SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun

July 2024

Family Bakecation Staycation in a Premium Loft at Holiday Inn Little India (Review + Giveaway)

By June Wan

With impeccable timing, the kid has to use the bathroom as soon as we step into our room at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India. It is only upon exiting, and after a thorough inspection of that space post-pee, that he finally gets a good look at our Premium Loft Room. “Wow, it’s so big!”. And with that, we start our sweet escape — a Family Bakecation staycation to end the mid-year school holidays.

(See also: JULY 2024: EAT, PLAY, SHOP, AND MORE FOR FAMILIES IN SINGAPORE THIS MONTH)

Bakecation Staycation at Holiday Inn Little India

The Bakecation package is one of several current offers at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India. This package includes a two-day, one-night stay in a room of your choice, breakfast, and a DIY baking session at Home Baking Studio in City Square Mall, which is located just diagonally across the hotel. The hotel also has a swimming pool on the fifth floor, and a gym. But first, the room.

(See also: FUN IN THE SHADE: 28 COOL INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS & FAMILIES IN SINGAPORE)

Staying at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India

At 27 sqm, you would not expect it to feel this big. But the two-storey Premium Loft Room at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India is a dream for families, especially if the kids are independently mobile and able to go up and down steps safely on their own. This is important as the second-floor loft is accessible via four short flights of stairs. If children are not stable on their feet, it can be tricky for them to navigate. But parents, you’ll certainly get a good workout!

All the main amenities are on the first level of the loft. There is a good-sized bathroom with a rain shower to the side of the passageway as we enter. Following that is the wardrobe with bathrobes and a safe. A short walk down the corridor brings us to the living area. Here, the two-seater sofa has been converted into a sofa bed. There is also a coffee table, and a large screen television.

Floor to ceiling windows — and that’s two floors, not just one — fill the room with light, and add to the sense of spaciousness. Furthermore, as ours is a corner loft, there are two walls of windows, so we get a double dose of light and airiness!

The loft area upstairs is an intimate space, large enough for a double bed. There is a television on the wall in front of the bed, and a side table with power sockets. Tucked within this cosy alcove, we fall asleep easily and deeply.

Tip: WIth one double bed upstairs, and a double-sized sofa bed downstairs, the premium loft room sleeps four very comfortably. Under Holiday Inn’s Kids Eat & Stay Free program, children 12 years and under stay free with their parents in the same room, so it makes sense to book this room for the family. We’re sure the kids will agree!

Home Baking Studio

As City Square Mall is undergoing extensive indoor renovation works, it takes us a while to find Home Baking Studio. Its bright, cheerful, decor is such a welcome sight after going through the dim warren of the mall!

With the Family Bakecation package, we can do two easy-bake recipes at Home Baking Studio. These include bakes such as Mini Bear Chocolate Donuts, Bear or Duck cookies, Scones, and Filled Madeleines, among others. The kid chooses to make Chocolate Lava Cakes (which are more like lava muffins) while I attempt a Tiramisu cake.

There is no need to worry even if, like us, you have never baked in your life. You get a disposable apron, a tray, and a tablet with step-by-step instructions and videos for your chosen bake.

On top of that, there are friendly staff to answer questions (like how to attach the implements to the mixers) and assure you that your noob mistakes (like whipping the wrong thing in the KitchenAid because all the creams are white and seem to have the texture) will not destroy your creation.

Two hours later, we finally have our desserts! Then it’s just a hop across the road back to Holiday Inn Singapore Little India to pop them into the fridge before dinner.

Tip: In hindsight, we should have scheduled our baking session after checkout on day two. That way, we can bring our bakes home immediately, instead of leaving them in the room fridge overnight.

(See also: 10 EFFECTIVE WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD COPE WITH STRESS)

Eating at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India

There are myriad dining options around the hotel, and we are paralysed by choice. So we take the easy way out and head to level five for the hotel’s signature restaurant, Blue Jasmine. Thai Head Chef Imprassitichai helms this casual chic eatery, which was voted as one of the top 10 best Thai restaurants in Singapore by Tripadvisor. (Note: Blue Jasmine will be closed from 14 July 2024 until further notice. Breakfast will still be served here, and there are other food options in the hotel to enjoy too. More on that later!)

It doesn’t take long for dinner to come. Our green curry, basil chicken, tom yum soup, and mango sticky rice hit the spot; each is perfectly executed.

The kid chooses to sit outdoors, so that he can watch football on the TV above the bar. Surrounded by greenery, with the cool night air caressing us, it is easy to imagine that we are at a boutique resort overseas, instead of a bustling cultural district in the city.

Come morning, this serenity disappears as Blue Jasmine transforms into a bustling breakfast buffet hub. We are here at peak breakfast hour, and it is pretty crowded. But there’s lots of food, from the usual staples like bacon, sausages, and bread, to local favourites like congee and nasi lemak, and Indian food.

Tip: Under Holiday Inn’s Kids Eat & Stay Free program, two children aged 12 years and under dine free with two adults ordering from the same menu. Apart from Blue Jasmine, the hotel also has a lobby café-lounge, Soul Brew, which offers healthy F&B options. Think cold-pressed juices with superfood ingredients, nutritious bowls and bites, and a selection of brews from We Proudly Serve Starbucks™.

(See also: 8 ZI CHAR PLACES AND RESTAURANTS WITH PRIVATE ROOMS FOR FAMILY FEASTS AND CELEBRATIONS)

Getting to Holiday Inn Singapore Little India

As we do not have a car, accessibility is always a consideration in choosing where to have a staycation. Holiday Inn Singapore Little India is directly above Farrer Park MRT station, making it convenient to go to by public transport no matter where you are on the island. Just look for Exit A. It is also possible to walk to City Square Mall via the MRT station instead of crossing the road aboveground, for a completely sheltered route between mall and hotel.

Coming by car? It is easy to spot the 20-storey property whose sleek glass exterior stands out among the heritage shop houses surrounding it. There is so much to explore just steps away – from exhibitions and activities at the Indian Heritage Centre, to 24-hour shopping at Mustafa Centre, to the colourful murals that deck the walls of this vibrant cultural district.

So if you’re hit by wanderlust but unable to travel far because of school schedules, why not have a staycation in a place that’s close to good shopping, easy to get to, right in the heart of a vibrant heritage district, and with a fun family activity — like a Family Bakecation at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India?

Book your Family Bakecation at Holiday Inn Singapore Little India here.

(See also: 17 NEW STAYCATION DEALS AND PERKS FOR FAMILIES IN 2024)

Featured image: Holiday Inn Singapore Little India

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