Recently, I found out that “staycay” is not a widely known term. I had thought it was a concept that was popularised in the West, and found its way into Singapore in the early 2010s!
For the uninitiated, staycay is the short for staycation, which is a vacation taken at a local hotel or resort located. What started out as a poor traveller-addict’s way to stave their craving for travelling overseas became a staple on a Singaporean’s travel calendar.
On this page, I consolidated all the hotel stays I have had, from staycays to regular stays while on holidays. It is worth noting that the purpose of stay really made a difference on how one would view a hotel.
When I was on a vacation, I was looking out for convenience and price. The place still had to be clean and comfortable, but I wouldn’t look out for hotel amenities like the gym or pool. After all, I would spend my time overseas out and about and return to the hotel to refresh and recharge.
For staycays, the motivation was different. Location is not a priority, though the hotels that were not in central regions tend to be less crowded. If the staycay is in Singapore, the pool and gym must be present and well-equipped, as that would be where I would hang out. A member’s lounge would also sweeten the deal. Oh yes, it is possible to have a staycay in Malaysia or Bangkok, since it is cheap to travel there from Singapore. However, the hotel amenities wouldn’t be high on my list, though I still do spend a significant amount of time chillaxing in the hotel (I mean, who can stay out in the Bangkok heat for one full day??).
English 
Chinese