A cool, comfortable, clean & convenient base for your explorations in the island state.
Searching for somewhere to stay in Singapore actually took longer than I expected. What I was looking for was somewhere that offered me a lot for my restricted budget. My accommodation searches revealed that on the whole, you get what you pay for in Singapore. It seemed the cheaper the place, the less comfort and amenities you got. I quickly learnt that what I needed to find was somewhere that offered value.
Hangout @ Mount Emily had precisely that. A hostel/hotel geared towards young travellers and backpackers who need just a little extra comfort for their money.
The Good
- Staff were happy and helpful. Smiles were easy to find (actually, smiles were easy to find all over Singapore). Questions were always answered thoroughly & knowledgeably.
- Rooms are generally a good size. The two rooms I stayed in had ample room for two people. Good sound proofing.
- Big buffet breakfast included in the room price. Some strange choices (early morning lasagne anyone?) but much appreciated.
- Laundry facilities on-site. Really useful and cheap. I don’t know why more places don’t offer washers and dryers.
- Free unlimited use of internet-enabled computers and building-wide wifi.
- Large common room with pool table and big screen tv.
- Awesome rooftop terrace with a nice view of the city centre and a shower pool to splash about in.
- Cleanliness in rooms and in all public areas to a high standard.
- Dorms are nicely laid out. Custom-built lockable cupboards separate each bed offering a bit of extra privacy.
- Quiet neighbourhood with a small, leafy park right on the doorstep. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was lovely to come back to after a busy day of sightseeing.
- A general feeling that the place is well-run and that the staff care. Comforting for nervous travellers.
- Air-con! Wonderful, wonderful air-con!
The Bad
- I wasn’t bothered by it, but some may find the short daily walk and MRT ride to and from the hotel a little tiresome.
- Due to its hybrid setup, it’s not the best place to meet people and make new friends.
- Plain rooms. Lots of Ikea furnishings.
- Some private rooms don’t have windows.
The Verdict
If you’re on a tight budget but require a few more home comforts for your money, this is the place for you. Ignore any concerns about the location. It’s really not that far a walk and you’ll be glad of the peace once you get back after being on the go all day. For the money, you could only really expect the hotel to be clean and comfortable. It is, yet you also get free wifi, free breakfast, a funky common room and rooftop terrace to hangout in, helpful staff on call 24 hours a day, big, airy rooms with air-con, laundry facilities and even bikes to hire. What’s not to like? Book far enough ahead, and you could bag yourself one of the biggest bargains Singapore has to offer.
Hotel Information
Hangout @ Mount Emily
10A Upper Wilkie Road
Singapore 228119
http://www.hangouthotels.com/
More reviews on Tripadvisor
Rain In Singapore
When it rains in Singapore, it pours. I was heading to Little India via the metro when the skies opened. Not wanting to get soaked, my fellow passengers and I cowered from the deluge in the station entrance.
I’ll always remember this breakfast. It was a great way to say goodbye to Singapore.
Hot Milo (a malty chocolate drink that also comes ice cold), two soft boiled eggs (fun to eat with those big spoons) and Kaya toast (Kaya is a sugary spread). About £1.50.
In which I enjoy a lovely breakfast at Changi Airport before boarding the mighty A380.
15 March 2011 - 0705 Singapore
At Pasir Ris MRT station waiting for a connection to Changi Airport. I’m off again. Someone dared to cross the yellow line on the platform edge. They had a whistle blown at them. Seems they’re constructing a new platform barrier and they don’t want anyone near it until the train arrives.
0810
Changi Airport is very nice. Just had Kaya toast, 2 soft boiled eggs and hot Milo for breakfast. A really great way to start what promises to be a rather boring day.
0841
My god, the A380 is massive!!! It’s actually beautiful. Sucking on a sweet offered to me by a passport control officer. Imagine that! Where else in the world would that happen?
0949
I’m on board. Really lovely inside. Very clean and spacious. Nicely furnished. Captain just said theres a delay of 45 minutes as they’re having to change the front wheel. The entire front wheel. Apparently, the pilot drove too far forward at the gate. Bodes well.
