6th Stop: Former Grand Hotel

The girls left the shop happy and satisfied with the items they had bought. The boys decided to find out what these items were and proceeded into the shop. Countless intricately designed items in the most vibrant of colours surrounded them. These were the items that the girls sought after and the boys knew they could never afford. This was another reminder of the vast differences that existed between these boys and katong girls. Yet, they remain undeterred and carried on with their chase.

The girls stopped along the way and when the guys turned to look at what had stopped them in their tracks, they were greeted with the most wonderful sight they had seen thus far (besides the girls of course). Before them stood the grandest of buildings they had ever seen. It appeared to be a hotel of sorts with countless people coming in and out of it. "This must be the place where the rich spend their weekends", one of the boys thought to himself.

To the boys' dismay, the girls entered the hotel. A rendezvous with their boyfriends perhaps? Once again, the boys felt out of place and knew that they would be unceremoniously thrown out if they had followed the girls in. All they could do was wait patiently outside the gates.

The Former Grand Hotel was formerly known as the Karikal Mahal and was built by Moona Kader Sultan, a wealthy Indian cattle merchant in 1917. It was formerly a complex of four houses and contained a luxurious garden. The hotel was split into two compounds with the construction of Still Road in 1973.

["Reception" was written on the door]

Our experience:

We tried to gain access into the hotel compound but was denied by the groundskeeper. Thus, we could only admire the beauty and unique design of the building from the grounds outside.

[Why is the toilet so slippery????]

Thankfully, the girls were out only after a few short minutes and were complaining about the slippery floors in the washroom "Phew!” the boys thought. It turned out that the girls had entered merely to use the washroom.