Hotel Mono

The place

Six Chinatown shophouses, remade as a single monotone statement. Inside, Hotel Mono holds almost entirely to black and white — a discipline, not a gimmick.

The 46 rooms keep the same restraint, sharpened by detail: mosaic bathroom tiles, metal accents, dark grey floors underfoot. Plush bedding, a TV, free wifi — the essentials, nothing more.

There is no restaurant on-site, and the neighborhood makes that easy. Nomiya, a modern izakaya, serves Japanese dishes and sake nearby; the local eateries of Chinatown Food Street handle the rest.