Hello everyone! In today’s article, I’ll be reviewing my stay at five/6 Hotel Splendour.
After reviewing a bunch of budget (<$100) hotels, I’ve received positive feedback from readers, who stated that they were interested in reading more reviews of affordable hotels that aren’t heavily featured online. I tend to agree – I think there’s a number of hidden gems in the sub-$100 category. With that in mind, I decided to book a stay at Five/6 Hotel Splendour, a 4-star establishment in Geylang where rooms start from a mere $75.
Five/6 Hotel Splendour – Video Review
For those interested in some hands-on footage of my stay at five/6 Hotel Splendour, do watch my Youtube review of the hotel below:
Five/6 Hotel Splendour – the Brand
Five/6 Hotel Splendour opened its doors fairly recently in 2017, making it one of the newest hotels in Geylang. With a grand total of just 72 rooms, it’s a relatively small establishment, though nestled within a fairly large building.
To combat the seedy image Geylang hotels usually have, the external facade of five/6 Hotel Splendour is painted in different shades of pastel colours – almost as if a child has done the designing. In any case, it’s unmistakable, so you don’t have to worry about missing the hotel by accident, unlike the case of Champion Hotel.
Five/6 Hotel Splendour generally has three categories of rooms – Superior, Deluxe, and Family. The entry-level Superior rooms (18 sqm) starts from $75 and feature a Queen bed, the Deluxe rooms (25 sqm) start from $88 and has a King bed, while the Family rooms generally feature twin beds for 3-4 guests. Given that the Deluxe room cost only $13 more than the lead-in Superior rooms despite being substantially more spacious and having a bigger bed, it was the no-brainer option.
Five/6 Hotel Splendour – Check-in
For those coming by public transport, the closest MRT to the hotel is Kallang MRT. However, it’s still a 900m (10-15 minutes) walk away, so be prepared for a short trek.
As I checked in on a weekday, there was little to no queue at the counter and I was assigned a room within minutes. However, the receptionist was strict about collecting a $100 cash deposit, even sending me to a nearby 7/11 where one could supposedly withdraw cash. When I came back empty-handed (the 7/11 staff said it didn’t have enough cash on hand – I guess business was slow that day), the staff then requested a $10 deposit instead, stating that it was hotel policy to keep a monetary deposit, no matter how small (or absurd).
The hotel also has a decent-sized lobby, with computer terminals, printing and fax services available. With marbled floors and twin lifts, the hotel lobby gave off a slight touch of opulence, setting itself apart from the more budget hotels (e.g Hotel 81) in the area.
I was assigned a room on the 6th floor. Upon exiting the lift, I was surprised by the all-white decor of the corridor. Once again, it seems like five/6 Hotel Splendour is trying its best to differentiate itself from similar budget hotels in the area, most of whom have dimly lit, motel-like corridors.
Five/6 Hotel Splendour – Deluxe King Room
In direct juxtaposition to the pearly white corridor, the decor of the Deluxe King room reflected the colourful, playful exterior of the hotel.
At 25 sqm, the Deluxe King room is one of the largest rooms at the sub-$100 price point, save the Deluxe room of Hotel Royal. First impressions of the room were great – it felt bright and airy, was relatively spacious, and there were no conspicuous cleanliness lapses or visible stains.
On the right of the entrance was a small workstation. There’s no Herman Miller office chair – instead one gets a pastel green armchair, as well as a wooden desk with a analog phone. It’s not ideal if you’re planning on getting multiple hours of work done, but it will suffice for replying to some quick emails. It’s also viable as a make-up desk due to the mirror above it.
As aforementioned, the room features a King bed which was very comfortable to lay on. The mattress is often a stumbling block in cheaper hotel rooms, with most mattresses (like in my Hotel Bencoolen stay) being too soft as the springs within have sagged over time. Here, the mattress was nice and firm, providing an adequate amount of back support, ensuring that I woke up well-rested. The bed also featured 400 thread count sheets – which felt great to lay on – and two types of pillows (buckwheat and microfibre). I’ll say this – it’s one of the most comfortable beds that I’ve slept on, and definitely the best one in a sub-$100 room.
That’s because the mattress is a Serta – one of the foremost brands in the industry, with its mattresses known for their plushness and comfort. As such, you will find Serta mattresses in several renowned hotel chains, such as Hilton, Marriott, Conrad, Ascott, Westin, etc. In other words, one usually finds Serta mattresses in 5-pearl establishments, which makes the inclusion of one in a budget 4-star hotel in Geylang a pleasant surprise.
