Visiting Singapore towards the end of March and looking to book hotel accommodation.
just wondering which area people would recommend?
First Visit to Singapore - Which Area to Stay for 2 Nights?
yjun355 on 12/02/2023 - 08:15
Comments
Thanks. I'll search for clarke quay area.
You still don't won't to be traveling 25 min everyday.
Pick a place close and you gain 50min
Singapore is so hot. You go out. Then you go back to your hotel because it's so hot.
Then go out again.
This about being hot… I find that I go out, walk to the local shopping centre, get lunch/whatever… go back to the hotel and need to shower because I am covered in sweat.
And it's not even the heat. It doesn't get that hot… But the humidity and the rain. Everything is wet… all the time. There are days that it looks like it is foggy, and it's just the humidity in the air, hanging there…
everything is wet?
I mean wetter the better. what's there to complain about?
@[Deactivated]: it's all fun and games until you suffocate walking up a flight of stairs. most singaporeans are night owls - aircon during day, go out when sun goes down
Find a place close to an MRT station and you will be OK. What's your budget?
Im not sure if you can put that in search criteria. Flexible with budget. Dont want to cut corners but also not exhorbant eithef
Just look up hotels in Singapore on Google maps and see which ones are close to MRT stations (see icon).
Orchard for shopping mall.
Sentosa for universal studio/aquarium
MBS for luxury lifestyleThanks
Love clean Indian food? Visit little India.
You’ll be bored there after the first night
Bored and hot
Totally disagree. I would say maybe bored after 7 nights. There are many things to do for at least 7 days before you start running out of ideas.
Just some interesting I have done before,
1) Sentosa full day trip, Universal, beaches, water theme park, fountain show, casino visit, cable car
2) Night safari
3) Boat quay/ Clark Quay / Zouk club (fking amazing) / night activities
4) China town / Little India Heritage visits
5) Gardens by the bay / flower dome
6) Full day shopping along Orchard Rd, MBS visit
7) Museum tours in the CBD area
8) Food food food food food food food food food food food food food…..Can't get bored over $5 Chicken Rice :)
$5 Chicken Rice
Eh.
It's like saying you can get $5 schnitzels here, but the chicken is the size of a nugget and the rest is chips.
Raffles - the most iconic hotel in Singapore.
Marina Bay - if you want to Instagram the infinity pool to death
Capella Singapore - if you just want to stay at a resort that has its own private stretch of beach and be immersed in culture
Otherwise, any random John and Jane hotel that is on/close to a MRT would be suitable.
i'll add mandarin oriental to the list, arguably a better hotel with a great view of marina bay and MBS. you can always go to the rooftop bar at MBS without needing to stay. the infinity pool is overated
Depends what you like. Clarke Quay has some OK spots but the hotels are not that great and very touristy.
Last visit we stayed at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway has a great rooftop pool and is central to everything and has nearby MRT. Very comfortable.
Taxis are cheap and plentiful (except when it’s raining).
There used to be a short term tourist SIM card that also worked as a bus pass.
When pricing things be aware many things are ++ taxes that can add 21%.
Enjoy!
Stay in the city, Bugis Junction - no line change from Changi. There are some underground walking maps that show how to travel underground, to avoid the heat
Ditto, Bugis is a good spot
Hotel Jen Orchardgateway is a good setup for the price
And you can do a lot of underground travel from there to avoid the heat
+1 for Hotel Jen Orchardgateway. Well priced hotel, great location with good amenities and train station is a short walk within the complex. The whole area is also very connected on Orchard Road too for avoiding the heat.
For tourist, the general recommendation is any hotel that suits your budget in the Orchard Rd area which is the main shopping strip in Singapore. You get convenience of transport, food and shopping together in one place. The area will be busy from day till night and you will feel like Singapore never sleeps.
Interested in people's opinions as I plan to visit Singapore early next year (February). I was considering Tiong Bahru but I do feel the heat, so the idea of somewhere central that you can pop back to sounds like a good idea.
Everything is pretty close by given the size of the country, so pick somewhere with good public transport. Even if you have to take a taxi, prices are not exorbitant.
I have been to Tiong Bahru. There are a lot of heritage buildings there which is pretty cool. You get a somewhat a more realistic Singaporean way of life + convenience of a CBD fringe area. Tiong Bahru reminds me of some places in Malaysia like Penang, old skool rustic architecture. It will be hot everywhere just be warned.
How easy is it to go in and out of sentosa island. This looks good :
https://www.expedia.com.au/Singapore-Hotels-Village-Hotel-Se…
Can you swim?
Nah, not worth the trouble if you plan on going to places outside of the island.
thanks
Clarke Quay area can be quite expensive for eating as is Orchard. It's not as glamorous but the Chinatown area is generally cheaper and there's lots of affordable eating and shopping.
