Hotel Bencoolen, Bencoolen Street

With the expansion of the Downtown line (blue line), a whole bunch of accommodation options are now accessible by train. More so since you only change lines at Expo station, which is the first stop after Changi MRT station. 

Getting there: The ride from Expo to Bencoolen station was about 30 minutes long, but unlike the East-West line (aka green line), this line is not as busy... in the middle of the week, anyway. They were also not kidding when I read someplace that this was the deepest MRT station, because I remember having to go up and down at least 4 flights of escalators. Didn't take long for me to just go, fuck it, and take the lift up and down to save some energy. 

There's a bunch of hotels on this street alone, so there's no shortage of hotel options within walking distance of the station. 

Checking in: I got there around 1 something, trying my luck to see if I can just check in early (their checkin is at 2 p.m.). When I first got there, I was told that the room was not ready and to come back again after 3 p.m., which if you know me, once I'm out, I'm not coming back again until the night time. Then I asked where the lobby bathroom was because the room wasn't ready yet. That bathroom is outside where the car park was...? By the time I was done, I was suddenly told that the room was ready. Oh kay then. Like other hotels I've been to, you need to tap your key card before you can press your floor number. 

When I got upstairs, the maintenance was winding up cleaning the room.

Next to a mosque. Nope, didn't hear a peep - not sure if I slept that soundly (HAH),
or they don't do obnoxiously loud calls to prayer in Singapore.

View - across the street

Room: The room itself was adequate: mostly clean save for some mold, other stains (not on the bed or bedding that I can see). But definitely dated and in need of remodelling (opened in 1968, so it's about 50 years old at this point): 

• there were no bedside sockets to speak of, so any charging of devices had to be done next to the drink making station. 
• I really hate that they cut off power to the mini fridge when you pull out the key card (seriously, WTF is that BS?!).
• Bed was a little lumpy, admittedly. Also the sheets weren't tucked in properly...?
• The Wi-Fi in the room I was in was spotty: if I used the phone in a different spot, I'd be disconnected and I would have to log back in again. 
• There were blackout curtains, so I can't complain about that. 

Doorless cabinet/dresser table/etc

The only thing I liked was the location: the bus stop around the corner, right outside Rendezvous Hotel (which I remembered staying at when I was kid with the 'rents) had so many bus routes, even no. 36, which goes to the airport. Took a while to pick a bus to take to MBS because while I could've taken the train there, but I think the bus was cheaper...?

There's also a "gym" and an outdoor pool, but it's more like a glorified jacuzzi because it had jacuzzi jets built in. I was only there about 10 minutes at night just so I could use the jets to bring relief to my tired feet, never mind that the water was cold AF and I didn't bother packing a swimsuit so I just soaked my feet in the pool.

The frontline receptionists were polite but that's it. I wasn't even sure if breakfast was included in my reservation - they didn't tell me but I also didn't ask. As I was checking out the next morning, the bellhop pakcik made small talk and asked the usual where I was from. He seem excited when I said KL, but prodded some more for me to specify where because "KL so big". He was also really nice and understanding and reassured me that they can store my Irvins haul with my luggage cos I didn't want to lug the chips around all day and stored them in a locked room and not out in the lobby. If you read the online reviews, apparently he's really popular with other guests too. 

47 Bencoolen Street