Hotel Review: HangOut@Mt.Emily

During my stay in Singapore from 18th to 24th December 2009, Room 408 at HangOut@Mt.Emily is where I sleep. The room rate for a double room is 98.85 Singaporean dollars (about 50 euro) per night.

The Good:
Wireless broadband connection for free.

Breakfast is included in the room charge.

Very friendly staff.

Stylish minimalist decor.

Washing machines and dryers available on the second floor. 5 Singaporean dollars for a wash and another 5 Singaporean dollars for a dry. You can buy a packet of detergent for 6 Singaporean dollars at the reception. This helps me a lot as I lost my luggage on the way to Singapore, and my clothes need to be washed with cold water and should not be tumble-dried (ie. washing on my own allows me to choose the appropriate way of washing them).

The Bad:
You need to switch on the boiler in the bedroom and wait for 15 minutes to take a hot shower.

No hand towel is provided. (Bath towels and floor towels only.)

Housekeepers rarely change your towels for environmental reasons. Which in itself is fine, but you cannot expect which towel will be replaced tomorrow.

The naming convention at this hotel is a bit confusing. For example, the reception is called "Help Out". "Veg Out" is a second-floor communal space with a TV set, a pool table, vending machines for snacks and soft drinks, complimentary coffee and tea, a small library, and internet terminals. The seventh floor is called "Look Out", which is a roof-top garden.

I cannot turn off the noisy air-conditioner in my bedroom (I have to wear earplugs to sleep).

Every time I put the room key card into the slot for room electricity, the room temperature setting for the air-conditioner is reset to 22 degrees Celsius (which is too cold for me).

Breakfast ends in 9:30 am. (Cheap places to eat are located within a 5 minutes walk, though.)

The hotel location is slightly inconvenient. It's located at the top of a hill. You have to climb the stairs either from Mount Emily Road or from Wilkie Road. (The signage is clear enough, though.) The nearest metro station is Little India, 7 minute walk away. Taxi drivers do not know where this hotel is.

The safety box available at the reception (or Help Out) is very small (although in Singapore you don't really need to worry about theft in the hotel room; plus, access to each floor requires a guest room key).

The Ugly:
Nothing in particular.

Verdict:
As a budget hotel for back-packer types, you cannot expect more than this hotel. If you're used to more luxurious hotels, however, this hotel is not your option.