Nightclubs had to act fast when the smoking ban hit Singapore. Half a year on, which ‘yellow boxes’ work and which don’t? Charlene Fang and Jeremy Gopalan rate the best and the worst 

It’s been six months since indoor smoking was outlawed, forcing most nightlife establishments to adjust their premises to accommodate a smoking area. Kudos to the venues that’ve succeeded and turned what was a potential bottomline disaster into liquid gold; and a big boo to those who’ve made pitiful attempts to cater to the diehard, drink-in-one-hand-cigarette-in-the-other clubber. Here are some of our favourite – and least favourite – smoking rooms… 

THUMBS UP
Bellini Room, St James Power Station 
The smoking area running parallel to the popular Bellini Room gets our vote. Situated close enough for you to still enjoy the jazz/swing sounds of the resident house band, the scattered tables and chairs (a mix of metal chairs and plush velvet armchairs) placed in a well-ventilated corridor space allow you to sip away on your glass of bubbly, inhale your cancer stick and tap your feet to the groove. 
3 Sentosa Gateway (6270 7676, www.belliniroom.sg). MRT: HarbourFront.
 
Night and Day Bar 
This quaint space deserves to be checked out, not just because of its unique retrochic vibe, but also because of its smoking corner. Separated from the rest of the bar by a wall of glass, it is also (logically) near the windows. A simple, long wooden bench against the glass lets you turn your back to those judgmental non-smokers, and a series of framed photos gives you something to look at as you puff away. 
139 Selegie Rd (6884 5523, www.nightandday.sg). MRT: Little India 

Zouk/Phuture/Velvet Underground 
Thankfully, if you’re in the heart of the action on any of the three dance floors, you don’t have to fight your way out through the crowds to the entrance to light up. Zouk has created spacious and funkily red-lit smoking spots towards the back of each one of the three rooms, with prefabricated ash trays. This is where all the hipsters and really cool people – keep your eyes peeled for big-name international DJs – hang out while the wannabes inside clamber for a piece of the podium. 
17 Jiak Kim St (6738 2988, www.zoukclub.com). MRT: Tiong Bahru. 

THUMBS DOWN
Gotham Penthouse 
Can this smoking enclosure get any smaller? Whether there are three or 20 people inside, they always look like sardines in a can. Badly lit with just two ashtrays, it’s almost reason enough to give up smoking – for that night, at least.
Level 3, Merchants Court, 3A River Valley Rd, Clarke Quay (6339 5595, www.gothampenthouse.com.sg). MRT: Clarke Quay. 

Studio 54, Ministry of Sound 
While the glassed-off portion is located close enough to the dance floor, so you can still take in all the action, the space given to smokers at this popular club simply does not make sense. And is it just us, but did the peeps at MoS make no effort to beautify the room? If not for the disco beats thumping in the background, it resembles an airport smoking room. 
Block C, The Cannery, Clarke Quay (6235 2292, www.ministryofsound.com.sg). MRT: Clarke Quay. 

Tuckshop 
Small, hot and located next to the toilets: there isn’t much space to move here, much less to smoke. And though most smokers prefer to spill out into the dingy back alley, we recommend – unless you’re simply desperate for one – to wait till you’re home (or curbside) before lighting up. 
#01-05, 21 Tanjong Pagar Rd (6534 9287, www.tuckshop.com.sg). MRT: Tanjong Pagar.