Another area where five/6 Hotel Splendour punched above its price point was the 49-inch Samsung Series 6 curved 4K smart TV. It’s honestly one of the best TVs that I’ve ever encountered in a hotel room – a definite step up from the ageing TVs of more expensive establishments such as Hilton and Orchard Rendezvous. The picture quality was superb, and I had no trouble accessing Youtube, Netflix, Spotify and the internet browser. As the TV was connected to a wall mount, one could extend the TV in multiple directions – a godsend when lying on the bed, and perfect for some Netflix & chill. Audio quality was great too due to a Samsung soundbar that’s connected to a wireless subwoofer. I’ve been to over two dozen hotels to date, and five/6 Hotel Splendour still takes the cake when it comes to entertainment systems.
If you prefer the more conventional TV channels, that’s fine too – there’s a grand total of 42 different channels to choose from.
Two different remotes were provided, and I must admit it took me some time to figure out which remote was for what. I eventually discovered that the one wrapped in plastic is for the soundbar, while the curved remote is (fittingly) for the curved TV.
An oft-undermentioned aspect of hotel rooms is the air conditioning. With budget hotels, the air conditioning is usually weak and noisy. That’s not the case here – the Daikin aircon in the room performed like new, chilling the room within minutes.
Although the room comes with windows, they cannot be opened. In any case, the view is nothing spectacular – one simply sees the surrounding buildings, including the Hotel 81 located right across the road.
Room amenities – such as a gilded bag rest – can be found on the left of the entrance.
I appreciated the “Eat, love, laugh” decor – cute touch.
The usual kettle, jug, cups, and complimentary coffee and tea sachets are provided. Coffee and tea are from Super – nothing remarkable. However, I appreciated how the cups and the tray were adorned with the hotel branding, which elevates the feel of the room. The cups were pretty clean as well.
Additional amenities include a safe, sizeable mini-fridge (which is not always a given in more budget hotel rooms), a Samsung subwoofer, and even a weighing scale. Bells and whistles indeed.
A couple of wooden hangers were provided, with more presumably available upon request.
Furthermore, complimentary room slippers, towels, bathrobes as well as a hairdryer are provided. Given the sub-$100 price point of five/6 Hotel Splendour, I was mightily impressed with all the in-room items available – it was genuinely reminiscent of a 5-star establishment.
I was also wowed by the bathroom. Not only is it well-sized, but its wooden accents also lends it a touch of sophistication. It looks like the bathroom of a modern condominium unit – definitely a far cry from the dated bathrooms of most budget hotel rooms.
Similarly, the marble countertop zhngs the bathroom. In layman terms, it makes the bathroom look more atas. The same can be said for the petal-shaped sink – a nice artistic touch – while the motion-activated tap accentuates the modernness of the bathroom.
A variety of complimentary toiletries are also available, included dental, vanity and razor kits, soap, body wash, shampoo, and even body lotion. The toiletries themselves are nothing special – house-branded – but generous nevertheless. I especially like how the pink coloured soap is shaped like a petal as well (mimicking the sink), and set on top of a gilded leaf, thus continuing the floral theme of the bathroom.
The toilet bowl is slightly more traditional, with a bidet hose beside it – something that should be in every hotel room bathroom. Interestingly, the toilet roll holder is golden as well.
The only slight disappointment is the lack of a rain shower, which would have been thematically congruent with the floral inspiration of the bathroom. Nevertheless, the showerhead was enjoyable to use, with strong water pressure and a variety of jet spray options available.
Conclusion – so five/6 Hotel Splendour “shiok” or not?
Yes, without a shadow of a doubt. I genuinely believe five/6 Hotel Splendour offers one of the best rooms – if not the best – under $100. Every aspect of the room punches above its price point, from the Serta mattress to the 4K 49-inch curved Samsung TV (with a full-motion wall mount, soundbar and wireless subwoofer), to the plentiful room amenities and the elegant bathroom. The main downside of the hotel is its lack of facilities – there’s no pool or gym. However, if you’re simply looking for a clean, comfortable and well-equipped room that doesn’t break the bank, five/6 Hotel Splendour is hard to beat. In fact, my only complaint is the name of the hotel, which is a mouthful to say and hard to remember. Aside from that, I’m honestly amazed at the quality of the hotel’s Deluxe King room and would definitely return. I think it’s a hidden gem in Geylang – it’s much better than the Hotel 81 down the street, despite costing just a smidgeon more.
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.
five/6 Hotel Splendour location:
5 Lor 6 Geylang, Singapore 399167
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.