Check out the Singapore Travel thread on Whirlpool for tips / ideas / recommendations etc.
Singapore is like perfect destination for noobs who hasn't been to Asia, just google top 10 things to do in Singapore.
Concorde Hotel, Orchard road is great even at night. Just don't go to Little India or the vicinity without an indian friend with you, esp. at night. Scammers are all around..
Scammers? In SG, what kind of doddgy things you were after ?
Are you living under a rock? So you think a country is immune to scammers?
I too am curious as to the type of scams that are occuring.
Just as you said, scammers are everywhere, hence you dont need to bring that up unless there is something unique about scamming in SG.
Bugis junction is great spot,summerview hotel is generally our first choice in the area
Not a bad choice. The Bugis area is pretty convenient and you'll be close to both the Bugis and Bencoolen station.
Marina bay sands if you just wanna live it up and not really leave the hotel much. The more expensive rooms are sick and come with club access inc unlimited dining
yeah i saw that. it looks great. it's $800+ per night though :)
If money is tight, consider JB in Malaysia. It means navigating a border crossing - which is an experience in and of itself - but would save you a bucketload. And JB is also super interesting in its own right. If you do, the Doubletree JB is my go to.
geylang rd accommodation is cheap for a reason, and from personal experience should be avoided.
unless you want really cheap and decrepit accomodation
Unless you are looking for a package deal with your accomodation if you know what i mean
I went last year and stayed in Bencoolen right near two MRT stations on different lines. One station was literally across the road and the other was round the corner. Buses also ran from almost right outside the door. MRT and buses are cheap and frequent. Chinatown area is also good, especially for food but, as others have mentioned, Singapore ain't that big and even sticking to public transport it is easy to get around.
As for Singapore itself, I reckon 6 or 7 nights is enough to see all the main tourists things without being on the go non stop. The humidity will sap your energy really quickly so you don't want to be cramming a heap of stuff in every day or you will hit a wall after a few days and just want to sit around in the AC sinking piss lol.
Singapore is great, especially if you haven't really travelled much before. English is everywhere, it's super safe and clean but it also has a good mix of different cultures, food and history. I know people dump on it as "boring" as a destination but I enjoyed my time there and will be having a short stopover on my way back home when I go OS in May.
thanks. do you remember the name of the hotel?
30Bencoolen. It's about $SG225-$250/night from memory.
Somewhere cheaper on the same street is V Hotel Bencoolen which is always popular.
Little India is cheap and has great vibe.
I agree with @Blokeinhisundies and @rinbond, stayed in both places not hugely expensive. but grea. pick spots that is near the MRT and you'll be fine.
Sorry to hijack the thread but does anyone know how transit works?
I booked a flight next year with 16hour layover in SG (not stopover) en route to HK (on one ticket with singapore airlines)I'm not keen to stay in the transit hotel which is overpriced and also want to go out to eat and walk around SG - not too fussed regarding touristing as we've been there multiple times really just to have a stroll to breakup the journey - we'll be arriving 5.30pm and leaving for next flight 9.30am. We have Silverkris lounge access so we'll either stealth camp there overnight or find a cheap hotel close to airport/transport overnight. Bonus challenge points we will have a baby with us so wish us luck..
Question is - will we need to collect our checked baggage if we clear customs / get out of the airport during this time and then recheckin the next morning? Ideally we don't want to be saddled down with luggage. I know you can deposit them at the airport but hoping to save the hassle of checking in again and cost of depositing them at airport. If anyone has done the same before any advice would be appreciated!
Checked bags go through to HKG. Have you considered day use rooms at Crowne Plaza Changi? I believe they'll store your carry-on luggage and baby stuff until you head airside for your next sector. The airside hotels don't store luggage. For cheap eats, try the Changi T1 & T2 staff canteens.
Thanks that's good to know we can clear customs without having to pickup luggage. Will look into Crowne, cheers
I lived in Singapore and if I am to book a place when I visit again, I will look at Bugis, Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut for accessibility/value for money reasons. Chinatown/Little India is good also but I feel around those areas, after you've walked around for a bit, tried the food and have done the touristy stuff, there isn't much to do. Of course, City Hall is best if you are happy with the accommodation prices. In general, trains and transport connectivity is very good so any location around the City Hall area is fine. I personally like Bugis because of the accommodation/street food options, it is walking distance to Arab Street, City Hall, Little India. Train/buses available to the key spots - Merlion, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Esplanade, Orchard, City Hall, Somerset.
Singapore is a very accessible city so anywhere you stay that’s close to the city would be fine. MRT is cheap, as are taxis and Grab (they don’t have Uber)
That being said Clarke Quay is a very convenient option. Its a bit touristy but there is quite a lot near by and easy to get pretty much everywhere to