But because Singapore is a vibrant tourist hotspot, the cost of our attractions here leave most tourists cash tight in aspects such as travel and accommodation. Many travel guides seem interested in only the myriad of 5-star hotels and suites with four-digit price tags, and even the savviest of travellers will find it hard to locate a decent hotel for under $200 a night.
For locals, a relaxing staycation can turn out to be a pricey affair after factoring in the cost of decent accommodation and quality meals. As for our youths, a chalet that can comfortably accommodate an entire class and draw a three-digit like count on Instagram are far and few between.
Just like any global city around the globe, Singapore has a healthy selection of hostels for tourists to choose from, including a few luxurious ones. However, many fear unpleasant experiences due to the lack of privacy in traditional dormitory-style hostels and the stereotypically dirty environments, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
Hostels are grossly deprived of any sizeable media coverage in Singapore, leaving many locals and international guests oblivious to the high standards most of them hold themselves to. Not only are they usually located in strategic parts of Singapore, the rates they offer are four to five times cheaper than a typical hotel in Singapore, while still providing a lavish experience that easily rival some of their prominent counterparts.
At the start of my 10-week vacation, I went undercover on a boutique hostel marathon and put together a little review guide consisting of five places, namely Adler Luxury Hostel, 5footway.inn Project Ann Siang, Matchbox The Concept Hostel, The Pod – Boutique Capsule Hostel and Vintage Inn Singapore. I was excited to see if they indeed lived up to their hype.
Note: These hostels were visited at our own expense, with no obligation to provide positive reviews.
To kick my marathon off, I decided to visit supposedly Singapore’s best poshtel and the eighth best in the world as claimed by USA Today.
The thing that struck me first when I entered Adler’s premises was how beautifully designed the lobby was. The place gave off an antique yet elegant vibe with their winsome decor, evident from their tiny reception counter all the way to the resting area at the back.
There was a high sofa facing a television with a wide selection of cable channels, and a mini pantry which included an impressive range of premium tea and coffee, along with a poolside-looking water dispenser. Iced gem biscuits, an all-time local favorite, are offered to guests as well.
One minor drawback was the lack of a fold-down table to do your work on, which meant that I needed to move to the lobby to work with a certain degree of comfort.
With that being said however, the pillows, mattress and quilts were what you would expect from a hotel, and the Internet speed was blazingly fast. Storage space was aplenty, although one staying on the upper ‘floor’ would probably wonder if it’s actually feasible to haul their luggage and backpacks up to store. Two laptops, situated in the working area outside of the room, are available for guests’ usage.
The openings are probably there to allow for better ventilation, but this is still one serious potential breach to privacy that shouldn’t be there.
Additional items like eggs, ham and cheese, have to be bought for extra. To make things worse, one of the toasters caught fire during my stay as a tourist unknowingly placed a slice of cheese into it.
The potential compromise of one’s privacy in the bathrooms was a serious concern as well, and looking at the big picture, you could easily get another night’s worth of accommodation at a less ‘luxurious’ alternative. While I could be blamed for walking into Adler with lofty expectations, the place did change a lot from how it was when it first started three years ago. The previous arrangements looked significantly more inviting, and there used to be a wide spread of various Asian cuisines for breakfast.
An owner from another hostel told me that the “place costed about half a million dollars”, a plausible explanation for the lack of air-conditioning during the day and an egregious breakfast selection. Whether the place had to cut costs at the expense of the guests to ensure a profitable business model isn’t really of much interest to me. Should they, however, deliver a more complete and satisfying experience, I would definitely go back and give it another shot.
Location: 4 / 5
Sleep Quality: 3.5 / 5
Rooms: 3 / 5
Service: 3.5 / 5
Value: 2 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Overall Satisfaction: 3.5/5
Price Range: From $55 per night
Room Types: Vault (6 Cabins Mixed)*, Chamber (18 Cabins Mixed), Ivory (16 Cabin Female), Ivory Queen (6 Cabins Female), Istana (12 Luxury Cabins Mixed)
Address: 259 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058808
*Bolded rooms denote the room I stayed in.
The following day, I grabbed my belongings and walked about 10 metres to 5footway.inn Project Ann Siang, the latest addition to the 5footway.inn chain of hostels.
My excitement soon turned into horror as I realised I needed to chug my heavy luggage up four storeys worth of stairs. Upon reaching, Chris, a member of the staff, took care of the paperwork as I waited in their gorgeous terrace.
After a quick lunch, I paid a deposit for my keycard and two dollars for a towel, which turned out to be a complete waste of money as I didn’t bring it along with me for my shower. The room was well-lit, and the capsules, as far as I was concerned, looked like the pictures posted online. Small personal lockers were provided for us to store our belongings as well.
