Thursday, May 29, 2014

Hong Kong hotels offer free smartphone with free internet


3 hotels in Hong Kong, Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong and its sister hotels Cosmo Hotel Hong Kong and Dorsett Mongkok now offers a Smart Handy Phone to every guestroom. The smartphone features 24-hour free use of 3G internet and personal hotspot for multi-device connectivity, unlimited local calls and IDD calls to up to five countries namely United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore and China.

“Free WiFi hotspots may be getting common in Hong Kong, but they are still very limited in certain places. Often, you are limited to only 45 minutes free internet access before you start paying. Being a hotel operator that prides itself on service perfection, we want to ensure our guests 24-hour internet connectivity whenever wherever they are, so this is where handy phone comes into play. Not only that, handy phone will also replace the hefty bill for international calls,” said Ms. Anita Chan, General Manager of the three Hong Kong hotels. “This handy phone is a no-brainer and is specially designed for tourists of all ages. It is lightweight and like everyone else mobile phone, you can bring in and out the hotel as you like. We believe it will greatly enhance our guests travel experience, bringing them greater convenience and significant cost savings like no other.”

The Smart Handy Phone is available in the room after a guest checks-in. Throughout their stay, guests are free to use the phone and they do not need to pay any cash or credit deposit. And the guest can also take the phone with them which allows 24-hour internet connection everywhere in the city. With the unlimited 3G data and hotspot function, guests can share WiFi with a group of friends or posting their photos on social media anytime anywhere.



This smart phone is also making travel a hassle-free and fun experience with useful pre-loaded features including interactive maps, Hong Kong city guide and a host of exciting discounts for dining, nightlife, shops and local attractions across the city to allow guests travel like a local.

Upon check-out, every device will be reset to its original setting leaving no trace of browsing history, dialed numbers or personal information on the phone.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Flights to Boracay (Kalibo) from Singapore by SilkAir


If you are planning to fly to Boracay Island from Singapore, you now have one more alternative. Singapore Airline's regional wing, SilkAir, has started flights from Singapore to Boracay hub Kalibo as SilkAir MI599 departed Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 10:00 hours. SilkAir will fly to Kalibo from Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Kalibo, the capital of Aklan province in the Philippines, is the third destination of SilkAir in Philippines. The airline already operates flights to Cebu and Davao from Singapore.

Kalibo is a gateway to the beautiful Boracay island where nature’s bounty of scenic attractions can be found, with fine sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Boracay also offers a wide array of attractions, from cascading waterfalls, natural cold springs, and the chance to explore the five caves of Buruanga town.

This new service will connect Kalibo with the joint Singapore Airlines – SilkAir network of over 90 cities worldwide via the Singapore hub.

Schedule of SilkAir flights between Singapore and Kalibo:

Flight Number
Routing
Day of Operation
Departure*
Arrival*
MI 577
SIN-CEB-KLO
Thursday
SIN 0820hrs
KLO 1345hrs
MI 577
KLO-SIN
Thursday
KLO 1430hrs
SIN 1810hrs
MI 599
SIN-KLO
Tuesday, Sunday
SIN 1000hrs
KLO 1345hrs
MI 599
KLO-CEB-SIN
Tuesday, Sunday
KLO 1430hrs
SIN 1940hrs

If you are planning to fly to Kalibo for Boracay, here is how to get to Boracay from Kalibo : After flying to Kalibo from Singapore, you can take a bus or taxi from Kalibo to Caticlan from where you can take a ferry to Boracay. It takes about an hour from Kalibo to Caticlan by road and 5 minutes for fast craft to Boracay.

SilkAir’s Inaugural Flight to Kalibo, Phillippines on 27 May 2014.
SilkAir’s Inaugural Flight to Kalibo, Phillippines on 27 May 2014.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Jetstar promotion 2014: The Great Singapore Sale


Jetstar is kicking off the week with Jetstar Great Singapore Sale promotion with awesome fares from as little as $36. Jetstar has got many exciting destinations on sale from the beautiful beaches of Phuket or Bali to the bright city lights of Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur.

