Several establishments such as cafés, hotels and lounges offer relaxing spaces for people in need of an office away from home to stay productive. From co-sharing workspaces to dining establishments and even public spaces, we highlight 5 alternative offices that you can consider working from outside of your home.
Read Also: Coworking Series: We Visited WeWork At Collyer Quay, The Largest Of Its Kind In APAC To Find Out About Its Enterprise Floors And Free Beer O’Clock
#1 Hot Desking At Co-Working Offices
As implied by the word “office”, this option may be the first one to come to mind for many who are looking to replicate an actual office experience. Here are some options that you can consider:
| Co-working space | Hot desk Monthly Rate | Sub-Monthly Rates | Access timings and limitations |
| The Great Room (6 locations) | Starts from $750 across 6 locations | From $70 day pass/3 months $550 for 10 days/ 3 months $1,000 for 20 days/3 months | 9am-6pm for day pass Separate rates apply for use of space outside of working hours |
| Workbuddy (36 locations) | $299 across 36 locations | $129 5-day pass/month | Depends on outlet (some open as early as 8am, closes as late as 6.30pm) Maximum of 12 days at each location per month |
| The Workshop (4 locations) | Ang Mo Kio: $220 ($300 for fixed desk) Lavender: $380 ($470 for fixed desk) Bukit Merah: $350 ($400 for fixed desk) *Science Park 2: $1,000 for work pod *This location only has work pods and meeting rooms | N.A. | 24/7 access for all locations Only available for startups, entrepreneurs, SMEs and large enterprises |
| JustCo (20 locations) | $265 (6 months contract) across 16 locations | – | 24/7 access for monthly pass only |
| Wework (14 locations) | Starts from $399 | – | 9am-6pm at your fixed location |
| The Hive (5 locations) | Starts from $275 | $425 per month $275 for 10-day pass $30 for day pass | 24/7 access for monthly memberships Membership at your fixed location only 8am-6pm for sub-monthly memberships |
| SPACES (7 locations) | City Hall: $548 for dedicated desk One Raffles Place: $548 for dedicated desk Clarke Quay: $468 for dedicated desk Triple One Somerset: $698 for dedicated desk Paya Lebar Quarter: $658 for dedicated desk Joo Chiat: $458 for dedicated desk Serangoon Gardens: NA | N.A. | 8.30am-6pm |
The Workshop at Ang Mo Kio could be a good bargain with prices from $220 compared to other options charging over $400.
Read Also: Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, Qoo10: Which E-Commerce Platform Should You Use To Sell Your Products?
JustCo or Workbuddy are the next most affordable options. You can also choose from 20 and 36 locations respectively to do your work and stay afresh in a new environment. While most of its outlets are located in the CBD, Workbuddy members can also access offices in other parts of Singapore such as in Geylang, Sentosa, or even at Jurong East.
There are some who are more productive in the middle of the night, choosing a co-sharing option offering 24/7 access can be useful. This perk is typically only available to those on monthly passes, while some spaces do not offer such options.
#2 Work-From-Hotel
If an office environment is too rigid, you can also opt to work out of a hotel. Work-from-hotel can be split into two broad categories: i) Hotel Facilities and ii) Hotel Room. The former is mainly reserved for those who want to work alone or need to hold small group discussions with two to three friends or colleagues while the latter is geared for those who appreciate extra privacy or even treating it as a workation – somewhere they can work while treating themselves to a staycation.
Read Also: Work-From-Hotel Or Co-Working Space: Which Is A Better Choice For Remote Work
#i Work From Hotel Facilities
| Hotel | Available hours | Rates | Perks Included |
| Furama RiverPoint | 9am to 7pm | SGD 28 | $20 in dining credits 25% off in-room dining and dine-in at Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant |
| Yotel Singapore KOMYUNITI Package | 12pm to 6pm | 4h package: $40+ 6h package: $60+ One Week Package: $200 + Hourly extension :$8/hour | Free flow of drinks Printing services on request Use of KOMYUNITI’s Private Studio |
#ii Work From Hotel Rooms
| Hotel | Available hours | Rates | Perks Included |
| Hotel Mono private rooms | Sunday to Thursdays, according to 4,6,9 hourly timeslots | Small Double Room: 4 hours: $50 6 hours: $65 9 hours: $85 Standard Double Room: 4 hours: $55 6 hours: $70 9 hour: $90 Deluxe Double Room: 4 hours: $65 6 hours: $80 9 hours: $99 | NA |
| Orchard Hotel Singapore | 10am to 2pm | From $15++ | Complementary Parking Complimentary local postage service Complimentary storage of belongings at concierge 20% discount on all F&B outlets within the hotel |
Working from hotel lounges or meeting rooms can be a good way to get work done away from your home. Some of the facilities such as Furama RiverPoint Studio Room can be a suitable option for long working hours of up to 10 hours compared to the other hotels which offers shorter hours.
