We were so excited to be heading back to Singapore – the country which I think may be the best destination in the world to travel with kids. And part of this excitement was because we were heading back to the hotel that we first visited as a family on our trip in 2013 – the Village Hotel Bugis.
It’s always nice to go somewhere familiar. We knew that we were going to be in one of the most convenient spots in Singapore – on two train lines close to all downtown attractions, in the old Malay area of Kampong Glam and super close to Little India. We also knew that Village Hotel Bugis Singapore had been very welcoming to us as a family – they even chased us down the street when we left to give our kids some toys!
We hoped nothing had changed and we were glad to find it hadn’t. In fact, our stay was even more comfortable this time when we received a free upgrade to a family room on check in. Have to love that!
Contents
Village Hotel Bugis review
Location, location, location
The first thing we noticed about this hotel (yet again) was how convenient the location is.
Kampong Glam is a great area to explore – this is a street right behind the hotel
We had planned to get a train to the hotel on arrival at the airport (it’s on the right train line), but I was feeling pregnant and blah so we caught a taxi instead. Great decision! It was super fast here and we had change from $20.
In the base of the hotel is a shopping centre and it’s a block away from MRT Bugis where there are also big shopping centres and cinemas. We were able to eat and stock up on supplies very easily. Most places we wanted to go were on a train line that went through here so it made everything very easy. Places like Gardens by the Bay are only two stops away.
The great view from our room (the glass is tinted so excuse the slight tinge to everything)
The Bugis Village Hotel itself is located in Kampong Glam which is the old Malay area of Singapore. It’s a beautiful area and the view from our hotel room showed me what I love most about it – it’s all low rise and colourful and we had a great view of Singapore’s largest mosque, Sultan Mosque. It’s fun just to stroll around and we found it quite a happening area when we went out for dinner.
Read more about visiting Kampong Glam here.
Hotel facilities
Swimming pool area at Village Hotel Bugis
The Village Hotel Bugis in Singapore has all the facilities you’d want from a city hotel – multiple restaurants, a great swimming pool area (complete with poolside bar and restaurant) and a gym. We loved the presentation of the swimming pool area – it feel like a little oasis to escape the city. If it wasn’t for pregnancy, I definitely would have been having some cocktails by that!
There was also a facility I was super happy to find at this hotel and I wish was more common in hotels in this part of the world. Can you guess what?!
Laundry room
A laundry room!
If you’ve travelled much with kids then I am sure you will understand why I was so excited! Honestly finding places to do our laundry is one of the worst parts of being a travelling family. We talk about it and plan how and where to fit it in on a daily basis so this was a big win. It wasn’t cheap ($10 for either wash or dry) but it sure beats the per item price charge of laundry at most hotels (and you can still pay for this if that’s what you want).
Our room
Our family room
We stayed in a family room which suited the four of us well – we had a big king bed and a single bed, a comfortable chair, desk, shelving, bar fridge and cupboard space. There was also a mat and enough room for the kids to play in front of the cable TV and great wifi for us.
The room was compact but well laid out. It was light and airy and we especially appreciated the great views to Kampong Glam and beyond (see photo above). It also had great curtains and the kids slept in for the first time in a long time which I especially appreciated.
Our family room
What I also liked was how there was three of everything – three gowns, slippers, water, etc. We keep getting rooms with only one gown and it was nice to not have to fight S for it for a change! I have also been surprised over our travels how few hotels do give the same number of towels, water, etc for the room as the number of people the room is intended for. We usually only get two of everything and it was a nice change to get extras.
Updated April 2016:
One of the new Cars themed rooms at Village Hotel Bugis
The Village Hotel Bugis now has some amazing kid themed rooms with themes such as Cars and Princess Sofia. In addition to the theming, the rooms contain a sofa bed, kid bathroom amenities, colouring book and kid television channels. There’s also the option of a baby bathtub and cot for children under 2.
Our verdict
We had a great stay here and all four of us were happy.
Singapore is not an easy city to find accommodation for a family unless you have a very fat wallet. Village Hotel Bugis offers a very comfortable option which works well for kids in a great location without bankrupting you in the process! We found it very good value.
We enjoyed the views, the great beds, the facilities, breakfast, the local area, everything really. I am also happy to report that the problems I had with the lift last time (if you haven’t read my last review, I found the doors sometimes shut so quickly we didn’t have time to get in!) were no longer an issue!!
If I have to pick on something, it’s that we went to breakfast late one morning near finishing time and some of the food options were finished. Otherwise, our stay was super smooth and we had a fabulous vacation at the Village Hotel Bugis.
You can find more information on the Village Hotel Bugis on their website or click here for the latest prices. You can read more about visiting Singapore in our complete guide to Singapore with kids.
Disclaimer: Our stay at Village Hotel Bugis was subsidised in return for writing an honest review on our site. As always, our opinions are our own – and we were in no way affiliated with this hotel when we paid for our previous stay here.
Tags: Accommodation Singapore Travel Blog
