Blanc Inn

Felt like my university dorm! Simple and basic but more than sufficient! There were 4 rooms split into little sub-rooms (alcoves) so the place could hold 16 guests at any one time. Each guest has their own alcove that contains an individual wall fan, and an individual aircon. The beds were clean and comfortable and the locker in my room was big enough to lock even a tennis bag with rackets in it! Even though I searched on booking for 1 person stay, I was happily presented to an alcove with a double bed, which means I had plenty of space to myself. I also liked the easy entering of the hostel and rooms using passcodes as it meant I didnt hv to carry any hotel cards. The hostel is literally next to 2 food courts and a 7-11, so food and necessities was easily available. The hostel is also located opposite Chye Seng Huat Hardware store, the store-turned-hipster cafe thats been featured in several must-go travel books. There's endless coffee and tea available 24hrs a day in the dining area, and I was surprised to see the number of toilets and showers available. There are 2 showers with toilets, and then there are another 2 standalone showers, and 2 standalone toilets. More than sufficient as not everyone required their use at the same time. Finally, the location of the place is great as its just across the Jalan Besar Stadium, and located in between 2 MRT stations, Bendemeer (Blue Line estimated 500m away) and Lavendar (Green Line est 700m away). Personally always used the Lavendar line even though its slightly further as the Green Line connects to major areas like Bugis, City Hall and Orchard better and had the benefit of having a Fair Price supermarket nearby, and a number of eateries in Kitchener Complex Bonus info: I had extended my trip by an additional day and directly dealt with the owner there to extend my stay with no hassle at all! So easy and flexible! Can't post videos here so take a look at my room on Instagram! #blancinnbyjrumpun

The alcove rooms are not covered all the way to the top, as it would go against their hostel license so there is a tiny gap towards the ceiling noise/light from the outside would enter. I was ok with this, but this is information for those who are sensitive to light/noise, as snoring from the other alcove rooms within the same room would be audible. The hostel does provide earplugs however. The cleanliness of the place does also depend on the guests that happen to be there at the same time as you are. On the first night I nearly slipped at the change room (where the hair dryer is located) as some inconsiderate guests probably had his/her wet hair dripping all over the place while walking to the hairdryers. Also both the hair dryer needs replacing. The bathroom would do well however to have a cleaning schedule in the night (as its only cleaned in the morning). Some reviews from previous guests I saw complained about not being able to lock their alcove door if they go out (its lockable when you're inside), but again I had expected this as it is an alcove not a room. It was an easy get around simply by locking my valuables in my luggage when I go out. I recommend if you need better security, to pay more per night and opting for a full-on hotel room elsewhere. This is more for the budget conscious and/or claustrophobic that doesnt want to be cooped up inside a spacepod for privacy