and metaphor.
This is a space best explored with your imagination. If you sit back and let the kids find their own way, the experience becomes even more magical.
We made crystals appear with music and then walked right through them, activated large glowing musical balls that chimed louder the rougher we played with them and had a hilarious time on the best slide I have even seen, which is like a game of Fruit Ninja that slices through the fruit with your butt cheeks. I may have even busted a few of those watermelons myself.
Next, we fly to The Bird, one of Marina Bay Sands’ signature restaurants. As I always end up on a wild chicken nugget chase in every city of the world we visit, I thought it might be as close as I could get. How pleasantly surprised I was when Tiah proclaimed the 100-yearold family recipe of Lewellyn’s fine fried chicken to be better than any chicken she had eaten anywhere.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.