For our 3-day stay in Singapore, we chose to stay at Hotel 81 Dickson. It’s conveniently located at the edge of Little India and close to three MRT stations, which makes getting around very easy.
We booked this hotel mainly because of the location, but also because it’s very reasonably priced. We love Indian food, so this really is an ideal location for us.
Our Room (Deluxe Double)
There are many different types of room available at this hotel, with some that don’t even have windows. We stayed in a larger Deluxe Double room. That means it has window, a larger bathroom with separate shower area, and a small fridge. It is worth paying extra for.
Free bottled water, tea and coffee was available in the room, with kettle and cups. There was also a small dressing table/desk area with small stool.
Not all rooms have a fridge but the Deluxe Double rooms do. We didn’t need to use it though. The closet is pretty small and includes just four hangers. This isn’t enough. Also. the hangers are fixed in place, so it’s quite difficult to use the hangers at the back. Not ideal at all.
The bathroom was quite large, and the large shower area was separate. In the smaller rooms, the bathrooms are very small and the shower isn’t separated, meaning the floor gets wet. We think it’s worth paying extra to have a bigger bathroom.
We loved the view from our 4th floor room. It overlooked the beautiful red roofs of Little India, and also the local mosque. If you’re a light sleeper, you may want to ask for a room on the other side of the hotel, as the mosque singing can be heard for a minute or two at around 4-5 am. It didn’t bother us, but it might bother some people. We quite liked listening to it. It reminded us of our time in Mostar.
Cost Per Night For Deluxe Double Room
We paid a total of 7,216 baht for 3 nights. So that’s around US$77 per night. That’s not bad at all for Singapore.
Nearest MRT Stations
Jalan Besar station is 140 meters away, with Rochor station being 240 meters away. Little India station is a little further. Both stations are on the Downtown line.
How To Get From Changi Airport To Hotel 81 Dickson
The fastest way to get from Changi Airport is to go two stops to Tanah Merah station, then change to the East-West line and go 8 stops to Bugis station. From there, change to the Downtown line and go one stop to Rochor.
The Neighborhood
As already mentioned, this hotel is in the Little India area. It’s an interesting area to spend some time in, and a complete contrast from the rest of Singapore. You will either love it or hate it.
The area is quite colorful, as you can see from the small park above. There is also a fair amount of street art in the area.
Most food in this area is pretty cheap, with the meal above in a 24-hour restaurant costing just SG$3 (US$2.30).
If you like vegetarian and vegan food, be sure to check out the excellent Peace Cafe, which is just 2-3 minutes from the hotel.