ibis Singapore Novena

The three-pearl Ibis Singapore Novena is a basic chain property with practical amenities geared toward tourists on a budget. A glass-and-steel facade fronts the building, and its lobby has high ceilings with a variegated wood front desk, a white, oversized pendant light shaped like an inverted open umbrella, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Just off the lobby is a high-ceilinged restaurant with white leather-and-wood chairs and white leather banquette seating. The buffet is well-lit and tidy, and there are skirted tables for additional buffet items. There's also a small bar with four stools and a tile-back wall displaying liquor bottles that looks like it could have been pulled from an airport lounge. Note that the property is wheelchair-accessible.

The hotel is located in the Balestier section of Singapore, an area known for good food. It's a 12-minute walk to the Novena Mass Rail Transit (MRT) Station, which provides solid access to the rest of the city. Orchard Road, a bustling shopping area, is a 12-minute drive or 28-minute train ride. The National Museum of Singapore is 12 minutes by car or 36 minutes on a bus and train, while it's 13 minutes by car to the central business district or 67 minutes on public transit. It takes 14 minutes to drive to Chinatown or 39 minutes by bus. Raffles Hotel, the birthplace of the Singapore Sling, is a 14-minute drive or 30-minute train ride. Clarke Quay and its historic riverfront neighborhood is a 15-minute drive or 35-minute bus ride. The national Gallery of Singapore is a 16-minute drive or 31-minute train ride. Universal Studios Singapore is 25 minutes by car or an hour by bus. The Changi Airport Singapore is a 22-minute drive or about an hour and 15 minutes by public transportation.

Guest rooms at the Ibis Singapore Novena are basic and small, though past guests do comment on how clean they are. All have dark hardwood floors -- an unusual feature in a chain property -- plus blond-wood headboards with reading lamps and white walls offset by orange accents. Windows have black-out drapes and look out onto other buildings or the street below. All rooms have desks, air-conditioning, electric kettles, safes, slippers, international plug adapters, and mini-fridges. There are no closets, just hangers and shelves. Bathrooms are small and tiled in beige, with mirrors flanked by fluorescent fixtures and wall-mounted hairdryers. Walk-in showers have rounded glass enclosures and wall-mounted toiletry dispensers. Larger rooms have irons and ironing boards and a bit more space. 

Features at this Ibis are decent and tech-savvy. The hotel loans guests 4G smartphones with free Wi-Fi to navigate the city. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and the hotel offers a service with 2,700-odd newspapers and magazines available online for guests free of charge. The Ibis has its own casual restaurant and bar -- The Oopen Pasta and Grill -- with a breakfast buffet as well as lunch and dinner with an international menu. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are offered for a fee, and the Ibis also has coin-operated laundry facilities. Babysitting can be arranged for a fee. Parking is free, and there's a free shuttle bus to the Novena MRT. There's also a car rental desk on-site.