5footway.inn Project Ann Siang, for me, really defined what a great hostel should aspire to be. The staff was excellent, the location was great, being just opposite the iconic Chinatown street and other well-known places. The reception was 24/7, the washrooms were superb and most importantly, the capsules were terrific. Ivan, one of my roommates, even told me that this is paradise for European travellers due to its dynamics and convenience.
Just a few units away from Adler Luxury Hostel, you will get a much better experience here despite paying about two to three times less in the same Chinatown area. I would certainly look back at my stay here with fond memories, right after I finish dragging my luggage down these annoying flights of stairs.
Location: 4 / 5
Sleep Quality: 4 / 5
Rooms: 4 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Value: 4 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Overall Satisfaction: 4/5
Price Range: From $19 per night (+ $20 keycard deposit)
Room Types: Single Bed in Quad Dormitory, Single Bed in 5 Bed Dormitory, Superior Double Room, Superior Triple Room, Deluxe Twin Room, Deluxe Triple Single (All Mixed)
Address: 267 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058816
On Wednesday, I had to choose between staying in Matchbox, Bunc@Radius or The Plot. After much deliberation and research, I decided on Matchbox as I wanted to see for myself if the place was just pure hype or as good as what extensive local and international media coverage have reported.
The hostel was disappointing in the sense that I had noticed almost every flaw while the staff was introducing me to the place. It was relatively ill-illuminated, the wooden floors were, as we Singaporeans like to say, “not very solid“, and the place didn’t give off a very welcoming vibe in general. The room housing the capsules was glaringly strewn with luggages and bags, making the entire place an eyesore to look at and a bother to navigate through.
While the theme of the washroom was interesting and eye-catching, it didn’t help the hostel’s cause that the cubicles were dirty or slightly flooded for most parts of the day. Guests had to wear slippers, which were shared between the occupants, to enter. Washing and drying were available for just one dollar each though, which I thought was value-for-money.
While the customer service were borderline up to standard, it made me wonder how they were awarded Best Staff by HostelBookers in 2013. When I was calling to reserve a place, a guy who sounded like a gangster confronting someone, picked up and answered my questions in short, one-worded replies. I felt brushed off when checking in, and most of the interactions the staff had with other tourists were not satisfactory as well.
I came into this place full of excitement but left sorely disappointed. The place felt mismanaged, and that negative perception only intensified despite the charming hangout places. The poor lighting and problematic networks made the stay unenjoyable, and the lacklustre breakfast complimented an experience that left so much more to be desired.
Maybe complacency became a permanent guest after Matchbox received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor in 2014, but there was absolutely no way this place justified the hype and positive feedback it has received.
Location: 3.5 / 5
Sleep Quality: 4 / 5
Rooms: 3 / 5
Service: 2 / 5
Value: 3 / 5
Cleanliness: 2 / 5
Overall Satisfaction: 2.75/5
Price Range: From $25 per night (+ $20 keycard deposit)
Room Types: 10 Bed Dorm (Female only), 16 Bed Dorm (Mixed), 2 Bed Dorm (Mixed)
Address: 39 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069716
My fourth stop brings me to the hip-and-happening Bugis, an area filled with numerous cafes, eateries and fashion boutiques among many other interesting shops. Passing the colorful Haji Lane, I spotted The Pod, my accommodation for the night.
The latest player in the local flashpacking scene is located within walking distance of Singapore’s Arab Quarter and a mere 10-minute walk away from Bugis Junction Mall and Bugis Village. Upon entering the building, I took a lift to the third floor where the uniformed staff settled my check-in details.
The lounge looked seemingly smaller than what the pictures on their website had me believed, but the place was still beautifully designed and succeeded in making an eminent first impression.
My slight irritation soon evaporated as we set foot in the room, where five stunning capsules clearly inspired by contemporary and minimalistic trends welcomed us warmly. The pods were each equipped with a personal reading light, a surprisingly sturdy fold-down table for writing and laptop use, a fluffy duvet, luxurious 300 thread-count sateen cotton sheets, a personal power socket, hangers, and a clothes rack. There was also an excellent privacy curtain that was smooth and easy to operate. The mattress was comfortable, and the air fresheners went off frequently.
There was a larger personal locker allocated to each guest as well, which turned out to be a huge time saver as one could easily unpack everything in their luggage and chuck them in with room still to spare. Keycard access ensured our valuables were pampered with a basic level of security, but as Zhang Bo and I found out later, the lockers could easily be pushed open with minimal force targeted at the right spot.
Most people I encountered on my trip were leaving their phones and laptops in plain sight, so I wouldn’t count on that as a major problem, more so considering that we found out the security flaw by accident.
