Address: 46 Chu Van An Street, Hue, Vietnam
Website: http://www.hongthienhotel.com/
USD$8 w/o b'fast, a/c
The sleeper coach bus stopped us right outside this hotel which we'd booked with the previous hotel back in Hoi An which was quite a neat trick! They hurriedly took us up to a room on the first floor (as they had a busload of other tourists to pitch to) and although one of the smallest rooms we've seen so far, with a tiny bathroom to match, it had a sort of cosy air to it and was very clean so we took it up at USD$8 per night without breakfast.
The low ceiling helped make it feel like we were sort of in a hut or hobbit hole, with us having to remember to watch our head everytime we stepped into the bathroom! Cable tv, air conditioning, a fan and wardrobe were provided and altogether it was a nice enough stay. Too bad for the town of Hue though- quite devoid of tourist attractions so we only stayed two nights much to the hotel's disappointment (who never missed a chance to ask us to book a city tour with them everytime we went out/into the hotel).
Overall, a nice/cute time in Hong Thien. Right in the middle of a small cluster of backpacker hostels and a stroll to your usual tourist-aimed restaurants; about 10-15 minutes away from more local eateries.
Rating: 7/10
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Vinh Huy Hotel- Hoi An, Vietnam
Address: 203 Thuong Kiet Street, Hoi An, Vietnam
Website: none
USD$10 per night, wi fi, pool?
We were recommended this place by the staff at TM Brothers Cafe back in Nha Trang after booking our onward bus journey to Hoi An. They probably take a commission for doing this but if it's a decent hotel and meets one's budget, then there are two happy parties.
We were met by staff of the hotel after the bus dropped us off at the centre of town and taken by taxi to their hotel which suited us perfectly being exhausted by the long overnight journey. It's located on a street just past the busy Hai Ba Trung street which has many hotels of its own, on a quieter road occupied mostly of small local convenience stores. It's about a 10 minute walk down south to the Old Quarter, where the old buildings of the past provide the town's relaxed vibe.
Our room (USD$10 per night) was pretty clean, with a wardrobe, dresser, cable tv and a small window looking out onto the roof. The fan (no a/c) was a small one pinned to the ceiling and was set on high power which meant that you were either a bit cold or a bit stifled. The bathroom was quite clean, with the shower prone to be extremely hot; almost boiling if the tap was turned too much to the left hand side!
There was also a mini fridge offering chilled water and beer, as well as a basket of 'goodies' (eg. chips, chocolate) all for purchase, of course. Their choc chip biscuits saved us one night when we were feeling particularly peckish after having a light dinner earlier on of a baguette and baked beans which we'd previously bought last week or the week before.
The staff were overall friendly, with one thing of note: having been woken up at around 11am to a woman having a screaming fit with someone. From what we could figure out, the lady must have been a member of staff who must have had good cause to be so angry for a good 10 minutes, but didn't exactly demonstrate professionalism by her behaviour!
Overall, a decent stay in a tourist town. The room was actually frequented by ants, and is located bit further away from the Old Quarter, but not too far as to be totally lost in the common lives of the residents.
Rating: 7/10
Website: none
USD$10 per night, wi fi, pool?
We were recommended this place by the staff at TM Brothers Cafe back in Nha Trang after booking our onward bus journey to Hoi An. They probably take a commission for doing this but if it's a decent hotel and meets one's budget, then there are two happy parties.
We were met by staff of the hotel after the bus dropped us off at the centre of town and taken by taxi to their hotel which suited us perfectly being exhausted by the long overnight journey. It's located on a street just past the busy Hai Ba Trung street which has many hotels of its own, on a quieter road occupied mostly of small local convenience stores. It's about a 10 minute walk down south to the Old Quarter, where the old buildings of the past provide the town's relaxed vibe.
Our room (USD$10 per night) was pretty clean, with a wardrobe, dresser, cable tv and a small window looking out onto the roof. The fan (no a/c) was a small one pinned to the ceiling and was set on high power which meant that you were either a bit cold or a bit stifled. The bathroom was quite clean, with the shower prone to be extremely hot; almost boiling if the tap was turned too much to the left hand side!
There was also a mini fridge offering chilled water and beer, as well as a basket of 'goodies' (eg. chips, chocolate) all for purchase, of course. Their choc chip biscuits saved us one night when we were feeling particularly peckish after having a light dinner earlier on of a baguette and baked beans which we'd previously bought last week or the week before.
The staff were overall friendly, with one thing of note: having been woken up at around 11am to a woman having a screaming fit with someone. From what we could figure out, the lady must have been a member of staff who must have had good cause to be so angry for a good 10 minutes, but didn't exactly demonstrate professionalism by her behaviour!
Overall, a decent stay in a tourist town. The room was actually frequented by ants, and is located bit further away from the Old Quarter, but not too far as to be totally lost in the common lives of the residents.
Rating: 7/10
Ngoc Trang Hotel- Nha Trang, Vietnam
Address: 56 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Website: none
If you like a clean, hotel-like budget place to stay, then this is it! Located just behind the TM Brothers Cafe which is one of the most popular bus companies serving Vietnam, Ngoc Trang is the place to go. There's countless hotels in this beachside town which probably encouraged the owner to give us a great price of 150 000 VND per night (around USD10) when we were wandering around.
It's quite new looking, with clean sheets, a wardrobe, dresser and cable tv hung up over the smallish room. The bathroom is spanking clean, with one of the best hot showers we've had on the trip! No wi fi here but there is a computer in the lobby with internet access. After three days, the room was cleaned which was a nice gesture.
The Nha Trang beach, what everyone comes here for is only a 5 minute walk away, with the touristy area filled with restaurants, clothing stores and art shops nearby too. The Tan Son Pagoda and the local eateries are also within walking distance, but a bit of a further hike away.
Overall, a good place to take a relaxing rest in Nha Trang close to all the major attractions. Tucked in a quiet street, away from the roaring of the motorbikes is always a good place to be at in Vietnam.
