Montigo Resorts, Nongsa 3D2N Stay During the March School Holidays

Montigo Resorts, Nongsa is our choice for a short holiday retreat during this March school holidays!  The boys were super excited to take a ferry to Batam as it was their first time going over there.  I thought it would be a good idea to expose them to different forms of transportation.  They actually had the idea that the ferry would take off and fly in the sky as they thought that travelling by air was the only way to go overseas… hahaha!

The ferry journey was about 30 minutes and in a short span of time, we reached the Batam island, Nongsapura.  After checking out of the ferry terminal, I saw my name on the board at the Priority Service counter of Montigo Resorts, Nongsa.  The resort has arranged for pick up service for my family so that we can arrive at the resort comfortably.

The driver was very friendly and helped us with our luggages to the private car.  Thanks so much!

Montigo Resorts, Nongsa has its own land transfer to make it convenient for tourists to travel to the resort.  So do remember to book this service if you are planning to go as well.

Day 1: 10 March 2018 in Montigo Resorts, Nongsa

It was actually a very short drive and in a blink of time, we arrived at the resort and was given a very warm welcome by the staff.  Towels and cold drinks are served to every guest as the resort understands the guests’ needs to freshen up after a ferry and car ride.  Definitely won a brownie point from me on the spot.

The staff was all smiles and very friendly, that I felt so much at home with the kind hospitality.

Three exceptional points stood out for me in this trip:

The place is so instagrammable that I wished I had more time to take loads of photos.

The customer service here is impeccable!  You are treated like royalty at every corner that I felt a bit shy.

Lastly, This place is so kids friendly.  You will understand why as you read my blog post further.

I liked how the resort was represented in a drawing which was placed at the welcome pick up and drop off point.

The hotel lobby was very spacious and we grab a seat while waiting to check in.

Windi, one of the staff from Montigo Resorts went through the various locations of the accommodation, dining, spa and other activities which we could engage in.

We left our luggages at the reception counter to have our lunch as we reached there around 11am and the room was not ready yet.  As the resort is huge, guests can choose to be ferry around by the on-site buggy service.

The boys were super excited to sit in the buggy and take a short tour around the resort on the way to TADD’s restaurant for their lunch.

The restaurant was not very far from the hotel lobby and within minutes, we reached our destination.

TADD’S is the perfect place for a casual lunch, a relaxing dinner or a snack as it is set in an semi al-fresco, high ceiling restaurant while kids get to play at neighbouring Tilo Kids Club.  Serving local, Asian and Western comfort cuisine, there is something for everyone, including children.

It was such a brilliant idea to give the boys a kids’ menu which they could colour as well. This way, they were kept occupied while waiting for their food to be served.  At the same time, it also kept them quiet while I got my peace… hahaha!

After I placed my orders, I walked around TADD’s Restaurant.  This is a nice chill out spot if you like to bask under the warm sun and enjoy some breeze too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While waiting for our food, the server brought some bread with olive oil/tomato dipping for us to munch.  So sweet of them!

Kaiser ordered Spagetti Bolognese while Rayes had the chicken nuggets with fries.

We also ordered watermelon juice, cranberry cooler(cranberry juice, lemon juice, soda water) and tutti frutti (mango, stawberry, passion fruit juice) as the weather was hot and we needed some cold drinks to cool ourselves down.

Since Rijsttafel set for two was strongly recommended, I ordered it with yellow rice although you could also choose white rice too.

Basically, this set included seven dishes like mixed veg on coconut gravy, spicy tiger prawn, wok fry squid chili lime soya sauce, grilled fillet of snapper green and red chilli sambal, chicken stew on coconut yellow broth, beef stew ‘batavia style’, sweet corn fritter and satés campur.

After we finished our lunch, I ordered a dessert called Sago Malacca just to try it out.  I was amazed by the presentation of this as it was different from the usual way it is normally served.

Overall, it was a delectable and wonderful lunch and after refuelling our body with food, we were ready to go back to the hotel lobby to check into our deluxe two-bedroom villa.

We chanced upon Montigo Cabin, a one stop shop where you could buy some daily necessities if you ran out of them, from Tilo plush toys and sunscreen to bikinis and crave-curbing snacks.

For a moment, I thought I was in Santorini!  The view was awesome that I wished I could stay here forever, chilling by the sea.

Anyways, we took the buggy service back to the hotel lobby and collected our card keys to the villa which we would stay in for the next two nights.  The boys were super excited to see the villa as this is the first time they stayed in a resort.

When we stepped in, we were greeted with a spacious huge living room.

The living room features a kitchenette, refrigerator and dining room overlooking our private pool. Such a wonderful place to either party with friends or sit and chat with your loved ones or family while lazing the hours away and be enchanted by the ever changing colours at sunset.