The angular stepladders were also proving to be a problem after some time. While I personally favour aesthetics more than functionality, other guests, especially young children and large adults, are going to enjoy a real hard time trying to avoid knocking their knees or shins against the hard, metal surfaces when going down.
The design of the room would be skewed should they replace the stepladders with something that isn’t sharp-cornered, but safety and convenience should be of higher priority in the grand scheme of things.
If I had to nitpick, the taps in the shower cubicles were angled at the wrong level, resulting in unsuspecting guests getting their clothes wet when washing their hands.
Washing and drying services, along with dry cleaning services, are available free-of-charge. Although the entire process usually spans more than a day on average, the gesture is generous, more so when you factor in the price of your stay.
Apple lattices and swiss rolls were present alongside other pies and tarts, with cereal and bread completing a hearty, magnificent yet culturally-diverse meal. Tea, coffee, orange juice and milk made up the beverage section, ensuring a breakfast experience that one would almost certainly not expect from accommodation costing just $46 per night.
With that being said, however, the price is almost unbeatable for the value, with hotel-like bathrooms, personalised concierge services, genuinely lovely capsules and a great breakfast selection rounding off an amazing experience. The location was superb with an abundance of unique boutiques in the proximity, and for those who are looking for a taste of local art or live gigs, the area is well known for its arts and heritage. The lockers saved me plenty of time, and the tasteful interior design helped established a positive mood that didn’t wane a single bit during my stay.
Location: 4 / 5
Sleep Quality: 4 / 5
Rooms: 4.5 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Value: 4.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 4.5 / 5
Overall Satisfaction: 4.25/5
Price Range: Price Range: From $39 per night
Room Types: Front-Entry Single Pod, Side-Entry Single Pod, Female-Only Pod, The Queen Pod
Address: 289 Beach Road Level 3, Singapore 199522
As my journey slowly drew to a close, I checked-in into Vintage Inn, which is located just minutes away from Little India MRT station.
Due to its mostly white walls and the abundance of sunlight flowing in, the whole place looked excitingly fresh. Vick, the hostel owner and easily one of the friendliest staff throughout my trip, welcomed me to the place at about one in the afternoon. After settling all the necessities, I was extremely surprised that my capsule was ready, two hours before the designated check-in time.
To make matters worse, it was already two in the morning, and the reception had already closed. It opened after a while, but I was already wondering in fear if I was going to end up sleeping in the tiny space for the night.
As mentioned earlier, Little India MRT was a short walk away, a great convenience the other hostels might not be able to provide.
While it’s certainly refreshing to replace cereal and bread with something more local, the gesture wasn’t well received by some guests judging by the looks on their faces. The fixed meal might also pose issues for travellers with dietary restrictions. Some even suggested on TripAdvisor to “skip the (weird) breakfast” altogether.
I would go as far as to suggest that Vintage Inn is probably the best hostel in Singapore right now. The price is unbeatable, the rooms were lovely, the staff was wonderful, the location was excellent and as a Singaporean, I really appreciate how local the whole experience here was, and I’m sure backpackers would feel the same way.
I love how everything was in order when I arrived way ahead of time and how convenient the location was for me. It felt more like a homestay instead of a budget hotel or hostel, and I would strongly recommend this to everyone, for it was a luxurious experience with an irresistible price tag.
Location: 5 / 5
Sleep Quality: 4.5 / 5
Rooms: 4.5 / 5
Service: 4.5 / 5
Value: 4.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 5 / 5
Overall Satsifaction: 4.5/5
Price Range: From $31 per night
Room Types: Vintage Single Capsule, Vintage Double Capsule
Address: 60 Race Course Road, Singapore 218567
The next time you’re here on a visit or looking for a new place for a staycation, give boutique hostels a try! Not only will it save you a ton of money that you can spend elsewhere, you’ll also get an experience comparable to one of a budget or even a renowned hotel. The people you’ll meet are bound to have interesting stories to share should you decide to socialise, and the convenient location of your accommodation enables you to explore the heritage of Singapore while being in close proximity to Her modern places and landmarks.
For the couples looking for a getaway, sharing a capsule is certainly a unique way to spend some time together, and for youths, there’s not point booking a shady bungalow many months in advance when you can get a capsule for each of yourselves and have fun bonding over the exciting activities you can do in Singapore.
While Adler was disappointing, I would still suggest going for it should you have extra cash to spare. 5footway.inn Project Ann Siang was a pleasure to stay in, with great facilities and a calming atmosphere. Matchbox is unfortunately just a pass, but The Pod provided an experience that is bettered only by Vintage Inn.
I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive guide to the boutique hostels in Singapore. It was a great pleasure staying in them and crafting this article. To our foreign friends, we look forward to welcoming you on our sunny shores. Enjoy planning for your next escapade!
Check out our other articles on Singapore’s hostels below!
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