I'm sure you get millions of these, but...

[robsb]

I have a little over a month to get a two month stay in Singapore sorted. I am coming with my wife and two young children (ages 2 and 5).

I will be studying several short courses at the National Institute of Education at Nanyang University. I will be staying for all of April and May. I'm guessing Serviced Apartments are the way to go with this length of time. Does anyone have any recommendations for where to live, given where I'll be studying and that we'd like to be somewhere with character that is close to things to do for my family?

Many thanks,
Rob.

[JR8]

You can't legally rent private accommodation for that duration, so a Serviced Apartment might be the lesser evil vs a hotel. Check the links that drop-down from the header bar for lists of Serviced Apartments. I hope you budgeted as it will be $$$.

[ecureilx]

I have a little over a month to get a two month stay in Singapore sorted. I am coming with my wife and two young children (ages 2 and 5).

I will be studying several short courses at the National Institute of Education at Nanyang University. I will be staying for all of April and May. I'm guessing Serviced Apartments are the way to go with this length of time. Does anyone have any recommendations for where to live, given where I'll be studying and that we'd like to be somewhere with character that is close to things to do for my family?

Many thanks,
Rob.

NIE at Jurong ?

For ease of travel, look for places in the west.

Alas there aren't any Serviced Apartments in the west.

Plan B, look in Air Bnb as that will be your only recourse.

From friends who studied in NTU, stay near to NTU is the resounding Advice

[BBCWatcher]

Alas there aren't any Serviced Apartments in the west.

I wouldn't say that. Just doing a random search I found LMB Housing Services. They have Serviced Apartments near Queenstown, Buona Vista, and Clementi, as examples. (The university has a shuttle bus to/from Pioneer MRT, 5 stops from Clementi.) LMB prices their two bedroom serviced apartments in the mid S$5000s/month. (Not cheap, but that's to be expected.)

The building they use near Clementi is The Parc, and it looks like a decent spot. There's a Fairprice supermarket in walkable distance (on the other side of the AYE, but there's a pedestrian walkway). There's also a Fairprice Xpress a short walk away for emergencies. I see a hawker center nearby, a couple restaurants, and lots of sports facilities. The condo itself has normal facilities you might expect (pool, etc.) It's about 1000 meters to walk to Clementi MRT, and it looks like a significant fraction of that walk can be through Clementi Mall.

Not bad, really. I don't have any affiliation with that company -- just ran a search and found it. There are probably others.

[ecureilx]

Alas there aren't any Serviced Apartments in the west.

I wouldn't say that. Just doing a random search I found LMB Housing Services. They have Serviced Apartments near Queenstown, Buona Vista, and Clementi, as examples. (The university has a shuttle bus to/from Pioneer MRT, 5 stops from Clementi.) LMB prices their two bedroom serviced apartments in the mid S$5000s/month. (Not cheap, but that's to be expected.)

The building they use near Clementi is The Parc, and it looks like a decent spot. There's a Fairprice supermarket in walkable distance (on the other side of the AYE, but there's a pedestrian walkway). There's also a Fairprice Xpress a short walk away for emergencies. I see a hawker center nearby, a couple restaurants, and lots of sports facilities. The condo itself has normal facilities you might expect (pool, etc.) It's about 1000 meters to walk to Clementi MRT, and it looks like a significant fraction of that walk can be through Clementi Mall.

Not bad, really. I don't have any affiliation with that company -- just ran a search and found it. There are probably others.

NIE - Nanyang campus is in Jorong West. Here : https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Na ... 1808666a45

And from Clementi, go to Pioneer, and take a shuttle, that doesn't run round the clock - and when you get late at school or rushing, well, never mind...

I am sure you will still go on to insist and argue that NTU is very near Clementi and all things are great with Clementi .. and Clementi must be the best choice, and comparatively, relatively it is very near to NTU .. so let me leave it at that

PS, those friends of mine who took up studies in NIE - moved from Bishan, Toa Payoh and such places all the way to a rented apartment in Jurong West - that's gotta mean something about staying very very near NIE Nanyang. Even though there are pretty much direct buses from Toa Payoh and Bishan to Jurong West.

[BBCWatcher]

Your negativity knows no bounds, Ecureilx.

Clearly there are Serviced Apartments in the west. Until I pointed out that fact, were you planning for Robsb to spend, say, 90 minutes commuting each way? At least I helped him reduce his commute to, say, 45 minutes each way. (And I never suggested he could roll out of bed, walk 2 minutes, and be at NIE.)

If you've got a better suggestion, great! Offer it, please. Be constructive. What Serviced Apartments do you recommend, as examples?

[x9200]

OP, if you don't like daily travelling and have no problems with spending some extra money, here is another option: http://www.ntu.edu.sg/nec/guestrooms/Pages/Rates.aspx

Maybe you can negotiate the rate down for a longer stay.

Other than this, the most reasonable option for a family is IMO the mentioned The Parc.

There are a few student hostels around NTU/NIE:
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/has/Off-Campus/Pa ... stels.aspx

but, I am not sure whether you would be accepted, and secondly, you would need to figure out whether the places are suitable for a stay with such young children. For the later, I mean for example the noise - I have no idea what is the life in this kind of students accommodation in Singapore.

[x9200]

NIE - Nanyang campus is in Jorong West. Here : https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Na ... 1808666a45

And from Clementi, go to Pioneer, and take a shuttle, that doesn't run round the clock - and when you get late at school or rushing, well, never mind...

I am sure you will still go on to insist and argue that NTU is very near Clementi and all things are great with Clementi .. and Clementi must be the best choice, and comparatively, relatively it is very near to NTU .. so let me leave it at that

PS, those friends of mine who took up studies in NIE - moved from Bishan, Toa Payoh and such places all the way to a rented apartment in Jurong West - that's gotta mean something about staying very very near NIE Nanyang. Even though there are pretty much direct buses from Toa Payoh and Bishan to Jurong West.

There is no good way to get to NTU/NIE using public transport regardless the location (short stay). Most students stay nearby and use just buses. Most staff stay in a bit wider circle and use private buses. As there is no reasonable and reasonably priced short-term accommodation nearby, yes Clementi, is actually not a bad option (I would not call it West, but it's irrelevant). If you manage to find something, for example, on the Boon Lay way, few km further to the West, your would not save too much of your travelling time.

Having said that, instead of going to the Pioneer MRT station, it's better to leave at Boon Lay MRT and this is an exchange hub with two buses going directly to NTU (199, 179).
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/has/Transportatio ... ToNTU.aspx

Beside it, I would consider travelling by a cab. It would be ca $12-18 a way depending on the time of the day and associated traffic and various charges.

[ecureilx]

Your negativity knows no bounds, Ecureilx.

Clearly there are Serviced Apartments in the west. Until I pointed out that fact, were you planning for Robsb to spend, say, 90 minutes commuting each way? At least I helped him reduce his commute to, say, 45 minutes each way. (And I never suggested he could roll out of bed, walk 2 minutes, and be at NIE.)

If you've got a better suggestion, great! Offer it, please. Be constructive. What Serviced Apartments do you recommend, as examples?

Didn't I tell him to look up Air BnB ? Or did that get redacted when you read my post ? Did my AirBnB post make him spend the 90 minutes travel (where did you come up with that ? Don't put words where they don't exist .. )

PS, if you do know some folks who really have taken up studies in NTU or studying there, you will agree when I said it is best to be as close as possible to NTU / NIE. So, back to you, your suggestion yes, LMB is the best suggestion.