1140
And we’re off. A slow, lumbering take-off. Really eerie. I watched the take-off on skycam, the forward-facing camera built into the tail of the plane. Bit bumpy so far, but an amazing widescreen entertainment system is keeping me distracted. All my top ten tv shows are on. Watching The Office USA right now, with Family Guy to follow, then 30 Rock. Meal is being dished out. Plane is half empty. Of the 10 seats on my row, 6 are free. People are napping across berths of 4 seats. I have my feet up on the seat to my right. The cabin would be really spacious anyway, but with such a low passenger tally, it’s cavernous.
Sydney! I’m coming.
In which I sum up my time in Singapore whilst on a bus to the staggeringly brilliant Singapore Night Safari.
14 March 2011 - 1149 Singapore
On the MRT train to Chinatown on my last day in Singapore. The plan today is to take a look around Chinatown and grab something to eat at Maxwell Road Hawker Centre. Then, off to explore Sentosa Island properly. Then, I’m off to the Singapore Night Safari, Singapore Zoo’s nighttime exhibit, where all the nocturnal animals are housed and on display. Apparently, it’s even better than the zoo itself (which itself was epic), so I’m really looking forward to it. Gonna be a good day!
Tomorrow, I’m off to my next destination, Sydney, Australia. Unlike most other travellers, I don’t intend on spending a year in Australia. I’m certain I’m going to love it, but a week should be enough. Oh, here’s my station…
1858
On the bus to Singapore Night Safari. Starving! While we rocket through the suburbs, here is a mind splurge about Singapore;
- Kids and babies stay out late.
- I feel safer here at midnight then I do during the daytime at home.
- I haven’t heard a single emergency vehicle siren all weekend.
- The only police I’ve seen have been on Segways on Sentosa boardwalk.
- This bus I’m on is noisy yet powerful.
- Hostel dorms really aren’t my cup of tea.
- It seems the only things the British have left behind are double-decker buses, Belisha beacons and Marks & Spencer.
- My feet are killing me.
- I will really miss how easy it is to get a meal here and the massive choice on offer.
- Felt very comfortable despite being an ethnic minority
- Enjoyed being an ethnic minority (seriously, what IS all the fuss about).
- I only got bitten by an insect once.
- They need more exits on the MRT.
- Disappointed I wasn’t able to see the Crane Dance on Sentosa Island (it was closed for maintenance).
- Durian tastes like rotting onions.
- The journey from the city to the Zoo is too long.
- I greatly admire how well everyone here gets along.
- I will really miss Singapore generally and will do everything I can to get people here.
Those that don’t visit Singapore are missing out big time. Singapore is incredible and I will never forget my time here.
2201
The Night Safari was amazing! There’s no parallel I can draw upon. Imagine a tropical rainforest with minimal lighting, filled with nocturnal animals roaming about. It’s as cool as it sounds. There’s a tram which takes you round, but there are also paths you can take on foot. The best bit was the bat enclosure. You walked into this natural landscape enclosed in a large permeable housing and are surrounded by bats so close, you can hear the beats of their wings and feel the gust of wind as they pass. Not only were there tiny bats, but enormous flying foxes intent on keeping the smaller fruit bats away from their grub. While being taken around on the tram, we turned a corner an came across an enormous and angry male elephant. It growled loudly as we trundled past. Amazing! A memorable and truly unique experience all round.
I’m off now to take one last walk around in the city centre before returning to the hotel to pack up. Goodbye Singapore.
Maxwell Food Centre
One of the best things about Singapore is the food. It’s cheap, good and plentiful. On my visit I didn’t eat in a single restaurant. I ate in various different hawker centres like the one in this video. Pick a stall, choose your dish, wait a few minutes for it to be prepared, hand over a few notes, pick a table and start gorging! I really miss Singapore’s food culture.
In which I have a horrible night in a dorm and explore Little India & Arab Street.
13 March 2011 - 1208 Singapore
A rubbish night. After one night in a hostel dorm, I’ve already decided it’s not for me. The light got left on until 2am because not everyone had got back from nights out. The bloke beside me was a grumpy sod who point blank refused to engage in conversation with me. Three times I’ve walked into the room to find him in various states of undress and looking worried. There was bumps and someone erupting in loud night terrors and, well, that’s enough reasons. I value cleanliness, a good nights sleep and my own personal space much more than wealth. The benefits of a lower cost stay is lost completely. Luckily, the hotel staff here are awesome and have moved some bookings around to accommodate me in my own room for the remaining two nights. They even offered me the Internet rate as opposed to the walk-in rate. Ballseye!
