Travel & Entertainment Archives | Page 67 of 70

Instagram-Worthy Hostels In Singapore With Services Under S$28

First, a hostel is a place where a guest can rent a bed while sharing the facilities such as the bathroom, lounge, and kitchen with other guests. So, if you value social interaction rather than privacy then, a hostel is a better and cheaper option for you. Whether you are a tourist looking for new acquaintances or a group of local friends looking for an awesome place to stay for the night, here are affordable yet aesthetically pleasing hostels that are worth to post on Instagram:

1. RUCKSACK INN (LAVENDER STREET)

Singapore’s most award winning hostel chain since 2009 to present, Rucksack Inn at Lavender Street, boasts its convenience as it is just half an hour away from the major tourist attractions such as Orchard Road, Clarke Quay, Sentosa, and Chinatown. The place exudes a hip, vibrant, and youthful vibe. Their rooms are fully air-conditioned with Free WiFi connection throughout the building. Also, a simple breakfast will be provided at no charge. Rates start at S$22 per night.

Image Credits: www.rucksackinn.com

Location: 280 Lavender Street, Singapore 338800
(Check out more photos or make your booking here: Rucksack Inn, Chinatown, Singapore)

2. BEARY GOOD HOSTEL

A Beary Good Hostel is the good place for a cozy and clean stay. As the name suggests, it is filled with adorable teddy bears. The rooms are painted colorfully in yellow, blue, and green. You and your friends can enjoy appreciating our rich heritage at Chinatown or partying all night with no curfew or extra charges as the hostel’s reception service is open for 24 hours. The rates starting at only S$27 per bed is inclusive of free flow of breakfast, beverage, free local phone calls, WiFi connection, and notebook access. If the weather is not on your side, worry not. You can chill out in the hostel while playing with their board games and console.

Image Credits: www.abearygoodhostel.com

Location: 66A and 66B Pagoda Street, Singapore, 059225
(Check out more photos or make your booking here: A Beary Good Hostel, Chinatown, Singapore)

3. MONI GALLERY HOSTEL

For people who are passionate for art like me then, a pleasant stay at the Moni Gallery Hostel is perfect for you. It is not just a hostel; it is an art gallery showcasing artworks that you can purchase. Also, it includes these amenities: reception, art gallery lobby, alfresco pantry, mixed dorm, female dorm, family room, club room, classic room, bathrooms, and reading corner. Price of a bed starts at S$22 per night.

Image Credits: www.monigalleryhostel.com

Location: 263 Lavender Street, Singapore 338795
(Check out more photos or make your booking here: Moni Gallery Hostel, Kallang, Singapore)

4. 5 FOOTWAY INN

Interestingly, 5 Footway Inn got its name as the place has a five-foot-wide walkway. They pride themselves in offering comfortable, stylish, and top-rated facilities at a friendly price. With its classically beautiful interior, you will surely feel that it is worth every dollar spent. Rates start at S$22 per night.

Image Credits: www.5footwayinn.com

Location: 3 Locations in Singapore, visit here: www.5footwayinn.com
(Check out more photos or make your booking here: 5Footway.inn Project Bugis, Rochor, Singapore)

5. BUNC @ RADIUS HOSTEL

A minimalistic haven filled with monochromatic interior, Bunc @ Radius is suitable for people who seek for serenity and cleanliness. They fuse together the elements of a luxury boutique hotel with the culture of a hostel. Aside from that, they you can enjoy their attraction ticket plus a night accommodation package – hurry as its valid until May 31, 2015 only. Rates start at S$25 per night.

Image Credits: www.bunchostel.com

Locations:
15 Upper Weld Road. Singapore 207372
36 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058670
(Check out more photos or make your booking here: Bunc at Radius Hostel on Clarke Quay, Riverside, Singapore)

Sources: Wikipedia and Travel Fish

[Disclaimer: The prices and information on this article were accurate during the time of writing.]

5 Free Apps For Fuss-Free Traveling

1. SEATGURU

Available on Android and iOS

If you are traveling with the little ones, you can minimize the stress of flying by picking the best seat in the plane through the SeatGuru by TripAdvisor App. This free app allows you to get information on airplane seating advice, aircraft amenities, and airline recommendations. Through the user reviews and photos, you can be equipped with the knowledge of seats that have extra legroom and of the seats where you are likely to be woken up by the staff. What’s more? You can real-time updates on flight status.

Image Credits: SeatGuru via iTunes

2. HOTELQUICKLY

Available on Android and iOS

Ever had spontaneous a trip with your friends that lasted longer than expected? Worry not about your emergency accommodation! HotelQuickly, as the name suggests, allows you to book last-minute discounted hotels within seconds. They bring you exclusive deals on Asia-Pacific’s top-rated hotels located in New Zealand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Laos, and Australia. Keep an eye with their featured accommodation to enjoy discounts up to 70%.

