Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station - CoLiving

The room isn't small and is fully equipped, saving me the hassle of going out to wash and dry clothes. (Housekeeping comes once every seven days, so you'll need to tidy up yourself.) The buildings are all low-rise, with the entire apartment complex consisting of many detached buildings, each with only two or three floors (there's an elevator between two of the buildings). The hotel's courtyard area is very quiet, with no one passing by downstairs. Although it's on the edge of a forest, there were surprisingly no mosquitoes – I didn't see a single one during my seven-night stay. The location is right by Singapore's main road, Bukit Timah Road, which connects Singapore and Johor. There are many bus routes close by, but it's a bit far from the city center. Also, it's converted from parts of an old fire station (now a historical site). There's no longer an active fire station here, so you don't need to worry about noise. (However, motorcycles and trucks might pass by at night.)

This should really be called a serviced apartment, as you need to book for a minimum of 6 consecutive nights. Checking into this apartment was an adventure in itself. First, I needed to fill out the ICA form to enter Singapore, but I couldn't even find the hotel information in the system. When I arrived, it was before check-in time, so I left my luggage at the front desk and went out. I returned to the hotel at 7 PM, ready to check in, only to find the front desk closed. However, I received an email explaining how to self-check-in, and my luggage had already been placed in the room. I spent quite a while searching for the keys and the correct room. It wasn't until I called Trip.com that I managed to get into my room. This building is made up of separate blocks, and there's no room card for the main entrance. The downstairs door has an access control system, and you can't go upstairs without scanning a card, which I didn't have. The shower has a button, just like turning on the lights, located by the bathroom entrance. It can't be turned off because the water is heated electrically. I didn't know this at first, and no one told me, so I ended up taking cold showers for two days. I only found out after asking the cleaner. The front desk is closed on Saturdays, and their working hours are from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, I believe. It's a very regular schedule, so tourists who leave early and come back late will basically never encounter the front desk staff – perfect timing for a miss. Housekeeping is done once a week, including changing towels and emptying trash. If you like things clean, you can take your own trash out daily and put it in the bin by the elevator, which is collected by the cleaners every day. I didn't see anyone when I checked out either. At lunchtime, I just left my room card at the front desk and checked out via email. It was a completely self-service experience. **Pros:** * **Facilities:** The room was relatively new, seemed to have been recently renovated. It's a two-bedroom, one-living room layout, which means sharing a living room with someone you don't know. The living room has a washing machine, kitchen utensils, pots and pans, and a dining table. You can do your laundry by just buying some detergent, which is nice. There's nowhere to hang clothes, though, so you have to figure that out yourself. * **Public Transport:** It's quite convenient for public transport. There are many bus stops within a 5-minute walk. You can take a bus directly to Chinatown, though it involves quite a few stops. You need to press the bell in advance to get off, or the driver won't stop. If you prefer the MRT, several bus routes can take you to Beauty World MRT station in just one stop (just wave to signal the bus). From there, you can go anywhere on the MRT; it's very convenient. Overall, it gave me a taste of student life, which was pretty good. I picked up some new skills. I hope this serviced apartment will provide a check-in guide, or else it can be quite confusing to stay here. Special thanks to the Trip.com staff who constantly helped me contact the hotel to resolve issues; they were very professional.

The location isn't very central, a bit out of the way. However, it's clean and tidy, and quite new. Kitchenware is fully equipped.

The facilities are quite complete; the TV and bed are both large. The bathroom is well-equipped, and there's even a washer-dryer combo and an induction cooker. The surrounding environment is also very good. The only downside is that the front desk staff are often absent. On Saturdays and Sundays, you have to find the key yourself based on the email and check yourself in.

Facilities: This place just opened, so everything is brand new. The LG TV works great. Shops on the first floor are still under renovation. Hygiene: Good, each room has its own washing machine. Environment: I stayed here for 11 nights. It's a bit far from the city center but there's a subway station and several shopping malls nearby. The bus stop is just a few minutes' walk, and a short bus ride will get you to where you need to be. Service: Remember to bring your room key! There are no staff around at night or on weekends. I like it here, but the soundproofing for the windows wasn't quite enough for me. The main road nearby could get noisy late at night, so I had to wear headphones to sleep! It did get better after I switched to a room further inside the building.