Fragrance Hotel - Kovan

There was plenty of food around Fragrance Hotel - Kovan, and a 7-Eleven right next door. It’s also an easy walk or bus ride to the MRT. Check-in was smooth, and the staff were warm, efficient, and helpful. The room was clean and comfortable enough for one night with two people travelling light, though it’s compact and gets tight once luggage is open. The bed was firm but fine. We could hear footsteps and occasional noise from neighboring rooms, so light sleepers may notice the weak soundproofing. The bathroom was basic and functional, but water splashed out because there was no shower curtain. If available, ask for a room with a window and bring earplugs. It’s a decent budget option in the Kovan/Serangoon area.

The two young men at the counter were friendly and helpful.

When I called about the room aircon being hot, Leena at reception was extremely rude. She suggested an alternative, then said it was “too late” and that there wouldn’t be half a refund. She even expected us to change rooms with less than 20 minutes left before checkout, after I’d explained we had booked for 4 hours and that this didn’t make sense. We were exhausted when we arrived and fell asleep straight away, then woke up sweating. A colleague also came to check the aircon. Leena agreed the maintenance was poor, then told me on the call, “sure you can do a bad review.” I’ll also be talking to Cassie the manager about what happened.

The area felt calm and relaxing, and the people around were extremely friendly. The hotel sits between Kovan and Serangoon MRT stations, both walkable or reachable by bus, with the bus stop right outside. There’s a handy spot behind the hotel to wait for Gojek or Grab, plus a self-service laundry, Heartland mall, and a hawker centre nearby with lots of meal choices. Housekeeping was immaculate. Towels and other items were changed as needed each day, and our belongings were treated respectfully. The front desk is staffed around the clock, and the team were friendly, helpful, and professional. Two small things: standard rooms have no windows, which took getting used to, though it didn’t matter much when I was out all day. On my first day I woke up at 12:30 PM, so I started setting an alarm. Also, the fixed shower head was a bit inconvenient.