...have to spend a few days in SIN at the end of January - won't go into the reasons why, except to say that it is for love!

Looking around, as a board member of YHA Australia (NSW Division), have been checking out Youth Hostels.

Can get the following:

at SGD80 per night, for a room to myself.

Any pointers as to how central it is, how is this location, what is this place like, and so on and so forth.

Also, some pointers for things to do in SIN whilst there. Apart from the shopping, I want to go to the Changi Museum, I want to shake the executioners hand for sending a drug smuggler to his richly deserved fate (propably won't happen, I know), I want to spend the whole three days as a tourist.

Thanks in advance,

Dave

I cant really comment on the place you are looking at, but I dont think its very centrally located.

What I can say is that for SGD80 you dont have to stay in a Youth Hostel. You can easily find a well located 2.5-3 star hotel for that price, and you will definitely get "a room to yourself" and possibly a free breakfast thrown in. www.asiatravel.com is a good website for SIN hotels.

You can find the website for Hangout at http://www.hangouthotels.com/ - it's definitely a step above a regular youth hostel, though it does attract a younger crowd still. Geographically the hotel is reasonably central, but the downside is it's at the top of a hill, so it's a bit of a sweaty walk up and down to the closest MRT station or bus stop (about 10 minutes or so). For the price it's decent value though, and if you're happy with a contemporary style of room (if a bit spartan) then it'll be OK.

If you're in the mood for something more boutique, then 1929 Hotel's not too bad - good prices can be found at http://www.asiarooms.com/singapore/s...otel_1929.html . The location is close to the MRT, so convinient transport wise. Rooms are quite compact, but for the price it's still good value. At SG$89 inc breakfast it might be the better option, depending on what you're looking for.

As long as not too close to chinese new year, should be able to get a reasonable (& central) hotel for about that rate or not much more.

Re: things to do in SIN:
Eat: You've got to try some of the local food. Like the chilli crab at a seafood place on the east coast, the roti pratas at many local coffee shops (pancake-like pieces of dough dipped in curry) and durian, an exotic fruit with a spiky, olive green shell and a creamy flesh wrapped around seeds. You could either love or hate the latter, but it's definitely an experience - possibly, to be enjoyed on the roadside in Geylang, the closest you'll get to a red light district.

Shop: The main retail drag is Orchard Road, where you'll be able to find all the international luxury brands as well as lower-priced apparel. If you're in the market for electronics, you could get a bargain (remember to haggle for a lower price) at places such as Sim Lim Square or Lucky Plaza.

Drink: Tea, coffee and cocktails. Indian and Chinese coffee shops (these are casual roadside establishments dotted around the island and are clean, hygienic) have a different take on coffee and tea. Coffee's served strong, and you can add condensed milk or sugar to cushion its bite. Tea, or teh tarik, as they call it in Indian coffee shops, is milky, sweet and comforting - ideal to wash down a roti (the bread I mentioned previously.) Also, there are plenty of bars around the city. An institution is Zouk - a club with four venues to pick from: a wine bar, a techno-style dance floor, a trip-hop room and a more mature, chilled out space. Newer, more popular places include Thumper, at the Goodwood Hotel, and Attica, at Clarke or Boat Quay.

I don't know the place, but the location is actually not bad. Check it out here. Very close to Little India MRT station, and walking distance to Orchard Road.

You should check out the Singapore forum for a lot more suggestions on what to do.

IMO, there are no electronics deals in Singapore, whether or not you bargain.

I've stayed there once and am unlikely to return. It uncomfortably straddles the gap between hostels and hotels: in the single rooms, you get the bare-bones amenities and minimal service of a youth hostel, only the price you pay is more like a hotel. The location looks close to Little India and Orchard on a map, but it happens to be on the top of a hill and hence it's a pretty sweaty hike the wrong way around. The main upside is that it's recently renovated and full of colorful IKEA furniture.

That said, really good under-S$100 options in Singapore are limited, so I'd advise upping your budget a little and scouting for deals on wotif.com or Priceline -- 4/5-star accommodation in Singapore is a steal compared to anywhere outside Asia.

I always stay in Geylang at the Fragrance Hotel. Okay, it is in a red light district. But my wife even loves it, mainly for the copious food everywhere 24 hours a day. I get a room there for S$40/night. For normal walk-ins they might stick to the regular price of S$45 or S$50.

Thanks for the replies - I managed to get 1929 Hotel for AUD72 per night, at that price I could not let it pass.

Dave

If you are interested in visiting Changi, you might want to also visit Sentosa Island (take the cable car in at lest one direction) to see the museum covering wartime Singapore. The surrenders -- British and Japanese IIRC -- are depicted. There is also a Commonwealth war memorial at Kranji.
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13F

anyone stayed here before? Its a Lonely Planet pick and the area seems good. Need feedback asap

first there are all sorts of priceline hotels in singapore. see biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com for details, but I'd certainly try priceline before doing a lower priced one.

Then note that the international ymca in singapore is one of the most deluxe YMCA's in the world. And it's very close to Raffles.

As always, the Night Safari and Zoo are wonderful. The night safari is a great (though gimmicky) idea; the zoo is the best I have been to.

For eating, Jiang-nan Chun at the Four Seasons (NOT the Regent owned by Four Seasons) is phenomenal. For only around 40SD on weekends, they have an "open menu" - order whatever you want from the list of 100 items. Service is great, atmosphere is excellent, and the food is the best Chinese I have ever had. For about 45SD more, you can get a free flow of Veuve Cliquot. If I had to recommend one single thing to do in SIN, this is it - it was the best couple hours I spent in Singapore.

Edited to add: I saw someone comment about hotels being a great price in SIN. This is very true, with the exception of Raffles (which is way overpriced), most places are very reasonable. Take the FS for only about 150USD; it is one of the most expensive in town. Although I haven't looked, I'm sure that you could get something decent for a reasonable rate. The Hilton you pass through from the FS to get to Orchard Road looked acceptable, as did the Grand Hyatt which is much like their Tokyo design(although don't eat in Straits Kitchen there) and Marriott which I passed from the outside.

Edited again: I just remembered something else. If you flew to SIN using Singapore Airlines, you are entitled to the Singapore Stopover Package. Go to their website for more info, but essentially it is a hotel, some admissions, and some coupons starting at just 54USD per night (hotels include Holiday Inn Atrium, Copthorne Orchid), 73 (incl Carlton and Traders), 98 (incl InterContinental, Hilton, Regent), and 150 (Raffles Plaza, Shangri-La, R-C Millenia). Prices go up slightly for subsequent nights.