What are motels? How are they different from hotels? Here’s a crash course on motels in Singapore, along with a list of budget motels and luxury hourly hotel recommendations for you!

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What is a motel?

Motels are roadside hotels for long-haul drivers and business travelers. They are basic lodging with parking for people who only need a bed and a parking space for the night before going on their way early the next morning.

You put on an American drama series, and 9 out of 10 times, these are where the detectives (and oddly criminals too) are staying at some point.

Motels are known for their lower prices as they don’t offer all the bells and whistles you may expect from a luxury hotel. Most guests book in one for affordable short stays. Because of this, elegance and grandeur are not their forte.

Are motels sketchy?

Motels in Singapore are leagues ahead of those portrayed on a TV show – to keep up with the fierce competition in hospitality, they have to stay clean and nicely furnished.

If fact, most chains are ‘SG Clean’ certified, meaning the premises maintain a high environmental hygiene standard set out by the government.

Motels in Singapore typically only allow short stays, which reduces the possibility of criminal activities happening in the hotel rooms.

What are some popular motels in Singapore?

Despite the location, two very popular Singaporean motels (also going by “love hotels”) are Hotel 81, and Fragrance Hotel.

Get your mind out of the gutter and worry not, they are more legal than the things your typical college student does behind closed doors.

As the Singaporean community grows more open-minded with time, the demand for motels has been going nowhere but up, gradually.

How do I book a room in a motel?

Most motels accept online reservations, but a few only accept walk-in. The easiest way is booking through an online platform (like Flow, our hourly hotel app, obviously).

With Flow, you can choose to stay for a specific session from 2 to 8 hours or overnight, saving up to 75% off a full night’s rate.

Almost all motels require identification when checking in as usual. It’s a safer bet to have your identification with you and ready.

When can I check into the motel?

Guests typically have the choice to check in from 2-3pm onwards per hotel policy.

If you go to the front desk and ask for a room early in the morning or late at night, there’s a chance that motels will just turn you away.

But if you book through Flow, you’ll get a more flexible check-in option. Take Fragrance Hotel – Lavendar for example, you can check in around the clock from morning to midnight for a 2-3 hour stay.

What is the check-out time at a motel?

Typically you have to check out either by 11am or 12pm for a night’s stay. You can enjoy a more flexible check-out time if you book through Flow, where we offer exclusive hourly and overnight rates for our partnering motels.

How close are motels to the city?

Motels are known for being by the roadsides, literally speaking. However, they are experiencing significant growth and a number of them can be found near or right in the heart of public transport facilities, so you can remove “convenience” from your list of concerns!

What are the major differences between a motel and a luxury hourly hotel?

1｜Cost per hour

Before the pandemic, motels nearly monopolized the hourly hotel scene as luxury hotels were vehemently against offering hourly rates.

When the lockdown began, luxury hotels needed a way out of the downturn. Soon, the market was flooded with staycations packages targeting local guests.

Some also started to offer hourly rates exclusively on online platforms. Since it’s an hourly stay, the price for staying in such luxurious hotels will be more affordable than it normally is or even cheaper than what motels typically charge.

2｜Online VS Walk-in

Some motels have a very targeted fanbase. They can’t be searched online or accept online booking. You have to visit them in person to know whether there’s a room available for you.

Hotels, on the other hand, are quick to adapt to the digitalized world. You can search for an available time slot, reserve a room, and pay online. Some even offer free cancellation. You can put a deal on lock with just your phone when you’re on the go, when the idea strikes you all of a sudden!

3｜Booking flexibility

There are motel deals that charge by the hour if that’s what you’re looking for, but alas overnight stays are the norm. Hourly hotel rooms featured on the Flow App, on the other hand, can be booked for as short as one hour.

If you’re in search of a place that allows you to stay for merely a short while, you might want to try looking into these hotels as there is an array of duration options for you to pick simply because you being able to have a good time is a priority.

4｜Location

It is considered by lots of locals that the neighborhoods some motels are in not the most ideal neighborhood. They have second thoughts concerning a few well-known motels being in a red-light district in Singapore, even though the business the motels are running is 100% legal.

If their offers don’t put a smile on your face, you can always consider the luxury hotels. We are more than happy to present you with upscale and chic hotels that are in urban areas or in the heart of the CBD. If this is not what you envision, we also have options that are near historic sites and tourist attraction spots.

