Decent Capsule Hotel with Great Staff, But a bit noisy and issues for a Return Stay
The Positives:
* Warm Welcome: The first impression was pleasant. The female receptionist gave an excellent tour, and Izzudeen was highly attentive, greeting me and consistently checking on my room issues.
* Convenient Location: Great spot within walking distance to Arab Street and 14 minutes from Bugis. It feels very safe for solo female travellers.
* Thoughtful Amenities: Free toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, slippers), shoe lockers, storage space under the bed, and a level 3 reception area with filtered water, coffee machine and a fridge.
The Pod & Bathroom Setup:
* Single Pod: Keycard-accessible with a desk and spare blanket. Be sure to request a bottom bunk to avoid stairs.
* Bathroom Tips: Use the middle bathroom (the ones by the windows get very hot). Shampoo and body wash are provided, though the hand soap dispensers are hard to squeeze. Taps run on a short 3-second automatic timer.
The Issues:
* High Noise Levels: The open metal wiring on the ceiling means zero soundproofing. You can hear everything from neighbouring coughs and loud AC units to the nearby mosque prayers and automatic toilets flushing every few seconds.
* Thin Walls: On my second day, I could clearly hear intimate noises between a man and a woman next door. Management couldn’t do much as the exact room was hard to identify.
- On the third day, my pod door locked me out twice. First, it was because of a system reset and then the battery was dying. The staff used an item to open the door but it was still frustrating. No one else seem to have this issue. On my final day at 4 am the battery failed again. It was quite noisy and they finally tried replacing it at 4 am. I feel bad disturbing the neighbours and I also don’t understand why they didn’t change it yesterday afternoon instead of 4 am. Perhaps they weren’t aware or unable to.
- *Update: It seems the physical door wasn’t working. They should have called yesterday to fix it. I have to leave my door open every time I go out so I’m glad I’m checking out today. Fortunately I’m in Singapore so hopefully no one will steal my belongings.
* Plumbing & Odours: The toilets clog easily if too much paper is used, and the combo bathroom sink drains very slowly. There is also a persistent sewer smell both in the bathroom and right outside the hotel exit.
* Minor Inconveniences: The lift broke down once (though fixed within an hour).
Verdict:
Overall, it is a decent capsule hotel with lovely, helpful staff who communicate promptly sometimes via WhatsApp. However, due to the plumbing issues, lock malfunctions, and extreme lack of noise privacy, I wouldn’t choose to stay here again. O
