Pier 2 Hostel

The room was extremely dusty. There was a thick layer on the curtain, and lots on the chair and floor too. I had to put up with it for two nights. Staff were unfriendly and unhelpful, and the soundproofing was awful. At $70SGD a night, this was my worst stay. I won't be back 😆

The staff who served me were really friendly, and I appreciated that. Still, arriving at 2:20 pm and being told check-in was strictly at 3:00 left a bad first impression. There were several staff at the counter chatting, but nobody seemed willing to help with an early check-in. It would've been a small, hospitable gesture. The lack of consideration made me question the service and professionalism overall.

I changed rooms because of a different booking, so I tried both the standard room without an opening window and the superior room with a balcony. The standard room did have a window, but it wouldn't open. It was smaller than the superior, though still spacious. Mine was beside the water refill machine and staff exit, so the door slamming could be loud, but it didn't bother me. The superior room's window opens, and it has a balcony. Sunlight can be strong depending on which way the room faces, but the blackout curtains worked well. My room had a bathtub. Some floors offer complimentary snacks and drinks, though not all. The hotel was modern, very clean, well equipped, and had good service. I booked during a sale, and the price hadn't gone up much when I checked same-day rates. Love Pier is right across the street, great for walking and sightseeing, and there was a weekend market during my visit. The light rail is within a five-minute walk. For solo female travelers, I'd recommend it if you don't mind being a bit far from the city. Getting to the city center takes about 30 minutes by public transport. There's an Ok Mart downstairs, but it has few options. Given how good the hotel is, I was surprised the breakfast was only so-so.

The design and location were the only real positives. The AC stayed at 27 degrees even when set to 20, and only one of its three vents blew air. When I called, an older man came to check and was rude from the start. He said nothing could be done and blamed us for not mentioning it at check-in. He then said the temperature control was only for display, but friends in another room confirmed theirs worked. He offered a room change, but since our luggage was unpacked, we asked to sleep in another room for the last night and leave our bags behind. He refused, saying again that nothing could be done. I suggested they review and improve the AC, but got the same response. He never apologized for his attitude or the poor service. There were mosquitoes in the room on the first night, so sleeping without a blanket was tough. The toilet cubicle had a large gap above its door, and the smell would spread into the room when it was used. The response was unfriendly when I asked for change for the laundry machines too. The place looks nice, but the stay was unpleasant.