Rating: 8/10
Website: none
If you like a clean, hotel-like budget place to stay, then this is it! Located just behind the TM Brothers Cafe which is one of the most popular bus companies serving Vietnam, Ngoc Trang is the place to go. There's countless hotels in this beachside town which probably encouraged the owner to give us a great price of 150 000 VND per night (around USD10) when we were wandering around.
It's quite new looking, with clean sheets, a wardrobe, dresser and cable tv hung up over the smallish room. The bathroom is spanking clean, with one of the best hot showers we've had on the trip! No wi fi here but there is a computer in the lobby with internet access. After three days, the room was cleaned which was a nice gesture.
The Nha Trang beach, what everyone comes here for is only a 5 minute walk away, with the touristy area filled with restaurants, clothing stores and art shops nearby too. The Tan Son Pagoda and the local eateries are also within walking distance, but a bit of a further hike away.
Overall, a good place to take a relaxing rest in Nha Trang close to all the major attractions. Tucked in a quiet street, away from the roaring of the motorbikes is always a good place to be at in Vietnam.
Rating: 8/10
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hai Duong Hotel- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Address: 82 Bui Vien Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Website: http://www.fantastic-tour.com/
This was the first decent priced place that we found after getting off the bus from the airport at the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, in District 1 down south of the city. Most other places were about USD$12-20 and up so if you're on a budget, this is the place to go. As with most other hostels here, it doubles as a travel agent so it's convenient if one needs to book flights, tours etc.
Our airconditioned room (USD$10/185 000 dong per night) is great to walk back into after a day of sweating around Saigon and its crazy traffic. It's well sized, with a wardrobe, writing table, and comprehensive cable tv (including FTV!!) and slightly cleaner than the bathroom with its tempermental hot shower but is great value for this price. There's also free wi fi which is a great bonus.
Endless other hotels and travel agencies are located around this popular area, along with Vietnamese and Western style restaurants, several bakeries (like the ABC Bakery on Pham Ngu Lao Street with its rich chocolate cake) and the Ben Tranh Market and bus station which is about 10 minutes up Le Loi street. Hai Duong is also a few blocks away from the best beef noodle soup in Saigon, so if that isn't enough to recommend this friendly place to you, I don't know what is.
Overall, probably one of the best value places to stay in town, complete with little luxuries like the air conditioner and cable tv. Close to or walking distance from all the major tourist attractions makes this place a popular choice for budget travellers.
Rating: 8/10
Website: http://www.fantastic-tour.com/
This was the first decent priced place that we found after getting off the bus from the airport at the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, in District 1 down south of the city. Most other places were about USD$12-20 and up so if you're on a budget, this is the place to go. As with most other hostels here, it doubles as a travel agent so it's convenient if one needs to book flights, tours etc.
Our airconditioned room (USD$10/185 000 dong per night) is great to walk back into after a day of sweating around Saigon and its crazy traffic. It's well sized, with a wardrobe, writing table, and comprehensive cable tv (including FTV!!) and slightly cleaner than the bathroom with its tempermental hot shower but is great value for this price. There's also free wi fi which is a great bonus.
Endless other hotels and travel agencies are located around this popular area, along with Vietnamese and Western style restaurants, several bakeries (like the ABC Bakery on Pham Ngu Lao Street with its rich chocolate cake) and the Ben Tranh Market and bus station which is about 10 minutes up Le Loi street. Hai Duong is also a few blocks away from the best beef noodle soup in Saigon, so if that isn't enough to recommend this friendly place to you, I don't know what is.
Overall, probably one of the best value places to stay in town, complete with little luxuries like the air conditioner and cable tv. Close to or walking distance from all the major tourist attractions makes this place a popular choice for budget travellers.
Rating: 8/10
Bassac Guesthouse- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 128, Street 3 Sothearos Boulevard, Phnom Penh
Website: http://www.basacguesthouse.com/
This guesthouse is in a good location surrounded by the river to the east, local restaurants including a pretty good dim sim one with the popular freshly steamed pork buns out the front, the Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and one very nice Louisiana Fried Chicken burger eatery where we might have eaten three meals in a row!
Our fan room (USD$7 per night) was quite clean and decently sized, with a clean bathroom and cable tv. One of the pillows were stained and we had to request for another one. It was a nice stay to end our time in Cambodia, except the three flight of stairs that we had to conquer everytime we came back to the room as the air conditioned rooms were all placed on the second floor. One thing that was weird was the cleaner that we encountered several times who looked only like, 14 years old!
There was no wi fi but there were two computers downstairs in the lobby for internet use which was ok at downloading websites but for some reason wasn't strong or fast enough to send emails which was quite irritating. It was still better than nothing though, as internet access didn't seem to be a common service offered in guesthouses in this city.
Overall, a nice, good value guesthouse in a convenient location for tourists ready to explore the main attractions. Nothing spectacular to recommend itself but nothing major to complain about either.
Rating: 7/10
Website: http://www.basacguesthouse.com/
This guesthouse is in a good location surrounded by the river to the east, local restaurants including a pretty good dim sim one with the popular freshly steamed pork buns out the front, the Independence Monument, the Royal Palace and one very nice Louisiana Fried Chicken burger eatery where we might have eaten three meals in a row!
Our fan room (USD$7 per night) was quite clean and decently sized, with a clean bathroom and cable tv. One of the pillows were stained and we had to request for another one. It was a nice stay to end our time in Cambodia, except the three flight of stairs that we had to conquer everytime we came back to the room as the air conditioned rooms were all placed on the second floor. One thing that was weird was the cleaner that we encountered several times who looked only like, 14 years old!
There was no wi fi but there were two computers downstairs in the lobby for internet use which was ok at downloading websites but for some reason wasn't strong or fast enough to send emails which was quite irritating. It was still better than nothing though, as internet access didn't seem to be a common service offered in guesthouses in this city.
Overall, a nice, good value guesthouse in a convenient location for tourists ready to explore the main attractions. Nothing spectacular to recommend itself but nothing major to complain about either.
