One of the hardest questions to answer when you are planning for a trip is “where should I stay?” Not because you have insufficient options but because there so many places to choose from! In this blog post, I’ll make a hotel vs hostel comparison using the hotel and hostel I booked during my first solo travel to Singapore.

I mainly stayed at Village Hotel Albert Court which is very near Rochor Station, next to Bugis! (my favorite place in SG, haha)

I also booked an overnight stay at Wink Hostel which is located at Chinatown alongside other hostels and other backpacker-friendly lodges.

My stay in both places have been equally pleasant. It really boils down to what you really need – which is specific to your current trip. You also have to consider these 5 things: privacy, amenities, service, freebies (add-ons), and of course, budget.

PRIVACY

Are you traveling alone? Are you open to sharing a room with strangers? This aspect is one of the biggest difference in hotels and hostels. Let me share with you photos of my hotel room and the hostel I booked.

When you book a hotel, you’ll have the whole room to yourself, as well as your own toilet and bathroom, study table, a huge closet, etc.

My room in Albert Court is very quiet, and since I traveled alone, I really had the place to myself especially the queen-sized bed that’s super fluffy!

In hostels, you should always be prepared to share. At Wink Hostel, I booked an all-ladies room and there are 8 pods in one room. The setup is like a capsule hotel which is good because we have solid dividers in between pods.

This is my locker at Wink Hostel, half size of the bed in width but same in length. It has an electronic lock which will keep your things safe.

I was actually impressed by the bed because despite being thin, it’s still very comfy! I’m thankful that I’m super small because it’s only a single-sized bed and I still have lots of space to move around, lol.

Despite being an introvert, sharing a room with 7 strangers felt nice and warm. Especially when having a solo trip, it’s good to finally have someone to talk to!

AMENITIES

I think this is where the difference really gets HUGE. One of the things that I consider before booking a place is the bathroom. I really loved Albert Court’s bathroom.

Although it’s not the best one out there, I enjoyed having a warm bath after a very long day of travel. And of course, you get toiletries for free and they even get replaced every day, just like in other hotels.

Most hostels have shared toilets and shower rooms. Here are snaps of Wink Hostel’s shower rooms and lavatories.

Although the shower rooms are shared by all of the hostel’s occupants, the area is unbelievably clean.

Of course, hotels offer more amenities. In Albert Court, there’s also a gym, jacuzzi, and computers which can be used by hotel guests. I also have a mini ref in my room, as well as ironing board, tv, hair dryer, things you don’t get at hostels but you won’t need them anyway (I used the hair dryer though, lol).

SERVICE

I can’t say anything bad to any of the two places I booked when it comes to service. From the reception until check-out, the staff are very friendly and helpful.

I arrived at Albert Court at 1 in the morning, you can imagine how sleepy and stressed I was. But when I arrived, someone from the hotel immediately helped me with my luggage and assisted me to the reception area. Same thing with checking out, I left my luggage at the hotel even after the check-out and they helped me get a taxi to the airport.

The staff from Wink Hostel are also super friendly. Upon arrival, I was led to my room and I also had a quick tour of the hostel. The atmosphere is very light, I feel very welcome.

The only difference in service is that hotels offer daily room cleaning service, which is nice because every time I get back to my hotel everything is just tidied up!

FREEBIES/ADD-ONS

Albert Court offers buffet breakfast! Something that I really loved because during my trip, I haven’t really eaten on time except during breakfast so I’m always making the most out of it!

Fried rice overload! I love their fried rice and scrambled eggs, that’s why they’re the only constant dishes in my plate for 2 consecutive mornings. I also love the setup of the restaurant, very tranquil, perfect for getting your day started.

Wink Hostel also offers complimentary breakfast. They have unlimited cereals, breads, fruits, instant coffee and hot choco! Not really unlimited, but until supplies last.

I had toasted bread with peanut butter. By the way, take note that everything is self-service.

Not all hostels offer free breakfast because of the relatively affordable fee. Lucky I found a hostel which offers breakfast that’s good enough to sustain me until my next meal.

Also on freebies, both have free wi-fi. But at Albert Court, I was provided with a phone with free data which made my navigation easier!

BUDGET

Last but definitely not the least, budget. Hotels and hostels’ budget ultimately varies. To be honest, budget sometimes overlaps – it really depends on how you can find the best deal out there. You can find a hotel deal that’s cheaper than booking a hostel, and vice versa.

But to give you an idea, just in case you’re clueless on how the price ranges, Village Hotel Albert Court’s Premier Room is priced around 8,000 Php per night while I booked Wink Hostel at just 1,500 Php per night.

That’s a huge difference, right? While looking for hotels at SG, I found cheaper hotels at around 4,000 Php per night. It actually depends on the location too. Most hostels I found are located at Chinatown and Little India they are priced similarly with Wink’s.

CONCLUSION

“So which should I book for my next travel?” the answer is, IT REALLY DEPENDS. Personally, I wouldn’t trade the private bathroom and the buffet breakfast. But it really depends! If you’ve got the budget, you can definitely book any hotel you want. If you’re a practical traveler, finding the best hostel is the way to go. There are lots of good deals out there, you just have to be patient in searching for the perfect place to stay!

I think this will be the last post for my Singapore trip, I hope I have shared useful information with you! Subscribe to stay updated on what I’ll be posting next!