Having arrived in Singapore fairly late at night with no accommodation booked we check-in to Bugis Backpackers as it was near the MRT. We paid $26 for a bed in the 16 bed dorm which fortunately only had 8 people in! The room had lockers, electricity points and A/C however, the A/C broke and we had to use only the fans and keep the windows only all day and night which made the room very, very noisy. The helpful manager said we could move to another dorm but would have to pay the higher rate ($36 I think) nobody took him up on the offer after a few nights the heat was unbearable and he said he had to close the dorm so we could either upgrade or move to another hostel. He was very apologetic. We all moved to the Inn Crowd. The hostel is in a good location and has a TV area, kitchen with free tea/coffee and clean bathrooms. Having said that I got some serious bed bug bites in this place which were on the scale of Australian bed bugs bites! We met some really cool and friendly people in the hostel and it’s a shame about the A/C but things happen. This could be a good hostel in other circumstances and I may even stay here again, I think, but only if other hostels are full.

This is the letter I wrote to their owner after we calmed down after a few weeks (note: it seems very similar to what "Martin" wrote as his/her review. Obviously the same staff)


Good Afternoon ownership of Bugis,

This is to notify you that my wife and I were treated in the most appalling manner by your staff in July 2007. We have enclosed a photo of this staff member. We took many photos of her for our own personal security. We will be taking all appropriate action to have our complaint heard and appreciate your soonest acknowledgement.

Essentially, we arrived at 1am by flight and she kicked us out onto the street with police. When we were on the street, the police told us they have received many complaints regarding this woman. They were very understanding and took us to another hotel. It was past 2am when we arrived- into a city with no accomodation available and in a city neither of us had ever been to. How in the world is this considered hospitable backpacking service? Unbelievable.
We asked to see the room before checking in because she said there were no windows and that if we stayed one night, we HAD to stay a second as per our reservation. Huh??? We asked to see the room first and she said that if she showed us the room, we would have to pay for both nights 100%. This was a lie and she was trying to show some power. This was obvious because then she said she didn't want us to stay there and that if we left she could easily cancel the reservation and she would. This discepancy showed us she was acting in her own capacity and that she wasn't following Bugis Standards. We work in Afghanistan for the UN and the German Governement (I am Canadian) and have never ever been treated as awful as this. EVER. once again, I ask for your acknowledgement of this instance and ask for an apology.

Sincerely,
Matthew and Nodira Gray -

All in all for budget accomodation this was perfect for our 1 week stay in Singapore. The location is very central. On the first night we booked a private room but found that it was more reasonable to book a dorm which was clean and quite comfortable.

Not being a huge fan of hostels-based on bad experiences-we chose the Bugis Backpackers on the recommendation of friends who had stayed there last year. Not really expecting much, the Bugis Backpackers was a pleasant surprise-once you get past having to lug your stuff up 3 flights of stairs.

The hostel is run by very friendly and quiet people. Check-in was quite efficient and direct. You pay up front for your room. Access to the rooms is across the hallway and only accessed by a swipe card system-added security which was quite reassuring. We stayed in a twin private room-which was essentially a small 4x6m pink room. Quite clean, a pillow and a small blanket provided but it was sufficient and A/C which was very quiet by AC unit standards. The bathroom was a shared facility-4 shower units and toilets-most looked as if they had been recently redone so were relatively clean. Not the hottest showers but powerful. Laundry facilities also available.

The most appealing feature of the Bugis was it's prime location. Nestled nicely between some retail shops and a KFC, the hostel was located around the corner from Bugis Village, supposedly one of the largest street markets in Singapore. Across the road, Bugis Junction, a large shopping complex as well as an MRT station. Bugis Backpackers is also conveniently located within walking distance to many places of interest, such as the Colonial District.

You can easily hear your neighbours next door which can be annoying if it is very late at night or very early in the morning! The showers were prone to nightly infestations of flies and other bugs, but by morning they were usually gone. The mixed dorm rooms were also quite clean, very airy and bright. For safety i.e. girls travelling alone, the private rooms are not too much more expensive, and probably worth the extra for the security at night. Definitely a decent hostel, by hostel standards, but quite expensive for what it was. However, bear in mind, Singapore is quite expensive anyway!