Taking a Breather in Batam

After returning from a 10 day trip in London, where we were rushed off our feet trying to fit in work, family visits, a wedding and other London-only chores, we were desperately in need of some well-deserved R&R. My boyfriend, in all his spontaneity, decided to surprise me with a weekend trip to Batam, Indonesia for a spa break (they say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but I would say a spa day is a close second! Amiright, ladies?!)

From the beginning we knew we had zero intention of venturing out of the resort as we wanted to be horizontal for as much of the weekend as possible. Whether this be in the spa, or watching movies, or just chilling, we had no desire to leave our resort (or room!). I had heard from other that Batam itself isn’t particular scenic and the beaches are pretty lackluster so Batam was the perfect destination for what we were after.

Considering we booked on the Thursday to leave 2 days later on Saturday, the whole experience was incredibly hassle-free. In fact, probably as hassle-free as it gets. We got up on Saturday morning, headed to HarbourFront to catch the ferry, and were sitting in our hotel being checked in around an hour later! The resort was ah-mazing. I have since found out that it’s rated #1 on Tripadvisor for spa resorts in Batam. We felt 100% relaxed the entire time we were there and a 3 hour spa trip was just what the doctor ordered.

If you need a pick me up or deserve a break (god knows, we all do!), check out all the details below and get booking! I wholeheartedly recommend this place. Also, you should definitely check out the website as they offer a few great deals. The resort have also kindly agreed to offer 10% discount to all readers/follower of The Jetset Foodie when you book a break during the week and reference ‘Sanskriti’ or ‘The Jetset Foodie’ (offer valid between now and 30th September 2016).

Details

Where did I go: Batam, Indonesia

How long did I go for: Saturday - Sunday, 1 night, 2 days

Travel time: Around 2 hours door-to-door

We wanted to make the most of our stay so decided to take a fast ferry departing at 11:10am from HarbourFront. The ferry was S$90 for a return ticket per person. The ticket says to get to the Ferry terminal for 10:30am, however we realised you don’t really have to get there until 10:45ish since they don’t start boarding until around 10 minutes before. We left our home at 10:15am (at the time we thought we were running late!) and arrived at HarbourFront at around 10:35am. After picking up some breakfast/snacks for the journey, we got to the Ferry Terminal for 10:50am. We left around 5-10 mins late, at 11:20am and were in Batam an hour later.

One amazing benefit of Indonesia is that it’s an hour behind Singapore, so you arrive in Batam at the same time you left Singapore! Which meant we were in Batam at 11:20am local time. We were one of the first to get off the Ferry and quickly rushed to immigration and were through in around 10 minutes. After being picked up by the hotel car (all arranged directly with the hotel and included in our package), we were checking in to our hotel by 11:50am.

For details on booking your ferry and the schedule, check the link here.

Visa Requirements: No (for British Passport holders)

Not sure if you need a visa? Click the link under ‘useful information’ to confirm.

Where did I stay: Tempat Senang Resort and Spa

It was probably one of the best resorts I’ve ever stayed in. There are only a handful of rooms which are all themed and specifically for the use of spa guests (i.e. you can’t get a room only rate). When I say themed, I don’t mean it’s a standardised room with some decoration thrown in, I mean that each room is unlike the others and is furnished with furniture/decorations/paintings shipped from other places specifically to match the theme of that room.

The room we stayed in was the ‘Bali Room’ and it was nothing short of spectacular. It had a seating area outside, surrounded by greenery to maintain privacy, where you could enjoy a spot of al fresco dining (or drinking, whatever floats your boat!). When you enter the room, the living room area was an open seating area with a TV and comfortable sofa, and led on to the bedroom which housed a large king size bed. The room was decorated in the typical Balinese style with wooden carvings and Balinese paintings.

