Sometimes finding a reliable dogsitter is not the easiest thing…and if you are itching for a vacation, what to do?

It turns out a few hotels in Singapore allow dogs, even big ones. Yes, that’s right – hotels like Capella on Sentosa are pet-friendly.

Going to Sentosa is almost like going away on a trip. The island has a very different feel. Crossing that bridge onto the island somehow shrinks the stress and bursts the bubble that is Singapore, at least for me. At times, the little red dot can feel claustrophobic.

Just a drive away, a pet-friendly staycation at the Capella Sentosa with my two dogs is exactly what I needed. Room service. Pool service. Bar service. Away from the constant construction noise.  Plus it was an opportunity to spend time with my friend visiting from out of town.

Checking into Capella was easy. I did get some looks as I walked with my two large dogs for a quick pee break before going to our suite.

As I write this post, Lou and Abby are soundly asleep. Snoring, in fact, and one is kicking in her dream. They are beautiful sweet dogs and this moment is precious.

Room Service High Tea

The afternoon started with high tea, with a variety of sweet and savoury treats and two kinds of tea, the Blue Elephant, a green tea with lotus and blue lily and Nymph of the Nile, a white tea “aromatized with Iris, blue lily, and orange blossom. Inspired by the ancient Egyptians anecdote for love.” I also ordered the churros to try. (The old iPhone photos are so degraded!)

I then checked out the rest of the suite, the long balcony, the view, and then the spa. The balcony was handy for keeping my dogs in while room service came. While Sentosa is pet-friendly not everyone is comfortable with dogs, even friendly ones like mine.

Soon it was time for a pee break and so we went to explore the grounds. There was a dedicated area, aside from lots of places to walk to. Both Lou and Abby were very interested in the resident peacocks.

Auriga Spa

Auriga’s approach is interestingly based on the cycles of the moon and uses The Organic Pharmacy line of products. I love their rose balm which you can use for absolutely everything and it lasts a long time. So I was excited to try their spa treatments while on my staycation.

Every aspect of the Auriga experience is designed with these varying energies of the lunar phases to align you with the rhythms of nature for your enhanced wellbeing.

It’s all so beautifully timely. I just wrote a book review of Moon Time: The Art of Harmony with Nature and Lunar Cycles by Johanna Paungger and Thomas Poppe. This book is all about living with moon phases and moon energies. The lunar cycle DOES impact us as we are mostly water.

In their brochure Auriga includes “the New Moon is the time for renewal and introspection, the Waxing Moon is the period to refocus and ‘sow seeds’, the Full Moon is when one’s full potential is achieved, and the Waning Moon is the perfect time for cleansing.” That’s one perspective.

I looked at the Full Moon massage, which will “address your energy bodies.” In the end, I opted for The Organic Pharmacy Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial. My face was looking spotty and feeling sensitive. The therapist was very diplomatic. She told me, after analyzing my skin, that I have really good skin which has some congestion at the moment. Whatever she did, my post-facial face is now gorgeously hydrated and soft.  It has a glow again.

Pre-treatment Relaxation

I booked their only available slot for the day. About half an hour before my 7:45PM appointment, I arrived at the spa to enjoy the facility, their “heat and water spa facilities journey.” The Auriga receptionist welcomed me with tea and a cold hand towel heavily infused with eucalyptus then the manager showed me around and explained how to use the facilities. I was also invited to return to enjoy them during my stay.

I started with the Herbal Steam Room. Instead of the recommended 8 – 10 minutes, I was in there for only a few. Not because it was not enjoyable;  I didn’t have that much time, after getting the tour, enjoying the tea, and filling out the guest form. The steam room’s design is to open up the pores and detoxify the body. Ice from the Ice Fountain is then applied to close the pores as well as stimulate circulation and tone the skin.

Next – the Vitality Pool. I spent one cycle on the lounger with jets massaging my body. RE-laxing. The swan neck shower was, however, a bit strong for me.

The Cold Experience Shower is supposed to be taken before or after the Vitality Pool which was nicely warm. Alternate between cold and hot. The cool mist of the shower, with its infusion of peppermint, was such a pleasant experience. Not wanting to get too cold, I skipped the cold shower and used only the cool mist. Still cold and do-able.

After the cold, I headed for the warm rain shower which has the options of a rain shower or body sprays. The sprays massaged my shoulders, sides, and thighs . It felt so relaxing that I ran through the cycle several times. I also loved how it was dark in the shower and the tiny red ceiling lights played against the blue and gold tiles in the shower. I would have stayed longer except it was time to prep for my facial.

Downing a glass of roselle-infused water, I returned to my locker to change into a robe and a pair of very comfortable disposable underwear. Unlike the usual tiny ones, these are “knitted” boy shorts. I waited in the lounge for my therapist, who very enthusiastically and politely welcomed me. May was her name.

My Facial Therapist

May’s English was heavily accented though she really knew what to say. I feel like there is some script or protocol the therapists follow. She first invited me to take three breaths with her to begin my session. She gently pushed down on my chest as I exhaled, helping me to let go and squeeze out all of the old air.

Before we started, May explained what was in store. She was very thorough. A nice cleanse to remove any makeup, a sea mineral mask for a deep clean, the honey and jasmine for massaging, and “the most important – collagen mask”. I really liked that she explained it all, giving me something to look forward to and also an opportunity to ask questions.

She left me to de-robe and climb into a generously padded bed. The weight of the blanket made me feel like I was in a cocoon and it felt surprisingly secure and safe, rather than claustrophobic. I can see how weighted blankets are therapeutic.

When May returned, she adjusted the bed to create some curves to support my back so that I wasn’t lying flat, which after awhile becomes very uncomfortable, painful even. The facial is 90 minutes long.

The Head-Trip that was My Treatment

I told myself to stay awake to actually enjoy each part of the treatment. Every time, with an active conversation in my head as I lay down, I think I’d never fall asleep. I always do. Half in, half out anyway. Far away but yet not. It’s an odd and wonderful state of in-between.

When she asked me “how’s the steam?” I was struck by how crazy that is. How is the steam, when so much is going on around the world. Between Israel and Palestine. The Yazidi who are under siege in the mountains. Russia and the Ukraine. The dolphins. The poverty. The oppression. The 99%.

Lying there, getting a facial, when people are staring death in the eye, was privilege. It’s a philosophical conversation that never gets resolved.

In the end, I don’t remember what I decided, what grand solution I had to the world’s problems. I had already drifted off.

There is no right answer, no one way. We each have a path that unfolds so we are pretty clueless to it, spirit having a human experience. What I do know is that we don’t know and it is clear that what we’ve been taught and told is a narrative they feed us. It’s also important not to see the world as black and white or insist we have the truth. Awareness is key, as is making decisions that are correct and aligned with who we are.

…and some more

This Capella staycation with my dogs reminded me to celebrate life’s pleasures, large and small.

Sitting in this king-sized bed, typing out this post on my laptop with my two beautiful girls sleeping, what pleasures. Plus that free flow mini bar. This isn’t what life is only about, this material world. We do have a physical body on a physical plane of existence so it is also not to deny these earthly experiences and what material resources can bring us. It can be confusing to be told that money is evil and yet to aspire to material wealth as a measure of success and this duality is everywhere in Singapore.

So that wraps up the first day of my Capella Staycation. Tonight Lou, Abby, and I are in a suite in the main hotel building. Tomorrow, when my friend Gin and her boys arrive, we move into a villa. I’m sure the dogs are enjoying this staycation, with new places to sniff and stretch their legs. Plus chicken sausages, one of their favourite treats! I certainly love being pampered myself with spa treatments and room service.

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