Rating: 7/10
Okay Guesthouse- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 5 Ph 258, Phnom Penh
Website: none
We saw a poster of Okay Guesthouse from the backseat of a tuk tuk driver and decided to check it out. I'd also heard about it from my research and vaguely recollected that it received a good review. It's excellently located near the Independence Monument and walking distance from the Royal Palace and its attractions, as well as the Tonle Sap River but not too close to it as to be met with the swarms of mosquitoes that reportedly come from it during dawn and dusk. Down this quiet street, there are also a few old internet cafes and restaurants to be found and is almost hidden behind a big tree at the entrance of the guesthouse.
After battling our way through the semi-permanent residence of tuk tuk drivers metres away, we checked into the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night). There's many, many rooms in this guesthouse and ours was down a quiet corridor with the window facing the hallway outside which with no iron bars across it, didn't make it a very secure arrangement. Closing the window meant that the room got hot and stuffy quite quickly with the fan on, due to the lack of air circulation. The room was relatively small, with a small cable tv and table. The bed looked ok for cleanliness, but the ensuite bathroom was great- looking relatively new, clean and had the most wicked shower head- think full volume for once! Possibly the best shower we've had so far on the trip.
The guesthouse is a popular destination for many backpackers, with the place buzzing with people throughout the day. They also offer comprehensive tour and booking services too which can be quite convenient, and a restaurant too which served food until late. We had toast and omlette, as well as a banana pancake which was quite nicely made, after a less than satisfactory dinner.
We only stayed here for one night as we were desirous of a place with internet services, and had found a place nearby.
Overall, a good place for budget travellers to stay, having a typical busy backpacker atmosphere with plenty of people to meet. The rooms are smallish and impersonal, but the amazing shower almost makes up for it! Location is great for first time travellers to Phnom Penh, with many tourist attractions a walk away, as well as restaurants and a good burger place called Louisiana Fried Chicken on the corner. Would be much improved if it provided internet though.
Rating: 6.5/10
Website: none
We saw a poster of Okay Guesthouse from the backseat of a tuk tuk driver and decided to check it out. I'd also heard about it from my research and vaguely recollected that it received a good review. It's excellently located near the Independence Monument and walking distance from the Royal Palace and its attractions, as well as the Tonle Sap River but not too close to it as to be met with the swarms of mosquitoes that reportedly come from it during dawn and dusk. Down this quiet street, there are also a few old internet cafes and restaurants to be found and is almost hidden behind a big tree at the entrance of the guesthouse.
After battling our way through the semi-permanent residence of tuk tuk drivers metres away, we checked into the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night). There's many, many rooms in this guesthouse and ours was down a quiet corridor with the window facing the hallway outside which with no iron bars across it, didn't make it a very secure arrangement. Closing the window meant that the room got hot and stuffy quite quickly with the fan on, due to the lack of air circulation. The room was relatively small, with a small cable tv and table. The bed looked ok for cleanliness, but the ensuite bathroom was great- looking relatively new, clean and had the most wicked shower head- think full volume for once! Possibly the best shower we've had so far on the trip.
The guesthouse is a popular destination for many backpackers, with the place buzzing with people throughout the day. They also offer comprehensive tour and booking services too which can be quite convenient, and a restaurant too which served food until late. We had toast and omlette, as well as a banana pancake which was quite nicely made, after a less than satisfactory dinner.
We only stayed here for one night as we were desirous of a place with internet services, and had found a place nearby.
Overall, a good place for budget travellers to stay, having a typical busy backpacker atmosphere with plenty of people to meet. The rooms are smallish and impersonal, but the amazing shower almost makes up for it! Location is great for first time travellers to Phnom Penh, with many tourist attractions a walk away, as well as restaurants and a good burger place called Louisiana Fried Chicken on the corner. Would be much improved if it provided internet though.
Rating: 6.5/10
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Smiley's Guesthouse, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Address:Taphul Road
Website: http://www.smileyguesthouse.com/
Like most of the guesthouses in Siem Reap, the exterior is quite pretty- a large, multi- levelled orange coloured building down the end of a short narrow laneway from the road.
It is a short walk from the main road and the only KFC that we saw, as well as about 10 minutes away from the Centre Market, and the tourist area around the Old Market.
We checked into the cold shower fan room (USD$6 per night) which on the face of it, was really nice. Towels and bed covers were provided in the very large room, along with a wardrobe, writing table and chairs, as well as a balcony overlooking another block of rooms. The one thing that let it down majorly was the ensuite bathroom, which was absolutely filthy. There were plenty of unknown smears and globs on the walls which made it quite evident that even the cleaners regard the bathroom as too dirty to handle. We decided that the condition of this all-important room couldn't be overcome, particularly as it happened to be the first night of another bout of stomach sickness for me :(
We changed rooms to the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night) the next morning which was actually significantly smaller in size, but the main thing was that the bathroom was cleaner (although it could still have done with a good bleaching down). The room was again very nicely decorated in Cambodian style, and the balcony overlooked the front yard of the guesthouse. Another thing to note was that the connection of the free wi fi access was quite at a disadvantage here compared to the other room, with it pretty much unable to connect. At least they provide a few computers for internet downstairs near the lobby for this purpose. The rooms here also come with cable tv which seems to be standard here in Cambodian guesthouses- a great thing!
A note on the staff- they were very keen to secure our services on hiring tuk tuks or joining tours to various tourist attractions around town from the get go, continuously asking us where we were going the first few days that we were there which got quite annoying. Eventually they realised that we were going to make our own plans but the constant sour facial expression of a particular staff member there wasn't a nice thing to come back to after a day of exploring the town!
Overall, a very good value stay in this town of Angkor Wat for the use of a welcoming room, cable tv and internet. A great location too to the nearby markets and restaurants where the staff eventually leave you alone with their sales pitches (after trying but getting nowhere).
Rating: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.smileyguesthouse.com/
Like most of the guesthouses in Siem Reap, the exterior is quite pretty- a large, multi- levelled orange coloured building down the end of a short narrow laneway from the road.
It is a short walk from the main road and the only KFC that we saw, as well as about 10 minutes away from the Centre Market, and the tourist area around the Old Market.
