Jeff Tyler Publish time 2024-12-9 03:00

Geylang affordable hotel Ibis Budget Singapore Ruby Hotel, living in the legendary red light district

On my last night in Singapore, I had to get up at around 5 a.m. the next morning to prepare for the 8:30 flight back to Taiwan, so I found a super cheap hotel. A double room with an attached bathroom at Fragrance Hotel Ruby costs NT$1,330 a night, which is only about NT$100 more expensive than a "single bed" at the Wink Hostel in Chinatown. However, the disadvantage is that the hotel is located in Geylang, that is, Singapore's red light district.

Ibis Budget Singapore Ruby (formerly Fragrance Hotel Ruby)
10 Lorong 20 Geylang Singapore
TEL: +65 6841-3888
Price: Superior room NT1330 See current house price

Anyone looking for cheap accommodation in Singapore should have found that the room rates of the two hotel groups, Fragrance Hotel and 81 Hotel, are much cheaper than those of ordinary hotels. This is mainly because most of the hotels in these two hotel chains are In Geylang District, the surrounding environment is like the Wanhua area in Taipei. There are some promiscuous women on the roadside, and there are also many prostitute-seeking men. At first, I was a little worried about whether it would be unsafe to live in this area, but after reading everyone’s experiences on the Internet, I booked a night to try it out.

The Fragrance Ruby Hotel is located in the east of the city, about a 10-minute walk from EW9 Aljunied Station. It is not far from the airport, so you can check in in time when you take the first MRT train in the morning. After exiting the hotel, walk to Geylang Rd and turn right. A two- to three-minute walk will bring you to Singapore's famous No-Signature Seafood Restaurant. There are also many fast-food restaurants and snack bars on the road, so you don't have to worry about being hungry and having nothing to eat at night.




▲ A: Fragrance Ruby Hotel, green in the upper right corner: MRT station EW9, red box: other Fragrance hotels, blue box: 81 Hotel, purple box on the right: no signature seafood restaurant

Although the hotel has been open for more than ten years, it still looks quite new because it has been renovated. There is a small sign next to the counter, which seems to sell cheap tickets for some attractions, such as the Ferris Wheel and Sentosa Cable Car, which have a 15% discount.




Some travel supplies are displayed in the corner of the lobby. If necessary, you can ask at the counter to purchase them.



The hotel has a total of eight floors and 168 rooms. Our room was on the seventh floor. As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, we smelled a strong smell of perfume, probably to cover up the smell of cigarette smoke. Fortunately, there was no smell of perfume or cigarette smoke in the room. There are 24 rooms on the seventh floor where we live. Each room is small. The only difference is whether it has one big bed or two small beds.



The most basic double room photos on the official website look pretty good, with TV, kettle, refrigerator, and hairdryer.



The real situation is actually not far from the photos on the Internet, except that the paint in the corners is a little mottled.



Although the room is small, at least there is no problem in placing the suitcase flat.




There are hooks and hangers on the wall where you can hang clothes or bags.



There are two small bottles of free bottled water on the table, as well as coffee/tea bags. The refrigerator under the table is locked and cannot be opened. I wonder if I need to ask for a key from the counter to use it.




Because the TV is an Internet TV, in addition to the remote control, it also has a keyboard and mouse. You can also use it to surf the Internet, but the speed is quite slow.




The bathroom was reasonably clean and provided with shampoo and shower gel, towels, toothbrushes and shower caps. However, the shower area was very small and you would touch the shower curtain if you raised your hand, so I had to take a shower without opening the shower curtain. In addition, the two pairs of paper slippers outside the door were very thin, so it was more comfortable to wear the slippers we brought ourselves.




Because we didn't encounter any stains or hair on the sheets, we felt that the price was pretty good for the price of NT$1,330. We only slept for a few hours anyway. The J8 Hotel Superior Silver room I stayed in a few days ago cost NT$3,100 (breakfast included). The room was not big and there were no windows!

This area is not only populated by people engaged in special industries, but also has many strange temples. Most of the people walking on the road are working-class Indians. Although they go in and out with their husbands, the two of them still feel a little scared. If you want to save money and don’t want to live in a youth hostel dormitory with people you don’t know, I think it’s OK to stay here. However, if you want to live more comfortably, I suggest you save more money and find a hotel that costs more than 4,000 to 5,000 yuan a night.
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