I stayed in a $290-a-night tiny home on an island 5 miles from Singapore. It was smaller than a parking space.

09.09.2024 - 03:47 / insider.com

Growing up in Singapore, I thought I'd seen most of my country — a city-state just slightly smaller than the size of New York City.

But after a20-minute ferry ride to Lazarus Island, one of the eight Southern Islands in Singapore, I felt like I was in another country.

The island, which is just 47 hectares big, has one convenience store, a water sports center, and two accommodations. That's it.

During my three-day visit in August, I stayed at a tiny home by Tiny Away for one night.

Launched by a Singaporean tiny home startup, Big Tiny, in May last year, Tiny Away features five tiny houses that measurearound 139 square feet each— or slightly smaller than an average parking space.

Adrian Chia, the cofounder of Big Tiny, told me that Tiny Away aims to provide guests with the opportunity to stay in unique accommodations while being close to nature.

"Being close to nature doesn't mean you have to rough it out. You can have hotel-like amenities and facilities during the stay," he said.

The homes are also fitted with sustainable features. They are made with eco-friendly materials, mainly powered by solar panels, and include a compost bin.

After cleaning fees and tax, the stay costs 380 Singapore dollars, or around $290 a night — comparable to the rates of some 5-star hotels on Sentosa, Singapore's nearby island resort.

When I arrived, I was impressed that so much could fit into a 139-square-foot home.

The home didn't feel claustrophobic, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, which provided a view of the Singapore Strait. With air conditioning, guests can feel connected to nature while being sheltered from Singapore's humid climate. It was 89 degrees outside during my stay.

The room included a queen-sized bed, a sofa bed, a small kitchenette fitted with a microwave, and a sizable bathroom.

Each home on Tiny Away has a theme based on a time period, and the room I selected was 1980s-inspired. It featured mid-century furniture and retro decorations, like vinyl records from the '80s as wall art. These decorations added a sense of novelty to the otherwise bare interior.

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"We wanted to showcase to guests that each tiny house can have its own unique character," Chia said when I asked about the rationale behind the theme in early August. Different eras of Singapore's growth are represented in each home, he added. Besides the retro 1980s home, there is a 1900 home, which resembles a traditional black and white colonial house, and a 2017 home.

But as I settled into the space, I spotted a mosquito buzzing around. As soon as I smacked it away, I spotted another zipping around the room.

They were everywhere. When I stepped outside, my legs became an all-you-can-eat buffet for mosquitoes. As a result, I