Luxury items are typically symbols of status and wealth. When we see one walking down the street with, say, a Chanel Classic bag, onlookers would definitely label her with words like ‘classy’, ‘stylish’, ‘rich’ and the like. Such bags have a wide range of prices depending on the novelty of the brand, how famous the designers are, as well as the material cost that has gone into the product. Every brand boasts quality in their products, justifying the prices and stature. This goes the same for all luxury goods.
(Image credit: kagen33, via Flickr)
So what exactly are luxury goods? To start it simply, luxury goods are simply, well, just goods! They are considered non-essential items where demand for them usually increase when income is high. Why is that so? Because they are items that we do not need, yet want and would be able to afford when our income reaches a certain level. They serve about similar (okay, to be fair, maybe a little more?) functions as many other product listed in the market. Such examples would include luxury bags like those from Louis Vuitton, sports cars and Rolex watches when there are many other cheaper alternatives that one may choose to own. Luxury companies romanticise their products in order to remain appealing to potential consumers, having the idea of prestige sprayed all over their items in television advertisements and billboards.
As the phrase goes, ‘what you pay is what you get’, but is every single cent worth the item you have paid for?
(Image credit: Ed Yourdon, via Flickr)
Many people would be able to more or less recognise the boutique prices of the luxury items when they see them. Because of that, such items tend to make heads turn due to various reasons including envy, awe or even admiration. This is probably one of the main reasons why people would be willing to spend on such a costly item without regard of whether their purchase is worth the money or not. On the down side, replicas are rampant in the market due to people wanting to spend less to look equally good. Not many are able to differentiate between the two most of the time because of how similar (or even accurate) the imitations look. With that, it sure makes me wonder if it is really all that worth the money to buy something when people cannot recognise if the item is truly the real deal.
Psychologists have proven that the mind tricks us to believe that the item that costs more is indeed the one of better quality. When conducting a research, most subjects nominated the bottle labelled ‘mineral water’ as the best tasting water compared to the other 2 bottles they have tasted. However, it has been revealed that the labels on the bottles have been replaced to trick the subjects to believing that the mineral water was, well, truly mineral water. The ‘mineral water’ they have nominated was actually regular tap water, contrary to what they have been made to believe. This can only prove that just giving people an impression can actually cause a huge impact in their choices and actions, likewise to choosing a luxury item over the alternative.
Well, ultimately whether you would prefer to spend a large sum of money or prefer to purchase a cheaper option, the choice is yours. Some would think it as a psychological impact when they carry a bag that makes them look good, some would prioritise practicality. Most importantly, choose what makes you and your wallet happy!
They say that a quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If you desire to impress your loved one without breaking the bank then brace yourself as I lay out the 3 Delicious Valentine’s Day Dining Places in Singapore That Are Under S$50…
Who would have thought that affordable yet scrumptious French cuisine exists in Singapore? Young chefs named Joshua and Dylan paved way for casual dining that serves renowned French dishes at reasonable prices.
Your special someone would definitely enjoy the simple ambiance and the taste of food that is raved all over the social media. One yelp.com user even wrote on that it was “90% as good as the dish served in Paris”.
Image Credits: saveur.sg
Delicately handmade “Duck Confit” and “Seafood Pasta with Tiger Prawn and Lumpfish Caviar” are crowd pleasers. Their main courses start from S$10 while their desserts are S$7 and up. Generally, the menu’s maximum price is S$30. Saveur has various locations around the country namely in: Ion Orchard, Far East Plaza, and Purvis Street.
If your partner is looking to try something different then feast your way to Haji Lane where Piedra Negra Restaurant is located. Piedra Negra is a Mexican restaurant with “hippy” vibe, cultural ensembles, and colorful graffiti walls. Much like Saveur, the menu generally is S$30 and under.
The restaurant takes up two units and specializes on Latin American cuisine. If you are an expat looking forward for a taste of home then try their amazing handmade Guacamole that is certified fresh.
Named after the late Queen of France, Antoinette boasts its interior beauty that is known for its Parisian style tea and pastries. Antoinette’s selection of lavish treated and handmade dishes will be perfect for celebrating your perfect date. It is established by the Sugar Daddy Group.
