Sentosa escape with Far East Hospitality

Ground-floor rooms at The Barracks Hotel have direct pool access

The Barracks Hotel Sentosa
Heritage hideaway with modern pampering

Housed in a restored 1904 British artillery outpost, The Barracks Hotel doesn’t shout for attention; it draws you in slowly. The low-slung white colonnades, red-tiled roofs and palm-lined lap pools immediately set a different tone from the big integrated resorts elsewhere on Sentosa. Step inside and the mood shifts again: dark woods, leather accents and vintage-style trunks give the spaces the feel of a refined travel club, complete with old maps and archival photos that hint at the island’s military past.

See also: Of reinvention, rest + refuge

The Barracks is intimate – just 40 rooms and suites – and that small scale is part of its charm. Corridors are lined with framed images of post-war artefacts and old maps of “Blakang Mati”, as Sentosa was once known, so you’re literally walking through history on the way back to your room. The conserved structure itself has been carefully kept intact, from louvered windows to timber beams, while the interiors are quietly luxurious: marble floors, freestanding bathtubs, handsome brass fittings and plush beds that make it very tempting to sleep in.

If you can, book a ground-floor room with direct pool access. Sliding open the bathroom doors to step straight out onto your patio and semi-private jacuzzi feels indulgent in the best way – particularly in the evening, when the pools are calm and the palm trees are backlit. Upper-floor rooms, meanwhile, come with soaring double-height ceilings that show off the timber roof structure and add a sense of drama to what is otherwise a very peaceful space.

Service is where The Barracks Hotel really leans into its luxury positioning. The hotel’s equerry-style team take care of the little details: arranging dinner reservations, sorting laundry, tailoring your in-room dining and gently checking if you need anything topped up. It’s attentive without being fussy, which makes it easy to relax into the rhythm of the stay.

See also: Flights cancelled, roads closed as storms snarl US travel

At the heart of the property is The Living Room, an exclusive lounge where guests linger over breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. The floor-to-ceiling windows look straight out to the twin lap pools, and the all-day refreshments mean you’re never far from a snack, a glass of wine or a pot of tea. It feels more like a private club than a hotel restaurant – the sort of place where you end up whiling away an afternoon with a book.

The suites in The Barracks Hotel have a spacious bathroom that features Miller Harris bath amenities

The Barracks Hotel marked its fifth anniversary by introducing an enhanced turndown experience that turns bedtime into a small ritual. Collaborations with British perfumery Miller Harris and local tea artisan Pryce Tea bring a multi-sensory layer to the stay, from Tea Tonique bath amenities and bath salts to bespoke room scents inspired by tea and florals. You return after dinner to find the room subtly perfumed, medallions scented with Graceful Camellia or Starlit Serenity hanging on the bedframe, and everything set up for a slow, unhurried wind-down. It’s a thoughtful touch that reinforces the hotel’s positioning as a place to escape the city and truly switch off.

History lovers will want to carve out time for the Barracks Heritage Tour. This was previously conducted by veterans who once served on the grounds, but today the veterens have put their experiences into a recorded audio tour, allowing more people to enjoy the heritage of property. Listening to their stories about parade squares, artillery lines and the quirks of barracks life adds layers of context to the elegant building you’re now sleeping in. It’s a nice reminder that this serene hideaway once pulsed with a very different kind of energy.

Oasia Resort Sentosa is just a short walk away from The Barracks Hotel

For more lifestyle, arts and fashion trends, click here for Options Section

Oasia Resort Sentosa
Wellness, but make it enjoyable

A short stroll (or buggy ride) away, Oasia Resort offers a different flavour of escape. The building itself is another refurbished colonial-era block, but the interiors are lighter and more contemporary, with neutral tones, natural wood finishes and an emphasis on calm. Where The Barracks Hotel whispers of the golden age of travel, Oasia Resort speaks the language of modern wellness: restorative, approachable and just indulgent enough.

Rooms are designed as restful cocoons. In the family suite, there’s ample space to spread out, with a layout that works well for parents travelling with children or multi-generational groups. Deep-soak bathtubs and rain showers help ease travel fatigue, while large windows bring in natural light without sacrificing privacy. It feels more home-like than hotel-like – in a good way.

The wellness theme kicks in from the moment you check in. Instead of a standard welcome drink, guests are offered cold-pressed juices – a small but refreshing gesture that sets the tone for the stay. The resort’s programming is peppered with daily activities that go beyond generic “wellness talks”: think yoga in the mornings, alongside hands-on workshops where guests can make their own natural body scrubs, bath bombs or balms. It’s thoughtful, low-pressure and very much in line with the idea that self-care can be playful rather than prescriptive.

