Betel Box Backpacker Hostel

Your stay includes
- broadband internet (30mins daily)
- FREE unlimited WiFi connection
- generous self-serve continental breakfast
- access to our neighbourhood professional fitness centre
- FREE guided tours by staff who are licensed guides (shared costs on food/ drinks/ equipment, minimum 6 persons)

~~~~~~ Latest Reviews ~~~~~~

SINGAPORE EXPERIENCE AWARDS 2009 - BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

The Singapore Tourism Board is pleased to inform you that Betel Box Tours has been selected as a finalist for the Best Travel Experience category.

The Singapore Experience Awards is the most prestigious awards platform in Singapore’s tourism industry, recognising individuals and organisations from sectors encompassing hospitality, retail, dining, entertainment, attractions, business travel and MICE, education and healthcare. Singapore Experience Awards winners will have proven that they are the best in their respective fields in delivering a holistic visitor experience – one that packages product and service delivery to create a distinctive and compelling experience.


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Jul 2009 As Voted by Hostelworld Customers - 'No. 1 Hostel in Singapore 2008 '

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2009 Lonely Planet Singapore City Guide - Matt Oakley & Joshua Samuel Brown. 8th Edition, Page 173 -

If it's a genuine Singapore experience you're looking for, you've come to the right place. This charming and traditionally furnished hostel is encased by a riot of some of the best local eateries in Joo Chiat and is reasonably close to East Coast Park as well. Betel Box boasts a cosy air-conditioned communal area with TV, DVDs, video games, computers and even a pool table (all of which are notorious for keeping guests in the hostel for too long). It's also equipped with tons of travel guides and book-exchange corner. Friendly staff offer free tours for guests. If you want to taste a slice of Singapore life, look no further.

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2009 Lonely Planet Singapore City Guide - Matt Oakley & Joshua Samuel Brown. 8th Edition. Page 84- ..'Top Picks. Must Try Tour..' -

Operated by the Amazing Tony Tan, owner of the Betel Box Hostel and expert on all things Singapore, a Real Singapore Tour is one you won't soon forget. His food tours, a Singapore must-experience, generally start each Friday evening around six. Tony takes his charges on a veritable gastronomic odyssey through the historical Joo Chiat neighbourhood, where they sample over 20 authentic dishes from all over Southeast Asia. Other tours include walking or cycling trips focusing on history, nature and culture. Tony also leads an amazing pub crawl. Prices start at $50 including food, equipment and the services of one of the most knowledgeable tour guides in Singapore.

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Betel Box Backpackers Hostel is a cosy airconditioned hostel with traditional Asian furnishings in a restored 1920s Shophouse. Our accommodation is in comfortable air-conditioned dormitory rooms with hot and cold showers. We also have a large communal area with guest kitchen, dining area, lounge area, Internet terminals and hundreds of books and magazines.

There is no curfew at the hostel; we have an electronic keypad lock at the front door, which means you can come and go as you wish, any time of the day. Staff are on hand to assist 24 hours a day and our communal areas are always open. Security cameras monitors all access points and lockers, while, fire systems are directly connected to the central fire service.

We are located on Joo Chiat Road, which is at the heart of Singapore's famous Katong and Geylang Serai district. Joo Chiat is home to the Peranakans of Singapore. Here you will find signature Straits Chinese eateries and giftshops and also the Eurasian Museum. Furthermore, Joo Chiat is Singapore's largest architecture conservation district with more than 900 individual buildings protected by law; Betel Box is located in a prime example of a conserved 1920s shophouse.

Betel Box Backpackers hostel is 13 km from Changi International Airport and 7 km to City Hall (centre of the city). Well connected buses and trains provide easy transport to all the sights and attractions of Singapore. The hostel is walking distance to the most popular park in Singapore; the East Coast beach where you can swim, BBQ, bike and rollerblade.

One of Singapore's best attractions is the wide variety of food on offer and the Joo Chiat district is the best area to sample the best of Singaporean foods. The lively area around the hostel has many famous restaurants, food stalls and kopi tiams (local coffee shops).

Every week we organise activites, including Tony's Famous Foodwalk in the district around the hostel. On this walk you will get a chance to sample some of the best food Singapore has to offer and it is a great way to meet fellow travellers! Other free tours include Pubcrawl by Singapore River, Nature Walk and City by the Water Cycling Tour.

Just have a look at what our previous guests thought of our us:

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Betel box is the hostel I choose to stay at every time I go back to Singapore. Besides meeting the basic requirements like clean bathrooms and a good location, the staff is amazing and works hard to give this place something extra. Thank you Betel Box!

omg i loved this hostel so much! it was so easy to meet people, the room was so nice and cool with the air con and it was actualy so fun to stay in such a big dorm. all my worrys like safety and noise were completely wrong! the food tour was so much fun and there were a bunch of other tours wich also looked fantastic!! yeh this hostel was wicked definatly go there!!

the staff here were EXCELLENT, i had the worst journey to singapore, tired and jetlagged, i was in the worst mood.i had the itinery to see as much as i could in the very few hours that i had in Singapore. the guys were fab, especially Justin, who helped me out tremendously. they were all extremely helpful and MORE than accommodating. i'd definately come back.

PD, Jad, Ty and I have had an amazing stay at Betelbox. you bought the culture, customs and history of Singapore alive for us on the food walk and cycling tour. The generosity of the staff and all of the travelers in welcoming and including our boys in all the activitis was outstanding. Nothing was ever too much troubel & we can't recommend the betelbox highly enough. Tyler will be back to play pool at 57 Chevy as soon he saves for his fare.

Top notch hostel with a great friendly atmosphere. Huge common area allows plenty of opportunities to mix with other guests. Staff are very helpful, coming up with itineraries to fit into whatever timescale you have while also adding to the fun around the place with good anecdotes etc. Complimentary breakfast is really good also. A bit far out from the centre but well served by public transport, particularly the metro system.

Great place with lots of fun. Try the free food tour! Joo Chiat isn't in the centre of Singapore but its well worth exploring and easy to travel to and from on MRT and bus. Hire bikes were cheap and good for getting to the beach but watch out for mental drivers!

Justin, Tony and Din are amazing! Really helpful and welcoming. The communual area is chilled and a lovely place to hang out after a long day. Great shower in our dorm. Will be back in few months

Fantastic Hostel!!! Very Clean, excellent facilities and the guys that run the hostel are a wealth of general & local information. Don't miss out on Tony's Foodwalk!!!!!, you won't regret it!!!!
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We hope to see you in Singapore!

Directions

There are 3 ways to get to the hotel:

a) Airport shuttle service provided at the airport.
•SGD$7nett per person.
•Operates from 0600-0000hrs, midnight (Singapore time).
•Travellers may enquire at the Information Desk.

b) Taxi ride from the airport.
•Takes about 20-30 minutes from the airport.
•Price approximately SGD$20 from airport, will include other surcharges imposed on top of normal fares.

c)Take the MRT train service from the airport, East West Line to City Hall and transfer to North South Line to Dhoby Ghaut and finally take the North East Line to Clarke Quay MRT station. The ride takes 28 minutes with just 5-7 minutes walk to hotel, for just under SGD$2.

Facilities

Breakfast Included, Restaurant, Car Parking Available, Internet Access, Laundry, Linen Included, Credit Cards Accepted, Towels, Security Lockers, Luggage Storage, Swimming Pool, Children Friendly, Telephone/Fax Facilities, 24 hour reception, Travel Desk/Travel Info