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| Entrance to Village Hotel Katong |
Fancy a Peranakan theme staycation?
Peranakans are commonly associated with the Straits-born Chinese between 15th and 17th centuries To qualify as a Peranakan, you have to be a descendant to a Straits-born Chinese that adopt Malay-Sino attributes. Peranakans are also known as Baba - Nonya. Baba is the term for Straits-born Chinese men and Nonya refers to female Straits Chinese. Though Peranakan is usually associated with Chinese descent, there are other variants of Peranakans of various races.
Ok, history lesson is over. Time for a staycation in Katong!
Village Hotel Katong
Mentioned Peranakan and Katong will pop up. Katong used to be the enclave of Peranakans and still retains aspects of Peranakan culture today. To immerse in Peranakan Culture, the best way is to spend a day or two in Katong. A staycation in Katong is a good option to consider for families, especially if you are living in other parts of Singapore. This will bring forth an experience entirely different from a typical Sentosa staycation. We had been Easterners since the boys were born, yet the opportunity to experience Katong from another perspective intrigue us.
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| Welcome to Village Hotel Katong |
So when Village Hotel Katong invited us into their house for a night, we could not resist the offer. Village Hotel Katong had its roots in Katong for about 3 years. A Peranakan-inspired hotel, the hotel is recognizable by its unique architecture. The boys call it the 'Dress' building and you can see why from its outlook - a flare shape architecture resembling a dress.
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| Village Hotel Katong Lobby |
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| Lobby |
Step into the lobby and we were greeted with a minimalist decor filled with Peranakan accents. Entrance to the lobby is via either the main entrance or Katong V shopping arcade.
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| Peranakan theme family room at Village Hotel Katong |
Our accommodation for the night was the family room. Clad in light tones with a dash of red hues, there are touches of Peranakan-inspired decor found in the room. Staying in the room transported us back in time with the Peranakans.
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| The Family Room |
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| Drinks provided |
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| Village Katong Interior |
The family room comes with 2 queen size beds that could fit a family of 2 adults and 2 children comfortably. A decent size TV with cable channels is located on the other side of the room. Given that the hotel has been in business for over 3 years, the room is still very well maintained.
The boys gave it a thumbs up for cleanliness.
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| Peranakan Motifs in the Bathroom |
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| Amenities are provided |
Peranakans are known to have a close-knitted relation with their families. To immerse ourselves in the Peranakan tradition, we played games such as Snakes and Ladders and Chaptek in the room. The games are part of the VHK Weekend "Throwback Family" package where a collectible Singapore Traditional Game set is included for family fun.
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| Chaptek king |
Before you leave the room and explore the surroundings, do check out the balcony view. You can get a peek of the sea from here.
Nice!
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| View from the Balcony |
Live like a Nonya and Baba
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| High Tea at Lapis Lounge |
The package also included High Tea Set at Lapis Lounge for 2 adults and 2 children where you get to indulge in Nonya Kuehs. A delicacy in the boys' book.
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| Our favourite Nonya Dessert - Rainbow Kue Lapis |
This was topped by breakfast at Katong Kitchen where we indulge in tastes of Peranakan cuisines prepared in a combination of Chinese and Malay cooking.
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| Peranakan Decor |
Breakfast consist of traditional Nonya dishes as well as familiar Western fare. It may not be as well stock as compared to bigger hotels but it is sufficient to give us fuel for the day.
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| Nonya delights |
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| Western Fare |
Since we had only 1 day at Village Hotel Katong, we could either choose to swim in the circular pool, train at the gym next door for Daddy or explore Katong for its Peranakan culture.
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| Gym next to the pool |
If you intend to swim, do not the depth of the pool reaches 1.8 m at some end. With kids that are non-swimmers, a float is a must in this case.
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| 1.8M |
Being avid explorers, we choose the latter. With the help of a little red book titled ' Live Like a Local' from Village Hotel Katong, we set out to discover the nuggets of Peranakan culture around the hotel. Here is a glimpse of what we found around Katong.
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| Live Like a Local in Katong |
Explore around the hotel
Peranakan Architecture
If you want to explore the 'old' Singapore, Katong is a great place to start. The Peranakan shophouses that line East Coast Roads are built as early as 1928!
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| Peranakan Shophouses along East Coast Road |
Today, these buildings are given a colourful facade resembling Rainbow Kuek Lapis. Most of the buildings had been modernised, but the distinctive Peranakan decor remained.
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| Peranakan Inspired Residential area |
Peranakan Food
From Peranakan snacks like Nonya Dumplings to familiar favourites like Katong Laksa, Katong is a foodie delight in search of original Peranakan food. Head to Kim Choo Kueh Chang or Glory Catering to have a taste of these Peranakan favourites.
For your Katong Laksa fix, we recommend you to try the original Katong Laksa, otherwise known as Janggut Laksa located at Roxy Square. It is literally steps away from Village Hotel Katong.
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| Janggut Laksa |
Restaurants such as Peranakan Inn and Baba Chew can also be found serving Peranakan Delights.
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| Baba Chew |
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| Perankan Inn |
Peranakan Culture
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| Katong Antique House |
To complete the Peranakan experience, spend time at Katong Antique House or Rumah Kim Choo to have a peek at Peranakan lifestyle from the past. There you can see Peranakan-Inspired furniture and even purchased a Peranakan Kebaya if you are looking for one.
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| Rumah Kim Choo |
After a walk, we discovered more things about Peranakan than we ever did staying in the East for the past 7 years. It is amazing how a Staycation at Katong can open your eyes. Do look out for our post on
Exploring Peranakan Culture in Katong.
If you are travelling from overseas, there is also a complimentary phone from the hotel for your use during your stay. The phone allows you to stay connected to the internet to search for information while you explore Katong.You can also use the phone to make local calls. A nifty gadget to have for tourist.
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| Add caption |
For those who wish to have a taste of Peranakan Katong. we do recommend a stay at Village Hotel Katong. Located at the edge of Katong, it makes a great starting point to discover Peranakan lifestyle. The VHK
Throwback Family package will be available in a 2D1N package or 3D2N package.
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| Village Hotel Katong |
Throwback Family Package includes the following
- 1 x Family Room (As Seen in this review)
- Breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children at Katong Kitchen
- Kids Pack and Kids Amenities
- Afternoon High Tea Set for 2 adults and 2 children at Lapis Lounge
- Collectible Singapore Tradition Games Set.
Promotion Period - 19 March -29 Dec (Friday to Sunday only). Blackout dates apply.
Book early to avoid disappointment!
You can
make your booking here.
Disclosure : Sponsored
The Wacky Duo has a media invite to experience the ThrowBack Family package. All Opinions are of our own.
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