D'nova Hotel @ Bugis

The location is the one good thing: it's convenient for getting to shopping malls, restaurants, salons, BBQ places and entertainment. But the room we booked was tiny, like being shut in a fish can, and after checking availability online I asked to upgrade. They said every room was booked. The owner even suggested I cancel without a refund and find another hotel. Our room wasn't ready at check-in either. The toilet was dirty, the sink clogged, the floor was dirty and nothing looked comfortable. The air quality was awful. I'm not a fan of this place. We stayed two days.

The location is great, and the staff were kind. Rooms are very small, but that seems common in the area, and this one was fine for a few nights. There's food downstairs, with all sorts of cool cafes, work spaces, a boardgame store and gyms around the hotel.

For what it costs, the hotel was decent, and I don't regret booking our five-night stay. The metro is about a 10-minute walk away, while many attractions are close by in the main tourist area. It's convenient for the price, though not the best location ever. Singapore rooms tend to be small, and getting more space could mean paying double or triple; our deluxe double was okay, with a good shower and no major issues. It was cleaned daily, and we got two free bottles of water and fresh towels each day. A few things still bothered us. Some room items were broken, and when I told reception, they seemed to know but didn't appear likely to fix them soon. Every morning around 8:30, cleaning rounds began, and one staff member burped loudly enough to wake us. It was unpleasant, and happened every morning. If you're not fussy about minor imperfections, it's a reasonable-value option.

I booked 13 nights but couldn't stay even 15 minutes, and the hotel is now refusing to refund me. The man at the front desk had told me the day before that I qualified for a full refund because they had no other room for me. The first room had a fallen headboard, non-working AC and barely enough space for my luggage, literally a shoebox. The second had black mold in a huge patch over the central cooling vent. I'm pretty sure the spores are throughout the hotel, and they can be dangerous to breathe in. My lungs are sensitive, and within minutes I was short of breath. This place was filthy, so I had to book somewhere else. It may be a little cheaper than higher-end places in Singapore, but to me it isn't worth risking your health. I'm surprised it's still operating after so many complaints about black mold. This is the worst hotel I've ever been to, despite travelling to 13+ countries. PLEASE READ ON THE RISKS OF BLACK MOLD BEFORE BOOKING HERE.