The bathroom, for me, was the pièce de résistance. It was HUGE. The first thing I noticed was the sink which had this funny stone monster face for a faucet, and the water came out of the mask’s mouth. But then, I noticed the Jacuzzi! Which was for 2 people! Like I’ve mentioned in my Halong Bay post, I’m not much of a bath person, but I made another exception here! It also had a separate shower where the detailing on the floor was the most standout part. There was a large stone slab in the middle which you stood on when showering, but surrounding this slab were small stones. It was a small detail, but added to the island feeling!

We got a chance to see other rooms too (pictured below), but I definitely would recommend the Bali Room if you’re thinking of going. Reason being: whilst the other rooms were lovely, Bali was for around 3 people, which meant the room was a lot bigger and the bathroom was massive. Considering the rooms are all the same price, it seems a no brainer to me!

For 2D1N stay for 2, including a 3 hour spa session each, and all meals, the price was around S$650.

Things to do

As I mentioned before, we purposefully didn’t venture out at all from the resort, so in terms of things to do, my post only covers things to do in the resort.

Spa

Included with our package was a half day spa package, lasting 3 hours. When we arrived to check in, the hotel manager, a lovely French man called Charlie, helped us pick our treatments. He gave us a lot of detail on each of the treatments, and even came equipped with samples of the lotions and potions, so that we could take a sniff and decide what we wanted to use. The creams and oils are all developed at the resort’s laboratory also located on site, they really are offering you the real deal!

The treatments we went for were:

1 hr hair cream treatment
1 hr traditional Balinese massage
1 hour body scrub

When it was time for our spa session, we were collected by a therapist from our room and given robes to change in to. We were then led to the spa, which is about a 2 minute walk away from the resort, down some steps. Whilst it’s not far away at all, the cleverly placed Balinese wood crafted doors along the way, makes you feel like you are heading to an isolated spa on top of a hill, away from everything else. Serious tranquillity ahead!

As soon as we arrived, we were taken straight in to a treatment room for the hair spa which lasted an hour. It was so relaxing that we both fell asleep! After the treatment, we were moved swiftly to another room for the massage and scrub, smelling like honey and Aloe Vera. I also wanted to add that the treatment permeated so deeply into my hair, that I could smell it for 3-4 days after, and if you know me, you know I religiously wash my hair everyday!

The massage and scrub were also very good, and when it was all over, we both felt incredibly relaxed. The therapists asked several times during the treatments if the pressure was ok, and even made the effort to vary the pressure on my legs (I have mild shin splints) compared to my back that really needed to be worked over! The treatment rooms were clean and came equipped with a toilet and shower for use after the treatments.

Another thing I wanted to point out was that our room and the spa treatment rooms were all fully equipped with a variety of cosmetics from foot creams to hand creams, to cleansers, face wash and rose water face spray. In comparison to 5 star hotels, which often only have the bare basics, this was a particular plus point for the resort. I specifically wanted to mention this because a couple of times I’ve forgotten some of my products, and realised the hotel offers nothing to remedy this.

Note: I purposefully didn't take any photos in the spa, as I didn't want to infringe on any of the other visitor's privacy.

Other facilities offered by the resort:

2 swimming pools
All rooms are equipped with DVD players and in the reception you can find an extensive catalogue of movies
Spa shop
Relaxation rooms/areas (if you want to read or meditate).

Foodie Highlights

All our meals were had at the resort: we were served lunch when we arrived, dinner after our spa session and breakfast the following morning before we left. There are many options on the menu, between Western and Eastern cuisines. They even have a ‘Beer can chicken’ which is basically a chicken with a full can of beer up the chicken’s bum. This method of cooking maintains moisture in the meat, but ensures the skin comes out crispy. I’m sure you’re loving my description!

Because we knew we were spending time at the spa, our meals were more on the light side. You can check out my photos below. The only downside was that service was a little slow in the restaurant, and a few times there was no wait staff in sight. You can order meals in advance, however this didn’t seem to make much of a difference in terms of getting your meals quickly!