We checked into the cold shower fan room (USD$6 per night) which on the face of it, was really nice. Towels and bed covers were provided in the very large room, along with a wardrobe, writing table and chairs, as well as a balcony overlooking another block of rooms. The one thing that let it down majorly was the ensuite bathroom, which was absolutely filthy. There were plenty of unknown smears and globs on the walls which made it quite evident that even the cleaners regard the bathroom as too dirty to handle. We decided that the condition of this all-important room couldn't be overcome, particularly as it happened to be the first night of another bout of stomach sickness for me :(
We changed rooms to the hot shower fan room (USD$8 per night) the next morning which was actually significantly smaller in size, but the main thing was that the bathroom was cleaner (although it could still have done with a good bleaching down). The room was again very nicely decorated in Cambodian style, and the balcony overlooked the front yard of the guesthouse. Another thing to note was that the connection of the free wi fi access was quite at a disadvantage here compared to the other room, with it pretty much unable to connect. At least they provide a few computers for internet downstairs near the lobby for this purpose. The rooms here also come with cable tv which seems to be standard here in Cambodian guesthouses- a great thing!
A note on the staff- they were very keen to secure our services on hiring tuk tuks or joining tours to various tourist attractions around town from the get go, continuously asking us where we were going the first few days that we were there which got quite annoying. Eventually they realised that we were going to make our own plans but the constant sour facial expression of a particular staff member there wasn't a nice thing to come back to after a day of exploring the town!
Overall, a very good value stay in this town of Angkor Wat for the use of a welcoming room, cable tv and internet. A great location too to the nearby markets and restaurants where the staff eventually leave you alone with their sales pitches (after trying but getting nowhere).
Rating: 8.5/10
Green Guesthouse, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: 53 Street 125, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Website: none
We came here after being booted out of the previous one and what a nice stay it was! As the name suggests, it is very green with the exterior of the building painted green and the staff who wear green coloured uniforms. The lobby and the rooms are more 'hotel-like' than strictly 'guesthouse' which is a very nice change! We paid US$8 per night for our fan room which was medium sized, with an ensuite bathroom, cable tv and wardrobe. It was very clean and not a trek to get up to, with a lift from the lobby and only one flight of stairs up. You can pay for wi fi in the rooms otherwise there is free wi fi in the lobby as well as internet from the two computers. As with most places of accommodation, booking of tours and buses to other cities is available so we reserved our bus tickets to Siem Reap here for US$5 each which included a hotel pickup to the coach bus that would take us there.
We only stayed a night before leaving up north but will most likely come to stay here again when we're back in Phnom Penh to catch our flight out.
Overall, one of the most comfortable stays yet, with friendly staff, hotel-like rooms as well as a view of the city from the windows.
Rating: 9/10
Website: none
We came here after being booted out of the previous one and what a nice stay it was! As the name suggests, it is very green with the exterior of the building painted green and the staff who wear green coloured uniforms. The lobby and the rooms are more 'hotel-like' than strictly 'guesthouse' which is a very nice change! We paid US$8 per night for our fan room which was medium sized, with an ensuite bathroom, cable tv and wardrobe. It was very clean and not a trek to get up to, with a lift from the lobby and only one flight of stairs up. You can pay for wi fi in the rooms otherwise there is free wi fi in the lobby as well as internet from the two computers. As with most places of accommodation, booking of tours and buses to other cities is available so we reserved our bus tickets to Siem Reap here for US$5 each which included a hotel pickup to the coach bus that would take us there.
We only stayed a night before leaving up north but will most likely come to stay here again when we're back in Phnom Penh to catch our flight out.
Overall, one of the most comfortable stays yet, with friendly staff, hotel-like rooms as well as a view of the city from the windows.
Rating: 9/10
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tattoo Guesthouse, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Address: Street 125
Website: none
We came across this guesthouse after one of the two kids that were hanging around a few guesthouses that we were checking out (which we didn't quite like) very persistently offered to take us there to have a look! We were in an area near the Psar O Russei which is quite residential as opposed to the more known backpacker area next to Boeng Kak Lake, and although was described by more than one travel website as being 'in the middle of nowhere', isn't quite true. As just mentioned, the place is about 5 minutes walk away from a market, as well as several Chinese restaurants and local eateries on the main road of Monivong.
Tattoo Guesthouse (sister guesthouse of Tat Guesthouse a few units away) has about four levels of rather large rooms which definitely need a lift as the stairs are a pain to walk up after a day of exploring in the sun and heat! We paid US$7 for our fan room on the third floor which came with cable tv, a dresser, an old fridge (which wasn't connected and didn't look very desirable anyway) and a window overlooking the city. The room was clean with cool tiled floors, and the hot shower bathroom was also quite clean. There is no free wi fi connection but there is free internet downstairs. We stayed for three nights and were going to stay one more night before leaving for Siem Reap however on the fourth morning when I went downstairs by chance, the staff informed me that we'd need to leave that morning as they'd booked a large group arriving that day and needed our room. This wasn't a nice surprise and hardly professional as they'd told us to just pay upon our departure and should have told us about this previous arrangement.
One other curious thing that happened on our second day was the reluctance of the staff to allow us to make a quick phone call to a nearby travel agent with whom we had booked a day tour for that day. As the tour would only go ahead with a minimum of 4 people, we were told to ring up on the morning and check that it was still on. The staff mentioned that the call would cost them more (the amount was hardly substantial) as the number had a different prefix to their own, or something like that. It wasn't really a big deal, as the call only took half a minute but this came as also a slight annoyance from the attitude of the staff.
Overall, a good value place to stay at to explore a less touristy part of Phnom Penh. The rooms are great for the cost but the staff would definitely benefit from a customer service and general hospitality management course!
Rating: 7/10
Website: none
We came across this guesthouse after one of the two kids that were hanging around a few guesthouses that we were checking out (which we didn't quite like) very persistently offered to take us there to have a look! We were in an area near the Psar O Russei which is quite residential as opposed to the more known backpacker area next to Boeng Kak Lake, and although was described by more than one travel website as being 'in the middle of nowhere', isn't quite true. As just mentioned, the place is about 5 minutes walk away from a market, as well as several Chinese restaurants and local eateries on the main road of Monivong.