3. XE CURRENCY

Available on Android and iOS

Acclaimed by CNN, LA Times, BBC, and The Travel Channel, XE Currency App serves as one of the best travel companion. It is amazing that this free App allows you to convert every world currency wherever you are even without Internet access. You can even add the currency updates on your notifications center. Craving for more information? Check out their live currency rates and over 30,000 charts.

4. MUSEMENT

Available on Android and iOS

Available in English and Italian language, Musement App allows you to globally explore and book thousands of attractions, tours, museums, and so on. Let’s say you are going to Venice, all you have to do is to select your destination, refine your activities and date search, and instantly buy tickets through their secure payment system. You get the voucher flashed on your screen and the confirmation e-mail afterwards. Still not sold? This portable itinerary manager not only offers exclusive promotions and but also suggests activities on sale.

5. PACK THE BAG

Available on iOS

One of the main issues experienced by travelers is forgetting something important. That will never happen again with Pack The Bag App. This App will help you get ready for the holidays whether it is a day-trip to the beach or a month on Europe. Organize your list with about 650 baggage items in 26 categories. This way, you are given travel ideas for essentials you did not even know you needed.

Image Credits: Pack The Bag via iTunes

How to Save Money on Hotel For Your Next Family Vacation

In the first half of the year, many families make travel plans for December when kids are on school holidays and after a year long of slog – for a short getaway to escape the monotonous life in Singapore.

Factors that come into consideration are whether the place is child-friendly and if there are enough activities for the kids to keep them occupied whilst still enjoying the trip with your partner.

There is one important thing that is often overlooked in the planning: what accommodation to book for the entire family?

As December is a peak season where everyone is travelling, you would expect demands for hotel rooms to go up and prices will follow suit.

A family suite in a hotel is going to stretch your budget – so why not save the money and check out hostels and other affordable accommodations?

What? But does that means less comfort and services?

Well, not really.

Global PR and Content Manager at HotelsCombined, Alycia Simons said in a media release that demands for such affordable family accommodation are increasing and so are hostel options. They can accommodate many people in the same room and are centrally located. What’s even better is you can essentially save more money with free shuttle buses, laundry rooms and self catering kitchens.

Gone are the days when families with young kids were relegated to theme park destinations and buffet restaurants. Holidaying families are growing increasingly adventurous and are interested in an ever-expanding assortment of experiences – nothing is off limits anymore.

According to HotelsCombined, these are the features to look for when booking a family-friendly hostel:

Family rooms (ideally located on a separate floor from other door rooms for noise control)
Ensuite bathrooms
Child-friendly amenities (cots, highchairs, etc.)
Entertainment offerings (video games, board games, a pool, etc)

With a database of over 800,000 properties, the search filters on Money Digest’s Search Engine make it particularly easy to locate family-friendly properties.

Here are some of the world’s top family friendly hostels found using our search engine:

Chungmuro Residence, Seoul, Korea

Chungmuro Residences is located 6-mins away from the subway station, providing easy access to the city’s attractions. The duplex rooms are fitted with sleek wooden flooring, a seating area and even your own laundry machine! Rooms are ensuite and comes with a small kitchen making it a perfect solution for a family’s vacation. It’s even better when they are 10-minute walk from Namsan Korean Hanok Village which features numerous dining options and cultural spots. Heard of Dongdaemun Market and Namdaemun? Yes, Korea’s biggest shopping area are just 5-minute drive away. Great for a family trip.

Family room: Starts from $143 a night.

Lub d Bangkok Silom Hostel

Lub d Bangkok Silom Hostel is a contemporary modern hostel that is just five-minute walk away from Si Lom. Besides free Wi-Fi, other features of the hostels include a 24-hour reception, laundry services and facilities, free luggage storage and a tour desk. Room are decorated in a cozy and spacious layout with chic red furnitures. A breakfast is provided eveyr morning or if you like you can always dine at the cafes and eateries nearby. Bangkok’s MahaNakon is just 10-minute walk away and you should visit the Patpong, Empire Tower and the Bangkok Folk Musuem.

Double room with private bathroom: Starts from $37.71 a night

Febris Hotel And Spa Bali

Febris Hotel And Spa is recommended as one of the best family hotels because of its family-friendly facilities. The rooms are spacious enough for families of any size. With a kids pool and a playground, your kids will love their stay while you enjoy your spa and massage in the outdoor. Each room comes with a refrigerator, flat-screen TV, private balcony and a private bathroom. There is also a bicycle hiring service should you want to take your family out for some leisure and cycling activities.

