Founded by a collective of enthusiasts long smitten with the charm behind the concept of a hostel stay, Bunc@Radius is the re-imagination of the Singapore hostel, a vision brought to life by carefully refining and reassembling the essential elements of a hostel. Bunc@Radius unifies the function luxuries of a boutique hotel with the cultures of a hostel, making it a conducive meeting space for the like-minded traveller.
We were recently invited by Bunc@Radius to have a staycation at their Little India Hostel and because we were assigned a 6 Bed Dormitory and had an event deck for our usage, we invited my Basic Military Training [BMT] Mates for a casual sleepover and Barbecue [BBQ] gathering.
In this blogpost, we will be using the term, “Bunc Hostel @ Little India” to refer to the Bunc@Radius’s Hostel at Little India as they recently opened another hostel at Clarke Quay.
In all honesty, we were initially quite apprehensive about having a staycation at a hostel because of the many horror stories involving hostels. Furthermore, we have always had the impression that hostels being budget-oriented, are quite run-down, dirty, and lacking in facilities.
When we arrived at Bunc Hostel @ Little India, we were pleasantly surprised at the clean and organised floor layout of the reception area and the communal dining area. From the outside, the glass door entrance that leads to the reception area is very welcoming and sports a professional executive look.
We believe painstaking planning and effort have been taken to ensure that all guests are well taken care of and have their needs met. For instance, the staffs at Bunc Hostel @ Little India created mini information boards where first-time guests to Singapore can find out where to go and what to eat. Furthermore, to enhance guests’ experience, mini activities are organised daily to give guests a snippet of what Singapore entails.
Although there isn’t a dedicated concierge at Bunc Hostel @ Little India, a corner has been specially set up where guests can take their time to browse through brochures and plan their itinerary for the day.
The communal dining area is where guests can mingle with one another in an informal setting and here, simple breakfast fare consisting of bread, jams, cereals, and milk are served every morning. If guests would like to prepare their own breakfast, there is a communal kitchenette area for the storing and cooking of food.
When walking to our assigned dormitory, we were quite impressed with the clean and immaculate common walkway that was rather spacious. State of the art monitoring and access systems are used throughout the hostel, and guests will only be allowed entry to the floor where their rooms are located. Even the restrooms and bathrooms feature access controls and for the ladies, Bunc Hostel @ Little India do offer ladies-only dormitory!
Bunc Hostel @ Little India has a few accommodation types, a Double Room Private Ensuite, a 6 Bed Dormitory, a 12 Bed Dormitory, and a 16 Bed Dormitory. Each accommodation type has a different rate and some offer double beds. Rates for a single bed starts from SGD$20 a night whereas for double beds, it starts from SGD$40 a night.
This is the 6 Bed Dormitory that we stayed in for a night and it was really spacious! The dormitory was extremely clean and there were no signs of stale or mouldy air.
There is maximum privacy as each bed area will be a self-contained zone with integrated lockers, tables, hanging tools, LED reading lights and custom-mounted electric plugs; all for total convenience. The mattresses and pillows are all sealed with anti-bug covers so you wouldn’t have to worry about nasty bed bugs.
For the BBQ gathering, we held it at the event deck and we were mightily impressed with the modern facilities that were available. There’s a superior sound system that came along with a projector and an XBOX 360 Kinect Gaming Console and it provided much entertainment while the food were being cooked.
Just so you know, these are the 3 games that are currently available and you are welcome to bring your own games as well.
However, if your guests are into board games, they can either bring it along or loan it from the Reception Desk.
The event deck is definitely a perfect setting for those whom are seeking venues for birthdays, gatherings, parties, and reunions. Available at the price of SGD$400 onwards for a block of 5 hours usage, the event deck will also come with the BBQ Pit and Wire Mesh for you to do some BBQ-ing.
We believe that very soon, chalets will no longer be as trendy as bunking into a hostel. So for all your family or school gatherings, you might want to consider staying in a hostel as opposed to the usual chalets and hotels.
For foreigners whom are travelling to Singapore and are on a tight budget, Bunc Hostel @ Little India is a fantastic place to stay because of the fantastic price and fantastic location. Bunc Hostel @ Little India is conveniently located in the culturally rich Little India Historical District, an ethnic quarter that is filled with exotics sights while retaining its true charm and authentic distinct identity. The precinct is filled with numerous little bargain shops, eateries, and in close walking distance to large malls, tourist attractions, and transport hubs.
[Image Credits to Wikipedia]
Bunc@Radius Backpacker Hostel has been ranked and reviewed consistently as the Top brand for boutique hostels on Holiday Check and Trip Advisor. If you are interested to find out more information, do “like” Bunc Hostel’s Facebook Page or check out Bunc Hostel’s Official Website!