This morning, after a heavy tropical shower which forced me and about 40 of my fellow MRT passengers to cower for cover in the local station lobby, I headed for Little India, Singapore’s mostly Indian area. The guide books were right. The smells from the authentically Indian shops are powerful. I happened upon an amazing Hindu temple with people bustling in and out. So, I removed my shoes and socks and joined them. It was very interesting, though it would have been nice if there was someone there to explain what was happening. That said, an interesting and valued experience.
Right now, I’m in Arab Street, the mostly Arab area of the city, finishing a glass of Teh Tarrik. I’ve wanted to try it for a long time. It’s lovely. Surprisingly sweet and refreshing. I really enjoyed watching the cooling process of pouring the tea from a height from one container to another several times in order to cool it. I’ve seen it on tv before, but to see it for real was great. Looking around, I’m the only Caucasian European looking person in the vicinity. It’s obviously very different for me to be the ethnic minority. I feel comfortable with it. No one bats an eyelid. Well, they wouldn’t. This is Singapore, a place where cultures mix well. There’s no animosity, no rivalry. Everyone just gets along. Why can’t the rest of the world be like this.
Right I’m off. They’ve just started playing the birdie song in the cafe. I wish I was kidding.
In which I watch elephants perform at Singapore Zoo, am slightly disappointed on Sentosa Island and watch Six Nations rugby with Irish cider at a British pub.
12 March 2011 - 1509 Singapore Time
Yesterday was great! Rachel was an awesome host. She showed me around, taught me a lot about Singapore’s culture and society, where best to get something to eat and was generally fantastic company. We ended up spending six hours together. One of the highlights was a visit to Kampong Glam, the mostly muslim area of Singapore, which as far as I was concerned was more like central Cairo. Men sat outside cafes smoking and drinking Teh Tarik in the shadow of grand mosques and sandy run-down buildings. Rachel told me the government intends on spending millions of dollars to improve the area. I hope they don’t get rid of the area’s character in the process.
Rachel and I ended the day on Marina Bay where we watched the nightly ‘Wonder Full’ light, water and laser show. The indecipherable storyline didn’t matter. It was truly spectacular. Finally, we ended up catching some live music, the first day of Singapore’s Mosaic music festival. The big band was best. Such a powerful sound.
Today, I’m at Singapore Zoo. Seconds after stepping through the turnstile, I was already loving it. Tiny monkeys confronted me. There was no fences. They were within touching distance. I could have quite easily popped one into my rucksack. This is the style they prefer at this zoo. Its the style I prefer. No cages, just moats and other clever design features.
Weather today has been sunny, hot and muggy. Whilst I’ve been typing this though, the rain has arrived. This is a common meteorological pattern in this part of the world. Late afternoons often have storms. Here’s hoping.
Currently waiting for the elephant show to start. I just caught the end of the tragically awful ‘Rainforest Fights Back’ show so I’m hoping this one is better.
2107
I tell you what sucks. When you bust a gut, sweating buckets, feet and legs aching to get somewhere for something in particular only for that thing to not be on. That’s whats just happened to me. I’m on Sentosa Island to the south of the main city. This is a whole island dedicated to fun and entertainment. There’s a casino, hotels, rides, Universal Studios etc. I made the trip especially for the Crane dance, a nightly animatronics and lights display. There’s a technical problem though, so it’s not on. Disappointing. Now, if there was something else for me to do on Sentosa, there wouldn’t be a problem. Sadly though, there’s hardly anything else here that isn’t either expensive. Off to Penny Blacks, a British pub to drown my sorrows and watch some Six Nations rugby.
2217
Man, feet are killing me. Made it to Penny Blacks. Empty in here. Bought a Magners. $16. About £8. Tax on alcohol is massive in Singapore. Well, clearly. Really interested in knowing how the blister on my little toe is doing. Yesterday it was massive. Today… Gonna be interesting.
Wonder Full
“Wonder Full”, a nightly show at Marina Bay Sands Resort, Singapore combines music, lights, lasers and water in a spectacular and quite moving fashion. The images are being projected onto curtains of water vapour. I’m sure you’ll agree, the setting is fantastic in itself. Here’s a short excerpt from the showing I watched.
