Spaces can transform the way you think and feel. The right co-working space or remote office can be the difference between a focused, productive day or a distracting, uncomfortable experience.
To help you, here are some reviews of the coworking spaces I’ve been to, via the workbuddy app. Each review has three sections — a quick summary of What Works and What Doesn’t; some pictures; and my personal opinion.
- What is Workbuddy?
- What about Covid-19 restrictions for Co-Working Spaces?
- My Personal Favourite: ⬢ SPACES Somerset
- Best for Deep Work: ⬢ SPACES Clark Quay
- Best for Teams: ⬢ SPACES City Hall
- For a Luxury Experience: Frasers Tower: The Executive Centre
- For a Business Class Experience: CSO @ South Beach Tower
- For Chill Vibes & a Social Club: CRANE @ Herencia
- Garage Society Kallang
- WeWork, 22 Cross Street: Serviceable First Floor Only
- ⬢ SPACES Robinson: Cozy and Focused
What is Workbuddy?
I went to a number of Co-Working Spaces (through . Workbuddy allows you to book a hotdesk at a number of coworking spaces around Singapore. Their Unlimited plan allows you to have unlimited day passes* and access each location up to 12 times per month.
I’d put my referral code here, but they don’t have one.
What about Covid-19 restrictions for Co-Working Spaces?
Most Co-Working Spaces in Singapore, as of Phase 3, had these restrictions:
- Regular cleaning Desks and rooms were cleaned and disinfected, in the morning and during the day as well
- Space restrictions Communal desks and areas were marked off to allow social distancing
- Mask Restrictions Everyone wore a mask, all the time, even for meetings.
- SafeEntry and Temperature Scans Singaporeans will be very used to this
My Personal Favourite: ⬢ SPACES Somerset
✅ WORKS: Bright and beautiful; big and airy;
❌ DOESN’T: Can be confusing to find your way the first time.
Spaces Somerset is everything you’d look for in a coworking space. The floor-to-ceiling window lets in natural light and offers a view of Orchard Road (well, the back of Somerset 313). The chairs are comfortable, and you can choose the height of desk. There are even these big couches that serve as mini-cubicles; I’ve seen someone sit in one all day.
The interior is fancy, with touches like plants and beautiful books on display that make it feel like a luxury home.
The community manager Angie is always polite and friendly, and makes a mean cup of coffee.
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Best for Deep Work: ⬢ SPACES Clark Quay
✅ WORKS: Nice and isolated; Very comfortable; in Chinatown
❌ DOESN’T: Lift needs keycard access
Spaces Clark Quay was the second one I explored, and it cemented SPACES as having some of the nicest offices in Singapore. Once again, you end up in what feels like a luxury dream home, with coffee table books and wood furniture all around.
A minor inconvenience is that the lift to the fourth floor requires keycard access, which means you have to ask the friendly old security guard to tap for you. It’s not really a problem.
I missed the name of the Community Managers, but they were kind and chatty.
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Best for Teams: ⬢ SPACES City Hall
✅ WORKS: Great for teams; SPACES knows what it’s doing
❌ DOESN’T: Bit noisy
Spaces City Hall actually has several floors, but with workbuddy I only had access to the first floor. I ended up near the reception area where everyone else (and deliveries) passed through, so it was a touch noisier and busier than usual.
It might be better for teams. There were areas with tables that would be great for small team meetings and huddles.
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For a Luxury Experience: Frasers Tower: The Executive Centre
✅ WORKS: Luxury Experience; Inhouse Barista; Next to Amoy Street
❌ DOESN’T: Teams talking, Limited Space
The Executive Centre is luxurious; it’s what I imagine the Business Lounge of a Five-Star Hotel might be. The furniture is fancy; you get a 17th floor view of the CBD and there’s even a barista stationed at the pantry to make you coffee (for a reasonable fee).
it does feel like a business lounge, which means that at times you’ll have teams talking at the coffee tables or couches area. The spaces are also more limited, with about three booths and two communal tables, so if you’re not early you’ll have to work at a low coffee table. On the other hand, the communal tables have floor-to-ceiling windows and wonderful sunlight.
