A great new year!

The hostel was up for 43 days in year 2009! So how have it been?

Let me just sum up the many first in 2009...

1. 1st day of opening

2. 1st customer (buying apple juice)
   

3. 1st staying guest

 

4. 1st hostelworld guest

5. 1st hostelbookers guest

6. 1st guy who uploaded his music in my netbook (first guy from the left)

   
7. 1st guests who picked the pictures to put in the room that they are staying in

8. 1st guest who helped me to write 'welcome' in his own language (Hebrew) on my wall

9. 1st month anniversary

                                                  

                                               

10. 1st guests who took pictures for me in my hostel

                                     

11. 1st present a guest had given me

                                     

12. 1st backpack requested by me to be given to the hostel (disclaimer: the guest was about to throw this away that is why I requested!)

                                                    

13. 1st christmas spent at the hostel

                                                    

I guess this is all before this entry starts getting boring. And you guys can possibly tell that I am just giving an excuse to upload pictures without much writing as I know I always prefer pictures to words!

It is a new year ahead, and I got a feeling that this will be a great year! Thank you guys for making the last 43 days of 2009 so amazing!

Happy New Year!

Updates after 10 days

My first customers (who bought an apple juice), Eric and Robyn, are back! They stayed for 3 nights in my twin room!

I think for the first 10 days, although business is slow, things have been moving on. Maybe it is because it is the peak season and so at least I will have customers everyday. However, I still do not have any reviews on the online platforms and it is tough as when people book through the different platforms, they actually read the reviews. When there are no reviews, there are not many bookings!

This leads to my customers being mostly referrals. I just got a referral from Takehito Matsumura. Thanks Take!

In the past 10 days, I have met very interesting people and a few of them are doing their round-the-world trip:

Matt and Leah (British couple) are the first guests to stay in my twin room! They are such sweet guests! Always so polite and considerate. Even when Leah wanted to exchange books in my little books exchange corner, she will bring to the counter to show me which book she want to exchange her book with! Before they left, they gave me their umbrellas for the hostel! So sweet!!!!

Laurent is a referral from Hauke (Timo's friend who is my first guest). A Belgium guy who is doing a 16 months round the world trip. He takes amazing photographs and very interesting videos! If you guys are interested, you can go to his website at http://voirlemonde.eu/. However, his website is in french, so you guys can go to http://www.translate.google.com/ and key in this website. The whole page will transform to the language of your choice! So amazing right? Laurent introduced me to this as well.

Bernard, an Australian man who take 3-6 months off every 2 years to travel. What he does is he accumulates his annual leave and take it at one go every 2 years!

Infas, a Sri Lankan guy who studied and worked in London. He stayed for 5 nights and I think he is one of my longest staying guest! We became such good friends that he will go with me to Mustafa Centre in the afternoon to have lunch and to buy things for the hostel! Thanks dude!

That is all about my guests for the past 10 days..............again again again.

Hostel is up!

I know I have not updated in a long time. So much have happened! I tried to paint but after 2 weeks and there do not seem like there is much movement, I decided to get professional painters, which is a smart choice! If not, I think I will still be trying to finish painting my hostel at this time.

Finally, on the 18 Nov 2009, Drop Inn Singapore was opened for business! Dani helped me so much! From running around Singapore to get the furniture and plants, to helping me to decorate my place and installing my printers. This is the final product...

Written by Jasmine and drawn by Elaine.

It is NOT DR. P Inn. It is DROP INN!

Welcome to my cosy place!

We sell drinks in order to quench your thirst whenever you need to.

We have a blackboard for you to showcase your artistic talent.

Our Cosy corner to rest, relax and interact with the others!

 

From the cosy corner, the guests can see me hard at work.

Jasmine, Kelv, Me and Elaine trying out the chilling area to see whether it's chilled enough.

Our very own mini pantry area!

Twin Room. And, I painted the green wall!

Washer and dryer available, subjected to a nominal fees!

The stairs going up to the main sleeping area!

Room names are major MRT stops in Singapore.

14-bedder dorm. Clean and cosy!

The top and bottom of our bunk beds are not connected so even if someone who walks up the ladder, it won't disturb the person sleeping at the bottom.

Isn't this an artistic photo?

Get ready for our 6-bedder dorm!

Spacious area within the dorm

Nice piece of green wall which I painted a couple of coats!

Clean toilet for your comfort

Heading over to our one and only double room!

As the name suggest, this room is exquisite.

Own little window and lockers for your comfort.

It even comes with your own little slacking corner,

while you enjoy the beautiful scenery out of the window.

My first customer was a couple who happened to walk by that very night! They came in, I showed them around the place, and they bought a bottle of apple juice!

The next few days were spent trying to get into hostelworld.com and hostelbookers. I realised that it takes a few days after you apply before you can get on hostelworld.com although it was put on the website that they will reply you within 24 hours! However, to give them credit, whenever I call, the people are always very patient and friendly. They are also very helpful and help whenever they could!

My very first guest (as in for stay and not just to buy drink) is  Jasmine's bf's friend, Hauke from Germany!

Of course, I have to take a picture with my first guest right?

Alright guys.....that's all for today!!!!!

Photos are up!!!!

Sorry for the lack of posts. Have been pretty busy getting myself released from PwC and to work on my hostel. Been going to the hostel every 2 days to check on the progress, and here they are!!!!

Before

I shall upload the during renovation pictures in the next few days!!!

New happenings!

A couple of milestone type of things have happened!!!!

I have finally tendered my resignation!
Last day in PwC will be 4 Nov 09!!! Unfortunately not that I have tendered, I totally don't feel like working anymore, especially when I am booked on assignments all the way till 4 Nov 09.

To a certain extent, I really think that I should be responsible and continue to work hard while I am still in the firm, however, I just cannot seem to concentrate. Urghhh!!!!!! I feel bad for my team, that is why I keep hinting to my TIC to try to get someone else to do those jobs since they will definitely be more efficient than me, with my loss of concentration at work, but he just didnt seem to get it! What can I do?

I have signed the lease to my new place!
Now, I can officially say that, I have leased the place and the address is 253 Lavender Street! Contractors should be going in next week and I will be painting the walls probably 2 weeks later!

The whole setting up a company is really exciting, and it seems like having a baby, I am pretty sure I have said that before! However, I will be lying if I say that I am not scared at all. My lifestyle will be completely changed when the hostel is set up:

1. No more clubbing and drinking at night
2. Waking up at 6:30am everyday to prepare breakfast for my guests
3. No more traveling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!