Hello everyone – welcome back to another of my reviews. In today’s article, I’ll be reviewing my stay at Ji Hotel Orchard.
Ji Hotel is known for its minimalist oriental decor, which appeals to my personal taste. Coupled with an affordable price point, I decided to book a stay to check it out. Let’s see how my stay went!
Ji Hotel Orchard – Video Review
For those interested in seeing some hands-on footage of my stay, do check out my Youtube review of Ji Hotel below:
Ji Hotel Orchard – the Brand
Opened in 2019 shortly before the pandemic, Ji Hotel used to be under the Ascott brand, though I believe that’s no longer the case as the hotel isn’t under Ascott Star Rewards. With just 89 rooms, the 3-star hotel is a relatively small establishment, though it does have a restaurant on its premises.
Ji Hotel has only two room categories, the Superior and Deluxe rooms. The lead-in Superior rooms can generally be found for under $100 (including taxes and fees). I took advantage of some of the coupon codes Traveloka was running during CNY and managed to get it down to a rate that was a no-brainer.
Ji Hotel Orchard – Check-in
Ji Hotel is located on the outskirts of Orchard, a mere 5-minute walk away from Dhoby Ghaut MRT.
The lobby isn’t the biggest, but it has a modern aesthetic (sans CNY decor) and sufficient sitting space for guests. With two check-in counters, I didn’t have to wait long, and was issued my room within minutes.
Despite only having 89 rooms, the hotel also has two lifts so you won’t have to carry heavy luggage up the stairs.
I was issued room 8710, which I discovered was on the 6th floor, instead of the 8th or the 7th. The numbering system was a tad confusing, but I got used to it after a while.
Unlike most of its sub-$100 counterparts, the corridors of Ji Hotel looks premium, a far cry from the narrow, dim hallways of most budget hotels.
Ji Hotel Orchard – Superior Room
The Muji-esque wooden aesthetic of the corridor extended to the decor of the Superior Room.
First impressions were definitely better than expected. The Superior room felt more spacious than the 14sqm on paper, while the earth tones of the wooden accents gave the room a homely feel. It reminded me of the Studio Premier room of Wanderlust, though smaller.
Due to the small size of the room, some compromises are to be expected. There’s no wardrobe beside the door. Instead, there’s a small clothing rack (with some hangers provided), an umbrella, and a small area to put your bags/luggage. It’s a good space-saving layout, one that takes advantage of the room’s smaller size without negatively impacting the guest experience.
A pair of in-room slippers can be found neatly stored away in a wooden box. It’s a nice inclusion, given how some hotels twice the price (such as the abovementioned Wanderlust) don’t provide them.
The Superior Room employs the “mirror outside bathroom” concept, a common feature in cheaper hotel rooms that don’t have a full-fledged bathroom. However, I actually like its execution here. For one, the mirror is large, giving the sink area a sense of spaciousness. It’s also backlit, making it great for mirror selfies.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the sink fixtures are from luxury European label Bravat – definitely did not expect that for a sub-$100 hotel room.
Toiletries are individually packaged and neatly provided in wooden boxes, with a hairdryer available for use as well.
The main bedroom is cosy, but laid out in a manner that gives guests everything they need, and nothing that they don’t. There’s even a couch and a side table in the room – luxuries for a room of this price point and size.
The Superior Room is equipped with a Queen bed. Sheets were clean, the four pillows provided were plumb, and the mattress was comfy but firm enough for good support. I found the bed to be pretty good – better than most at the same price point – and had a comfortable rest.
However, there’s only one power port by the bed, so you might have to fight with your fellow guest on who gets to use it. There is an attached flashlight though – great for reading a book a night if your partner has already turned in.
A bevvy of equipment can be found on the side table, including an electric kettle, a pair of bottled water and cups, a tissue box (with a wooden top to keep in theme), an analogue phone in case you need to call reception, and the TV remote.
A mini-fridge is also available. It’s clean, modern, and spacious enough to fit a bottle of wine with enough space left over for some desserts.