Jetstar Great Singapore Sale promotion ends 1 June 2014 unless sold out prior. Below are some Jetstar promotional flights with this deal:

Jetstar flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur from $36,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Jakarta, Penang and Phnom Penh from $54,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Medan - Kualanamu from $58,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Surabaya from $68,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Bangkok from $78,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Bali  from $84,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Darwin and Haikou from $98,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Manila from $118,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Hong Kong, Siem Reap and Shantou / Jieyang from $128,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Perth from $138,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Hangzhou from $148,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Taipei from $168 and
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Melbourne (Tullamarine) from $228.

For details, go to Jetstar web site.
Jetstar promotion 2014: The Great Singapore Sale! Over 20 destinations on sale from $36!
Jetstar promotion 2014: The Great Singapore Sale! Over 20 destinations on sale from $36!
Travel dates for this promotion are below. Fares may not be available on all flights and days.
Singapore - Kuala Lumpur: 10 Jun - 23 Jul, 6 Aug - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Penang: 10 Jun - 23 Jul, 6 Aug - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Phuket: 10 Jun - 23 Jul, 6 Aug - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Bali: 12 Aug - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Bangkok: 10 Jun - 23 Jul, 6 Aug - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Darwin: 29 Jul - 18 Sep, 14 Oct - 9 Dec 2014, 3 Feb - 25 Mar 2015
Singapore - Hong Kong: 10 Jun - 17 Jul, 2 Sep - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Taipei: 2 Sep - 13 Nov 2014, 7 Jan - 12 Feb 2015
Singapore - Melbourne: 30 Jul - 11 Sep, 15 Oct - 19 Nov 2014, 10 Feb - 25 Mar 2015

Economy Starter fares come with 10kg carry-on baggage only. Carry-on baggage limits, including size restrictions, will be strictly applied. Passengers with more than the applicable carry-on baggage allowance will need to check in baggage, and charges will apply

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Holiday Inn Express Singapore


In a little less than a year, Singapore has gone from having no Holiday Inn Express to having two : Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road and Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is opened in July 2013 near Orchard Road and in April 2014 Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay is opened.

The 221-room Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is within easy walking distance of popular shopping malls, such as ION Orchard and Ngee Ann City, as well as prime medical centres, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Paragon Medical Centre. The hotel offers convenient access to great restaurants, bars and entertainment options. Somerset and Orchard MRT Stations are just a stone’s throw away, providing easy access to the CBD and the rest of Singapore. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road was the third Holiday Inn Express hotel in South East Asia, joining two sister hotels in Thailand - Holiday Inn Express Phuket Patong Beach Central and Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Siam.

The second Holiday Inn Express in Singapore, Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay, is the largest Holiday Inn Express in the region, with 442 rooms, a 24-hour fitness centre and a rooftop pool.

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay, the latest Holiday Inn Express Hotel in South East Asia
is opened in Singapore Clarke Quay in April 2014.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Jetstar promotion 2014: Buy 1 Get 1 FREE


Budget airline Jetstar Airways is running a "Buy 1 Get 1 FREE" flight promotion in Singapore recently which is quite a popular deal. If you think you missed out on free sale don’t worry, you still have time to grab a friend and start planning your next trip!

Currently flights to many of JetStar destinations are on sale free! For every passenger who books a specially marked sale economy Starter fare, you will receive another economy Starter fare for FREE*!

For example if you are flying to Bangkok from Singapore, starter fare in JetStar is 98 SGD (64 SGD for the ticket and 34 SGD for taxes and fees). With this promotion, starter fare for the second passanger will be only 34 SGD ( 0 SGD ticket price and 34 SGD for taxes and fees). These numbers are of course one-way.

Sale ends 23 May 2014 (11 am), unless sold out prior.

Some ticket prices during this deal are:

Jetstar flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur $44,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Phnom Penh $64,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Jakarta $68,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Penang $69,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Medan - Kualanamu $78,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City $84,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Yangon, Surabaya, Phuket $88,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Bangkok $98,
Jetstar flights from Singapore to Bali $105 and so on.