Image Credits: antoinette.com.sg
Take your girl friends on a Valentine’s day lunch for high tea and ladies’ luncheons that you all can enjoy. Food generally ranges from S$5 to S$30. Honorary dishes include the “Beef Bourguignon” and the “Gnocci Carbonara”. If you are a dessert lover then I suggest for you to try the “Antoinette”, a sinful serving of Earl Grey ice cream, raspberry jelly, and milk chocolate shards.
As January draws nearer to a close, this marks the beginning of a new season – the season of love!
For the less imaginative soul, February may just be yet another arduous month to get through. But for the romantics out there, February bears so much promise of new beginnings, whimsicalities, and yes, you guessed it – Valentine’s Day!
Indeed, staycations are the latest trend in town for couples. In fact, they’re so commonplace these days that every month or so you might spot a few acquaintances posting up some envy-worthy pictures of themselves lounging on lush sheets or staring out of a balcony on their staycation. Some hotels have even caught on the wave and are peddling out exclusive staycation deals for couples in a bid to draw the attention of staycation hopefuls.
The popularity of staycations in Singapore has been spreading like wildfire, and it is truly little wonder why. After all, they’re a perfect alternative to your regular boring dinner date, and they’re suitable for all couples alike! Well, why not try out something different for Valentine’s Day this year? Consider a Valentine’s Day staycation instead!
If you’re a fresh couple who’s still finding your way around your relationship, a Valentine’s Day staycation would be the perfect solution to cement your relationship and stir up new feelings of romance and intimacy. Staycations are perfectly suitable for seasoned couples as well. For seasoned couples who are undeniably well accustomed to the regular Valentine dates, a staycation would truly provide a refreshing edge of spice to your romance as well!
That being said, in land scarce Singapore, accommodation may prove a little too extravagant for some to afford. This is especially the case for some of our top hotels, which can easily cost up to $500 or more a night on peak days. (The more Instagram-worthy, the higher the price ha!)
Not to fear! A fantastic staycation is not merely one that requires you to spend big bucks on it. In fact, a small cosy hotel can add just the right romantic fizz to the air as well. After all, it’s not the price that matters, but the company that counts, right? Plus, wouldn’t that extra money saved come in handy for that proposal ring or wedding reception?
Here are 5 affordable hotels, where you can have a romantic staycation on Valentine’s Day without bursting your budget!
Some hotels listed below are fast running out of rooms for Valentine’s Day – so book early to avoid undue disappointment.
Loft hotel rooms are all the rage these days, and I say this with utmost assurance – there is truly nothing quite as romantic as spending Valentine’s Day with your loved one in a loft at Studio M!
If your partner and yourself have an exclusive eye for the simple and minimalist, then Studio M is certainly your go-to hotel for Valentine’s Day. Boasting of a unique loft concept, Studio M is indeed ideal for the lazy couple whose idea of a perfect date is simply some quality time together lounging around. No fancy frills or fuss needed – just a comfortable, clean bed, some drinks, and a lover by your side.
For an additional romantic touch, arrive at your room at least 15 minutes before your partner, and scatter some rose petals on the lush white expanse of the bed to create an instant mood of sheer romance. Pop a glass of wine (or hey, if budget romance works out especially well for you, some tangy but tasty Taiwan beer will also do the trick), and you’re all set for a great Valentine’s night out! Plus, Studio M is conveniently located a mere 10 minutes’ walk away from Clarke Quay. If you’re up for a midnight drink fest, surely you know where to go.
(Source: Agoda) Studio M’s loft rooms are priced from an affordable $195 per night (additional charges may apply). Indeed, for close to $200, you’ll be able to enjoy some cherished romantic quality time with your partner. After all, nobody ever said that romance and affordability are mutually exclusive!
