Hmlet Essentials Novena

The facility is very clean; the staff is friendly & communicate valuable instructions in a timely fashion. check-in and out is extremely efficient. Also, the place is located next door to the Zhongshan mall which has a lot of affordable restaurants. I’d recommend this place in a heartbeat.

This was my third stay at Novena and have had several stays at Cantonment and one at Owen House. I really like the brand and the value proposition. When I arrived the air conditioning was making a noise. I can live with a humming, but this was a squeaking. Maintenance came and said it was the motor. I spoke with reception (Azim) and he agreed to move me the next day. The situation was handled well and I was told to just leave my things and they would move everything including items in refrigerator. I will say that the last three rooms I've stayed in at Novena have had problems with the safe. A few months ago upon arriving the safe was locked and battery was dead. Maintenance replaced the battery. But it kept failing. They eventually gave me the key to use instead of a code. Then this visit, the first room (the one with the bad a/c) had a similar problem. Finally, the room I moved into for the remaider of my one month stay had a problem with the safe. Upon arrival it was closed, locked, and didn't work. Both maintenance and Jonothan couldn't open it. Jonothan provided a great work around by bringing me a second safe from reception! One annoyance is that there is only one bottle of body wash provided. So, this has to be taken continuously from sink to shower, or in my case, I just bought soap for the sink. This is quite ridiculous. Provide a small bottle for the bathroom sink - especially when sink is usualy not located in the physical bathroom, but just outside.

Excellent service and communication from front desk. Room was only to be clean once in a week, but they came by twice! Comfortable bed, cozy room with the necessities to cook, microwave and refrigerate. Standing shower, but be sure to click on the water heater, as it can be turned on and off. A/C is perfect temperature. Could use a paint job and nicer floor tiles to enhance the cleanliness of the room. But nonetheless, the hotel is clean and comfortable. There is no lift/elevator. USB outlet for charging if you forgot the charging adapter with the correct prongs. Overall, a great stay!