Also, if you request for a phone booth, you get a really fancy place to take your calls in.
The community managers were wearing suit-and-tie, along with some of the long-term office tenants, so the feeling is like being in a business-class lounge.
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For a Business Class Experience: CSO @ South Beach Tower
✅ WORKS: Business Class Experience; Coffee Machine with All The Works
❌ DOESN’T: The Plugs Don’t Work for Apple Charger; closes at 16:30
First things first: this is a proper Serviced Office. The coffee machine does milk and Nespresso capsules; there’s a selection of tea and Honesty Bar. This place is right proper fancy.
The work area is wide and spacious; you get a big desk all to yourself with a writing mat and your own phone. Unfortunately, the plug is recessed into the table, meaning that if you’ve got a MacBook charger it won’t fit. You can get an extension cable from the very nice Facility Manager lady, but that’s a weird oversight.
The entire experience caters to high-powered executives and travelling management consultants. Lots of power suits and high heels. They also close early, at 430 pm.
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For Chill Vibes & a Social Club: CRANE @ Herencia
✅ WORKS: Chill social lounge vibes; Always something going on; Friendly People; Open on Weekends
❌ DOESN’T: Social (and noisy); no water dispenser
CRANE feels like lounging at a social club, or the lobby of a fancy country club. People are generally smiling and open to chat, there are people dining and meeting up, and it’s set up with couches and coffee tables. Unfortunately, that makes it a bit noisier than normal.
There’s another ‘quiet area’ you can access behind the reception area, but it’s set up like a cafe area; lots of coffee tables and couches, few power plugs (you have to go hunting along the walls).
I can’t really fault CRANE – they’re meant to be a social/living hub rather than a co-working office. The vibes are perfect for that – and it does feel more energetic and alive. The flipside is that it’s a bit noisier.
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Best of the Rest:
I’ve not had a bad experience with Workbuddy yet — all their options are wonderful co-working spaces. But these are places which are not quite for me – and you should decide if you prefer them instead.
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Garage Society Kallang
✅ WORKS: Gorgeous rooftop gardenl Great Location, Beautiful Workspace, Lots and Lots of Space and Natural Light
❌ DOESN’T: No cups
Garage Society is a little bit of a commute for me, but otherwise it’s a fantastic place to work. The tables are nice and spacious (and if you are early you can grab a booth). The temperature is great, there’s no music playing, and the community manage Sebastian is extremely friendly Pico Creative Centre is surrounded by good food too, so lunch options are plentiful.
The nicest feature is the rooftop garden – Garage Society is on the top floor – and you get a lovely view of Singapore while you have a mild suntan. Some people chose to take calls on the roof garden in the afternoon, when the sun wasn’t quite so glaring. Lovely.
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WeWork, 22 Cross Street: Serviceable First Floor Only
✅ WORKS: Great Location, Beautiful Workspace, Lots and Lots of Space and Natural Light
❌ DOESN’T: First Floor Only; Aged Toilets
WeWork has some of the best, most beautiful coworking spaces in any city. Unfortunately, WorkBuddy members only get to use the first floor here.
The first floor seems to be a lounge area with couches and some tables laid out. It’s still wonderful to work from, and you get a floor-to-ceiling window with plenty of natural sunlight and to gawp at passers-by. It got pretty busy too — by lunchtime every table was occupied and there was a queue for the phone booths.
The toilets are serviceable, if old. I think Chinatown Point has newer washrooms. Going there is a lengthy walk plus coming back in through the front door. A rather annoying flaw in the system.
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⬢ SPACES Robinson: Cozy and Focused
✅ WORKS: Very cosy; very quiet; right in the heart of CBD/Shenton Way
❌ DOESN’T: Quite tiny. Single phone booth.
Spaces Robinson is extremely cosy and quiet. It’s perfect if you’re working alone, or if you bring a small team to the mezzanine floor.
In December, I saw fewer than 10 people the entire day; it was remarkably peaceful.
The community manager Sam was helpful and warm.