Singapore’s hotel industry is seeing a new trend with the rise of shoebox hotel rooms.
With an increasing number offered at mid-tier hotels, shoebox hotel rooms each feature a bathroom, tasteful finishes and a television set — all at a much cheaper rate.
Surprisingly, it has become an instant hit among travellers seeking value for money.
Property developers eager to maximise space and provide cheaper rooms have recently launched no fewer than six such hotels.
These include the 170-room Parc Sovereign at Albert Street and the 241-room Ibis Singapore Novena at Irrawaddy Road.
Some industry observers noted that Singapore’s shoebox hotel room trend follows that of other cities such as New York and London, where land is premium.
With land prices increasing in the city-state, hotels want to maximise returns by making their rooms more space-efficient, said Robert McIntosh, Executive Director for Asia Pacific at CBRE Hotels.
“The expansion of travel in Asia with the launch of low-cost carriers has also opened up a new range of hotel users prepared to accept smaller rooms if they are of a good quality and priced affordably.”
Eddie Lim, Executive Director of the Fragrance Group of Hotels, which developed Parc Sovereign, noted that its small rooms have attracted tourists.
“They usually stay for just a few days and don’t have a lot of luggage, so they don’t mind a smaller room if the rate is good.”
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