I recently returned to Singapore for a few days (after living there for years) and was shocked at the increase in hotel prices. I was struggling to find last minute availability and called the Strand hotel directly: paid SGD$180 for a double, including bfast. I found the rooms large and clean, the beds comfortable, the bathrooms/shower perfectly suitable. With a little fridge, coffee/tea making facilities and a decent breakfast, it suited us perfectly. Yes, it IS a lot to pay for a midrange hotel, and it doesn't compare to the standards you'd get for that $$ in other Asian countries, but that's Singapore. The hotel has a great location for transportation, and is across from a good (and cheap) food court. Our room was also very quiet, and I didn't see any prostitutes hanging around the lobby as previous posters mentioned. Recommended.

Run, don’t walk, away from this calamity – not worth the hassle and not much of a budget hotel at a rate of just under USD 150 per night!

I have never witnessed such rude, incompetent desk staff, or been treated as poorly by them, as I was at the Strand. My husband made a reservation for a double room, via e-mail, directly with the hotel manager. She confirmed our flight number & details including our 8pm late flight arrival. When we arrived at the hotel around 9pm, a female receptionist verbally assaulted us with a lack of logic and extreme rudeness first insisting that we were someone else – she wouldn’t bother to look at my husband’s passport to see the correct spelling of our name. She said our room was no longer available as we were late. When we insisted that we confirmed a late arrival with her Manager she argued with us and when we insisted on seeing the e-mail attached to the reservation she had in her hand we finally proved that it wasn’t even our reservation she was holding. She then produced our actual reservation and curtly advised us that our room wasn’t ready yet as it was still occupied & we’d have to wait for our room to be cleaned once the occupants checked out. When we pointed out that it was 9PM – way past the hour of any standard late check out offered by a normal hotel, not to mention the fact that they were double renting the room, she acted as if it was a perfectly normal procedure and that we should be happy with waiting for them to clean the room (despite having traveled all day and being tired). Exhausting our patience Ms. take-it-or-leave-it told us we would now need to take a small room with two single beds if we wanted to stay here. We advised her we were paying for a double, which had been confirmed, and pre-paid for. After a heated argument with me accusing them of renting the room by the hour for prostitution, purposes, which she never denied, my husband learned from a male front desk clerk assisting a client in the same situation, that there were two rooms available in the hotel; the single and a “special” double. My husband asked to speak to the manager who, off duty, was contacted by phone. The Manager spoke to the lady assisting us who lied directly in front of us insisting that the “occupied room” and single room were the only rooms available and there was no other double room. We then told the manager about the “special” double room available and had to hand the phone to the male desk clerk who confirmed that yes, the double room did exist. The Manager then offered her apologies and after first asking us to pay more ($10) for the room, finally agreed to let us have the room due to our astonishment at their dark-age business practices.

The “special” room we were given after defeating the Barbarians is best described as pimp meets vampire; dark grey walls, curtains and carpeting with some bizarre purple, snakeskin covered headboard/ceiling contraption that served no purpose including that of attempting to be a hip decoration. Incase the purple snakeskin wasn’t enough, the green flower tower lamps next to it added that extra oomph of tackiness. The paint was chipped and missing in several places and the wood counters were also chipped and stained (Vampire rituals perhaps?) I’d hate to see the standard rooms if that was a special room. The room had a TV, without a remote, a mini fridge, safe, hotpot and small shower, which along with the toilet and sink, was encased in a glass cube. Amenities were scant; a broken liquid soap dispenser in the shower and another on the counter and two bath towels (but no hand or face towels).

The room was fairly quiet and our stay was uneventful however our check-in experience cast a bad light on our stay and left us grumpy and weary. There has to be a better choice for a budget hotel in Singapore!

I used to live in Singapore. In the 5 years since I moved back to NYC, I have passed through several times and always stay at the Strand (8 or so stays so far). The most compelling reasons are PRICE and LOCATION. Beyond that I feel comfortable in the rooms, I always get good rest, it appears to be safe and secure (I've kept professional video production equipment in my room), the aircon always works well. The rooms are large for Singapore budget hotel standards. Rooms in the same price range at three other hotels that I've checked out are all about half the size.

My local friends do sometimes get surprised that I am a loyal customer. Suffice it to say that until recently there was an "hourly rate" card sitting on the reception desk. But in my experience the hotel has only ever been a quiet, calm, good place to get over jet-lag.

Yes, I have had challenges with customer service at reception. I am certain, however, that it is commensurate with what is available for that price in Singapore. Housekeeping and bell staff have always been pleasant and very helpful.

As others have noted, there are no toiletries provided apart from a liquid soap dispenser in the shower. Oddly, they do not provide you with a bathmat, so ask housekeeping for an extra towel.

Was visiting Singapore for the first time, and unfortunately had to stay at this hotel. The treatment that the guys at reception give to the visitors is not very warm.
When I landed at the reception, was inquired with questions like "do you have money to deposit?", I felt like replying "no I do not and just wondering if you could let me stay here for free".
Anyway that was first part of the story, I had to stay in singapore a bit long which I told the hotel on very first interaction at the reception. Then on couple of days before my departutre, I got a note saying make a payment by eod today. Now if they are so suspicious of the guests, they should tell them in advance that this is how the payment schedules going to be. To make the situation worse, I was not aware of the fact that banks close in Singapore by 3 pm, so could not convert my currency in S$. The same evening hell broke loose, the same lady who greeted me on first day was questioning me..."now how are you going to make payment?", "it was told to you to make payment in the morning...you have to make the payment today...close your account..." Man I felt like I should just go ahead and look for a nearby hotel, but unfortunately because of IMF event, all hotels were prebooked and were not realy in a mood to shift just for one night.
This is one experience and I do agree fully with another review on this page, which highlights not only the dull interiors but the important outside area of the hotel, which at night looks like some downtown rowdy place.
Strictly avoid, you can get much better hotels in Singapore for the same price.