Check JetStar Buy 1 Get 1 FREE special offer page for details.


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Royal Caribbean cruise promotion 2014: Mariner Of the Seas


Back in June 2013, Royal Caribbean International's Mariner Of The Seas debut as the largest cruise ship in Asia. Through out 2013 summer cruise season, this voyager class cruise ship sailed in Asia servicing cruises out of Singapore and Shanghai, China. Mariner Of The Seas completed its first Singapore winter/spring season in March 2014 which started November 2013.

Mariner of the Seas has lined up a total of 29 sailings for this Singapore season, comprising a variety of 3, 4 and 5-night cruises to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Langkawi, Penang and Phuket and a 7-night cruise to Bangkok (Laem Chabang) (overnight) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My). Highlights included the festive cruises for Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year with special entertainment and feasts, as well as theme cruises namely the world’s first all-champions Latin dance competition cruise in January and the Valentine’s Cruise hosted by UFM100.3 deejay Wenhong and Lianhe Wanbao food critic Alan Ng from Singapore in February, attended by more than 600 fans.[1]

After her Shanghai season for the summer and autumn which features North Asian sailings, Mariner of the Seas will be returning to Singapore this November for her next season. For her short cruises of 3 to 5 nights, Kuantan will be the newest port-of-call, on top of Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Langkawi and Phuket.

The ship will also add more long scenic sailings of 7 nights to her repertoire of Southeast Asian itineraries, due to popular demand. These come with overnight stays at Phuket or Bangkok (Laem Chabang) as the highlights, which offer more time for guests to explore these popular ports-of-call from day to night as well as the ship’s wide range of amenities and activities. Examples are the 7-Night Spice of Southeast Asia Cruise to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang, Langkawi and Phuket (overnight) on January 19 and 26, 2015 and the 7-Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise to Bangkok (Laem Chabang) (overnight) and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) on February 11.


Royal Carribean's Mariner Of the Seas
You can access to some Royal Caribbean Cruise promotion on Mariner Of the Seas here. Some itineraries are:

Asia Weekend Cruise (3 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Nov 21, Nov 28, Dec 19, Dec 26, 2014, Jan 16 and Mar 4, 2015. The cruise calls Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) starting from $408 instead  of usual price of $608.

Best of Malaysia Cruise (4 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Nov 17 Dec 15, 2014, Jan 8 and Feb 2, 2015 . The cruise calls Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) and Langkawi Island starting from $438 instead  of usual price of $688.

Port Klang and Phuket Cruise (4 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Nov 24 Dec 11, Dec 22, Jan 12 and Feb 18, 2015. The cruise calls Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) and Phuket Island of Thailand starting from $438 instead  of usual price of $688.

Spices of South East Asia Cruise (5 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Nov 12 Dec 1, 2014, Jan 3, Feb 6,  Feb 22 and  Feb 27,2015. The cruise calls Penang and Langkawi Islands of Malaysia and Phuket Island of Thailand starting from $548 instead  of usual price of $828.

Phuket and Malaysia Cruise (5 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on  Dec 6 and Dec 29 2014. The cruise calls Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Phuket (Overnight) starting from $628 instead of usual price of $978.

Malaysia and Thailand Cruise (7 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Jan 19 and Jan 26 2015. The cruise calls Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang, Langkawi, Phuket (Overnight) starting from $758 instead of usual price of $1058.

Thailand and Vietnam Cruise (7 Nights)
The cruise from Singapore is departing on Feb 11, 2015. The cruise calls Bangkok (Overnight) and Ho Chi Minh City starting from $738 instead of usual price of $988.

Mariner of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships. Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas are the second generation of Voyager-class vessels. Both have several features their first generation sisters (Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas ) lack such as glass balconies, an extended rear buffer and an Asian fusion buffet called "Jade". She has received "Royal Advantage" upgrades April 2012.