Tattoo Guesthouse (sister guesthouse of Tat Guesthouse a few units away) has about four levels of rather large rooms which definitely need a lift as the stairs are a pain to walk up after a day of exploring in the sun and heat! We paid US$7 for our fan room on the third floor which came with cable tv, a dresser, an old fridge (which wasn't connected and didn't look very desirable anyway) and a window overlooking the city. The room was clean with cool tiled floors, and the hot shower bathroom was also quite clean. There is no free wi fi connection but there is free internet downstairs. We stayed for three nights and were going to stay one more night before leaving for Siem Reap however on the fourth morning when I went downstairs by chance, the staff informed me that we'd need to leave that morning as they'd booked a large group arriving that day and needed our room. This wasn't a nice surprise and hardly professional as they'd told us to just pay upon our departure and should have told us about this previous arrangement.
One other curious thing that happened on our second day was the reluctance of the staff to allow us to make a quick phone call to a nearby travel agent with whom we had booked a day tour for that day. As the tour would only go ahead with a minimum of 4 people, we were told to ring up on the morning and check that it was still on. The staff mentioned that the call would cost them more (the amount was hardly substantial) as the number had a different prefix to their own, or something like that. It wasn't really a big deal, as the call only took half a minute but this came as also a slight annoyance from the attitude of the staff.
Overall, a good value place to stay at to explore a less touristy part of Phnom Penh. The rooms are great for the cost but the staff would definitely benefit from a customer service and general hospitality management course!
Rating: 7/10
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Chada Hostel- Bangkok, Thailand
Address: 216/6 Khao San Road, Phra Nakon, Banglamphu, Bangkok
Website: none
This great place is near the end of the famous Khao San Road which although noisy until 1:30am-2am from the nearby pubs and clubs, isn't right in the middle of the action to make you pull your hair out from hearing Lady Gaga right next to your ear.
The place contains three levels of single, double and twin rooms in a clean and friendly environment. There's internet in the lobby which you have to pay for but free wi fi in all the rooms. There's also a common space for travellers looking to watch some dvd's on the flatscreen tv and some tables and chairs.
Our room (400 baht per night for a fan room which was about A$13) was quite small with hardly any space to walk around but had a window and a low shelf. The fan worked well which was definitely a necessity as it gets very hot starting in the morning without an airconditioner (600 baht for an airconditioned room). The room was very clean with tiled floors and walls, but being on Khao San Road, definitely expect booming music until the early hours. The location is very convenient though, metres from one of the three 7-11 convenience stores on this road, across the road from Hungry Jacks and on top of Subway! There's also many street vendors as well in this area, as well as other cheap Thai eateries, and the main road where you can catch the local bus to other tourist attractions.
Overall, one of the best places we've stayed in so far, with clean rooms and friendly staff. Excellent location for budget travellers at a good cost- be sure to draw the curtains before the sun rises or you'll have to make do with an extremely hot and uncomfortable night ahead!
Rating: 8.5/10
Website: none
This great place is near the end of the famous Khao San Road which although noisy until 1:30am-2am from the nearby pubs and clubs, isn't right in the middle of the action to make you pull your hair out from hearing Lady Gaga right next to your ear.
The place contains three levels of single, double and twin rooms in a clean and friendly environment. There's internet in the lobby which you have to pay for but free wi fi in all the rooms. There's also a common space for travellers looking to watch some dvd's on the flatscreen tv and some tables and chairs.
Our room (400 baht per night for a fan room which was about A$13) was quite small with hardly any space to walk around but had a window and a low shelf. The fan worked well which was definitely a necessity as it gets very hot starting in the morning without an airconditioner (600 baht for an airconditioned room). The room was very clean with tiled floors and walls, but being on Khao San Road, definitely expect booming music until the early hours. The location is very convenient though, metres from one of the three 7-11 convenience stores on this road, across the road from Hungry Jacks and on top of Subway! There's also many street vendors as well in this area, as well as other cheap Thai eateries, and the main road where you can catch the local bus to other tourist attractions.
Overall, one of the best places we've stayed in so far, with clean rooms and friendly staff. Excellent location for budget travellers at a good cost- be sure to draw the curtains before the sun rises or you'll have to make do with an extremely hot and uncomfortable night ahead!
Rating: 8.5/10
The On On Hotel- Phuket Town, Phuket, Thailand
Address: 19 Phang Nga Road, Phuket Town
Website: none
The On On is situated in the heart of Phuket Town, sandwiched between a cafe and a coffee shop which also serves as an internet cafe. It is famous for featuring in the movie 'The Beach' in 2000 with Leonardo Di Caprio where one of their rooms was shot as a dingy hotel room in Khao San Road, Bangkok. The spacious, encompassing lobby is indicative of the grander days that the hotel must have seen but which have long gone.
The hotel is very large, with some sections seemingly no longer in use. Two creaky wooden staircases lead up to the rooms on the second floor where the walls are white with dark brown beams. Just walking on the floorboards makes one feel like the whole place is going to break and crash down but the dust and emptyness of the place definitely adds to the historic atmosphere of the place (it was established in 1929) which would not be found in newer, more modern guesthouses in this town.
We checked into a room with a fan and ensuite bathroom for 250 baht per night (A$8) after viewing the rooms (which is a good idea as the first room's fan was only a small one on the wall which in this climate, would have been unbearable). The hotel also offers rooms with air conditioning. The room was large enough, with very high ceilings and a cold shower. Although old, the room and bathroom were relatively clean, with mosquito nets covering the windows.
The place is definitely one of the best value for money accommodation choices here in Phuket Town as it is basic with no wi fi and no power sockets in the rooms. To charge up electrical equipment, one must go downstairs to the lobby where there are a few sockets available, but in extremely dilapidated condition- one or two are definitely unusable. During our stay, we even saw the cover of the socket gone, with live wires hanging out of the hole. Luckily, a member of the staff noticed this and covered it up, but seeing the lack of renovation to the rest of the place, chances are that they weren't going to get it fixed which probably left only one 'safe' socket behind the tv available to use.