2. BIG Hotel
(Image credit: bighotel.com)
Contrary to its name, BIG Hotel actually isn’t really all that big (truly, the name of the hotel in itself is quite the pun huh). Instead, it boasts of an eclectic collection of cozy small rooms, each wondrously designed with a minimalistic touch. For the Valentine’s Day couple, BIG Hotel is truly a perfect alternative to boring dinner dates. Each room in BIG Hotel is well equipped with Wi-Fi and Movies on Demand – yes, free movies!
If you’re both massive fans of action, fanfare and blockbusters, and your regular date typically comprises of a movie at a cinema, you will surely find BIG Hotel a refreshing take to the overused Valentine date routine. After all, why seek out uncomfortable and scratchy plush seats at the cinema when you can cuddle and lounge in the comfort of your own private room, right?
Since it’s Valentine’s Day, why not add a dash of romance to the mix? Bring your own box of popcorn to the hotel. Or perhaps, if you feel tempted to splurge a little, I’d certainly recommend indulging in some quality caramel popcorn by Garrett’s. Get a bar of dark chocolate or two, and break it into smaller chunks and mix them in with the popcorn. This additional touch of subtly bitter chocolate mixed with your sweet caramel will certainly suffice to spice up the romantic mood! After all, chocolate is the food of love! And what better to spur on the romance, than some natural aphrodisiac in the form of cocoa?
A night at BIG Hotel will set you back from $169 onwards. (Source: HotelsCombined) A small price to pay indeed, for a night of treasured memories!
One of the most popular staycation destinations in Singapore, the Wanderlust Hotel certainly speaks for itself. With its unique room designs and features, each room takes you away into an entirely different setting, and a night well spent will certainly feel like out of this world!
Choose from a range of three types of rooms – the pantone rooms, mono rooms, or whimsical lofts (as pictured respectively).
The cheapest option would be the pantone rooms, where each room is affixed with vibrant loud colours of theme. Opt for the sassy red pantone room for a touch of va-va-voom to your Valentine’s Day. While relatively small in size, the loud colours and quirky design make up for any shortfall in spaciousness. The coloured settings and dim lights will certainly set your heart a-fluttering, and your blood pumping with adrenaline!
If your partner and yourself have a taste for the minimalist and monochrome, opt for one of Wanderlust Hotel’s mono rooms instead.
Or perhaps, if you’re in it for the splurge, take the plunge and make a booking for a whimsical loft room exclusively designed and decorated to complement the unique themes of ‘Typewriter’, ‘Bling’, ‘Tree’, and ‘Space’. Indeed, Wanderlust Hotel is famed for its thematic loft rooms, and there’s no better option for a staycation for the adventurous young couple!
Prices begin from $179 for pantone rooms, and $215 for their mono rooms. Whimsical loft rooms are sold out for Valentine’s Day, but costs from $277 for each night on regular off-peak days (Source: HotelsCombined).
4. Lloyd’s Inn
(Image credit: tripadvisor.com)
(Image credit: designboom.com)
Despite being relatively new to the hotel scene in Singapore, Lloyd’s Inn has gained quite the cult following for itself as a staycation destination. A look at the breath taking photos of the boutique hotel will certainly leave you with a knowing edge as to why this hotel has gained such a reputation for itself indeed.
Lloyd’s Inn features an array of minimalistic rooms that are sleek and clean in design. For the quiet couple who seeks little grandeur and magnificence, the simplistic design of Lloyd’s Inn will certainly draw you in. Why spend your Valentine’s Day in the throes of the town crowd, when you can have an amazing night’s stay at a tranquil hotel located in a peaceful precinct of Orchard itself?
Despite being located in Orchard, Lloyd’s Inn offers an aesthetic reminiscent of villas and summer resort, and provides a great option for a quick getaway from the hectic city life in Singapore. In fact, with its inviting displays of nature, it certainly is difficult to guess that this out-of-the-world hotel is located in the very bosom of Singapore’s town, isn’t it?
Indeed, Lloyd’s Inn is perfect for a Valentine’s Day staycation. Lounge in the relaxing expanse of the white-themed room that the hotel has to offer, and if you seek a breath of fresh air, you can take a brisk stroll in the surprisingly quiet district, hand clasped in hand, feet paced in a soothing rhythm, while making casual lilting chat about everything and anything under the sun.
