Internet starts reviewing Police Cantonment Complex as staycation spot on Google Maps for laughs

Located conveniently right next to Outram Park MRT in the chic district of Tanjong Pagar, the Police Cantonment Complex is a modern mixed-use development that hosts both offices and lodgings — the latter of which is not at all meant to be a comforting place to stay in. 

Because they’re lock-ups. The cells are where police hold detainees who’ve been arrested for something or other as investigations commence. 

Being a government complex that’s open for ratings on Google as a venue, the internet, in all its sardonic disposition, have been posting satirical reviews since last year with appraisals that treat the cells like holiday retreats. 

“Got arrested, lock-up was spacious and clean,” wrote one reviewer in December 2019. “Overall good experience. Would get arrested by them again for sure,” he added, leaving a 10/10 rating. 

The joke-y reviews were then spotted by a Facebook user, who screengrabbed them and posted the list this morning (Oct 5). 

It was enough to inspire a wave of new Google Reviews of Police Cantonment Complex, a place which is decidedly not a sweet staycation spot in town. Five-star reviews all around, though. 

The few that didn’t have such a good experience expressed unhappiness that walk-ins aren’t allowed. 

It should be obvious enough that the so-called reviews are fake, and Google will be taking them down soon enough for breaching its content policy. 

Flooding the Google Maps profile of places is easy enough, as the Opatra Singapore saga has shown in September. The Suntec City beauty salon has been re-categorised by users as a “public toilet” after its employees were accused of having coerced an elderly woman into purchasing over $13,000 worth of products. 

ilyas@asiaone.com