The Oasia Spa is the only spa among the four Far East Hospitality hotels

Central to the experience is Oasia Spa, which sits like a sanctuary within the property. The treatment menu is extensive, covering everything from Oasia Spa’s signature full-body massage and tension-soothing hot stone therapies to pre- and post-natal options. Facials range from the Swiss Lifting Infusion, which uses Swissline by Dermalab products and massage techniques developed by a world massage champion, to the Youth Resurrection Facial and Glow Facial, which target radiance and anti-ageing concerns with tea-infused ingredients and vitamin-rich formulas.

We tried a 60-minute massage after a particularly hectic week, and it was exactly the reset we needed. Afterwards, lounging by the pool with a cup of herbal tea and no agenda felt like a small luxury in itself.

What makes Oasia Resort especially appealing is that wellness here is framed as accessible and adaptable, gently nudging you towards whatever version of balance suits your lifestyle. You can do as much or as little as you like and still leave feeling a little more centred.

Acitivities and dining
Many ways to eat and play

One of the biggest perks of staying at The Barracks Hotel or Oasia Resort is the way they plug into the wider Far East Hospitality ecosystem on Sentosa. The four properties – The Barracks Hotel Sentosa, Oasia Resort Sentosa, Village Hotel Sentosa and The Outpost Hotel Sentosa – share certain facilities and activities, making it easy to customise your day depending on your mood.

Morning yoga or water aerobics might be held at one pool, family-friendly fun at another, with guests from The Barracks Hotel and Oasia Resort welcome to join in. If you’re travelling with young children or extended family, Village Hotel Sentosa becomes the natural base for the kids’ pool zones and play spaces, while you retreat to the calm of The Barracks Hotel or Oasia Resort at the end of the day. Couples and groups of friends, meanwhile, may find themselves gravitating towards The Outpost’s adults-centric vibe and rooftop energy before slipping back to their rooms nearby.

Dining is where this shared hilltop really shines, with three standout options close enough that you can treat them as extensions of the hotels.

Bedrock Origins is where to go for some great steak

At Oasia, Bedrock Origin serves as both breakfast venue and serious dining destination. By day, the high-ceilinged space feels bright and breezy, all arched walkways, herringbone floors and soft daylight. Come evening, the lighting warms up and the restaurant reveals its chic, art-deco-tinged personality. The menu builds on the Bedrock reputation for excellent steaks, but the coastal location inspires a stronger emphasis on seafood and wood-fired dishes – think dry-aged French turbot grilled over applewood, or an aged barramundi tail with beautifully crisped skin and a zesty chimichurri that lifts every bite. The signature steaks remain a must, particularly the dry-aged striploin, which arrives perfectly charred on the outside and blushing within. Sides like the famous mac and cheese and spicy Brussels sprouts are dangerously addictive; you will tell yourself you’re sharing, and then keep going back for “just one more spoonful”.

Miyoshi by Fat Cow's Taisho Omakase is affordable at just $88++ per person

For a different sort of indulgence, Miyoshi by Fat Cow located at the Mess Hall within the hotel precint channels the omakase spirit into a Sentosa setting. Here, the focus is on precise, seasonal Japanese flavours – delicate sashimi, smoky aburi cuts and richly marbled wagyu that lives up to Fat Cow’s reputation. If you’re in the mood for a long, lingering meal, the multi-course omakase is a great way to spend an evening, moving from clean, refreshing seafood to heartier dishes.

Plan a romantic dinner at 1-Flowerhill

Then there is 1-Flowerhill, perched slightly apart from the main cluster but still easily reachable. Housed in a century-old conservation building surrounded by greenery, it’s a multi-concept venue rather than a single restaurant, but couples will want to know about its romantic setups. Book ahead and the team can transform a corner of the space into something quietly spectacular – candlelight, floral accents and a sense of seclusion that feels made for proposals, anniversaries or simply a rare night without the kids.

What ties these dining experiences together is how seamlessly they weave into a stay at The Barracks Hotel or Oasia Resort. You might start your day with a gentle stretch class, wander down for brunch, spend the afternoon between pool and spa, and then dress up just a touch for dinner at Bedrock Origin, Miyoshi or 1-Flowerhill. There’s no need to leave the hill unless you want to; Universal Studios, the beaches and Sentosa’s newer attractions are nearby, but the hotels themselves provide more than enough reasons to stay put.