Speaking of renovation, the hotel could definitely use a few day's work done, especially to the power sockets, staircases, shared bathrooms (I felt sorry for the poor bastards who had to use those- they were very old and dirty with no basin or mirror) and the fans in the rooms. On several nights, we had to get up and stand in the shower to cool down because the fans (so high up on the ceilings) did nothing to circulate the air in the very hot Phuket climate. The hotel receives a steady stream of guests (probably due to its fame from the movie) so that'd be a great reason for a facelift.
Overall, a pretty good stay in Phuket Town at the On On, with its character and charm the main reasons for choosing this place above nearby guesthouses. It's probably the best value for money and in a great location (5 minutes walk to the shared bus depot to the beaches, the Downtown market and nearby cafes and second hand bookstores) so definitely top of the list for budget travellers.
Website: none
The On On is situated in the heart of Phuket Town, sandwiched between a cafe and a coffee shop which also serves as an internet cafe. It is famous for featuring in the movie 'The Beach' in 2000 with Leonardo Di Caprio where one of their rooms was shot as a dingy hotel room in Khao San Road, Bangkok. The spacious, encompassing lobby is indicative of the grander days that the hotel must have seen but which have long gone.
The hotel is very large, with some sections seemingly no longer in use. Two creaky wooden staircases lead up to the rooms on the second floor where the walls are white with dark brown beams. Just walking on the floorboards makes one feel like the whole place is going to break and crash down but the dust and emptyness of the place definitely adds to the historic atmosphere of the place (it was established in 1929) which would not be found in newer, more modern guesthouses in this town.
We checked into a room with a fan and ensuite bathroom for 250 baht per night (A$8) after viewing the rooms (which is a good idea as the first room's fan was only a small one on the wall which in this climate, would have been unbearable). The hotel also offers rooms with air conditioning. The room was large enough, with very high ceilings and a cold shower. Although old, the room and bathroom were relatively clean, with mosquito nets covering the windows.
The place is definitely one of the best value for money accommodation choices here in Phuket Town as it is basic with no wi fi and no power sockets in the rooms. To charge up electrical equipment, one must go downstairs to the lobby where there are a few sockets available, but in extremely dilapidated condition- one or two are definitely unusable. During our stay, we even saw the cover of the socket gone, with live wires hanging out of the hole. Luckily, a member of the staff noticed this and covered it up, but seeing the lack of renovation to the rest of the place, chances are that they weren't going to get it fixed which probably left only one 'safe' socket behind the tv available to use.
Speaking of renovation, the hotel could definitely use a few day's work done, especially to the power sockets, staircases, shared bathrooms (I felt sorry for the poor bastards who had to use those- they were very old and dirty with no basin or mirror) and the fans in the rooms. On several nights, we had to get up and stand in the shower to cool down because the fans (so high up on the ceilings) did nothing to circulate the air in the very hot Phuket climate. The hotel receives a steady stream of guests (probably due to its fame from the movie) so that'd be a great reason for a facelift.
Overall, a pretty good stay in Phuket Town at the On On, with its character and charm the main reasons for choosing this place above nearby guesthouses. It's probably the best value for money and in a great location (5 minutes walk to the shared bus depot to the beaches, the Downtown market and nearby cafes and second hand bookstores) so definitely top of the list for budget travellers.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Fathers Guesthouse- Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
Address: At the top of the hill overlooking the Tanah Rata town (ask anyone as it is a popular place for travellers)
We stayed in one of the rooms in the huts which had two other rooms next to it (there are around three rooms in each 'hut'). It was extremely basic; the beds were very simple with quite old, lumpy mattresses, and there was a very dirty sitting chair with stains on it, as well as a rusty writing table and chair. One of the first things that hit me was the coldness of the room- in the Cameron Highlands, temperatures are much cooler than the rest of Malaysia due to its altitude, ranging from 18-25 degrees celsius during the day. The nights got pretty chilly, and the absence of any insulation in the buildings made the room freezing at night, even with the stained blankets that they provide. The walls were also so thin that we could even hear people whispering next to us which was quite annoying. There were also regular visitors in the way of random insects flying into the room through the ineffective windows and the gap under the door.
Website: http://fathers.cameronhighlands.com
I came across this guesthouse while researching about places to stay in Tanah Rata, which is the main town in the Cameron Highlands. There were a lot of positive reviews about it so I got the bus driver to drop us off here. It's situated on top of a hill on the edge of the town, but it's still a convenient place to stay as they have a 'short cut' of steps going down to the road which takes only a few minutes. Due to its elevation, there are nice views to be had here of their large vegetable patch, the English style apartment blocks which are quite common in this town and the surrounding cloud-topped mountains.
There were two types of housing available at Fathers Guesthouse- you could stay in a more expensive, nicer room in the main house which is a large, stone house next to the cafe and reception building for around RM80 per night (A$26) or in the Nissen huts, which are apparently remnants from WWII and are a series of cylindrical shaped shelters just down from the main house for around RM25-35 per night (A$8-12) where a dorm room was also available.
I came across this guesthouse while researching about places to stay in Tanah Rata, which is the main town in the Cameron Highlands. There were a lot of positive reviews about it so I got the bus driver to drop us off here. It's situated on top of a hill on the edge of the town, but it's still a convenient place to stay as they have a 'short cut' of steps going down to the road which takes only a few minutes. Due to its elevation, there are nice views to be had here of their large vegetable patch, the English style apartment blocks which are quite common in this town and the surrounding cloud-topped mountains.
There were two types of housing available at Fathers Guesthouse- you could stay in a more expensive, nicer room in the main house which is a large, stone house next to the cafe and reception building for around RM80 per night (A$26) or in the Nissen huts, which are apparently remnants from WWII and are a series of cylindrical shaped shelters just down from the main house for around RM25-35 per night (A$8-12) where a dorm room was also available.
We stayed in one of the rooms in the huts which had two other rooms next to it (there are around three rooms in each 'hut'). It was extremely basic; the beds were very simple with quite old, lumpy mattresses, and there was a very dirty sitting chair with stains on it, as well as a rusty writing table and chair. One of the first things that hit me was the coldness of the room- in the Cameron Highlands, temperatures are much cooler than the rest of Malaysia due to its altitude, ranging from 18-25 degrees celsius during the day. The nights got pretty chilly, and the absence of any insulation in the buildings made the room freezing at night, even with the stained blankets that they provide. The walls were also so thin that we could even hear people whispering next to us which was quite annoying. There were also regular visitors in the way of random insects flying into the room through the ineffective windows and the gap under the door.