We were thankful for the wonderful surprise as the resort prepared some fruits and snacks to welcome us.

It also came with a handwritten welcome note from the Front Office Manager too.  That was really sweet!

The boys kept asking me to let them dip into the private pool the moment they saw this.

What a wonderful Al fresco dining terrace to have dinner and watch the sun set!  Can’t wait for our in villa BBQ happening the next evening.

After we checked out level 1, we proceeded to level 2 to see where the boys would be sleeping that night.

It was the Guest Bedroom with twin beds and en-suite bathroom.

The moment they got into the room, they already decided who to sleep on which bed… hahaha!

The boys told me it was super fun to have a room by themselves and a TV as well so that they could watch TV programmes at night while snuggling comfortably in their own beds.

Their bathroom was pretty cool too with amenities all nicely placed for them.

Afterwhich, it was time to check out my own bedroom.

OMG… just look at this…Master bedroom suite with king-sized canopy bed and en-suite bathroom!  I sworn I would hit to bed early that night!

The bed was covered with fine linen and down feather liners making it oh so soft and comfy to lie on it.  I wondered how I would be able to wake up early the next day to have my breakfast… Hhmmm.

Come, let’s check out the en-suite bathroom.  Love the fact that there are two sinks cos I can be quite messy when it comes to brushing and washing my face.  The whole sink, including the table top will be wet hence with two separate sinks, I could do my makeup at the other sink area which will be dried.

Each villa comes with a spacious bathtub with an open roof top. Slip into a nice, warm, bubble-filled bath and indulge in a relaxing soak with a wine in hand or simply gaze at the magical stars at night.

Love the seaview from the master bedroom.  Couldn’t wait to explore the resort more.

Time to check out level 3.  Yes, There is a level 3 to our villa… how cool is it?

From level 3, we could see the sea and the sky joining together in the horizon.  As the clouds get darker, I suspected it might rain later hence after taking a few photos from the sky terrace, we quickly changed into our swimming costumes for a dip in the private pool.

It was breezy up there though as I felt the wind blow.  Maybe next time, we should set up a tent here to watch the stars before we fall asleep.

When it comes to swimming, the boys could change faster into their swimming costumes than anyone else.

With the privacy of our own pool, we could swim freely without worrying about bumping into other people unlike public pools.

Kaiser had loads of fun cos he was pretty proficient in swimming compared to Rayes who was still a bit water shy.

After swimming, I made my way to The Montigo Spa for my one hour spa massage.  When i reached there via the buggy service, I was served a glass of cold thirst quenchy lemongass drink together with a cold towel while the customer service staff explained to me the different types of massages so that I could make my choice.

The Montigo Spa has something for all who seek respite from urban life. You can restore your body’s balance with centuries old therapies, accentuated by the ambient infusion of soothing fragrances and light.

After I chose the type of massage I wanted, I was given a choice of four different massage oil.  After smelling all the four scents, I settled for the relaxing blend.  Somehow it felt just right for me that day.

After enjoying my drink, I was ushered to the spa room where I requested to shower before the massage.  All the amenities were available in the adjourning shower room attached to each spa room.

The Montigo Spa’s timeless Sumatran huts have had their rich authenticity preserved for over a century. Acquired exclusively for the resort, this rustic cluster adjoins its own stretch of beach, giving it a sense of freedom and tranquility.

Before the massage, I was given a foot scrub to ease away the tension of stress from my feet.

The bed was set nicely in the room facing the sea.  As I lied on the bed while the masseur did the Indonesian massage, my mind and soul drifted to lalaland against the rhythmic waves of nature.

One hour was definitely not enough.  For those who are going for the spa treatment, I strongly recommend taking up the 90 mins massage instead.

There are also a steam bath and plunge pools – the latter perfect to lounge, wade or simply cool off in.

Interestingly, the spa also houses a library and reading area where you get to sit and relax after the spa massage.

I was served a cup of ginger tea with some biscuits to go with.  All the spa guests were either having their own ‘me’ time or having a tete-a-tete with their loved one.

After the massage, my whole body felt so relaxed and free from tension that I practically didn’t want to move at all.

After some procrastination, I finally made my way back to the villa, before we went over to Pantai Restaurant for our dinner.

Adjacent to the main lobby, the intimate kelong-style restaurant is tucked away in a cocoon of natural beauty, a gentle breeze and the soft sway of trees.

Pantai, meaning ‘beach’ in Bahasa, Indonesia, offers an extensive menu featuring fresh, locally-sourced produce and ingredients, rendering the Pantai experience both charming and delightful.

