Engines purr for budget-conscious Singapore F1 fans
By NISHA RAMCHANDANI
(SINGAPORE) The historic Formula One night race in Singapore next month is drawing a strong turnout from budget-conscious travellers - if bookings at backpacker inns and hostels are anything to go by.
While such establishments may not be on a par with hotels in terms of capacity or facilities, they are reporting brisk business during the race weekend thanks to their low prices.
However, the biggest bonus for visitors coming here for the race might well be the fact that hostels are exempt from paying a tax of 20 per cent (for non-track-side hotels) and 30 per cent (for track-side hotels) that is being levied on hotels by the government to help offset the cost of hosting the race. As such, most of the hostels that BT spoke to are passing on the savings by keeping rates unchanged.
Fern Loft Backpacker Hostel - which has a combined capacity of 120 across its River Valley, East Coast and Chinatown locations - is already fully booked for all three days of the race weekend, with guests from countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia.
A one-night stay in a dorm room comes to an affordable $20-$25 a night, while private rooms are in the region of $60-$125. Bookings were mostly made through the Internet.
The Hive, which can host 60 guests, is also full for the race weekend. Room rates have remained constant at $20 daily for dorm rooms and between $42 and $55 for private rooms.
Another hostel saw bookings for its six private rooms come in as far back as nine months ago. ‘We still have some interested parties on hold because we’re saving rooms for our corporate clients,’ said one budget hostel which declined to be named.
The hostel, which has filled about 60 per cent of its 90-person capacity, said that 85 per cent of the travellers who booked with them for that period have indicated on booking forms that they are coming for the F1. The hostel has even implemented a minimum three-night stay for guests arriving between Sept 25 and 29.
Over at the Prince of Wales, its five double rooms have been booked for about a month now while the Rucksack Inn has had all of its 22 beds booked since the last two weeks.
‘Bookings started to come in end-July to the first week of August,’ said Yeo Hwee Sian, manager of Rucksack Inn. The inn is also leaving its dorm room rate unchanged, at $30 a night. Guests that are coming for the race hail from the Czech Republic, the Philippines as well as Germany, said Ms Yeo.
After all the beds were taken up, she even had to refer one group to another hostel, Betel Box. ‘But they were full too,’ she added.
A check with Betel Box showed that they had only one bed available for both Sept 26 and 28, but were full on the 27th.
Source : Straits Times - 23 Aug 2008
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