It costs just one dollar to ride a Singaporean bus, but $296 to sleep on it
Bus Collective is the first resort hotel in Southeast Asia to convert decommissioned public buses into luxury hotel rooms.
The project refurbished 20 buses that were once owned by SBS Transit, Singapore’s public transport operator, giving them a new purpose in the hospitality sector.
The resort hotel officially opens on December 1, and reservations are now available on its website.
The Bus Collective is located in Singapore’s Changi Village and is spread over an area of 8,600 sq m. The resort is close to attractions such as the Hawker Centre, Changi East Walk and Changi Chapel and Museum.
The complex offers seven different room categories, each with different amenities. Nightly rates start at S$398 ($296), and some of the rooms even have bathtubs and king-size beds.
Among the different room types, the Pioneer North room has handrails in the toilet and shower area, built to meet the needs of older guests, a representative of the resort told CNBC.
Each room covers 45 square meters and can accommodate three to four guests, according to the resort’s website. Although these retired buses have been completely refurbished, some features such as the steering wheel, driver’s seat and windows have been retained.
WTS Travel and partners wanted to show how tourism, nature and environmental protection can come together and be a “catalyst for creating unique and exciting new experiences,” Meeker Sia, managing director of WTS Travel, told CNBC.
Although The Bus Collective currently operates only in Singapore, Sia says the company may expand its reach in the future.
“We’re definitely open to exploring new opportunities for growth and innovation in the future, and we think the project has the potential to appeal to consumers elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region,” says Xia.
Alternatively, the Hamilton Place room is designed to be wheelchair accessible, equipped with an external accessible toilet and a ramp leading to the room entrance.
Photo: The Bus Collective
