Costa Sands Resort - Pasir Ris

In every get-away, you have to agree that a bulk of the budget goes to your accommodation. Staying in a five-star hotel would be great, of course, but it is also nice to know that there are other options available for travelers who prefer to umm, economize. Hey, economizing is good so you can spare more money for shopping, right? ;)

The first time I've gone to Singapore I needn't have to worry about board and lodging. I was part of a youth camp where everything was provided for free, and we stayed at the Regional English Language Centre Hotel without spending a penny. For our trip this year though, all costs were shouldered by our own pockets so we had to be budget-conscious.

Good thing Frank's friend LJ (who is based and works there) recommended a chalet for us, the Costa Sands Resort in Pasir Ris. Their rates are affordable to begin with, and we even got additional discount because LJ is an NTUC-member.

Can I pass as a model for the chalet? :D

I don't know how many rooms there are but I know there's a LOT because the units are named by letters and numbers (for example, ours was Unit number S16). The room categories are Premier Rooms, Duplex Rooms, and Family Suites.

Directions so you won't get lost finding your unit

We took a double-storey Duplex Room which comes with: a hall with television set, a dining table and chairs, and a ceiling fan on the ground floor, kitchen sink, refrigerator, speedy boiler, an attached bathroom (shower essentials like shampoo, liquid soap, towels and toilet paper are already provided) on the ground floor, one air-conditioned bedroom with two single beds plus additional two mattresses and a closet on the second floor, and free wi-fi access. There were six of us and the unit is just perfect.

There's our unit, S16 :)

Clean and homey, except for the green shade covering the fluorescent light which looks tacky, IMO.

The window by the kitchen sink opens to the wonderful greenery (and beach!) outside.

bathroom

bedroom

It is with deepest regret that we didn't get to swim in the pools :(

What I liked:

• Accessible. Pasir Ris is just less than ten minutes away from the airport. Also, a shuttle bus brings vacationers to and from the Pasir Ris MRT station, Downtown East Mall, and the resort every hour, by the hour. If you missed the shuttle bus, you can just request for the receptionist to dial a cab company for you and a cab will pick you up in less than five minutes.
• There are two computers set up in the lobby, which I used to update my Facebook and Twitter as I wasn't able to get wi-fi signal in our room.
• We stayed in a corner unit far from the others who held  late-night barbecues so we were able to rest well during bedtimes.
• The place is very clean and well-kept.
• We got complementary tickets to the Wild Wild Wet theme park adjacent the chalet (which we were not able to use, bummer).
• The place is surrounded by lush greenery, and there is a beach just behind our unit! We took early morning walks by the beach, it was lovely. Very ideal for jogging, and there is also a bicycle kiosk where you can rent bicycles.
• Two swimming pools, perfect for a relaxing dip.
• There is a self-service laundry and dryer which my travelmates were able to use. There is also a 24-hour convenience store nearby for grumbling stomachs in the middle of the night.
• Affordable rates, especially for NTUC-members. It also helped that there were six of us so we split the bill equally. I only paid P1,600 for the duration of our stay :)

What I didn't like:

• The pool is only open from 8am - 9pm as there are no lifeguards on duty outside those hours. I brought my bikini for nothing as we were able to go home past these times. Sigh, I would have loved some night swimming in those clear waters.
• I wasn't able to get wifi-signal in our room.

That's it!  Fancy a stay here? For the rates and other information, click here.

This photo is just pure vacation heaven, you guys.

*All photos from my friend Frank.

** This is not a paid post. I wish it was, though! LOL.