Home away from home

Sometimes a hotel room, however luxurious it may be, may just not be practical when you're a family with young children. Once you fit in an extra bed or baby cot, there's hardly any space left to move around. And with kids having to change clothes ever so often, laundry service at a hotel could just put a dent to your pocket.

You could get a family suite which will solve the space issue but you'd still be left wondering if you need to pack ten days' worth of clothes for a five-day trip, and wash baby's bottles in the bathroom sink, among other considerations.

Serviced apartments, in my opinion, are a great alternative. They offer comfort, space and all the amenities of home. They are good value for money for the cost-conscious. While some cater for long-term stays only, there are others that accommodate short-stay visitors.

During my last trip to Singapore, I stayed at the Somerset Compass serviced apartment for four nights. The three-bedroom apartment was very spacious with a well-equipped kitchen.

The spacious living room with TV, DVD player and cable TV:

The dining area with 8-seater dining table:

The fully-equipped kitchen, with toaster, fridge, microwave, cooker, kettle, coffeemaker, pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, washer/dryer:

Located off Orchard Road, Somerset Compass is just a five-minute walk away from the closest mall, Paragon. It is also walking distance from the Somerset MRT station.

You can either call or get online to make your reservation. Customer service was satisfactory and we had no problems during check-in. The apartment is cleaned everyday except Sundays. Breakfast is provided at a small resident's lounge. While the spread cannot be compared to the extensive ones offered by hotels, it was functional. When I was there, they served pastries, bread/toast, eggs, sausages, milk, coffee, tea, juice, cereal and fresh fruits.

They also have a children's wading pool, adult pool and playground.

What I like about the place:

- Location: Walking distance to shoppers' paradise on Orchard Road, and transportation such as bus, taxi and MRT. You can even catch a shuttle service from a nearby bus stop to go to the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo.
- Ample space for children to rest, or rather be active, indoors. The living room is equipped with a television with cable TV, and a DVD player (so you can bring along Junior's favourite DVD without having to pack a player!)
- Comfort: king-sized bed in the master bedroom with ensuite bath, proper living and dining area with good furniture.
- Kitchen: clean and spacious with enough crockery, pots and pans, toaster, large fridge, coffee maker and microwave to cook up a feast. Dishwashing liquid is provided.
- Laundry: a washer-dryer is at your disposal with detergent provided as well. Just pop your clothes in before you go out to the Zoo, Bird Park, Sentosa Island, Orchard Road etc, and voila!, you don't have to contend with a mountain of dirty laundry after your holiday.
- Internet connection is available with no extra charge, but you need to bring your own laptop.

The Somerset Serviced Residence has properties all around the world. Find them here.