Royal Caribbean International is a Norwegian and American cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida. The cruise line owns 21 ships and controls a 17% share of the world cruise market. Since 1991 all ships under the Royal Caribbean International brand have names ending in "of the Seas". SCelebrity Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France are all sister brands of Royal Caribbean International.

[1] - MARINER OF THE SEAS COMPLETES FIRST SINGAPORE WINTER / SPRING SEASON

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Great Singapore Sale hotel deals by Agoda


Singapore's annual shopping festival, Great Singapore Sales, is near (30 May to 27 July). Started 20 years ago, Great Singapore Sale (GSS) has turned into an annual event offering sales, specials and deals on a huge selection of merchandise. During GSS, there is something for all types of shoppers, from individuals selling homemade wares, to independent merchants and right up to global brands.

It is the sheer variety of vendors and goods available that transforms the Great Singapore Sale from a simple shopping excursion into a cultural journey. Reflecting Singapore’s famously eclectic population, shoppers can browse mom & pop stores in Chinatown or Little India, discover retro treasures at the Thieves' Market, peek into fashion boutiques on Ann Siang Road, or get lost in the massive interconnected network of malls along Orchard Road.

Singapore also offers plenty to see and do if one needs a break from the malls. During the day, recharge your brain with a visit to one of the many museums or art galleries, stroll amid the amazing architecture at Marina Bay, or relax on the beach on Sentosa Island. In the evening, head to a rooftop bar to gaze across the city's futuristic skyline, or check out the cafes and live music in Holland Village.

Especially savvy shoppers can check out the great promotions, prizes, contests, and tax rebates available. More details can be found at www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg before planning the trip. And if you are coming to Singapore, check these Singapore deals. You may find very good discounts for everything from products and wellness to dinning and Singapore activities.

To help travelers save money on accommodation and focus their energy on shopping, look to the list below to find some great Singapore hotel deals.



Traders Hotel, 4*
Stay for at least 2 nights and enjoy 20% off. Expires 31 August, 2014.

York Hotel, 4*
Limited time offer – rooms from USD $159. Expires 30 June, 2014.

Royal Plaza on Scotts, 5*
Limited time offer – enjoy 30% off. Expires 27 July, 2014.

Hotel Clover The Arts, 4*
Limited time offer – enjoy 30% off. Expires 31 July, 2014.

Riverview Hotel Singapore, 4*
Limited time offer – rooms from USD $120. Expires 31 July, 2014.

Carlton Hotel, 5*
Limited time offer – rooms from USD $155. Expires 30 June, 2014.

Amara Singapore, 4*
Early bird special – book 14 days in advance and enjoy 20% off. Expires 30 June, 2014.

The Quincy Hotel by Far East Hospitality, 4*
Book at least 14 days in advance and enjoy 15% off. Expires 17 September, 2014.

Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, 4*
Limited time offer – rooms from USD $152. Expires 31 July, 2014.

Park Hotel Clarke Quay, 4*
Enjoy 15% off Superior and Deluxe rooms, 20% off food & beverage, 3pm check out (subject to availability). Expires 31 July, 2014.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

My GrabTaxi Experience


Taxi in Singapore is simply unreliable. Taxi drivers are very choosy and it is usually difficult to find one even if you are trying to book a taxi through phone. For this reason, I usually try not to use one even most of my taxi demand comes from work travels and they are paid by the company. In the past, I had been late to meetings when I assumed that I will find a taxi. Unfortunately, I still need taxi. And when i need one, it is still difficult to find one.

Last week, I needed to take a taxi from Senkang to Somerset MRT Station. I tried calling Comfort and SMRT but no taxi was available after half an hour try. Then I remembered GrabTaxi, which was on the news for a few times (they are in the news since securing additional funding of US$10 million plus from Vertex Venture Holdings of Temasek Holdings in early April).

GrabTaxi, known as MyTeksi in Malaysia, is a location based booking and dispatch platform for the taxi booking. I actually heard it in late 2013 in Kuala Lumpur a lot where everybody was suggesting me to download MyTeksi app for bookings.

