Hotel Review: Experience ibis Singapore Bencoolen

The lobby at ibis Bencoolen, Singapore 

When traveling abroad, I rely heavily on free WiFi access to stay connected to my family and friends back home. Purchasing a local SIM in the country I visit is not on top of my mind and is costly for a budget traveler like me.  

So when the staff at ibis Hotel Bencoolen told me and fellow blogger, Mica, that we'd be staying in a premium room with a free Handy smartphone that has unlimited data access, and with free local and international calls, I knew instantly that my 2-day stay in Singapore will be fun.

When I entered my well-lit room at the 11th floor, my eyes rested easily on the phone sitting adjacent to the comfy-looking bed. It didn't take long before I started dialing my mother's number to inform her that I've arrived safely and finally settled in my hotel.

Skyscanner 2014 Bloscars: A 48-hour Singapore trip

I stared out the windows as the plane took a descent few minutes before we hit the runway of Changi Airport. The bleak and overcast afternoon sky did not dampen my spirit as the familiar sight of this metropolis came to view -- Singapore is still breathing with a lot of trees and skyscrapers. 

I was on this all-expense paid trip for the Skyscanner Bloscars 2014 Travel Awards in Singapore, a trip that was made possible by Skyscanner.

Just a background, Backpacking Pilipinas won second place in the Philippine Skyscanner 2014 Bloscars Travel Awards. And quite unexpectedly, along with the runner up title came the prize for a free trip to Singapore. What a surprise!

My travel companions for the two-day trip were fellow travel bloggers and Skyscanner winners - Allan of Lantaw (country winner), Carla the Blissfulguro and Mica the Senyorita. I'm glad to have represented our country together with this crowd of inspiring bloggers!