Since everyone is going for a CNY trip, we decided to head to one as well. But since it's a last minute decision, when we checked the air tickets, we were quickly turned off by the marked-up pricing. We had considered Sentosa too, but the accommodation itself would cost more than $2000 for two nights at least. So we thought why not we travel by ferry instead to either Bintan or Batam? And after much consideration and research, we decided on Montigo Resorts Nongsa at Batam.
Since the check in was only at 3pm, we booked a 12.20pm ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Nongsa Terminal. Thank God the 40-minute ferry ride was smooth. Once at Nongsa terminal, there is a complimentary shuttle for resort guests to the lobby (one trip is only approximately 10 minutes). Please note that Batam runs one hour behind Singapore timing!
Montigo Resorts Nongsa
Check-in is pretty seamless, and we got our room almost immediately without having to wait till 3pm. The resort area itself is HUGE, comprising of 4 restaurants, recreational area, private beach, wellness spas, and even a kids club. That's why they have 24/7 buggy services to fetch you anywhere you want to go within the resort. Just WhatsApp the dedicated lobby number and the buggy will arrive within 10 minutes.
Our room - Seafront Villa
We got upgraded from Hilltop to Seafront villa, so that's a huge yay, because we get wonderful sea views from our rooms! Psst, check their website for the latest and ongoing promotions, most of them offer free upgrades and even discounts on in-house dining and wellness treatments!
One of the first thing you will notice is the huge living area with your very own private pool, which is perfect for 3-4 pax. The children absolutely love it as it's not extremely deep at approx 1 metre. Nothing better than to soak and bask under the sun on a hot afternoon. There's a toilet and bath at level 1, so you can clean and dry yourself conveniently. The only downside is the small TV, if only it could be slightly bigger as the sofa is situated kinda far.
Two flights of stairs up and you will be greeted with two bedrooms with their own ensuite bathroom. All windows are full-length so you can enjoy the panaromic views of the straits. On a good day, you can even see Singapore's skyline!
But here’s the kicker: the bath area in the larger bedroom is straight out of a luxury home magazine. We're talking about a spacious bathtub basked in natural light, a separate shower, and a WC area all to itself. If only we could have the luxury of space in our Singapore home!
And if you think it stops here, you're wrong! Another two flights of stairs up and you will be greeted with an open space where you can do your excersises, chill, and even indulge in some wine under the stars. To be honest, because we have young and extremely active children, we only been up twice to enjoy the scenery.
Buffet Breakfast at TADD's
Breakfast is served at one of their restaurants - TADD's. It has a great variety, with local Indonesian fare, Chinese, and usual international food - your bacons, sausages and egg station. Perfect for children as well, as they gobble up bowls of cereals.
I absolutely love their free flow booster juice section. But you know what's best? Their service is top-notch, and... no doubt it's the view, again! This time you get a view of their signature Montigo boardwalk as well. If you're longing for a swim, there's even a public dipping pool just beside!
They do serve lunch and dinner as well, but pricing-wise, it's comparable to Singapore's, which means it's kindaa expensive for the standards here.
Dining at Montigo
For lunch, we headed to Hinotori, their contemporary izakaya with a superb view overseeing the resorts and sea. Once we entered, we were immediately greeted by many enthusiastic staff which is a huge plus point. Menu-wise, it's quite limited, but has the usuals dons, tempuras and rolls. Food for the steep pricing was average at best (1 bowl of rice is SGD$5!). We spent approx SGD$180 for 5 mains and 1 sides, which is comparable to what we could have in Singapore's resort as well.
If your budget could afford, you could even get their private chef to cook for you at the convenience of the villa! If yours is tight, you could simply get Grabfood, the downside is that they do not deliver to your villa, so you would need to collect from the security gate.
Recreational Activities
Montigo has a wide variety of activities to ensure you're not bored during your stay, ranging from jet-skis, ATVs, shooting range, batik painting, parasailing, and many more. Just a heads up, since it's a resort, do expect the pricing to be on the higher side, but if it saves you the convenience from travelling all the way to other places, why not indulge in a few?
My lady wanted to try shooting, so we went ahead with rifle, pistol and even archery (approx $20 for one game)! I was surprised my wife was better than me in archery, looks like she trained for hunger games or something.
For the children, they do have an extensive activity list at Tilo Kids Club so your little ones wouldn't feel bored. Imagine rabbit petting, water play, movie time, painting, and even baking! Most of them are paid, but the price is pretty reasonable (1hr activity/pax = approx SGD$18). They even have an indoor playground as well, so obviously 1 hour isn't enough for the kids!
Of course, we sent both of our children for a 1-hour baking class with our helper, while we enjoyed a back massage with a scenic sea view. They really enjoyed the class and were super proud of their work!
Pricing is comparable to Singapore's at approximately $60-70 for an hour massage. They have a few options from partial to full body, and in various styles, such as Indo or Thai massage. Throughout the stay, we tried their leg massage and their back massage, and we highly recommend it!
Pretty sure Mummy had a great full body massage as well.
All in all
Montigo Resorts Nongsa is a great location for relaxation to be for either a night or two, and the best thing it's the near proximity from Singapore. Definitely a perfect place for a weekend getaway! Highly recommend to book direct with their official site as it provides more perks such as free upgrade and wellness/dining discounts!
-
This post is partially sponsored by Montigo Resorts Nonga.