This was the first time the boys ate in a kelong-style restaurant so they were curious about the surroundings.  We were very lucky to go a good table with a nice view.  So do try to go earlier if you want a table like ours as such tables are limited.  Of course, you can choose to sit indoor as well.

The dinner menu was specially planned for us by the Chef and he recommended asparagus soup, snapper fillet with sweet and sour sauce, wok-fried broccoli with mushroom, deep fried chicken garlic and crab meat fried rice.  Even though the dishes didn’t have any fanciful names, but I must give a thumb up for each dish.  They all had the fragrant wok hei smell which added to the savoury taste.

Looking at the photos below made me salivate and my stomach growl!

After a fulfilling dinner, the buggy took us back to our villa and while the boys enjoy the comfort of their own room with TV on, I finally had the chance to chill and relax in the master bedroom.

A bubbly bath in the bathtub was a great idea too so that I could have a totally calm and peaceful sleep.

Day 2: 11 March 2018 in Montigo Resorts, Nongsa

Our stay came with complimentary buffet breakfast hence we woke up around 8am and made our way to TADD’S Restaurant.

The impressive part of this breakfast buffet was that it offered four live stations which most buffet breakfasts in other resorts did not offer.  The fun part about live stations was that you get to see the chefs look in front of you and a lot of times, you get to decide what ingredients go into the dish.  Also, the dish would be freshly cooked so you get to savour the just out-of-the pan piping hot dish.

For those who have a sweet tooth, you will be happy to know that the buffet is big on pastries and bread.

Those going for a healthier choice could go for the salad selection.

Of course, you also get to choose from the usual choices like porridge, baked beans, bacon, hash browns, hot dogs etc for your breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cutest thing about this buffet breakfast is that a kids’ corner is available where kids can get to pick and choose the stuff they want.  The utensils, bowls and plates are plastic hence the kids can help themselves to the food safely while parents get their own breakfast too.

The boys enjoyed the breakfast very much and helped themselves to the food a few rounds.

Once their stomaches were satisfied, we made our way to the Tilo Kids Club where the boys could have fun with the various kid’s activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boys opted for the Tilo Treasure Hunt and the friendly staff got them to write their own names on their name badges and went through the instructions on how to play the treasure hunt.

The boys needed to read a storybook first as the clues to the treasure hunt were found in the book.

Once they were done, the boys donned on treasurer hunter hats and off they went with one of the qualified mentors to walk around the resort to in search of clues and hints to collect ten stamps from ten stations.

Parents can entrust their kids in the skilful hands of the mentors, setting themselves free to explore Montigo Resorts, Nongsa.

With the extra free time I gained, I walked around the resort to check out the beautiful scenery.

After getting some vitamin D from the sun, I stopped by Montigo Cafe for a glass of orange juice before picking the boys up.

The boys completed the hunt, returned to the starting point to claim their prizes and played at the playground with the slides while waiting for me.

After all the walking and activities, both myself and the boys were super hungry and we made our way to Pantai Restaurant for our lunch.  I could finally take brighter pictures of the kelong style restaurant.  Loved the relaxed feel of the atmosphere here where one could enjoy yummy food at reasonable pricing.

Again, the food over exceeded our expectation.  Every dish was cooked to our liking, so flavourful and delectable!

Even Rayes who is very picky with food, gave his thumb up for the mee sua and said it was yummy!

After the tasty lunch, we went back to Tilo Kids Club for batik painting experience while the boys did face painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was a bit apprehensive about this because I couldn’t draw to save my life… lol!  But the staff told me I could ‘consult’ my bbf ‘Google’ for inspiration on what to draw.  So within a few minutes, I settled on the decision to draw a seahorse cos it looked the easiest.

The staff told me that a piece of batik painting artwork is expensive and I finally understood why after knowing how to do it.

The reason was that it took a lot of focus, concentration and steady hand to ensure the wax dripped on the right places as I used the equipment to trace my pencil draft of the drawing.

Look at my finished drawing!  Not perfect at all but at least I learnt something interesting.

While I was busy working on my batik painting, the boys were busy getting themselves painted on their own faces.  Afterwhich, they painted on the faces of the mentors… lol!

After the fun activities, we made our way to TIIGO Beach Club as the karaoke room was located in BeltOut.  TIIGO Beach Club looked like a fun chill out place to hang out that I decided to visit it again if I had some free time tomorrow.

This was the first time the boys tried their hands on karaoke singing and they actually liked it a lot.  The songs which they could choose from were limited but they sang a fair number of songs like ABC song, Three blind mice, Happy Birthday song and 小萍果 song.

The room was huge and comfortable such that you could have a karaoke party inside!

