dinks

Hi.
My wife and I are planning on visiting Singapore next year. We know it is a very safe and clean city. We are considering a hotel in Little India called the Albert Court. Any thoughts?
Also, a relative who was recently in Singapore says Little India is a dirty area. Is it really dirty or just dirty by Singapore standards?
Thanks...

JamesA

Probably dirty by Singapore standards, I have never stayed at the Albert Courst but it is quite well know/promoted.
Perhaps you could let us know budget and type of hotel you want we can put in some ideas.

orgy7

yep. by singapores standerds.. the area seemed pretty darned clean too me. and some parts of siingapore just seemed way to "anti bacterial".

dinks

Hi James.
We just want a safe, clean and comfortable hotel in a decent location. Price about US$100/day or so. I believe the exchange rate is around US$1=$1.6 Singapore?
Thanks...

KMLoke

did a quick search and found the following which fits into your budget. As you can see there's lots of choices. I would suggest that you get one near the MRT (subway) which I don't think Albert Court is.

http://hotels.online.com.sg/hotels-bet121and180.asp

JamesA

These guys have got about 40 hotels up to USD 100, those around Chinatown that are quite interesting places with historical style are the Inn on Temple Street and the Duxton Berjaya, the Grand Central is about USD 75, for location it's excellent as just 2 minutes from orchard Road and same to the MRT, it's towards the top of Orchard Road, though a very large busy place rooms aren't so good but it has a pool etc, again, not brilliant roomwise but for the price it is great value. If you want a modern 'trendy' place the gallery which also has a pool and in Clarke Quay area is under USD 80 a night.
The Amara is a large 400 room 3 star, about USD 85 a night ( instant confimation available on that one ) and it is what I would call a decent 'safe' bet as long established.

Another is the Allson around Bugis Street area, large 3 star, good facilities, swimming pool, close to Bugis Junction shopping and the MRT station there, that's about USD 90 a night and a good standard choice, so for large modern try Allson, Amara, for older style character the Inn on Temple Street or Berjaya Duxton or for modern trendy the Gallery, also try www.nongasia.com/singapore_hotels.html, they have those and I think they go into Asiaoz.com

JamesA

Try www.singapore.travelreporter.com too for those

Zambezi

I stayed at the Perak Lodge in Little India several times in November, 2004,and, for the money, location, and welcome, recommend it highly. The rooms are small, the bathroom minute, the breakfast area modest (continental breakfast included and you can fix tea or coffee for yourself any time of day or night), and available Internet service less useful than simply visiting the Internet cafe around the corner. (Traveling alone, I had a single room, which probably accounts for its size, but if you get a double or, perhaps, a deluxe room, you'll most likely have larger accommodations than I.) BUT . . . value for your money, interesting, safe, relatively clean neighborhood, good access to transportation (busses and MRT), close proximity to "downtown" (Raffles Hotel), a large grocery store nearby, and some excellent restaurants (Indian and Chinese) in easy walking distance. As I recall, Albert Court is on the next street over---a cul de sac, I believe---and all I can say is that it looked OK. There were some bars in its vicinity. By contrast, there are small restaurants on either side of Perak Lodge where the locals eat and the worse that can happen is that you may smell the garlic frying at 6 a.m. Think of the area as having character---what you left home for. I consider it a super find. Forget the cleanliness issue. Since Lee Kuan Yew stepped down and Singapore loosened up, all of Singapore has "gone down hill," in terms of permissible behavior. ZZ

Guenmai

I vacation in Singapore regularly. Just came back a few weeks ago...and Little India is NOT dirty. I don't know what standards the person who reported that is living by. There are so many hotels in Singapore until it should be really easy to find one. Pick one near an MRT(subway) station.Personally, since the 90s, I've stayed at the YMCA International House Hotel(unisex) at 1 Orchard Road... S$80.00 breakfast included...private room with bathroom. Spic and span clean, lively,roof-top pool, inexpensive internet cafe, and usually booked solid. It's almost next to the Dhoby Gaut MRT station...about a 3-minute walk... in the middle of the quiet end of town. Across the street, from the YMCA, is the Hotel Rendevous which is a 4-star that I recommended to my best friend, who vacations in Singapore, too. After she tried the Rendevous, that's the only hotel she wants to stay at...not that it's an incredible hotel, but she thought it was very nice and more important was the location.Right out the front door are lots of bus stops. I find it so convenient to jump on the buses there and just ride around and see where I'll end up and just jump off along the way if I see something interesting. My best friend has stayed in a lot of different areas of Singapore...including Little India. Next to the YMCA Hotel, there's also a bus stop, with tons of different numbered buses that's right between the YMCA and the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.You can jump on the #16 and end up on the high-numbered end of Orchard Road where the Tanglin(Antique/Southeast Asian artifacts) Shopping Centre is at #19 Tanglin Rd.Then the same bus goes out Orchard further along Orchard Road. Easy transportation heaven. Happy Travels!

KMLoke

Now that someone mentioned Hotel Rendevous there is a restaurant of the same name located within the hotel. It's offers very good 'Indonesian' food. They offer a decent fish head curry. Can't go wrong with any of their dishes. Goes very well with the lime juice.

Guenmai

One of the restaurants at the hotel is very famous. I think it's the one facing the street...called Straits Cafe...if I remember correctly. Happy Travels!

suitcasepaula

my husband and i stayed at the Albert Court about 3 years ago - neat, clean, felt quite safe - we loved the location as it was just a few blocks from Little India and about a 5 minute walk to the MRT. we also felt like were someplace with some local character, which to us is amajor part of why one leaves home to travel about.