Prices at Lloyd’s Inn begin from $158 for each night (Source: HotelsCombined). Act fast though; rooms are running out fast! (Fully booked on 14 Feb – as at 27/1/15)
5. Adonis Hotel
(Image credit: booking.com)
(Image credit: sg.hotels.com)
Restored and refurnished in one of Singapore’s original shop houses, Adonis Hotel provides an original twist to your usual hotel stay. It features an elegant design that is reminiscent of an eclectic fusion between its old school shop house days, and modern sophistication and class.
If your partner and yourself are culture freaks, then Adonis Hotel will certainly make a perfect stay for you! Located along Purvis Street, you can both take a leisurely stroll along the street while admiring some of Singapore’s unique colonial days architecture that have been painstakingly restored and maintained. There is truly something about a stay in a quaint little boutique hotel amidst such historical buildings and sites that appeals to the romantic bone in everyone indeed!
Plus, a brief 10-minutes walk will take you to the Mint Museum of Toys, where your partner and yourself can re-examine your childhood amidst the toys of old!
Settle for a quiet romantic dinner after your explorations at one of the dinner joints or independent restaurants located along or near Purvis Street. Bring a bottle of red wine along if you so wish to, to complete the delightful mood of honeyed romance. After all, wine goes best with something sweet, and what sweeter a side dish than your very own brand of love?
Adonis Hotel has rooms available from $205.97! (Source: HotelsCombined). If your partner and yourself are big on indie explorations and refinding Singapore, a stay at Adonis Hotel is certainly perfect for your Valentine’s Day!
* Updated on 27/1/15 to reflect availability of rooms, prices to include GST and service charge and links
Travelling surely is one of our biggest pleasures in life. Seeing new exotic places, tasting delicious food and meeting other cultures are truly important and enriching experiences in one’s life. No matter what style of style or accommodation one chooses – it is a wonderful feeling when one’s travel dreams become actual plans and will be fulfilled.
In order not to experience big disappointments and financial disasters, it is advisable to do extensive research before the booking. Seeing your travel dreams come true, one wouldn’t want organisational issues to come in between. Getting these out of the way will not only save your trip, but also will save you some money with cheap hotels booking.
Unplanned Trip
(Image credit: Shena Tschofen, via Flickr)
There are travellers who believe that an unplanned trip is the very best, as it is the only ‘proper’ way to experience a different culture or place. 99% of the time this is not true, as this ‘proper experience’ will most likely turn into a nightmarish hunt for hotels and will cost you extra money and won’t give you what you were looking for. Therefore, booking your hotel in advance is the foundation of a pleasurable holiday. Furthermore, this can save you some extra cash that you can use to even further enrich your travel.
Use hotels comparison site
There are different ways to research for your holiday. While tour operators and holiday booking agencies are a start, they don’t really offer you the cheapest prices. They usually add fees to the prices and therefore make it more expensive. However, they can help to get you a first indication. Finding the best deals for cheap hotels booking, one should use a hotel comparison site, such as http://hotels.moneydigest.sg. Once the destination of the travel is clear, one can start comparing hotels. Using the site above, one simply needs to select the travel days and number of guests. Use different tools to choose your price range in order to narrow down the hotel offers from you destination of choice.
Compare across thousands of travel sites for cheap hotels booking
Using a hotel comparison site will provide you with the possibility to book immediately via different travel operators. Instead of visiting Booking.com, Expedia and others, you better use this convenient one-stop platform, as you have the immediate overview over all available rooms within your selection for cheap hotels booking. In order to further save when booking a hotel room, one should be flexible with the travel dates. Sometimes a few days earlier or later can make a whole lot of a difference. Obviously it is also cheaper, if you choose to travel in the off-season. Hotels usually offer price reductions during that time. Therefore, it is highly recommended to try a few different date combinations for your travel on the hotel comparison site and opt for the best deal.
