Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Hotel Stay

I used to wonder why people got to have free MBS hotel stay just because their parents went to its casino. 

My fourth sister, the one who resides in Malaysia, started asking us if we would like to stay over at MBS on weekends, with all meals thrown in, since last year.

Until now, I am still not sure how it works, but it seems you need to deposit a certain amount of money at the casino before withdrawing it, in order to be a registered guest of some sort. By gambling at the casino, you get to chalk up points. Whether you lose or win, the points you get when playing at the casino are the points you chalk up. According to my sister, they upgraded her for reasons that she knew not to that of the Paiza status. Such guests have the VIP status and they are offered free stays at Paiza rooms, usually large and luxurious at high levels, at MBS provided they come down personally to MBS to register for the stay.

I have since stayed at the hotel for quite a few times. I always go there with my mother as she loves the hotel stay and goes to the casino.

Last weekend, my sister gave us a 2-day stay, 24 to 26 May. 

Due to my work commitments, I could only joined my mother on Saturday night.

This time, the room was on the 43rd level of Tower 1 building.

It had the most spectacular facing we ever had. It overlooked Garden by the Bay at the bedroom’s full-height windows and the bathtub windows displayed the sights at the Singapore River where the glassy Louis Vuitton flagship store and Arts Science Museum were located. 

I no longer use a DSLR to document my life. I miss the bokeh and the prettier images but iPhone is just too convenient.

We went for breakfast at Paiza Sky Residence which was located on the 55th floor of Tower 2.

We had the choice of dining at Rise restaurant but I had tried the breakfast at Rise once and the experience was not fantastic. We were there past 10 and the staff only told us, after we were seated at 10.15am, that breakfast ended at 10.30am! 

We had to scramble to get our food first before settling down to have our breakfast at 10.30am.

The breakfast was an ordinary continental fare. Nothing worth shouting about. So we revert to the 55th floor’s breakfast from then on.

The food offered there is more curated. For example, the fried rice would be infused with an exotic but pleasant flavour or paired with unusual but palatable ingredients like otah. The danishes would not be your uncreative peach danish. I normally don’t eat the Vietnamese pho but I enjoyed it a lot that morning with tender beef pieces.

Where the staples and meats are

Fried rice with otah

Ramen

Platters of pastries

Honeycomb and bread-and-butter station

Cheeses and salad station which I almost never touch

Japanese station 

Cakes and sweets

Egg tarts

Pancakes and waffles

Ice cream flavours

A limousine, as they call it, sent my mother to church

The first time I took it, I told my sister via text that it was an MPV.

She was shocked and asked me to take a picture for her.

She told me that this is a 'limousine'.

My idea of a limousine remains as a long bodied car with six doors. 

We returned at 3pm for the afternoon tea (2.30-4pm).

The tea set came in a pretty rotatable tier set with warm scones on the side.

I had had it a few times and I always thought MBS served the worst afternoon tea but this time, I was able to eat most of them without having to cringe before eating.

MBS gave two tickets each for the sampan boat ride and the Digital Light Canvas

Booking a 5pm slot would allow you to enjoy the waterfall/fountain upclose

Colour the given templates with crayons provided and pass your coloured image to the staff who would scan it so that it comes alive with the lights.

Writing your name on the image helps to identify your image quickly.

Children love to run around and chase and step on the images to disperse them. They even make friends and play with one another.

The Evening Beverages and Canapes started at 4.30pm and ended at 7pm. I only realised that at 6.25pm! We had to rush back to Paiza Sky Residence and get as much food as we could before commencing to eat.

pho with beef slices and meatball

Lobster sushi, fish and beef cheek

roast meat, chicken chop cute and two other items I can't recall

Chicken chop cube and almond prawn ball

Desserts

This was so pretty I had to take a close-up of it

After dinner past 8, my mother went to the casino till 12.45am. I had fallen asleep by then and couldn't pick her up. She followed a lady who was at the casino back.

The next morning was a Monday. I left the hotel early for work while my 5th sister came at 9am to have breakfast with my mother before they left for home together in a limousine at 12pm again.