There comes a point in time in our lives where we dream of living on our own. The only thing that’s holding ourselves back from actually doing it? Paying the rent, finding a place that’s convenient with facilities, and of course, the perennial fear of being alone for an extended period of time.
Whatever your reason may be, this relatively new space by Hmlet, is definitely one worth sparing a thought for.
Introducing Hmlet. Whether it’s a room or an apartment you’re looking for, Hmlet does it all. As a millennial, I’ve always dreamed of having my own space to come back to. And by my own, I mean a place where I paid my own rent for, and not under my parents’ roof. I know, you might be thinking “Why pay for a space to live in where you can come back to the comfort of your own home with your family?” But truth be told, I’ve always thought that living on my own, even for just a few months, gave me a sense of independence and freedom.
I spent almost a week over at Hmlet Cantonment — also known as its largest co-living space in Singapore — during the first month since it opened and it was a dream come true. Now, what I love most about it is the fact that it’s fully-furnished, convenient and I get to be alone without feeling lonely, no thanks to its co-living concept where like-minded individuals get to stay in a place together.
For a clearer view of what Hmlet Cantonment looks like and has to offer, continue reading on!
Over at Hmlet Cantonment, I stayed in The Extra Large Room — which starts at a price of approximately $202/night, and it comes with a queen-sized bed, air-conditioning, an all-purpose lounge/dining area, kitchenette, washer/dryer, in-room safe, a wall-mounted smart TV, storage space, hairdryer and of course, complimentary toiletries.
Unlike their other smaller rooms, The Extra Large Room was catered towards travellers or even expats who are looking for a longer stay.
Over at their ‘Canteen’, you’ll also find their Honesty bar and lounge area where you can get some snacks, cook your own food, and even grab a cold one — yes, they even have their own beer on tap!
Besides that, they also have a ‘Warrior’ Studio where guests can attend yoga classes and even a small space set aside with stability balls and a punching bag for those who are looking for quick pump session.
And of course, the cherry on the cake — a Plunge Pool and an Outdoor Deck and Garden for you to sit, back, relax and unwind with your friends (and your neighbours) over at the back of the building!
MY EXPERIENCE
In summary, I would say the experience was definitely eye-opening for someone who has always dreamed of living on her own. The facilities were adequately equipped with basic necessities which made living here such ease. Take, for instance, their canteen area which facilitated communal gatherings, where you can meet new people, prepare your own food or even get some snacks from the kitchen, without going through the hassle of going out of my way to the nearest convenient stall. As mentioned in our previous co-living space roundup, Hmlet also offers you a platform to interact with the other guests staying at the serviced apartment, but you also get to maintain your own privacy as well. Based on my experience, well since I stayed at the apartment during the first month of its opening, I didn’t have the privilege to meet many other guests living at the space considering how relatively new it was. Nevertheless, I could tell that the communal spaces really allowed guests to interact with one another with ease and the service staff were generally really friendly and helpful too.
At first impression, I really enjoyed the freedom of living alone and it gave me a lot of time and space for myself. Not to mention, it was also located in the central-south area of Singapore which wasn’t too far off from my office — making it easier for me to travel to and fro from work. The housekeeping was also one thing I like about these serviced apartments. Not trying to say that I’m too lazy to clean up after myself, but I do appreciate the getting my room cleaned up every now and then with fresh towels, toiletries, new sheets and so on.
The only setback that I had: well, honestly speaking if you’re not driving, the place might not be as convenient as it sounds. I only saw 2 bus stops out front and Outram Park was a 10-minute walk from the place so if you’re planning to rush out for work, I would probably suggest you head out a little earlier considering how packed it would be around the central area. Also, on another note, the restaurants and eateries in the vicinity (we’re talking about Tanjong Pagar, BTW), offer a variety of delicacies from Western to Mexican food, but the only con is, it’s pretty pricey, so you might probably find yourself cooking in if you’re not intending to spend a lot on dinner.
The thing about Hmlet is that it also comes with a flexible lease of at least 3 months — so you won’t have to worry about getting tied down if you decide to change your mind about your apartment. Hmlet Cantonment, on the other hand, offers a minimum stay period of just 6 nights so if you’re willing to test things out, you know where to go.
With prices starting from as low as $1,000/month for a Pocket Room at Hmlet Riverwalk to bigger Full 2-Bedroom apartments that fetch prices of up $5,990/month at One North Residence, there’s bound to be a living space that’d suit your liking.
Overall, I would say staying in a co-living space is definitely something I would pay for, in the short-term to expose myself to what it would be like staying on my own. However, if you’re looking for a long-term option, I would probably reconsider, especially because the cost of living in such an apartment like Hmlet can be pretty pricey for someand you would be better off spending that money on an actual apartment with a contract lease so that cumulatively, it wouldn’t be that expensive.
Prices start from $870/week for The Small room, to $1,920 for 2 Bed with Kitchen room. For more information, check out Hmlet’s website at https://www.hmlet.com/.
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