GrabTaxi is relatively new to Singapore but already there are 10,000+ taxi drivers registered to it. This is a big number since the largest taxi operator in Singapore, Comfort, has about 16,600 cabs. And with the popularity of the application, number of drivers registered is increasing fast.

Downloading its free 5 MB app to my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 took a few minutes (GrabTaxi is a smartphone based platform). Registering an account was also easy. I entered my location and the destination and started trying. I booked a taxi in my 4th try (in 15 minutes).

Since I have downloaded GrabTaxi, I have used it 4 times. Up to now, I can only say good things about it. This is a great app, one of the most useful smartphone apps I have ever used. It really adds value to your daily life. Here are my comments on it:

It works. Yes there are many fancy features of the application like watching the booked taxi on the map but the best thing about GrabTaxi is that it works. I used it 4 times and in almost all of these occasions my first choice was a taxi queue or trying to call operator booking services. They did not work but GrabTaxi worked. I found one in at most 5th try which is 15 to 20 minutes time.

Entering the destination is one of the best things about the application. Since taxi drivers are very choosy in Singapore, if you are going a long distance (which is the case with most of my taxi demand), you have better chance to be picked up. I wish I had this when I was in Bedok. Many taxi drivers did not take me from the street or call bookings were not answered. I asked the reason to many drivers and most told me that since I had a bag and looked like an IT professional, they thought I was going to Changi Business Park which is quite a short drive away  from my previous flat. In fact, I was usually going to city center.

You can watch the taxi and call the driver. In my second booking, I saw the driver took a wrong turn in my huge HDB estate and I could call him and give him the directions. In another, I saw him on the map, estimated his arrival time and went in the mall to buy a tea.

You can share your location with others. This is quite a nice feature. Although Singapore is safe, it is still good to be able to send your location to people so they can see where you are.

I am not using taxi operators' phone lines and operator booking apps any more. And I agree with Hafizah Osman from stuff.tv when she says "don't even bother calling the Comfort, SMRT, or Trans-Cab booking hotline, you'll only need this app". GrabTaxi works because it addresses taxi demand and supply problem.

There may still be some improvements. One taxi driver told me that he wanted to get my booking but it disappeared so fast because of many taxi requests. He somehow managed to find my request and grab it.

Below is an image explaining how to use GrabTaxi.

how to use GrabTaxi
how to use GrabTaxi

I have also heard about this Easy Taxi which does not require a booking fee (when you book through GrabTaxi, you pay standard booking fee).

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Star Cruises’ Great Singapore Sail Promotion 2014


What can you enjoy with 20 Dollars? A dinner? A movie date? Or a tempting dessert? What about a cruise vacation? Yes, Star Cruises' now offer Star Cruises’ Great Singapore Sail Promotion: 2nd person only pays $21 with a full-paying partner on SuperStar Gemini and SuperStar Virgo for selected 2 May 2014 – 27 Mar 2015 departures. These two needs to be sharing the same cabin! Promotion is valid for Oceanview Stateroom with Porthole – Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony (CD-BA) cabins only.

The promotion is for bookings by 15 July 2014.

You can book a 2-night or 3-night cruise for sailing dates between 30 June to 15 November 2013 to enjoy the promotion. Dining credit and Balcony Class Privileges are applicable under this promotion.

You can check our thread for more Cruise promotions and deals.


Star Cruises’ Great Singapore Sail Promotion
Star Cruises’ Great Singapore Sail Promotion
SuperStar Vigro cruises for:
2 nights Malacca or Redang or Kuala Lumpur (Wednesday),
2 nights Kuala Lumpur or Redang or High Seas (Friday),
3 nights Penang/Phuket or Phuket/Langkawi (Sunday).

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Renting a Senkang flat and living in Senkang


This January I have left Bedok for Senkang. The landlord of my rental HDB flat was increasing the rent from 2,600 SGD per month to 2,700 SGD per month. I have a friend who lives in a rental flat in Dakota and has successfully convinced his landlord that he would leave the house if he would increase the rent (his rent is 2,700 SGD per month). Mine was not even listening so I moved out.

