After over 2 years of not being able to leave the country, many of us are probably experiencing cabin fever. While hotel staycations offer luxurious pampering, they don’t exactly remove us from the stressful city environment. Enter Gardenasia – a hidden gem in Kranji with everything you’d need to escape from city life and enjoy a rustic, countryside experience.
With colonial villas and a farm-to-table bistro, Gardenasia is a serene respite that’ll bring you as close to nature as possible.
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For those of you who aren’t too deep into architecture or history, black-and-white villas were houses built for British officials and military personnel back in the early 1900s.
Today, all of the remaining “black-and-whites”, as they are colloquially referred to, are owned and managed by the government, so unless you’re willing to take out a 2-year lease for one of them, this is one of the few opportunities you will have to experience living in a colonial villa.
Image credit: Gardenasia
There are 3 villas dedicated to the farm stays, each named after a different flower and with a unique themed interior: the Begonia villa is English-inspired; the Camellia villa has East Asian influence; and the Daffodil villa is contemporary.
The villas act as a tranquil hideout far away from the rest of civilisation – open the door and there are no neighbours in sight, just greenery at your doorstep.
If you don’t have the time to do a full-on staycation but still want to make a trip to the “countryside”, Gardenasia operates a bistro that serves up fresh local and international cuisine.
A common theme throughout the bistro is freshness – everything from the mains to the sides is made with freshly-prepared ingredients. Many of the ingredients are sourced locally, so having a meal here also allows you to support our local farmers.
If you can take spice, the Assam Fish Chowder ($18) comes highly recommended. If you’re a spice weakling on the other hand, go for the Traditional Fish & Chips ($18), made with locally-farmed sea bass and served with fresh greens and crisp, battered fries.
Farmstays in the villa start from $380++ a night, and can accommodate up to 4 guests. Each stay includes complimentary breakfast for 2, free parking and access to the compound’s facilities like tennis courts and a lap pool.
If you’re interested in bringing along your furry friends, you’d be happy to know that there is a pet-friendly villa available that you can request upon booking.
Gardenasia
Address: 240 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718898
Opening hours (Bistro): Sun-Thu 10.30am-4.45pm, Fri-Sat 10.30am-9.45pm (Closed on Monday & Tuesday)
Farmstays can be booked on the Gardenasia website.
Cover image adapted from: @ohayokosg, Gardenasia.
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