ibis Singapore on Bencoolen

Rooms and decor

Picture an economy chain hotel that never set out to dazzle, but did set out to do the basics so well it wins you over — clean, soft beds, dead-centre in the city. That is the character of ibis Singapore on Bencoolen, a 3-star ibis property from the Accor group that hides 534 rooms in a tall block in the middle of the Bras Basah-Bugis quarter. What sets it apart from the old image of ibis is that it has just been renovated, so both the rooms and the shared spaces look fresh and spotless. The rooms are contemporary no-frills — clean tones, simple lines, compact but sensibly arranged in a way travellers know well — with the Sweet Bed by ibis that is known for being soft and comfortable, a small desk, a flat-screen TV, cool air-con and a clean, new-looking ensuite bathroom. Reviews praise two things over and over: the cleanliness and a bed you sleep soundly in after a full day on your feet. It is a room without a lot of tricks, but you open the door and feel at ease right away, and it is comfortable for several nights.

Food and amenities

On service and what is in the building, ibis Singapore on Bencoolen delivers exactly to concept — everything you need, simple and genuinely usable. There is a restaurant and bar in the building for an easy meal or drink, whether breakfast before you head out, a light dinner, or a relaxed drink on a night you are too tired to go out. Because it is a big chain hotel, there is a 24-hour front desk to help with check-in and check-out at any hour, hold your luggage and suggest sights, plus free Wi-Fi throughout that runs smoothly. What keeps the in-building amenities from ever being a limitation is that the moment you step out the door you are already in a quarter packed with food from many kitchens, cafes, convenience stores and malls — whatever you fancy is a few steps away. That makes a value-and-clean ibis in a central spot like this a neat fit for anyone using the hotel as a base to get out and explore rather than spend the whole day in. Overall the service is friendly and steady, in the dependable Accor style.

Location and getting there

The location really is the trump card here. The hotel sits on Bencoolen Street, in the heart of the Bras Basah-Bugis arts-and-culture quarter that is full of museums, galleries and art schools, right up against lively Bugis and the old Muslim quarter of Kampong Glam. For getting around it has a real edge, because MRT Bencoolen (Downtown line) is right beside the building — step out and you are at the entrance. MRT Bras Basah (Circle line) and MRT Bugis (East-West and Downtown lines) are another 5 to 8 minutes' walk, so you have several lines to choose from, with direct rides to Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Chinatown or on to Changi Airport. A few minutes on foot takes you to Bugis Street, the popular covered market for cheap shopping, and a little further into Arab Street, lined with shops selling fabric and home goods, and Haji Lane, a narrow lane packed with quirky boutiques, cafes, bars and bold street art that photographers should not miss. The gold-domed Sultan Mosque, the landmark of Kampong Glam, is within walking distance too. In short, if you want to wake up and walk through the arts quarter, the old quarter and the shopping, with several MRT lines right at the end of the street, this location delivers in full at a price you can manage.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the first thing to understand is that ibis Singapore on Bencoolen is an ibis-style economy hotel built around cleanliness, value and the essentials, not a luxury or boutique property with a bold character of its own. Even freshly renovated and looking clean, the rooms are still simple and compact by concept, so if you are after an indulgent stay or a boutique story, this may not be your path. Next is room size: as a city-centre hotel with as many as 534 rooms, some standard types run fairly compact in the dense-city style, so anyone who wants plenty of space or is travelling as a group with big bags should check the room type and size clearly before booking. Another point is noise and the buzz of the quarter, because it sits in the middle of Bras Basah-Bugis, alive all day and on a main road, so rooms facing the street or on lower floors at certain angles may catch some traffic and crowd noise — light sleepers should ask for a high floor or an inward-facing room when booking. And as a large hotel with many rooms, the lobby, check-in and lift waits can run longer at peak or when groups arrive, so allow a little extra time on holidays.

Our take

From reading through a lot of real reviews, ibis Singapore on Bencoolen is a hotel that sells fresh post-renovation cleanliness, a comfortable bed, a dependable ibis stay and a central Bras Basah-Bugis location within walking reach of several MRT lines — and it does so satisfyingly at a price you can manage. Getting a spotless room with the Sweet Bed by ibis you sleep well in, then stepping out to MRT Bencoolen beside the building, with MRT Bras Basah and Bugis within walking distance and Bugis Street, Arab Street and Haji Lane all an easy stroll, is a genuinely good-value package for anyone who wants a dependable stay in a great spot without paying a lot. If the trip in your head is using the hotel as a comfortable base, waking up to explore the arts quarter, the old quarter and the shopping all day, then coming back to a clean room, this is a sensible, good-value pick. But if you expect luxurious design, a distinctive boutique mood or unusually spacious rooms, an economy hotel built around value in the middle of a busy quarter may not be quite the fit. Overall we give it 8.1/10, best for solo travellers, budget-minded couples, backpackers and families who value cleanliness, value and a walk-everywhere location over luxury and a hotel with a character all its own.