I need a hotel room in Singapore but most are really expensive.

July 7, 2013 9:42 AM

I need a hotel room in Singapore but most are really expensive.

I need to go to Singapore for a week later this month but the hotels are really expensive. Since this trip is coming out of my pocket, I'm trying to save a bit of money. Short of hostels (I have lots of gear on me and would really prefer my own hotel room) can you recommend any reasonably cost-effective hotels? I tried priceline for about $100 per night but only found places that tripadvisor informed me to stay clear off.

All I ask is that it's reasonably close to the downtown core, is clean and has wifi in my room.

posted by krautland to Travel & Transportation around Singapore (9 answers total)

Check out Airbnb.
posted by Snazzy67 at 9:47 AM on July 7, 2013 [2 favorites]

A lot of hostels have private rooms. You might look into that. I've used both hostelbookers.com and hostelworld.com to research this sort of thing in the past.
posted by Sara C. at 9:52 AM on July 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I've personally used Hotel 81 on my budget work trips. Decent budget hotel, nothing to shout about but all the amenities are all good and not sketchy. At least the last time I was there. They are well spread out throughout Singapore, so pick one closest to where you need to be and you should be set.
posted by cendawanita at 11:17 AM on July 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I can't remember the name of the hotel I stayed in. It was years ago. But, it was in Chinatown and reasonably cheap and decent.

But, the mass transit and taxi service is very good in Singapore. So don't worry too much about being right beside wherever it is you need to be.

I'm sure prices have changed since I was there, but I recall taxi rides across the city costing less than two people would pay for bus fare in some cities I've been to.
posted by ChrisManley at 1:29 PM on July 7, 2013

There are a number of reasonably cheap hostels in the Chinatown and Lavender Street areas. Here's one: Backpackers' Inn Chinatown.

I knew there was one in Lavender Street that I passed by frequently called the Green Kiwi, but their website has gotten kind of... weird. IIRC, they only allow foreigners to stay (no Singaporeans).

If you're not claustrophobic, there are a couple of fairly new capsule hotels in Singapore:
Woke Home
Wink Hostel

As an aside, cab fares in Singapore have gotten more expensive and complicated in recent years. There are surcharges to central areas, surcharges during peak periods in the mornings and evenings, surcharges after midnight, etc... However, if you're short of time, taxis may be the best way to go for certain places (out of the way attractions such as the Zoo and Night Safari). But many places now have MRT (Singapore's Underground or Metro) stations nearby, such as Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, Orchard Road and so forth.

If you need more help with public transports (apps and websites for buses, MRT maps etc...) pm me.
posted by Alnedra at 4:34 PM on July 7, 2013

the indian neighborhood is a bit cheaper.
posted by cupcake1337 at 5:36 PM on July 7, 2013

Looking at Expedia gives a few options for about $100/night. I plugged in a random stay duration of 10 days (15-25 July) and got these:

Kam Leng Hotel - Jalan Besar (somewhat near Farrer Park MRT station) - free wifi included. Not terribly close to the city centre, but the MRT should help.

The Porcelain Hotel - Mosque Street (near Chinatown MRT station) - free wifi included. Location-wise, better than the first option, but a little pricier.

Hotel 81 Heritage Hotel (near Chinatown MRT station) - free wifi included. The Hotel 81 chain has a generally - ahem - questionable reputation locally (not of the shady practices type, but of the... clientele type), but this one should be pretty good. Might be one of the Chinatown hotels referred to above.

The list goes on. My point is, a decent hotel room at about $100/night, reasonably near the city centre, is not impossible.

As for public transport here, do NOT rely on taxis or buses for your sole means of transport. The MRT is your best bet. As long as you're staying within walking distance any MRT station, you're within 20-30 minutes of the city centre.

The fees for taxis within the CBD and during peak hours/midnight are definitely not something you want to be faced with while travelling on a budget. Buses are only for short-distance rides.

Memail me if you'd like more details, or on info about Singapore in general.
posted by satoshi at 7:11 PM on July 7, 2013

Five years ago I found inexpensive, acceptable lodging in the Geylang Road area.
posted by Rash at 11:20 PM on July 7, 2013

Where are you traveling from? Sometimes local travel agencies are able to give pretty good package deals (flight + hotel).
posted by aielen at 4:35 AM on July 8, 2013