I Stay at Singapore’s Most Shocking Hotel ($472/night trapped in a bus!)

Summary

In this intriguing review, the viewer experiences a stay at Singapore's newly opened, unconventional bus Collective luxury hotel, where retired buses are repurposed into accommodations. Despite costing more than a night at Shangri-La, the hotel offers unique features like driver's seats and barbecue pits. However, the high price is met with mixed feelings due to cleanliness issues and questionable luxury amenities. The peaceful location in Changi Village, away from the city center, makes it a potential haven for staycations, not tourists. The review captures the essence of this one-of-a-kind lodging, highlighting both its charm and drawbacks.

Takeaways

• 🏨 The Bus Collective is a luxury hotel in Singapore that repurposes retired buses into unique accommodation units.
• 💸 The cost of staying at the Bus Collective is higher than a traditional luxury hotel like Shangrila, with the reviewer paying $472 including breakfast per night.
• 📍 The hotel is located in Changi Village, which is a beautiful area with a beach but quite far from the city center, making it more suitable for staycations rather than tourist accommodations.
• 🛏️ Some rooms at the Bus Collective feature original bus driver seats, adding to the unique experience of staying in a repurposed bus.
• 🍽️ The hotel initially included breakfast in the price, but due to recent opening, the breakfast service was not ready during the reviewer's stay, reducing the room rate to $449 without breakfast.
• 🛋️ The rooms are designed to feel like tiny houses, with a living room area, a bedroom, and a mini-bar stocked with complimentary items.
• 🚌 The original bus number plate, SBS 8049J, is kept, adding an authentic touch to the room's history.
• 🛁 The bathroom is well-designed with a separate toilet and shower, and the shower area features a rain shower and normal shower options.
• 🛌 The bedroom is elevated with stairs leading up to it, and the bed is large enough for two people, with a view of the river outside.
• 🍽️ The reviewer had to get their dinner from a nearby hawker center due to the lack of room service and barbecue facilities at the hotel.
• 😴 The reviewer experienced an uncomfortable sleep due to an unusual mattress design and the proximity of the hotel to the airport, which caused planes to fly overhead.

Q & A

What is the concept of the bus Collective hotel in Singapore?

The bus Collective is a luxury hotel that repurposes retired buses into hotel rooms, offering a unique staycation experience.

How much did the reviewer pay for a night's stay at the bus Collective?

The reviewer paid $472 including breakfast for one night's stay, which later became $449 without breakfast due to the breakfast service not being ready.

Is the bus Collective hotel more expensive than traditional hotels in Singapore?

Yes, the bus Collective is more expensive than the Shangri-La, Sentosa, where a night's stay costs $446 including breakfast.

Where is the bus Collective hotel located?

The bus Collective is located in Changi Village, a beautiful place with a nice beach but quite far from the city center.

What unique features does the bus Collective offer in its rooms?

Some rooms at the bus Collective have driver seats from the original buses, and each bus hotel has its own number, slightly different designs, and colors.

What amenities were found in the room during the reviewer's stay?

The room had a mini-bar with free snacks, complimentary drinking water, tea and coffee, a sofa bed, extra pillows, an umbrella, a TV, a fridge with complimentary beverages, and a bus driver's seat kept in its original condition.

What were some of the cleanliness issues the reviewer noticed?

The reviewer noticed some dirty areas on the sofa bed, random threads, and multiple random stains on the bed sheet, which looked like a lipstick stain.

What was the reviewer's experience with the mattress in the room?

The reviewer found the mattress uncomfortable due to its wavy form, which caused discomfort when trying to sleep on the bottom part of the wave.

What issues did the reviewer have with the hotel's branding as a luxury hotel?

The reviewer felt the price was steep for what was offered, and certain amenities did not seem luxurious, such as the reused sandals and the non-branded fridge.

What was the reviewer's experience with the hotel's surrounding area?

The reviewer enjoyed the peaceful and quiet atmosphere of Changi Village, which felt like a village and not like Singapore, with low buildings and a lack of high-rise structures.

What was the reviewer's final thought on whether the bus Collective is worth the money?

The reviewer found the concept cool but felt the price was quite steep considering the small flaws and the fact that not all amenities lived up to the luxury branding.