Interestingly, the room comes with a tea set, which accentuates its oriental Chinese/Japanese vibes. It’s definitely a nice touch that further separates it from the generic rooms of most sub-$100 hotels.
Still, expectations have to be managed – one simply gets a couple of mentos sweets and normal Dilmah tea sachets. But it’s the thought that counts, and bells and whistles are always appreciated, even if they aren’t anything special.
There are no floor-to-ceiling windows (this isn’t Lloyd’s Inn), but the window is large enough to allow ample light in for the room not to feel claustrophobic (unlike say, the Deluxe Room of Harbour Ville Hotel Hamilton). The immediate view from my room was of YWCA Fort Canning, which isn’t the most picturesque but still acceptable.
The highlight of the room has to be the 65-inch Samsung Smart TV, which was simply awesome to use.
The picture quality is stellar, and I had no issues connecting my devices to stream some Netflix/Youtube. Watching Eternals on the big screen was a great experience – the TV in Ji Hotel is easily one of the best I’ve experienced at this price point.
The room even features a piece of artwork that jazzes it up and gives it a touch of sophistication. In addition, aircon controls are controlled via a smart panel, which reflects the modern nature of the room.
The bathroom is fenced off via translucent panels, and separated into two distinct toilet and shower areas. It’s feels fitting given the contemporary nature of the room, though privacy can be an issue if you’re not that close to the person you’re staying with.
The wooden tiling and walls of the bathroom continue the decor of the main bedroom, giving it a sense of consistency. Everything was sleek and clean, though the toilet is a traditional one. Given the newness of the room – the hotel only opened in 2019 – I would have liked to see a more modern concealed cistern toilet. There’s also no bidet, which was disappointing.
Couples would be happy to know that the shower area of the room is spacious enough for two. Like the sink, fixtures are from European label Bravat. The result is a great showering experience – there’s a rain shower in addition to the handheld showerhead – where the temperature was stable and water pressure was strong.
The toiletries aren’t the usual generic Ecogenesis kind either. Instead, Ji Hotel provides Geranium scented essential oil shampoo and body wash, which definitely were more pleasant to use. It comes in big bottle pumps too, so you can really use them to your heart’s content.
Ji Hotel Orchard – Amenities
Although a small hotel, Ji Hotel actually features a few amenities on its premises.
Everything is in a room which is the gym/laundromat/pantry all rolled into one. There’s a treadmill, a stationary machine, a pair of washing machines and dryers, a microwave, a vending machine for drinks, and even an iron and ironing board stored away. Again, it’s everything that a guest might need, and nothing that they don’t.
Conclusion – so Ji Hotel Orchard “shiok” or not?
Definitely so. In fact, I would say that Ji Hotel is the best hotel under $100 that I’ve been to thus far. The room was clean as a whistle, the minimalist Muji-like decor looked sleek and modern, and there were even several luxury touches such as Bravat fixtures, essential oil toiletries, and a 65-inch Samsung Smart TV. The location – 5 minutes from Dhoby Ghaut MRT – is great too, with plenty of food options nearby at both Plaza Singapura and UBS building. I can see myself doing a long-term stay at Ji Hotel without any issues. The room isn’t the biggest, but smart utilisation of the space it has results in a cosy but not cramped experience. I will definitely be back.
Those interested in booking a stay can do so on the Traveloka app. Traveloka constantly has some sort of ongoing promotions, with prices so ridiculously low that I’ve personally booked about 90% of my staycations on Traveloka. Just for my readers, you guys can use the promo code “WAHTVLKSRV” (if you’re using SRV) and “WAHTVLK” (non-SRV) for 10% off any hotels bookings (up to $30 off, with a minimum spending of $100) for new users and $5 off any hotels bookings (with a minimum spending of $50) for existing users. The codes are valid till the end of 2022. Here’s a pro tip: keep a lookout for Traveloka’s Weekend Flash Sales which occurs every Friday to Sunday for the lowest prices! However, this post is not sponsored – I paid my own dime to book and review my staycations.
Ji Hotel location: 11 Penang Ln, Singapore 238485
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.S.S.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
