Last May 6-10, I went to Chiang Mai for a vacation. I took Singapore Airlines thus I had a long layover in Singapore. I had to search for a place to stay in overnight that was affordable and decent. I asked around regarding AirBnB in Singapore and most of my friends told me that it’s safe and spacious.

I searched for places in the application and stumbled upon 2 rooms good for four people in a condominium near Aljunied MRT. Unlike my first experience in Hong Kong wherein I got a studio all to ourselves, the place we got in Singapore was shared meaning our host was living with us in the condominium.

I was with my sister and two friends. My friends were reluctant at first because of the fact that we will be living with a stranger. However I was excited about it because I heard from people that it will be good to live with a local since he/she can give us tips, show us the right directions, and the like.

As soon as we booked through the AirBnB app, our host sent us a messaged that he was looking forward to meeting us. What’s nice about AirBnB is that it notifies you a few days before your trip. Our host sent us a long message on how to get to his place and it wasn’t difficult at all.

As soon as we arrived in Singapore, I sent him message and he responded quickly. Fortunately, I was able to find the condominium right away and I was surprised at how it looked like. The place was really decent. There was a swimming pool and a gym.

Kenjie, our host warmly welcomed us and gave us our keys. He chatted with us for a bit and asked about our itinerary. He also gave us tips on how to get to the places we wanted to go to. He was really nice. Overall, I had a really good experience because the room and the bathroom were clean. He even told us that we could use the kitchen and get water for free. While my friends found it a bit awkward, I actually liked that we had a local giving us tips.

Do I recommend it?

Definitely! We only paid PHP 4,000 per night for four people.  It’s my first time to share a home with someone in AirBnB but I liked it because our host was really pleasant and helpful. It can be scary because you’re living with someone you don’t know but I assure you that it’s a nice experience. I was with my sister which made me feel safe. The only thing about it which I didn’t like was that our room did not have a bathroom. We all had to use the same bathroom which was a hassle.

Tips:

1. Always check if the place you’re booking is shared or a whole house. You might be surprised when you arrive that you’re living with a stranger.
2. Check out the pictures before booking because they do not lie.
3. Always read the reviews and see the rating for safety purposes.
4. Make sure you’re already decided when booking a place because it’s non-refundable and once the host accepts it, it cannot be undone.
5. Look at the location of the place because you might be surprised that the place is so far from the city.
6. Check what the host will provide so that you come prepared