Hostels are probably the most famous lodging option for backpackers and travellers. In my recent years of travelling, I always end up in some established hotel or in a foster home. I have never lodged in a hostel--closest would be a B&B in London back in 2010--until I went to Singapore this month.
For the longest time, I have been nursing the idea that hostels are dodgy transient homes where travellers either get skinned alive or dismembered in ways unimaginable. Thanks to gory slasher films that have been part of popular culture in recent years.
Truth be told, I didnt feel iffy about the idea of staying in a hostel when my friend told me that we will be staying in one. In a more positive note, I felt that it will be a rewarding experience since that's another box ticked in my travel bucket list. My main concern, however, is the fact that there will be shared bath. I detest sharing bathroom with random strangers just because. But lo and behold, shared baths aren't too bad either.
So we stayed in a hostel called Prince of Wales which is located at the Boat Quay district of Singapore. The moment I laid eyes on the street nestling our temporary home, I knew that Im gonna love it! We even celebrated Chinese New Year here!
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| Prince of Wales |
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| The Penny Black, the first establishment along Dunlop Street. Oh how I miss English pubs |
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| Chinese New Year! |
There are three things that I really loved about POW.
1. They have an in-house pub which serves Pimms, Stella Artois, and Hoegaarden. Their pub is a perfect way to socialize with both backpackers and locals alike. Drinks aren't cheap though, but its a description that fits aptly the goods in Singapore.
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| Pimms and Lemonade, not that cheap but it can make a lonely person happy. |
2. It is somehow expected for staff of lodging establishments to be nice. But the staff of POW overdoes it. If you stumble upon this blog and decide to stay at POW, you will never regret it because their people are genuinely congenial, not to mention smart. Irish, a permanent resident of Singapore hails from the Philippines which probably made the connection happen in a heartbeat.
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| Melissa serving XXXX beer. Usually, it is sold at 10SGD but its half the price for POW backpackers. |
3. Lastly, just as expected, POW houses backpackers from all over the world. We have met some interesting and "gorgeous" backpackers. On our first day, we met a 'gaggle' of Swedish eye candies. We didn't get much time to interact with them but seeing them prancing shirtless should suffice.
Mimi, my friend, most likely enjoyed the company of two Russian backpackers who reckon that rhum, vodka, and beer are non-alcoholic drinks. But hey, one is a lawyer and the other one studies International Economics.
I also met a very interesting kiwi named Blake who just recently participated in a charity event in India named Do the Needful. They were able to raise an awful lot of money for the people of India by riding rickshaw.
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| Blake wearing his rickshaw shirt. |
Over-all, my stay was a pleasant one and I will definitely consider going back. Friendly staff, great drinks, cheap nightly rates, and a plethora of interesting people--what more can I ask for?