Bedok is quite far to city and is an old HDB estate. Although it is mature in terms of amenities, the flats are old and expensive. Since the opening of Changi Business Park, more bank offices moved to East and there are many IT professionals with deep pockets. Many also look for a place as a group so it is hard to compete with 4-5 salaries with a family budget. So, rents are quite high in Bedok and we do not have any reason to pay the premium, I work in city center and my wife is at home now looking after our baby.

So we have decided to leave our rental flat and Bedok. After looking at several locations, price and flat quality wise, Senkang shined. Senkang is known to be far away neighbourhood and is definitely a non-mature estate. I was thinking about the area because I am planning to buy a resale HDB and I do not want to pay COV (Cash over valuation). In Senkang and Pungol, COV is zero or negative. I wanted to rent there a year before going for a purchase and I knew the rental prices were lower.

My wife was reluctant to move from Bedok and even to look at HDBs in Senkang. But after we have seen several rental flats, we were not even looking flats outside Senkang! Very new HDB blocks full of condominium like HDB flats with rentals cheaper than mature estates! We have later found a flat for 2,400 SGD per month (3600 SGD per year cheaper than the one in Bedok). But the price is not the only appeal. The flat is new and interior design is just great. Much better than the one in Bedok.

I have been living in Senkang for a few months now and I have lived here enough to see that those so-called non-mature estate disadvantages are highly exaggerated. Senkang is only 10 minutes more to commute to my work place in Tiong Bahru, compared to Bedok. Although amenities are less, there are still plenty and we have everything from hawker centers to food courts. One suprising thing was that we need less taxi from our Senkang place to city center compared to our Bedok flat. We also do not go to city a lot. The reason is the NEX in Serangoon. In Bedok and near Bedok, there is no big shopping mall as NEX.

A warning, we need less taxi here and taxis are also hard to find in Senkang. It is quite a norm here to wait for a taxi for an hour even you are calling.

Senkang Town center and Compass Point Shopping Mall
And the rental prices in Senkang are falling. As I write this, a flat similar to mine was going for 2,300 SGD per month. As months pass-by, large number of BTO flats complated 5-years ago are entering the resale and rental market.  2009 and 2010 onwards, new BTO flat constructions were quite high and they will enter the market by large numbers.

Actually this must be an island wide trend in Singapore. Last time I looked for a rental flat was in 2012 and at that time, agents were taking groups of tenants (I mean an agent was taking groups of tenants at the same time)  to flats and the landlords were not even talking to you if you wanted to negotiate. Now, no more tenant group visits and also landlords are more willing to negotiate 10-15% discounts. Asking prices are also more reasonable.

Here are some tips in renting an HDB flat in Senkang:

- Try to rent near Senkang MRT Station (where there is also a mid-size shopping mall named Compass Point) or near LRT stations. There are many new and nice HDB blocks right next to LRT stations which makes commuting quite easy.
- HDBs near Senkang Sports and Recreation Center are great places to rent a flat. This place is like a water park!
- Try to look for rental in The Straits Times classified. There are more landlord agents and senior property agents there then online sites.
- I usually save on property agent fee when I am renting. When you call the agent, just ask him whether he/she is a landlord agent or tenant agent. Talk further to landlord agents. They get their commission from landlord so you do no need to pay property agent fee if you work with them. I worked through tenant agents before. They just behave as message relay service between you and landlord agent and when there is a conflict, they have little use (they usually behave like they do not have any responsibility on the transaction). And for doing almost nothing they get half the rent every year (even if you extend your rent on the same unit, they still get commission from you).

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Carl’s Junior Cash Voucher Deal in Singapore


American-based fast-food restaurant chain Carl's Junior has one of the most delicious hamburgers in Singapore and one of the few food chains offering American-sized burgers and meals. These burgers are not only plus-sized, they taste much better too. The different, unique sauce melts in your mouth and the patties are thick and juicy, giving you a whole new level of happiness.