Another useful tip for saving money on hotels is to know your budget and travel plans at your destination. If you are planning on a relaxing wellness kind of holiday, you are most likely going to spend the majority of your time within the hotel premises and in their facilities. In that case it is well worth to go for a better hotel and spend perhaps a few dollars more. However, if you are for example venturing to explore a new city, then you probably will be out of the hotel for most of the time. In that case it really isn’t necessary to select a fancy hotel with various amenities, as won’t end up using them. Therefore, consider these facts when searching for a hotel with the comparison site.
Filters to suit your needs
The filters on our hotels search engine, will give you all the options you need to make an informed choice for cheap hotels booking. Furthermore, it has one of the best selections for destinations around Asia as well as the rest of the world. No matter whether you are looking for a hotel in Bangkok or in Berlin – this site got a solution for you.
Don’t spend unnecessary money on hotels, but use it to fulfil your travel dreams.
There are 2 reasons why all of us would be looking forward to Chinese New Year in 2015. Not only because there would be a long weekend for us to take a break from the flurry of work or school, it is also the time for us to indulge in all the festive goodies that are usually only rampant during this time of the year!
On the other hand, some would be groaning at the vast amount of work needed to prepare for the festival, such as the preparation of red packets and being laden with the overwhelming responsibility of whipping up a sumptuous meal for the entire family for the occasion. Not only do you need to feel the pinch of giving money away to the young and old, you are also expected to spend a lot of money on buying exorbitantly priced ingredients to prepare the meal. Besides having to buy ingredients in large amounts since the extended family would be present for the reunion, prices of the ingredients would have risen sky high due to the rise in demand and low in supply during this point of time.
Many dread the process, but we help you make it a little more enjoyable!
Woodlands Industrial Park
(Image credit: ST)
Many have raved about it, but just how many people really know about its hidden gems? Mainly well-known for their good bargains for food and goodies, many flock there during festive period to stock up.
Despite being an industrial area, there have been tours to Woodlands Industrial Park organised by community centres and other organisations to bring people to the popular outlets for grocery shopping. Honestly, I would admit that it is very much more convenient to travel there if you have a car as it is quite inaccessible where you can only get there via bus. But if you must, there is always bus service 964 from Admiralty MRT Station which can bring you there!
Personally, I have been patronising several distributors found there for my goodies fix such as J&C Fong’s Confectionary (they have excellent pineapple tarts and butter cakes) and Melvado’s with my family since young as my family love the good food and attractive bargains that can only be found there. Apart from the big companies like Frangrance, we can also find smaller suppliers opening booths at their stores selling items such as nian gao (traditional rice cakes) or even steamboat ingredients just for the occasion at a much lower price as compared to NTUC and the like. Customers can grab their groceries at wholesale prices and if you’re re to make a quick calculation, you actually would save a lot more from all the purchases you have made there.
Chinatown on Chinese New Year’s eve
(Image credit: bestofsingapore.sg)
Visiting Chinatown during the Chinese New Year period is mandatory, not just because one would go there to soak up the festive atmosphere, but also because that is a place to buy CNY goodies at crazily low prices. If you are one who don’t mind squeezing in the massive crowd, going to Chinatown on dates closer to the Lunar New Year would be one of the best times because that is when vendors start slashing the prices of their stocks, especially perishables like the Taiwanese Sausages, sweets and pineapple tarts in a desperate bid to get rid of them.
Johor Bahru
(Image credit: elgenahearts.blogspot.com)
If you are able to grab hold of your passport, go take a bus from Woodlands checkpoint to JB to do some shopping! Right outside the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex (if you are lost, I am talking about the Malaysian customs) are 2 large shopping malls just side by side, linked by a connecting bridge – City Square Mall and Komtar JBCC – where you can shop til you drop. Within City Square itself, there are various hair salons, nail parlours, massage parlours and boutiques to prepare for the occasion! Komtar JBCC has many sports outlets and beauty stores as well. Not to mention the number of restaurants and cafes in both malls that you can visit to rest your aching body from all the shopping. Definitely you would be able to find many things that you need for CNY!
Apart from these places, there are other means to purchase necessities such as going online to shop for clothes etc. because there is no change in the price. But always remember that the best way to avoid hassle is to start early!