The shared bathrooms were in a nearby block which had showers and toilets both Asian and Western style. The hot showers were tempermental at best which is a non important issue because the nights get very cool, dropping from the low twenties to just under. The whole area was also dingy and slippery so one would have to always tread carefully to avoid a fall.
For internet users, there were some computers up at the tv room but for wi fi, they charged RM 5 for the length of the stay which was only accessible near the main house. The electrical sockets were only available up here as well which made it quite inconvenient.
We stayed almost a week and at the end, we realised that our small, itchy red bites that had appeared over the course of our stay were actually from the dreaded bed bugs!!! This was despite me checking the mattress initially for them and not finding any. It definitely put a smear on our stay here although nothing could take away our time in this beautiful and interesting part of the country.
Overall, the main advantage of staying at Fathers Guesthouse would be the scenic views over the valleys and the wide variety of flowers that are planted around the guesthouse, as well as taking in the fresh air in this peaceful area. As the conditions of the room and facilities weren't as favourable, the overall experience would be difficult to balance out.
Rating: 6/10
Stardust Guesthouse- Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
Address: 370-D Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
Website: www.stardustguesthouse.com
This place is only a few doors down from the previously mentioned hostel but on the other side of the road so it's still a very central part of town. The reception was manned by a young girl (the daughter of the owner) who was very friendly and welcoming. She showed us two rooms, both with clean rooms and beds (I've started lifting the bedsheets of every place we go to to check for bed bugs hiding in the mattresses). We chose the second room which was the larger of the two, with an extra electrical socket for RM 25 per night (A$8) for a few days.
There are 7 rooms spread over two levels in the guesthouse, with the bathrooms on the second level consisting of three showers and two toilets which were cleaned daily. The showers had a gap between the top of the wall and the ceiling which allowed natural light to come through which was pretty cool if one had a shower during the day. The stairs leading up to these levels from the cafe downstairs is extremely steep so we had to hold onto the bannister to ensure that we didn't ensure a catastrophic death! The wooden floorboards added a genuine atmosphere of 'guesthouse' that was quite charming.
Our room had a fan, a writing table and a chair. It was closest to the bathrooms which for the most part weren't a problem...except for the one bad thing about this guesthouse: the mysterious, GHASTLY odour that would come wafting into the room late every night (and sometimes for a period of time in the afternoon). We determined that the smell came from the bathrooms as the second time we stayed here in another room further down the corridor, the smell wasn't as strong. As far as we could tell, it must have come from some open sewer pipe and let me tell you, it was the most foul smell I have ever come across in my life!!! There is no way of getting around this smell which is unfortunate because other than this, our stay at Stardust was perhaps one of the best we've had so far.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this guesthouse. You can't find much fault with clean, decent sized rooms, clean bathrooms, friendly owners, a convenient location and free wi fi. The only thing to be aware of is the evil sewer smell which will inevitably creep up upon you.
Rating: 8/10 (9.5/10 if the horrifying stink was removed)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Day and Night Backpackers Guesthouse- Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
Address: Tebuh Chulia, Georgetown (next to Banana Guesthouse and opposite 7 Eleven)
Website: none
After getting off bus #101 from the bus terminal down south of Penang, the Day and Night Backpacker Guesthouse was the first one we encounted, so we went in and enquired about room rates. We were slightly apprehensive that other hostels might be full after comparing costs with the Banana Guesthouse next door which charged more than double of their nightly rate of MYR 24 (A$8) that we decided to take a room just for one night and wander around town looking for a better one later on.
We should have been more patient...
...as the room was quite dirty and worn, with unsightly sheets and table which enjoyed plenty of rust. There were also no mosquito-proof netting outside the open window panes, which immediately stood out to me. The shower and toilet were quite unattractive as well.
After going out and finding not one, but several decent and much nicer guesthouses closeby (the main tourist centre of Georgetown is pretty much centred on the one street, Tebuh Chulia), we groaned and headed back to Day and Night to pin our hopes that the guy would agree to refund us and let us to elsewhere instead, even though chances were slim. At least we tried- the guy who had checked us in had gone and an older man who was probably the boss denied that there were any mosquitoes around (when we mentioned the open windows) and confirmed that we had to stay there, at least for the night that we'd paid for already.
We went back to the Stardust Guesthouse where we'd inspected the rooms and for about the same price were infinitely better, and booked us in before returning and setting the alarm clock for an early wakeup tomorrow in order to get out of there sooner.
Overall, one would not have any good reason to stay at the Day and Night Guesthouse as it is very easy in Georgetown to find nicer and cleaner places to stay for the same price. The room was dirty, and the toilets were dirty. Fullstop.
Website: none
After getting off bus #101 from the bus terminal down south of Penang, the Day and Night Backpacker Guesthouse was the first one we encounted, so we went in and enquired about room rates. We were slightly apprehensive that other hostels might be full after comparing costs with the Banana Guesthouse next door which charged more than double of their nightly rate of MYR 24 (A$8) that we decided to take a room just for one night and wander around town looking for a better one later on.
We should have been more patient...
...as the room was quite dirty and worn, with unsightly sheets and table which enjoyed plenty of rust. There were also no mosquito-proof netting outside the open window panes, which immediately stood out to me. The shower and toilet were quite unattractive as well.
After going out and finding not one, but several decent and much nicer guesthouses closeby (the main tourist centre of Georgetown is pretty much centred on the one street, Tebuh Chulia), we groaned and headed back to Day and Night to pin our hopes that the guy would agree to refund us and let us to elsewhere instead, even though chances were slim. At least we tried- the guy who had checked us in had gone and an older man who was probably the boss denied that there were any mosquitoes around (when we mentioned the open windows) and confirmed that we had to stay there, at least for the night that we'd paid for already.
We went back to the Stardust Guesthouse where we'd inspected the rooms and for about the same price were infinitely better, and booked us in before returning and setting the alarm clock for an early wakeup tomorrow in order to get out of there sooner.
