When booking hotels in Singapore sticker shock is common. Travelers often compare prices to other countries in the region. It’s not unusual to perceive better value in places like Bangkok or Phnom Penh.
I believe thinking this way is a mistake. Visiting a rich country is a different experience than one that’s still developing. You wouldn’t go to Europe and skip over Paris just because hotels are cheaper Prague. I contend Singapore is more comparable to Paris, Tokyo or New York than to its neighboring countries.
Once you accept that premise the idea of rooms starting above $100 is more palatable. Check current prices on Expedia.
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Consider Starting Your Trip in Singapore
If you’re planning to visit several destinations in Asia, Singapore can be an ideal place to begin. For travelers coming from the US most flights connect in either Tokyo or Seoul. If you’re visiting one of those cities it makes more sense to fly direct and start there. But if Japan and Korea aren’t in your plans it’s a great idea to start your journey in Singapore. Flights from LAX often start below $1000 roundtrip.
For Americans Changi Airport has the easiest entry procedures of any country in Asia. You can fill out the arrival card on your phone and scan your passport at an automated gate for entry. There are separate gates for various arrivals and the lines for the US are quick-moving if they exist at all. You’ll barely break stride. Changi is noticeably nicer than most other airports with its gardens and man made waterfall.
If you are arriving late at night you’ll feel very safe walking in the city to stretch your legs. Many restaurants are open well past midnight. Because the city has such international flair and a good deal of Western influence, you’re unlikely to experience any sort of culture shock while still dealing with jet lag. English is widely spoken and adjusting to everything is simple.
Singapore offers the advantage of being in the center of Southeast Asia. Many regional Asian airlines use it as a hub. Once you’ve seen the city it’s easy to reach any other destination.
Singapore is Not Small
It’s easy to think of Singapore as being tiny, owing to its presence on a map. Indonesia’s former president famously referred to it as the Little Red Dot in dismissive comments. Singaporeans proudly adopted the phrase and it’s even worked its way into the country’s official branding. Red circles are a common graphic design element there.
But as a city Singapore is enormous. Its 280 square miles and almost five and a half million people make it comparable to New York for size and density. If you go to a place like Reykjavik you quickly realize you’re in a small country’s biggest small town. You could fit every Icelander on Singapore’s subway at the same time and they’d all have plenty of elbow room.
Even if you limit yourself to staying within the Circle Line there’s more to see and do than you can accomplish in a long weekend. After visiting twice my impression both times was I wish I could stay longer.
Many travel influencers have published guides like ‘Perfect 3 Day Singapore Itinerary’ or ’48 Hours in Singapore.’ The problem with this approach is that if you spend 2-3 days visiting things like Marina Bay Sands or Gardens by the Bay there’s no time left for seeing the city proper. Spending 2-3 days walking around soaking up vibes and eating food means missing several interesting attractions.
For this reason I think the best move is to submit to the high cost of rooms and spend 4-6 days in Singapore, especially if it’s your first visit.
Hotel Hunting in Singapore
Sticker shock notwithstanding, searching Singapore hotels is easy and straightforward. There’s no need to worry about quality. All of Singapore’s hotels and neighborhoods are clean and modern. Most hotels are concentrated between Chinatown and Little India. It doesn’t matter where you stay geographically. The subway is so efficient you can get around the whole city easily. Just pick the least expensive room and lock it down. Avoiding a Friday or Saturday in your reservation will make a big difference in price.
Recently I stayed at the Hotel Mi on Bencoolen Street and really enjoyed everything about it. If you check the full review you’ll see high praise for the hotel, its location, the urbanism of the street and the amenities nearby. The Mi is often the cheapest option in searches with the nearby Ibis, the Hotel G and Grand Pacific all priced within a few dollars of each other. Options like hostels and pod hotels do exist in Singapore but these don’t have broad appeal among travelers.
Another way to keep your hotel budget within reason is to stay a few nights in Singapore and a few in the neighboring city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia. You’ll find rooms there for $30-50 that are much larger than what you get in Singapore. JB is a 45-50 minute trip from Singapore. You can get there on the subway with a stop at Woodlands to cross the border. Thousands of people make this commute daily. If you’re staying over a weekend or are continuing on toward Kuala Lumpur JB is certainly an option worth considering.
Still Not Convinced?
Most visitors are going to at least pop by Orchard Road. Orchard is a shopping mecca with the world’s most prestigious brands represented. Bigger than it looks, the malls continue underground and integrate with the subway. It takes quite a while to walk around Orchard.
Here’s the thing though: if you’re actually shopping for something it takes even longer. Between shopping and restaurants Orchard can occupy you for at least one full day. Your visit is now half over if it’s only 48 hours. Marina Bay Sands is easily a whole other day.
You might even decide to do something like go to the bar at the famous Raffles Hotel. The Singapore sling was invented there. It’s something of a rite of passage to have one at the hotel. But once you get there you realize they mix these things in bulk and charge $26 USD for them. The bar may be famous and historic but it’s no different than any ultra-luxury hotel. By the time you realize you made a mistake it’s already been an hour or more. The next item on your list may not be nearby.
Two days is just long enough to start really noticing that there is greenery and landscape architecture everywhere in Singapore. It’s as if Adam never bit the Apple and Eden evolved into a modern utopia. Hotels are much cheaper in KL or Saigon, but once you check in there you may find yourself wishing you’d spent more time in Singapore.
