Hotel V Bencoolen, Singapore review

Right down the road from the famous Orchard road is the strategically located Hotel V Bencoolen. I say strategic because ten minutes away are two MRT stations, Dobby Ghaut and Bras Basah. Well, soon to be three stations because a new MRT line is being constructed right in front of the hotel, soon making it one of the most connected locations in town.

However because of this construction, the entrance of hotel is not quickly visible with the road taken up by barricades and construction materials. The best landmark to follow would be the big 7-11 store beside a 24 hour food court, Hotel V Bencoolen is just a few meters down.

The lobby of the hotel boasts a minimalistic space with little space for waiting and sitting. I booked the hotel on Booking.com and check-in was fast and fuss-free with payment made upfront.

Hotel V Bencoolen has an unusual layout design that allows residents to look down on a quirky garden and the swimming pool in the heart of the hotel.

A miniature garden also offers a relaxing atmosphere with message chairs and a nice view of the business district in the distance.

 Now compared to Ibis Novena, our room was small with limited space for our luggage. But then again, what else is there to expect of a budget hotel in Singapore? However, its basic amenities sufficed for my friend and I. The beds were a bit hard to sleep on but when one was so tired from a whole day out, it didn't matter.

A flat screen television is mounted above the working desk and if you have a thumbdrive filled with your own shows, you can actually plug it in to watch.The usual coffee and tea is provided with an electrical kettle for hot water. Two complimentary water bottles are also provided.

The bathroom comes equipped with shampoo, body soap and conditioner. For my friend who forgot to bring her toothbrush, she was relieved to find a set provided.

And now to the important must-have for all hotels....wifi. I am pleased to tell you that Hotel V Bencoolen does provide complimentary wifi access to its guests. However, there is a catch. It's one wifi access per gadget per person. So if there is two of you, you will given two codes. And every time you leave the hotel, it automatically logs you out but doesn't log you back in again which mean you have to do it yourself each damn time. Oh, and one access code only works for one device so pick your poison. You can request for the code at the reception. 

Personally, I prefer Ibis Novena over Hotel V Bencoolen because of the room size, service and easy access to their wifi but I won't deny it. Hotel V Bencoolen's location is damn ideal especially for exploring the modern and more...older part of the city. Getting a cab however can be tricky as they aren't allowed to stop along the Bras Basah road. I found this out the hard way when we needed to grab a cab to the airport. We ended up riding the train to City Hall and managed to grab a cab from there.

But other than that, it has the location and proximity to MRT stations going for it.

Address: 48 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189627
Contact: +65 6388 2233
Website: www.vhotel.sg/Bencoolen