Hotel Innotel

When it comes to decor, Hotel Innotel looks like a modern cookie-cutter property with lots of light tones and marble surfaces, but what's noteworthy is how clean and well maintained the place is (in fact, it almost looks new). The 70-room hotel may be situated in one of the busiest precincts in the city, but its calm atmosphere and great spot near Orchard Road sets it apart from many other crowded properties in the area. Hotel Innotel appeals mostly to those who want to be somewhere central and are traveling for work, but some leisure visitors check in here to be close to shopping without being right smack in the middle of it all on Orchard Road.

The best thing about Hotel Innotel is its location. It sits near the east end of Orchard Road, just a five-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT train station. Other stations, including Somerset, Bencoolen, and Bras Basah (the latter is where Singapore's arts and heritage district is) are no more than 15 minutes away on foot. The main Orchard Road area and its glitzy malls are about a 20-minute stroll away, and those who are curious about the city's nightlife scene can take a 15-minute walk to Clarke Quay. If walking's not preferred, there are bus stops nearby -- two- to five-minutes on foot, tops -- with services that go just about everywhere. Changi Airport is a 20-minute drive depending on traffic (which can be heavy along Orchard Road), or can be reached via train in about an hour.

Rooms at Hotel Innotel come in a variety of configurations, with four main categories to choose from: Superior, Deluxe, Executive, and Suite. Rooms are bright and clean with windows, wardrobes, and minimal wall art -- though there is really no need for the latter with the single rainbow-colored (or bold two-toned) walls in most rooms. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, safes, coffee- and tea-making facilities, hairdryers, and free Wi-Fi. Each room also has a minibar with free soft drinks that are replenished daily, plus a ready-to-use smartphone with unlimited data that guests can use for access to the internet and to make local and free international calls to select countries. Rooms also come with techy, albeit outdated, extras like internet TV, radio sets, and DVD players in some.

Bathrooms are on the plain side and feature basic toiletries like soap and shampoo, as well as kits that contain things like combs and cotton buds. Most bathrooms have walk-in showers, but certain rooms have bathtubs. Also, the sinks in entry-level rooms like Superior and Deluxe are located in the sleeping area, separated from the toilet.

There's been guest feedback on how some rooms pick up noise from nearby construction during the day as of 2018, so be sure to get a room facing away from these sites if this bothers you. Also, if you're a smoker, note that the hotel has one floor with rooms where smoking is allowed.

Features here are limited, but for a business hotel, the lack of meeting rooms and at least one other feature -- like a pool or a fitness center -- is a drawback. There's a cafe near the entrance of the hotel, which serves buffet-style breakfasts (fee), along with a la carte options for lunch and dinner. At night, the place turns into a bar that stays open till late and serves beer, wine, and spirits. Laundry is self-service, but you have to speak to front desk and go through the staff area in the back to use the token-operated washer and dryer in an open space behind the building. Detergent is provided. The front desk can also help with business services like printing and photocopying -- for a small fee, of course.