KINN Capsule Hotel
KINN Capsule Hotel is a new 4-storey boutique capsule hotel in Singapore with minimalistic vibes, located along South Bridge Road between Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. Despite opening right in the middle COVID-19 pandemic on 1 April 2021 with no tourists, Singaporeans may have already seen KINN Capsule Hotel knowingly through viral online articles or otherwise. As HDB was busy tearing up my toilets at home for almost 2 weeks, I found myself needing to book a stay outside, and KINN Capsule Hotel seem to have fit the bill in location and price.
Due to safe distancing regulations, Singapore hostels can only accept bookings for the following reasons until further notice:
- To reduce commute time to work
- Unconducive home environment (e.g. crowding, renovations, domestic dispute, etc.)
- Isolation for healthcare professionals
- Non-residents looking for temporary accommodation
Getting to KINN Capsule Hotel
KINN Capsule Hotel is centrally located along South Bridge Road between Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. There’s a bus stop less than 30 seconds away by foot at Bus Stop 05029 Boat Quay, which is just 2 stops away from City Hall MRT Station, and Clarke Quay MRT Station is just 5 minutes away by foot from hostel to gate line.
Check-in to KINN Capsule Hotel
The first entrance was a bit fiddly as the main door is locked with a numbered code. However, the front desk staff took notice and came over to unlock the door to allow me in.
This numbered code will be pointed out to you after check-in. Remember to take a picture of it or something so that you can save it for reference, but you should be able to memorize it by the second time you use it.
The front desk is located just ahead from the lobby. It’s hard to find a hostel lobby anywhere in the world these days.
Following the check-in process, the front desk staff brought me up to my capsule.
Looking familiar yet?
The door is unlocked using an app, or a numbered code.
Room & Capsule
Despite having booked a 12-Capsule Mixed Room (Ground Floor) because I was a cheapo, I was taken up to the 4th floor to a 10-Capsule Mixed Room instead.
There are a total of 4 capsules with front entrances and 6 capsules with side entrances.
I was given a side entrance capsule which was great for better air flow.
Alternating capsules are marked out for social distancing and to keep the capacity of hostels to 50% in accordance with COVID-19 regulations.
A built-in ladder is provided to climb up to the upper bunk, reminiscent of the KTM ADNS.
A pillow and blanket is readily provided on the mattress.
Cleaning is done every weekday, and towels and sheets are changed every 5 days. Unlike some other hostels I’ve been in, you need not lay your own sheets here.
There’s a small level table to place your belongings on. This fits a 14 inch laptop perfectly.
2 3-pin UK power sockets and 2 USB power sockets are available in each capsule. The switch at the side is for the light.
A vanity mirror and fold-down desk is also built into the capsule, which works fine for working.
A hanger is also provided within the capsule.
To close off the capsule for privacy and darkness, there is a roller blind by the side.
The roller blind goes all the way down, covering the entrance completely, which blocks out the light well.
The WiFi password is provided in each room. However, the WiFi gets disconnected at times, depending on the number of users connected, and some patience will be required then.
Amenities Kit
An amenities kit was provided in a reusable bag upon check-in. Inside, there’s a bath towel, toothbrush set, earplugs, a pillow mist, and a pair of bedroom slippers.
The Algorithm
If you think you may have seen the interior of this room before, that’s because KINN Capsule Hotel is where The Algorithm was filmed at. The Algorithm, TheSmartLocal’s first drama series, is commissioned by Mediacorp, and can be watched on meWATCH or YouTube.
Toilet & Shower
Toilets are available on all floors.
Mirrors are backlit, with paper towels provided beside the sinks.
A hairdryer is also provided in each bathroom.
Shared bathroom slippers are provided.
There are 2 shower cubicles and 2 western toilet cubicles in each toilet.
The toilets come with a bidet spray on the side.
The shower cubicles come with rain showers which was pleasantly surprising for a hostel.
Shampoo and body wash are provided in each shower cubicle.
Lockers
With each capsule, a locker will also be provided for more storage space. This is located in a separate room adjacent to the capsule rooms, with locker numbers tagged to your capsule.
The locker is also unlocked using the app, or a numbered code.
The locker will fit a cabin-sized backpack easily, but perhaps not a hard-shell luggage.
Pantry
On Levels 2 and 4, a pantry is available with complimentary water, coffee, tea, and snacks. A toaster and microwave is also available, along with a shared refrigerator to store your own items.
Disposable cups are available, but bring along your own bottle to be more sustainable. Be careful of the room temperature option though, as it mixes hot and cold waters together, and may melt your disposable plastic bottle.
Snacks and hot drinks are rotated every few days. I thought this is really thoughtful of KINN Capsule Hotel, and just second to the nightly free pasta my Rome hostel offered when I was getting the train back to Singapore from London which was great for poor me at that time.
This made for a surprisingly convenient breakfast or afternoon tea snack.
Laundry (S$5)
On Level 3, a laundry room is available with a washer and dryer. This costs just S$5 which is pretty affordable for an all-inclusive process. Some hostels charge the washing and drying separately. Payment is made at the front desk.
Ironing facilities are available.
Detergent is on the side of the washing machine.
Rooftop Terrace
While the lift only goes up to the 4th floor, there’s a further rooftop where you can venture up to.
Nothing much on this level, but you get a nice view of the Singapore downtown skyline from here.
Lobby Communal & Working Area
With the current restrictions on leisure guests, most guests will be using KINN Capsule Hotel as a working premise too since offices are on work from home till further notice. As such, the lobby area has turned into some sort of a co-working space.
There’s a sofa cluster with a table and power sockets which some guests will use by sitting on the floor comfortably.
There’s also 3 working tables set up, but only 1 with power sockets. This provides a better sitting posture than to stay in the capsule.
For The Gram
If you’re into the aesthetic part of things, the corridors of KINN Capsule Hotel also allow for nice Instagram pictures, with a different look on each floor.
Reflections from the glass roof look best around noon time when streaks appear on the walls.
The tree sprouting from Level 2 also makes a nice centrepiece.
Conclusion
I booked my stay under the Soft Launch Offer, which gets me 50% off standard rates with a minimum of 7 nights stay. My total bill was only S$275 nett for 10 nights – a bargain since a staycation in a nice hotel in the downtown area would also me cost the same amount of money, but just for 1 night.
Overall, KINN Capsule Hotel fits the bill for being affordable at current prices, clean, and centrally located. In fact, based on my hostel stays around the world (just some of which I’ve written about here, but not all of them), KINN Capsule Hotel might actually be the best in terms of cleanliness, privacy, and functional design of the capsule. I especially liked the small bottle of pillow mist included in the amenities kit, which elevated the room and capsule with fragrance as if it were a 5-star hotel.
For foreign railfanning purposes, KINN Capsule Hotel is close to the North East Line, Downtown Line, North-South Line, and East-West Line, making it easy to get around Singapore and to ride on various trains. If heading to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station for some photography, bus services 80 and 145 also gets there directly from door to door.