The plus-size and the quality comes with a price. The hamburgers in Carl's Junior are expensive compared to other fast-food chains. But with this Carl's Junior cash voucher deal, you can save a little bit (25% indeed) on your next visit or visits.

There are 4 Options Available:
1 Cash Voucher - Only $7.50 instead of $10
5 Cash Vouchers - Only $37.50 instead of $50
10 Cash Vouchers - Only $75 instead of $100
50 Cash Vouchers - Only $375 instead of $500

Carl’s Junior Cash Voucher is valid for 9 months in Singapore outlets so you can buy more and use later if you are regularly visiting Carl's Junior outlets. You can choose a address delivery option via SMS Mail by SingPost for purchase of 5, 10 or 50 Cash Vouchers for an additional $3. Otherwise you cannot simply use the print-outs in Carl's Junior outlets but need to go to DEALs.com.sg office to collect them.

For details, information and fine-print of the deal visit Carl’s Junior: It’s gonna get messy - Only $7.50 for Cash Voucher – Drool Over the Famous Charbroiled Burgers, Chilli Cheese Fries & Everything on the Menu.

There are many more deals like this in DEALs.com.sg Dinning Deals page.




Toast Box Gift Voucher Singapore Deal


Nanyang Kopi and food house Toast Box offers a nice place to sit and enjoy kopi and is one of the most popular cafe chains in Singapore. You can find one everywhere from Marina Bay Sands to the far far away heartland malls.

Toast Box is a reflection of the coffee shops from the 60s and 70s, where the common practice for breakfast was a fragrant cup of Nanyang Coffee accompanied by freshly toasted bread. This warm, nostalgic concept was reinvented to bring back fond memories for those who missed the good old times, and for the younger ones to experience the feel and flavours of a bygone era.

Toast Box was first established in December 2005 as a food stall unit Food Republic Wisma Atria in Singapore. The concept was so popular that it has expanded to 61 outlets in Singapore and later expanded to Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and China.

If you are regularly visiting Toast Box, you should take a look at this Toast Box Gift Voucher deal. You can buy 2 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $8 instead of $10 (save $2) or 5 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $20 instead of $25 (save $5) or 20 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $80 instead of $103 (save $23). If you go for the last option, the vouchers are delivered free via SMS mail by SingPost. The vouchers are valid in all Toast Box Singapore outlets and for all dishes & merchandise.

Toast Box voucher will be valid for 6 months (from 23 May 2014) and cash voucher will be in $5 denomination. If you do not want to go all the way to DEALs.com.sg office to get your vouchers (you cannot redeem your purchased vouchers in Toast Box outlets but need to exchange them with real ones in DEALs.com.sg office), go for $80 option which is delivered to your address.

For more information and details, visit Toast Box voucher deal's web site. There are many more deals like this in DEALs.com.sg Dinning Deals page.

Toast Box in Marina Bay Sands
A Toast Box outlet in Marina Bay Sands

Friday, May 2, 2014

East Coast Parkway crash left 2 dead


A car crash in ECP (East Coast Parkway) took lives of 2 people today. According to Singapore media, Mr Jamie Ho, 33, a director of Magazines Integrated, or m(int), was driving a white Volkswagen with five passengers in it when it crashed into a guardrail and a tree at the Marine Vista exit of the East Coast Parkway. Other than the driver a woman trapped in the front of the car and pronounced death at the scene. She is identified as Taiwanese Chen Ren Yi, 24, by Lianhe Wanbao.

The accident was caught by a camera on-board another car traveling in the same direction. Video shows that the white Volkswagen suddenly appears from the right with an estimated speed of 150 km/hour and apparently trying to take Marine Vista exit of the East Coast Parkway. But as you can see in the video, the car crashed into guardrail and a tree.

You can watch the accident video below.

According to Magazines Integrated Private Limited website, Jamie Ho focused on interactive media, mobile broadcasts, and events marketing particularly on cyber-gaming and e-sports competitions.