At the far corner of Changi Village she sits, this hotel property, near the junction of Netheravon Road and Cranwell Road, and though she is not a five-star property, nor is she one of most convenient of hotels to get to in the Changi V area, Changi Cove has her distinctive charms- and it is for them that I go back for, again and again.
If Changi V is a retreat away from the bustling city, then Changi Cove would be a retreat within the retreat, and truly it is, for the property is spacious, the rooms are adequate, there are trees everywhere, and the sea is no more than a short walk away from the property gates.
Think of the place as a venue for corporate retreats, casual summits, company-scale workshops, teambuilding retreats, church camps, medium-scale conferences and medium-scale themed events, complete with rooms for overnight stays, and you get the idea.
The whole place is, to me, designed to foster camaraderie, hold getting-to-know-you sessions and encourage casual conversations whilst keeping to schedules, tasks and designated activities.
It is a place where groups big and small can converge for whatever purpose that might be, take out huge sheets of paper, hand out markers, and hold problem-solving, brainstorming sessions.
It is a place where one can feel equally comfortable whether dressed in suit and tie, slacks and polo tee, Bermuda pants and tee shirt, track pants and sports shoes, or that carefully orchestrated outfit for THEME Night.
But it is also a place to be if one just needs to be steal a few stolen moments away from the humdrum and bustle of group activity.
And you don't need to escape to your room.
Even if it is a neat-looking one with a large, built-in wardrobe, a comfortable-enough bed, soft bedding, a whiteboard sort of wall with markers provided to draw on, the television, an armchair (or swing!), a rug of sorts, coffee machine, coffee pods, a window that overlooks the surrounding foliage, and a desk with writing materials and plain notebook to scribble in.
The Space is just about everywhere- and it is loud enough that those around you can tell you're lost in your own world.
Call it self-chosen isolation, whatever, but that's what this place offers, whether it be at the outdoor mezzanine floor area near the trees, whether it be at one end of the sofa in the sun-filled lobby, or be it the library with its bean bags and work tables. There's just that Space which allows one to be silent, peaceful and calm, and which I've found incredibly charming.
After all, what better sight can there be than to come upon a tree as grand as this on the way back to the room after a light buffet breakfast of scrambled eggs, tomato, bacon, sausage, cereal, toast, butter, jam, coffee, fruit and juice?
This is a place to dwell in nature; to remember Singapore's countryside as what it used to be, and to observe traces of its military heritage.
It is here that I've wandered amongst the old trees. It is here that I've gone to the sister property up the slope (only halfway actually cos I got lazy). Here I've walked down to the jetty area past the old pier and the Beach Club, seeing the old concrete structure set against the shore. Here I've stood on the jetty in the quiet of the dark night, hearing the waves lap against the pillars.
And one lovely evening, I wandered from one end of the Changi Boardwalk all the way to the other near the Pulau Ubin Jetty, taking in the gorgeous sunset, the beautiful twilight and the serenity of Changi.
If Changi V is a retreat away from the bustling city, then Changi Cove would be a retreat within the retreat, and truly it is, for the property is spacious, the rooms are adequate, there are trees everywhere, and the sea is no more than a short walk away from the property gates.
Think of the place as a venue for corporate retreats, casual summits, company-scale workshops, teambuilding retreats, church camps, medium-scale conferences and medium-scale themed events, complete with rooms for overnight stays, and you get the idea.
The whole place is, to me, designed to foster camaraderie, hold getting-to-know-you sessions and encourage casual conversations whilst keeping to schedules, tasks and designated activities.
It is a place where groups big and small can converge for whatever purpose that might be, take out huge sheets of paper, hand out markers, and hold problem-solving, brainstorming sessions.
It is a place where one can feel equally comfortable whether dressed in suit and tie, slacks and polo tee, Bermuda pants and tee shirt, track pants and sports shoes, or that carefully orchestrated outfit for THEME Night.
But it is also a place to be if one just needs to be steal a few stolen moments away from the humdrum and bustle of group activity.
And you don't need to escape to your room.
Even if it is a neat-looking one with a large, built-in wardrobe, a comfortable-enough bed, soft bedding, a whiteboard sort of wall with markers provided to draw on, the television, an armchair (or swing!), a rug of sorts, coffee machine, coffee pods, a window that overlooks the surrounding foliage, and a desk with writing materials and plain notebook to scribble in.
The Space is just about everywhere- and it is loud enough that those around you can tell you're lost in your own world.
Call it self-chosen isolation, whatever, but that's what this place offers, whether it be at the outdoor mezzanine floor area near the trees, whether it be at one end of the sofa in the sun-filled lobby, or be it the library with its bean bags and work tables. There's just that Space which allows one to be silent, peaceful and calm, and which I've found incredibly charming.
After all, what better sight can there be than to come upon a tree as grand as this on the way back to the room after a light buffet breakfast of scrambled eggs, tomato, bacon, sausage, cereal, toast, butter, jam, coffee, fruit and juice?
This is a place to dwell in nature; to remember Singapore's countryside as what it used to be, and to observe traces of its military heritage.
It is here that I've wandered amongst the old trees. It is here that I've gone to the sister property up the slope (only halfway actually cos I got lazy). Here I've walked down to the jetty area past the old pier and the Beach Club, seeing the old concrete structure set against the shore. Here I've stood on the jetty in the quiet of the dark night, hearing the waves lap against the pillars.
And one lovely evening, I wandered from one end of the Changi Boardwalk all the way to the other near the Pulau Ubin Jetty, taking in the gorgeous sunset, the beautiful twilight and the serenity of Changi.