I enjoyed the privacy of having my own karaoke room to sing however and whatever I want without feeling the stress to sing well.  Also the room was free of any cigarette smell, so it was perfect for families with kids to enjoy the facilities too.

After an hour plus of singing, our stomachs started to rumble and we made our way back to our villa for our in villa BBQ which comprised of a set of surf and turf while the boys would have the kids meal.

The table was beautifully set up with a red table cloth, flower in a vase and a table runner, together with all the cutlery.  Super impressive on how fast everything was set up.

Even the BBQ pit was already set in place and charcoal burning to get the right temperature to bbq the food.

Once the chef arrived, he placed all the sauces and dips on the table and proceeded to bbq the food for us.

While the chef was busy setting up the grill for bbq-ing, I took the opportunity to check out the food which we would be having.

We started off with some indonesian crackers while waiting for the food to be ready.

The crackers were an instant hit with the boys as they love anything crunchy and savoury.

There were some mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets for the boys as well.

The In Villa BBQ came with a service staff as well who served us the food such that we did not have to walk over to get the food ourselves.

As the Chef BBQed the food, I could smell the delightful aroma.  When I tasted the BBQ food, I was very impressed with the skill of the Chef.  The squid was so tender that I could bite it off easily.  The meats were wonderfully seasoned and cooked to perfection so basically it was such a satisfying meal!

It was not easy to control the temperature of the bbq pit to cook the meat at the right heat but the Chef managed to do it skilfully.  Hats off to the Chef who did a wonderful job in preparing our dinner!

Another point worth noting down was that even though the restaurant was very busy and the Chef came a bit late, Montigo Resorts, Nongsa did a service recovery by sending desserts over to our villa for the boys.

We didn’t expect this but I think this was a excellent move to make sure all the guests were happy.

The boys were of course super happy to see their favourite biscuits which they ate even though they were full from dinner.

Day 3: 12 March 2018 in Montigo Resorts, Nongsa

This was the day we were leaving the resort.  Sigh… how I wished we could stay a bit longer.  Time seemed to fly so fast especially during happy vacations.

We went over to TADD’s Restaurant at around 8.30am that morning to have our buffet breakfast.  Seriously, this trip was super pampering that I gained a few kgs with all the good food.  The restaurant was pretty packed with guests as it was school holiday season.

Rayes requested for this photo to be taken at the signboard cos he said the drawing on the wall looked so cute!

To my surprise, out of the 4 live stations, 3 of them changed the offerings.  The egg station remained as eggs cooked in any form, whether it is sunny side up, omelette, poached egg, etc, are all time favourite with people for breakfasts.  It was a great move because guests would feel the novelty of trying out different food each day.

After breakfast, I ‘deposited’ the boys at Tilo Kids Club to play while I explored TIIGO Beach Club a bit more.  The Tilo Kids Club was such a great idea when the developer constructed this resort.  For parents like me who want to have some time of my own, I can safely leave the boys in the hands of the mentors.

TIIGO Beach Club was such a serene place to sit and chill that I didn’t feel like moving my butt the moment I sat down.

TIIGO beach club is super cool in all sorts of ways.  You could either choose to unwind in the comfort of shaded outdoor loungers, at the sand park or on the cabana beds, to gaze out at the magical Montigo sunset.

Those fancy some drinks can choose from an extensive drinks menu featuring over 50 tempting cocktails and signature spirits, served alongside a selection of delectable bar bites. At nightfall, the resident DJ takes to the decks, transforming the space into an electric, groovy dance floor.

After some quiet moments, it was time to pick the boys up to have our lunch at TADD’s restaurant before we make our way to the ferry terminal.

As I had a heavy breakfast, I chose the salad with salmon while the boys shared a chicken burger together.

Again, the meal didn’t fail us and the staff was kind to let us grab a table even though they were in the midst of clearing up after the buffet breakfast.

After the lunch, we went back to our villa to do our final packing before we bidded goodbye to this wonderful place.

I asked the boys what they liked best about the vacation on the way back to Singapore and Kaiser mentioned he enjoyed swimming in the villa, face painting and playing on the slides at the TILO Kids Club while Rayes said that he liked the Tilo Treasure Hunt, face painting and the buffets.

Montigo Resorts, Nongsa, had left a wonderful memory in our hearts and just by looking at the photos which we took at the resort, I wish to go back again.

The boys had such an enjoyable time there and as they grow up, we could sit together one day and reminisce about the amazing experience we had and the superb hospitality we encountered.

Thanks Montigo Resorts, Nongsa for creating such fabulous experience for us to bond as a family!  I would strongly recommend everyone to take a break from city life and enjoy a relaxed and comfortable stay at Montigo Resorts, Nongsa which is barely 30 minutes away from Singapore, to get yourself recharged and pampered.