Betel Box Backpackers Hostel, Singapore

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Other

in our original quest for a backpacking adventure, nad & i reserved two bunkbeds at the Betel Box Hostel in Joo Chiat Road, Singapore. beds at the mixed dorm cost S$18/day. there were cheaper hostels at the heart of the city, but we both decided to try Betel Box because the overall online reviews were great & from the pictures, the place looked nice & cozy.

of course, we also considered the high probability of meeting new european friends, as it appeared on various online pages that this hostel was THE recommended hostel by numerous european backpackers. both nad & i have experienced backpacking in europe, and suffice to say that the experience was one for the books.

straight from changi airport terminal 2, we took bus 24 to joo chiat road. we were dropped off at a quaint village so unlike the singapore i knew from last year, and soon i realized that if we were looking for an adventure, well, it had already started.

the area surrounding joo chiat is the old malay district of singapore. for us pinoys, it's like going to chinatown, but the area's cultural influence is not chinese but malay. we rolled our stroller bags (yeah, for backpackers, we were using the wrong luggage. haha.) down joo chiat road and as we were getting deeper & deeper into the district, i knew without nad telling me that the vibes we were getting weren't that good.

when we got to the hostel entrance, we were buzzed in & upon opening the door, a flight of stairs welcomed us. our stroller bags considered, this was definitely not a good welcome.

when we got to the second floor where the reception counter was, we were "welcomed" by a member of the hostel crew with a stare, from head to toe, and without a smile, she asked us whether we had a reservation. whoops. did she treat us that way because we were asian, like her, and she felt a kinship with us? (yessss, i am dripping with sarcasm here.)

after we signed their logbook and paid for one night, she gave us our sheets which looked freshly laundered but weren't even folded/ironed.

we then walked to the mixed dorm room, which looked like one of the better dorm rooms in our university belt area. the room looked clean & well-maintained, and i found it a comfort to see women's blouses hanging in one of the bunks. unfortunately, all lower bunks were occupied. nad & i chose the two upper bunks that were together.

i decided to take a shower after settling in. the size of the stall was okay for me, but i wonder how our other european brethren fared. it was a hassle, though, not to have an area where to put your bathing essentials (soap, shampoo, etc.), and double the hassle not to have enough space where to hang your towel, your used clothes, and your fresh clothes. i remember when we trekked to batad terraces in banaue and stayed at the sole inn/hostel there, the bathroom had space for those, even if the v.v.cold weather somehow doesn't make you feel like you really want to take a bath. but i digress...

there was only one toilet in that dorm room, which housed (i think) 9 double-decked beds (transl: maximum 18 occupants). nad had to wait for more than 30 minutes to use the toilet.

as we were rushing to get to golden mile complex, we really did not have a chance to check the other areas of the hostel. i did get to meet other guests, and they were all very nice. at least the guests were nice! (well maybe because they were european, and not asian like us. funny.)

on the way to golden mile, nad & i decided to find lodgings elsewhere. heck, we were willing to pay for a room somewhere else, if it would mean being treated nicely by our kind, and getting to use a bathroom with space for bath knick-knacks, and not having to wait for forever to pee.

we never got to spend even just one night in the hostel. maybe for europeans, betel box is a great place. maybe for others, betel box would work. unfortunately, not for me. and there won't be a next time.

ps. if you're the nigerian i met who was very nice to me, and told me that you consider betel box your home, i'm sorry for this review. but heck, you & those 2 guests (one british, the other indian) i got to talk to are the only reasons why i am giving the hostel a 3-star rating! :)