Superior Double / Twin Room with Panoramic Garden Views: Start from $92.24 a night

Hana Hostels, Japan

Offering four locations across the country – Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka and Tokyo – this Japanese hostel group happily welcomes kids and babies, with games and cartoons available for tots in common areas. Bonus: the properties all score high guest reviews on the HotelsCombined website!

Japanese Style Twin Room (With Private Bathroom) in Osaka: Starts from $82 a night.

Stayokay Hostels, Netherlands

Boasting 26 Dutch properties, this Hostelling International-affiliated group keep kids amused with various sports fields and indoor recreation options. Travelling clans can also take advantage of the hostel chain’s family card, which for a nominal annual fee provides discounts on accommodation, bike rentals and tours.

2 Person Room with Private Bathroom: Starts from $103 a night (with free breakfast!)

Adventure Queenstown Hostel, Queenstown, New Zealand

The great thing about this cost hostel is that it has a maximm capacity of 50 people and isn’t directly surrounded by any late-night venues – so no worries of little ones being kept up at night by rowdy backpackers! The property will also loan out bicycles, DVDs and Frisbees (for the nearby Frisbee golf course)

The Valley House Holiday Hostel, Achill Island, Ireland

Offering an onsite pitch and putt golf course and plenty of nature trails, this friendly hostels is a great place for kids to burn off energy. Did we mention there’s also a picturesque beach just a 10 minute walk away?

A private 6-bed dorm with bathroom starts from $182.04 a night

Habitat HQ, Melbourne, Australia

Situated in Melbourne’s trendy St Kilda neighbourhood, Habitat HQ is a perfect choice for families on a road trip as it offers guests free, secure car parks. It also has the advantage of being the first carbon neutral backpacker hostel in the city.

Double room with private bathroom: Starts from $136.55 a night

Now it makes more sense to travel more often with less money spent on hotels. Do you know that you can essentially save up to 50% of the cost with hostels? Furthermore, why pay top dollars for a luxury hotel if most of the time you are out visiting attractions?

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Planning A Trip To Europe Now

A trip to Europe is a dream destination for many, but let’s be real: you would not be travelling to Europe the same frequency as much you do with Batam and Genting without feeling financially stretched.

Good news – now you can check that off your bucket list and here are 5 reasons why you should travel to Europe in the year 2015:

Weaker Euro

1.49

Many people might not know what this number means, but for traders and FX dealers you would have probably guessed it right.

That’s the exchange rate for how much Singapore dollar you would need to give up in exchange for one Euro dollar.

In other words, it would cost you S$1,490 to exchange for €1,000 at you local money changer. (or a saving of $200

Its dramatic decline marks a new lowest milestone for the first time since 1985. With dismay Eurozone’s prospect, economists are expecting it to drop even further and soon reaches parity with the greenback.

For many of us, Europe is getting cheaper and if you’ve been postponing your European vacation and it is about time you book your air tickets now. (Lucky you – because FX traders won’t be competing with you to book the cheapest air tickets as they are held back to ensure their portfolio does not suffer the same fate when the Swiss National Bank lifted the peg)

Falling Oil Prices

A cheaper Euro is not the only factor that is in your favour.

Oil price has hit rock bottom with a 50% drop in 2014. This would translate to a cheaper airfare as airlines cut fuel surcharges with both Singapore Airlines and SilkAir announcing the cut for tickets issued after Feb 26. This would means travelers can save between $6.80 – $112.90 depending on the distance and class of travel.

Cheaper Accommodation

The best time to travel to Europe is during its low peak and shoulder season from Easter to Mid-June. That’s the Spring period and the crowd are not as bad as during the Summer period. Airlines and hotels know this and they set their price according to the basic of economics of demand and supply.

A check using our hotels search engine shows that hotels in Europe are generally 20 to 30% cheaper if you book during the shoulder season from April to Mid-June.

(Image credit: Victoria Winters, via Flickr)

(Gidleigh Park Spa Suite) – “Complete Indulgence.”

Spring is also the best time to travel due to its cool weather. It’s not too cold or warm that makes you battle with the temperature throughout your entire trip.

Stronger Purchasing Power

With a weaker Euro, it translates to a stronger purchasing power for consumers and this is a huge advantage for travelers.

Now you don’t need to feel the pinch to dine in those classy French and Italian restaurants. You have a good excuse to go heavy on delicacies like foie gras and Parma ham before ending off with a visit to Pierre Herme for macarons.

For shopaholics, you don’t need me to tell you your next move – do you?

