Hotel Kai

The Hotel Kai is housed in a white wooden building with Victorian flourishes. Opened in 2014, the hotel cannot expand under historic preservation laws. Its hallways are black, with dark wooden doors and good lighting. The lobby has leather tufted sofas, wood floors, and vertical log coffee tables. Guests can also relax on the small porch; with its gingerbread trim and wooden seating, the porch makes big city Singapore feel like a small town. The lower half of the reception desk has an arresting detail: a live stingray in a fish tank. The hotel is popular with young to middle-aged tourists, though it also gets some business travelers. Note that the property is wheelchair-accessible.

The Hotel Kai is located in an area dominated by shops and other commercial buildings; it's within walking distance of several sites and four metro stops. It's a two-minute walk to the National Library of Singapore, a six-minute walk to the Esplanade metro station, an eight minute walk to the Bugis metro station, and nine minutes to both City Hall metro and the Bras Basah Mass Rail Transit. The Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre is also a nine-minute walk away. In 12 minutes on foot, you can reach both the National Museum and National Gallery of Singapore. The Marina Bay Sands Casino is six minutes away by car or 15 minutes on public transit, while the Singapore Flyer -- an impressive Ferris wheel -- and the bustling Orchard Road are each a seven-minute drive or 25 minutes by bus. Clarke Quay, for shopping and dining, is eight-minutes by car or 26 minutes  by bus. To reach the Marina Bay Sands Golf Course it's a 12-minute drive or 42 minutes on public transit. The Central Business District is a 15-minute drive. Universal Studios Singapore is 18 minutes by car or 50 minutes on public transit. Changi Airport Singapore is about 18 minutes by car or an hour by train.

Rooms at the Hotel Kai can be tiny, with bright-white color palettes. The smallest single rooms, the Urban Cabins, are clearly designed for just one traveler. There are also Urban Bunks, each with its own TV, but still so small that the only place to store luggage is under the beds (where the safes are located). Beds are adjustable via remote control for reading or watching the flat-screen TVs. The Urban Heritage unit has a spiral staircase. All rooms have customized shelves with cut-outs to fit items such as hairdryers. The larger rooms have washer/dryers, microwaves, minibars, and -- in some cases -- balconies. All rooms have air-conditioning, tea- and coffee-making facilities, slippers, and irons/ironing boards.
There's a big focus on technology here, and rooms are equipped with digital music players and portable Wi-Fi units for those who want Internet access outside of the hotel. Rooms also have universal sockets and Bluetooth speakers and chargers.
Like the rooms, bathrooms are also small, with frosted-glass doors, sometimes exposed to the room, and rainfall showers in shower/tub combos or shower stalls. The hotel provides magnifying mirrors and toiletries that thoughtfully include razors, toothbrushes, and shower caps.

The Hotel Kai offers a range of amenities, with an emphasis on technology. Wi-Fi is free at the hotel, and each guest receives a portable Wi-Fi unit during their stay. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with a free drink and a gift, plus a welcome package of Oreo cookies in the rooms. Extra beds, cots, and high chairs are available. The hotel provides turn-down service and a digital concierge and there's a meeting space that can be rented out. The front desk is staffed 24 hours and luggage storage is provided. Shuttle service and bicycle rentals are available for a fee as is laundry service.