5｜Amenities

Motels sometimes don’t offer the full range of amenities a typical hotel does, so it can be inconvenient and disappointing sometimes. If you give luxury hourly hotels a go, although you might be staying for only an hour or two, you still have access to all their amenities such as THEIR FITNESS CENTRES.

It’s very likely you can use their facilities like from an overnight deal, unless they specify otherwise.

6｜Quality

People frown upon motels not only because of their reputation, but also the quality in general among other things. It can be a huge turn-off, thus deterring people from patronizing it, even if they desperately need their service.

If you choose from a bunch of hourly hotels on our App, though, you won’t need to worry about that as heaps of hotels we’re working with are top-tier establishments with ratings of at least 4 stars! Instead of feeling appalled by the sight, you will be floored! Just remember to pick up your jaw from the ground, okay?

Recommendations: Motels / Hourly Hotels in Singapore

St Signature Jalan Besar

It is a recipe for a sweet dream when a fort-like enclosure is combined with an ambiance created by the soft warm glow of the Cabin M room in ST Signature Jalan Besar. Tell me something that’s more precious than unwinding in a cocoon-like “attic” that feels like your childhood. I’ll wait.

Highlights

Hourly Rate: from S$78/ 5 hours

Star rating: ★★★

Amenities: Wifi, air-conditioning, cable/digital TV, shower and towels, coffee/tea maker, blackout curtains, minibar, desk

Nearest MRT station: Jalan Besar MRT Station

Address: 15 Upper Weld Road, Little India, Singapore 207372

The Quay Hotel Singapore

We know drinking in Singapore can be pretty expensive. While we can’t control the price of alcohol, we can guarantee you’ll have a blast staying in The Quay while you party your butt off into the sunset on a Friday night (more like into the next day) in the nearby Clarke Quay, home to Singapore’s greatest clubs.

We recommend ladies stay in this hotel on Wednesday nights. Why? It’s Ladies’ Night every Wednesday in Clarke Quay and every woman gets free drinks, free entry, you name it! If partying is not what you have in mind, think of it this way: Queens, what better way to reward yourselves for your hard work than to sip on complimentary cocktails in Clarke Quay?

Highlights

Hourly rate: from S$110/ 9 hours

Star rating: ★★★

Amenities: Wifi, air-conditioning, free bottled water, minibar, cable/digital TV, shower and towels, coffee/tea maker, blackout curtains, desk

Nearest MRT station: Clarke Quay MRT Station

Address: 57 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058688

lyf Funan Singapore by Ascott

If you’re looking for a place to work while relaxing, this is the perfect place to work in peace – lyf Funan Singapore. No blinding fluorescent lights, no coughing or coworkers’ typing to distract you, no stressors or triggers! The minimalistic design casts a calming spell on you.

If you’re dozing off, there’s a bed for you, so you can recharge for real instead of breaking your back to “nap” sitting on your squeaky office chair, drooling all over the place.

Highlights

Hourly rate: from S$80/ 4 hours

Star rating: ★★★★

Amenities: Wifi, air-conditioning, cable/digital TV, desk, bathtub, shower and towels, coffee/tea maker, blackout curtains, minibar

Nearest MRT station: City Hall MRT Station

Address: 67 Hill Street, City Hall, Singapore 179370

J8 Hotel Singapore

Located in the heart of lively Little India (8 Townshend Rd), J8 Hotel Singapore will put you right in the thick of it! During the day, discover colorful murals and hipster cafés only steps away. At night, it becomes a hub of lively night markets, 24-hour prata joints, and even thought for couples strolling through romantic, lantern-lined streets.

If you don’t get to chill or if your place is so cramped that you feel like the walls are clamping down on you, give you and your lover a break and treat yourselves by paying this hotel a visit.

Highlights

Hourly rate: starting from S$56/ 2 hours

Star rating: ★★★

Amenities: Wifi, air-conditioning, smart TV, shower and towels, FREE parking

Nearest MRT station: Lavendar MRT Station

Address: No. 8 Townshend Road, #01-01, Singapore

Related articles: 4-star Hotels in Singapore | Hotel 81 Reviews & Alternatives | Hourly Hotels in Orchard

Our reviews and recommendations are honest and not influenced by compensation or sponsorship. Unless stated otherwise, we do not receive payment or free products for positive reviews. Any compensation or products received for reviews will be disclosed in the relevant post.