Staying in Singapore on a budget no longer means a seedy
two-star hotel with no character and charm. Last time I reviewed
backpacker hostels I had given the once-over, eyeball test.
Now I’ve pulled backpacker hostels off the Internet,
pleased by their name, their location, their prices, some
intangible aspect of their Web presence. Call this list, “Places
I’d Like to Stay Sometime.”
Each place below received at least a 70 percent approval rating
on www.hostelworld.com. If booking through this Web site,
note that the prices quoted are per bed and not per room.
If one person books a double room, the rate is for both beds.
Typical rates are less than US$50 for a room (most with a
common bath on the hall), and less than US$20 for dormitory
beds. In Singapore, those prices are a steal.
Sleepy Sam’s Bed & Breakfast – I’m not
sure I believe it’s like “waking up in a luxury
resort everyday,” but Sam’s is located in the
old confines of the Sultan of Singapore’s palace –
a more appealing area before the government re-made Istana
Kampong Glam as a Malay Heritage Center. The Sultan Mosque
is near, and good eating places, and the restored shop houses
are fine examples of colonial architecture. Approval rating:
91%. Website: www.sleepysams.com.
Betel Box Backpacker Hostel – Hostel World offers only
the option of staying in dormitory rooms at this quaint place
in Katong. The hostel’s own Web site offers at least
one double room. Either way, the common rooms of this renovated
shop house look comfortable and inviting. Also, it’s
close to the seaside activities at East Coast Park. And, yes,
this is one I first looked at because of the name. Approval
rating: 88%. Website: www.betelbox.com
A Travellers Rest-Stop – One of the few hostels in which
attached, private bathrooms are the norm. Located at the end
of a string of post-war shop houses, the hostel may not have
the charm of those in earlier colonial buildings, but it looks
good value for the money, and is near the food and attractions
of Chinatown. Approval rating: 85%. Website: www.atravellersreststop.com.sg
One Florence Close – I can’t say what it looks
like outside, but the interior shots of this ‘designer’
hostel show cozy, tastefully decorated rooms. It’s close
to the Kovan MRT Station, with only eight rooms available.
Book early. Approval rating: 83%. Website: Oneflorenceclose.com.
The Hive: The Backpackers’ Hostel – Singapore’s
own capsule hotel? I don’t know, but they advertise
something similar. It’s close to Little India, not far
from the bus terminal for connections to Malaysia, and near
the Boon Keng MRT Station. It might be worth a look in some
situations. Approval rating: 78%. Web site not functioning.
Fern Loft Hostel – Fern Loft has two locations, one
on East Coast Road and one in Chinatown. The original at East
Coast Road has a higher approval rating and is close to the
‘beach’ and East Coast Park. It might be a good
place for those with no interest in shopping malls and designer
shops. Approval rating (East Coast Rd.): 73%. Website: www.fernloft.com.
Axis Hostel – Axis has the lowest approval rating of
the list. Still, 71% isn’t bad, and it has the most
convenient location to the MRT, with the Aljunied Station
30 meters from the front door. Maybe I include it for nostalgia’s
sake. Aljunied was my station my first few months in Singapore
back in 1994. There are plenty of eating options close to
this hostel, and several beer gardens, not to mention the
other entertainment on sale in the nearby official red light
district of Geylang. Approval rating: 71%. No Web site.