Catering to the working crowd, such spaces offer charging points and fast Wi-Fi, as well as refreshments to keep you energised throughout the day. Depending on the location, you may also have access to office equipment such as printing service.
If you prefer your privacy or are hosting private meetings, Hotel G can be a good option at a starting price of $90. You also get to enjoy elements of being on a staycation with an included set lunch free flow of refreshments and drinks. You also have to option to pay an extra $50 to stay overnight, with breakfast included to round off your workation.
#3 Free Facilities
For those very cost-conscious, there are free alternatives workspace you can consider. While you may not be able to enjoy compliments such as free refreshments, you still get the essentials such as free Wi-Fi and charging points to keep your productivity devices powered throughout the day.
| Workspaces | Opening hours | Free Wi-Fi and Power Outlet | Air-conditioned | Seat Quantity |
| Tampines Hub Chill Zone | 24 Hours | Yes | No | Low |
| Funan Mall Public seating | 9am-10pm | Yes | Yes | High |
These workspaces are not simply free places for you to get your work done. At Tampines Hub, you can also unwind from work with many facilities in the premise such as the ActiveSG Gym when you need a short break from work.
Similarly, there are many facilities at Funan Mall such as a beautiful sky garden which features several seating areas for you to take a short breather in the midst of work. In addition, both venues feature large open areas for you to facilitate discussions with friends or colleagues.
Given that there aren’t many viable free options made available for work, it will definitely be a compelling option for many. You may want to head to these spaces early to get a spot.
#4 Work-Friendly Cafes
It has been a common sight to see students and employees in cafe chains such as Starbucks in the past. With office restrictions in place due to COVID-19, cafes have become even more popular workplaces than before, with some offering unique features.
| Cafes | Rates | Opening Hours | Suited For | Perks |
| Common Man Coffee Roasters | By Menu | 7.30am – 5pm | Morning workers who enjoys coffee | Bright environment with big work desks |
| The Book Cafe | By Menu | 8.30am-5.30pm | Morning worker who enjoys books | Photocopier |
| Dutch Colony Coffee Co. | By Menu | 8am – 6pm Friday to Sunday 8am – 9pm (in selected outlets) | Morning workers and late night workers | Various outlets Rustic, al-fresco work areas |
| Plain Vanilla | By Menu | 7.30am-7pm | Morning workers | Big work desks |
| Lowercase | By Menu | 9am-5pm | Morning workers | Quiet and bright environment |
| Kings Cart Coffee | By Menu | Bishan Public Library: 10am to 8pm Joo Chiat: 9 am to 5pm | Morning and late night workers | Quiet and bright environment |
| Group Therapy | By Menu | 10am-6pm | Workers who come in groups for discussion | Strong Private Wi-Fi |
Read Also: 15 Work-Friendly Cafes For You To Get Your Productivity Game On
#5 Work-From-Lounges
Jewel Changi Airport Lounge and the Golden Village Gold Class Lounge have also made headlines recently offering co-sharing workspaces.
| Location | Rates | Perks |
| Jewel Changi Lounge | 3-hourly package rates Lite package: From $28 Classic package: From $39 | Free flow snack bar For classic package: One hot meal One beer |
While we may not be able to travel around the world anytime soon, we can certainly mimic the experience of a business traveller when working at the airport at Jewel Changi Lounge, with the abundance of charging ports and different kinds of seats for your preferred working posture. Do take note that if you would like to stay for more than 4 hours, you would be required to make a reservation prior.
Choosing The Correct Alternative Work-From-Home Arrangement For Yourself
Each working arrangement is suitable for different types of demographics. It is therefore important to balance your needs, frequency and what you are paying for. After all, it is a waste of money to pay for something that you are not utilising fully.
With phase 3 of post circuit breaker around the corner, it is also important to consider if such work arrangements are worth paying for (with the exception for the free locations), especially if they require longer term commitments. With relaxed measures on workplace rules, you may have the chance to return to your office and find yourself being more efficient in your company’s office, hence needing less time to catch up with your work outside of the office.
Read Also: 6 Factors To Consider If You Should Work At Home Or In The Office
This article was first published on November 5, 2020 and updated with the latest information.
Subscribe To The DollarsAndSense Business Pass
Enjoy what you are reading and want more? Join The DollarsAndSense Business Pass and unlock access to valuable tools, exclusive networking opportunities, and tap into the wisdom of industry experts to fuel your business expansion!
