Singapore has one of the world’s best public transit systems, according to a 2023 survey from Time Out. In fact, the Southeast Asian city-state’s public buses are apparently so nice they can be used as luxury hotel rooms after being decommissioned.
That’s exactly what has happened at the Bus Collective, a brand-new lodging option—the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, per a press release—featuring 20 “luxury suites” aboard 20 retired public buses previously operated by local rail-and-bus agency SBS Transit.
Naturally, the interiors of the now-stationary vehicles have been overhauled and spiffed-up to get them ready for overnight guests.
(Guest room at the Bus Collective resort in Singapore | Credit: The Bus Collective)
Instead of rows of passenger seats, you’ll find features such as marble countertops, rain showerheads, and, in some units, queen- or even king-size beds and soaking tubs. Outside, private patios adjoin the frames of the repurposed buses.
Vestiges of each coach’s previous life remain in the form of wide windows and, up by the windshield, the preserved driver’s seat and steering wheel (no longer operational, obviously).
The 8,600-square-meter (2-acre) resort property is parked in Singapore’s Changi Village neighborhood, near a popular hawker center (one of the city’s famed food courts with stalls selling delectable, affordable dishes reflecting Singapore’s rich diversity), the Changi East Boardwalk, and the World War II–focused Changi Chapel and Museum.
(Bathroom at the Bus Collective resort in Singapore | Credit: The Bus Collective)
As for onsite amenities at the Bus Collective, those are pretty much limited at the moment to an “experiences centre” to book bicycle rentals, fitness classes, tours, and airport transfers. The renowned Singapore Changi Airport is another nearby landmark—and another transportation success story for Singapore.
Nightly rates at the Bus Collective resort start at S$398 (US$297). (As CNBC points out, “It only costs a dollar to ride a Singapore bus—but 398 Singapore dollars to sleep in one.”)
The hotel is officially open as of December 1. For more information or to make a reservation, go to TheBusCollective.com.
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