With more moolah, you can grab a few more Chanel 2.55 and Hermes Birkin bags.

(Image credit: Wen-Cheng Liu, via Flickr)

..or a Nespresso Coffee Machine. These sleak-looking machines and its capsules cost a bomb in Singapore but way cheaper in London and Europe.

There are many things which you should get and it’s a good time to stock up on those premium chocolates, perfumes, leather shoes and watches.

Wait, did i mention that you can also claim a VAT refund?

Events and Activities

No one enjoy going to a dead city but at the same time you don’t want to go during the busiest period and spend your entire day in the queue. Autumn and Spring pack some of the most exciting events and festivals held in Europe.

For example, Milan is preparing to host the Expo 2015 Milano in May this year with over 145 countries taking part, over a six-month period. Milan will be transformed into vibrant hi-tech city offering free Wifi, brand new parks and trails.

(Image credit: http://www.italiangoodnews.com)

If you prefer historical places and heritage, head over to Rome as they celebrate the birth of Rome on April 21st. Expect a parade by the Romans, Gladiators’ shows and even a Roman banquet in this Roman festival.

(Image credit: http://www.localnomad.com)

Not your type? Look no further to the Queen’s Day (or Koningsdag) in Amsterdam where the entire city of orange liven up in celebration of the Queen’s lineage. There will be plenty of street parties, free flow drinks and even flea markets as you mingle around with the friendly and fun locals. Note: you are expected to don yourself in orange clothings!

(Image credit: blog.travellution.com)

Amsterdam also celebrates the Tulips festival in Keukenhof from 20th March to 17th May in 2015 this year. If you are a flower enthusiasts, don’t miss this Dutch festival located in the small town of Lisse. (I’d personally recommend Hotel de Duif for convenience as you it’s located within walking distance to the festival)

(Image credit: http://www.iaminamsterdam.com)

There are plenty of other festivals and carnivals going on during this period so it pays to do a little research on upcoming events in Europe. Can’t make it this Spring? No problem. Head over there in October where you will see the locals celebrating Oktoberfest in Munich or the Chocolate Festival in Belgium.

(Imge credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)

If you have been postponing your dream vacation to Europe due to budget-constraint, you may want to reconsider as it’s your best opportunity to leverage on the weak Euro. You basically get more bangs for your bucks than if you travel a few years ago.

How Much To Tip When Traveling In These 10 Countries

Tipping is a practice of gratitude and recognition to those who have provided you with excellent service. In Singapore, they automatically have service charges in restaurants but you can still leave about 5% for great service.

Not all countries welcome tipping. In fact, some parts of China and Japan may be offended when you give them tips. Before leaving your hotel, it is important to research on the country’s tipping practices. Here are 10 countries you can start with…

1. AUSTRALIA

Tipping of 10-15% of your bill is appreciated for waiters and waitresses especially those who are serving you from expensive restaurants. It is customary to tip the hotel bellman at least AU$1 per bag.

2. FRANCE

A service charge of 15% is always included in your restaurant or bar tab. So, typing beyond that is not a must. For taxi drivers, you may tip at least 1 Euro and the hotel bellman should get at least 1 Euro per bag.

3. GERMANY

Like France, a service charge is included but, you may leave at least 5-10% of tip for good service. At least 1 Euro should be left for the hotel’s bellman per bag and the hotel’s maid per day.

4. HONG KONG

Tipping is certainly acceptable in Hong Kong. Offer your bellman at least HK$2-3 per bag.

5. ARGENTINA

You may tip at least 10% in restaurants but, do not tip your taxi drivers. Your bellman should get at least 2 Pesos per bag.

6. SOUTH AFRICA

Tip at least 10% in restaurants and taxis for gratitude. Group tours should receive at least R 10/tour guide while private tours should receive R 50/guide for half-day tours and R 100/guide for whole day tours. Hotel maids should get R 50 per day while the hotel bellman should get about R 5 per bag.

7. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Consider at least 10% of tip for restaurants. Your bellman should get at least 5 Dirhams per bag.

8. UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND MEXICO

It is common to tip the person who assisted you with your baggage in the airport or the hotel with at least US$1 per bag. Bellman should receive about US$1 per bag too. And, the hotel maid should be tipped at least US$2-5 per day.

Image Credits: Tax Credits via Flickr

Since some hospitality workers are paid less, they will truly appreciate a tip. Tipping per day will not only be a gesture of gratitude but it will help you to receive continued shower of good service.

Source: Fodors

Weaker Euro

1.49

Falling Oil Prices

Cheaper Accommodation

Stronger Purchasing Power

Events and Activities

Search the site