Fragrance or Hotel 81?

So I'm heading to Singapore soon. I prefer hostels but I prefer my own room with or without shared bath. Sadly the Singapore hostels are all out of private rooms. I emailed every single one. So It looks like I'm bound for a Fragrance or Hotel 81 room. Yes, I know what kind of hotels they are. Is there one that is better than another? I see that Hotel 81 has 2 stars and Fragrance has 1. Since they are both the same cost, should I steer towards Hotel 81?

They both have... the same kind of reputation, if you know what I mean :) The locations are usually quite good, though.

I'd pick Hotel81 over Fragrance, simply because the 81 chain feels more 'hotel-like' and tends to be shinier... though both have the same thin walls and feel of lovers' motels :)

One option.
http://www.oneflorenceclose.com/

A bit further out but suits what you need (your own room). I bet it's cheaper than either hotel you mentioned, too.

Hotel 81 and Frangrance are both 'chain' of hotels operating under the common name. Wonder how they can be star rated as a group.

Reputation? Both Frangrance and Hotel 81 have several hotels in the 'Red Light area of Singapore.
Based on price you are likely to be sleeping in a red light area, so enjoy the scene or enjoy the sin.

Good luck.

I've never stayed at Fragrance but I have stayed at Hotel 81. It wasn't until the second day I realised it was a red-light area, that's how low-key it is. I had my family with me and always felt completely safe and secure. This IS Singapore we're talking about.

I stayed in an 81. As far as the room, they try to appear as a proper hotel, even furnishing an electric kettle, so it doesn't have that 'short-time' ambiance ;^) The room was just a little bit bigger than the double bed itself, and there wasn't much space to unpack. Literally, the only space in the room was in the bed. The tiny bathroom was app. 1 meter square, with the shower right over the toilet bowl. Also, the sound of the air conditioning system 'sings' throughout the building, whether you have yours turned on or not. I think it was around S$75, this was a few months ago. It was ok for the two nights I was there, wouldn't really recommend it, but for Singapore it seems you can't expect much better for that price.
I don't recall which one it was, but definitely a red-light district (most girls on the street were Thai) combined with a large population of Indian/Bengladeshi laborers who are taken away to their jobs in buses in the morning.

Thanks everyone. I guess it doesn't matter either way. Has anyone booked through asiarooms? They are about $7(USD) cheaper than anyone else but just a quick google search lead to a lot of people that talk bad about them. No one really says you don't get the room at the price, but that they delete any bad reviews of the hotels. As long as I get the room though. I don't want to wander around a new city at 2 in the morning looking for another place after being on a plane for 24 hours.

There are other options (hostels with your own room):

Try these 2 hostel/hotel:

The Inn Crowd

The New 7th Storey Hotel

have you really email all the hostels? Check out this site that list all the hostel in singapore ----- www.hostelsingapore.com.

You can google for the hostel website and email them.

www.nsshotel.com

Thanks everyone. But I left Singapore yesterday. Yes, I did email all those hostels/hotels, they were all booked.

Anyways, I stayed at the Fragrance Emerald. It was absolutely fine. Super clean and unlike reports of the super small rooms, my room was not that small. I've stayed in rooms a quarter the size of it in Europe. No problems at all. I do think they are trying not to be a love hotel anymore. There weren't any working girls in front of it, there were across the street at the Hotel 6. I never saw one working girl coming in or out, just the occasional backpacker complaining about how there was no breakfast. A lot of Chinese tour groups stayed there.