A Return to Sentosa

Different Singapore neighbourhoods appeal to different people - some swear by the East Coast; others are Holland Village diehards. Here, Swiss expats MARINA and STAN explain why Sentosa is the perfect match for them and their children, Maya (13), Mila (10) and Mia (7).

Tell us a little about yourselves.

We come from the picturesque city of Zug in Switzerland. Singapore is sometimes referred to as the "Switzerland of Asia", so we were very interested in the idea of relocating. Finally, three and a half years ago, amidst the challenges of COVID, we made the move with our children, aged nine, seven and four at the time.

The move was incredibly stressful; we found ourselves confined to a hotel room with a view of the pool and playground for a two-week quarantine. Each day, our four-year-old would wake up asking the same questions: "When are we going to Singapore?" and "When can we finally visit the pool and playground?"

Where did you live when you came to Singapore and why?

We initially chose temporary accommodation in the CBD-in Shenton Way. We were drawn to the proximity of Marina Bay, a neighbourhood we admired. However, we soon discovered it wasn't the most suitable place for our family with kids. After exploring various options near the school and offices, we eventually settled at W Residences on Sentosa. The spacious apartments and the allure of living by the ocean, with numerous options for walking, jogging and cycling, appealed to us.

Family reasons led us to temporarily move to Dubai, and on our return, we decided to explore other areas of Singapore, briefly residing at Fraser Suites @ River Valley and later moving into a house in Bukit Timah near the Swiss Club. Having experienced various parts of Singapore, we concluded that, overall, Sentosa is the best place for our family.

What areas and types of properties did you look at and why?