Overall, one would not have any good reason to stay at the Day and Night Guesthouse as it is very easy in Georgetown to find nicer and cleaner places to stay for the same price. The room was dirty, and the toilets were dirty. Fullstop.
Combo Guesthouse- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Address: 69 Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
Website: none
This hostel is right in the middle of the busy Bukit Bintang district of Kuala Lumpur, famous for its outdoor restaurants, shopping centres and cafes. It's very easy to get to if you're arriving by bus at the Puduraya Bus Terminal, as it's only a 15-20 minute walk up Jalan Pudu, left at the traffic lights, along the famous food street of Jalan Alor and just around the corner. Nearby are convenience stores and convenience stores along with plenty of other backpacker hostels.
We'd booked a room with shared bathroom facilities on Hostelworld (Rp 56 a night = A$15) but as we'd booked it only the night before, they hadn't yet printed out the confirmation so the guy ended up giving us a double room with an ensuite bathroom which intentional or not, was very nice! The room itself was quite small; it only fit pretty much the bed and us. There was a tiled shelf off the wall which took up more space but the most important thing about the room was that it was extremely clean. The bathroom looked almost new, with a great hot water shower and toilet, but with a bit of off-putting mould on the wall that could almost be ignored if one tried hard enough. It was again quite small, similar to one in an aeroplane but it worked fine. The bed was just two soft mattresses staced on top of each other and was probably the worst thing about this air conditioned room- as it was very unsupportive and just sank down. It was probably a major contributor to the back ache that I developed a few days into our stay.
The hostel also had free wi fi which had great connection with no drop outs. The staff were originally friendly enough, but were quite weird after that, not smiling or acknowledging us whenever they'd see us. Instead, for the first few days one particular guy kept asking us whether we actually had a room there as we'd either leave or enter the hostel. It was quite irritating but I guess it's good in terms of security...although a few times, we saw that the entrance was unmanned. Oh, did I mention that the rooms were located on the second and third floor of the block so that there are at least a few flights of stairs to master everytime one comes up or down from the rooms? There was also an outdoor space over the roof of the lower levels in the centre of the the level of rooms with steel grids around them that don't do much to hide the huge rats that were commonly seen running around the roof area. Lovely. But I guess it's understandable in this steaming, humid city of KL, and didn't impact much on our stay.
Overall, a very nice week at Combo Guesthouse. The air conditioning was very much appreciated, and the rooms were extremely clean and modern. The staff were good for the security issue, and it was very conveniently located for tourists to explore the various types of food available in the capital as well as the lively nightlife in this area.
Rating: 9/10
Website: none
This hostel is right in the middle of the busy Bukit Bintang district of Kuala Lumpur, famous for its outdoor restaurants, shopping centres and cafes. It's very easy to get to if you're arriving by bus at the Puduraya Bus Terminal, as it's only a 15-20 minute walk up Jalan Pudu, left at the traffic lights, along the famous food street of Jalan Alor and just around the corner. Nearby are convenience stores and convenience stores along with plenty of other backpacker hostels.
We'd booked a room with shared bathroom facilities on Hostelworld (Rp 56 a night = A$15) but as we'd booked it only the night before, they hadn't yet printed out the confirmation so the guy ended up giving us a double room with an ensuite bathroom which intentional or not, was very nice! The room itself was quite small; it only fit pretty much the bed and us. There was a tiled shelf off the wall which took up more space but the most important thing about the room was that it was extremely clean. The bathroom looked almost new, with a great hot water shower and toilet, but with a bit of off-putting mould on the wall that could almost be ignored if one tried hard enough. It was again quite small, similar to one in an aeroplane but it worked fine. The bed was just two soft mattresses staced on top of each other and was probably the worst thing about this air conditioned room- as it was very unsupportive and just sank down. It was probably a major contributor to the back ache that I developed a few days into our stay.
The hostel also had free wi fi which had great connection with no drop outs. The staff were originally friendly enough, but were quite weird after that, not smiling or acknowledging us whenever they'd see us. Instead, for the first few days one particular guy kept asking us whether we actually had a room there as we'd either leave or enter the hostel. It was quite irritating but I guess it's good in terms of security...although a few times, we saw that the entrance was unmanned. Oh, did I mention that the rooms were located on the second and third floor of the block so that there are at least a few flights of stairs to master everytime one comes up or down from the rooms? There was also an outdoor space over the roof of the lower levels in the centre of the the level of rooms with steel grids around them that don't do much to hide the huge rats that were commonly seen running around the roof area. Lovely. But I guess it's understandable in this steaming, humid city of KL, and didn't impact much on our stay.
Overall, a very nice week at Combo Guesthouse. The air conditioning was very much appreciated, and the rooms were extremely clean and modern. The staff were good for the security issue, and it was very conveniently located for tourists to explore the various types of food available in the capital as well as the lively nightlife in this area.
Rating: 9/10
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tony's Guesthouse- Melaka, Malaysia
Address: 24 Lorong Banda Kaba, off Lorong Bukit Cina, Melaka
Website: none
Tony's Guesthouse is about a 5-10 minute walk from the Dutch Square, where all the famous Dutch architectural buildings are, and also where the bus no. 17 from the Melaka bus Sentral will drop you off (for RM 1), making it a convenient place to stay. It's situated near the opening of a residential street, where a brightly painted yellow wall welcomes you to this guesthouse. Tony is a quiet and pleasant man, with many comments online about also being a helpful and friendly guy. He is also happy enough to leave you to your own devices if that is your wish. We were shown into a room on the second floor out of three, the ground floor being his residence and his little cafe.
The room with shared bathroom (a nightly rate of Rm 12/A$4 per person) was also brightly painted in red, yellow and blue which along with slightly old and rustic surroundings, created a sort of atmosphere that a typical backpacker might like. The room was decently medium sized, with a writing table and chair, as well as a clean clothes horse for hanging up your washing which was quite useful. After an initial scare of seeing a few bed bugs crawling on the wall near the bed head, we were able to relax as the bed itself didn't house any of the bugs itself. The bed was lined with clean, matching pillow cases and bedsheets, and was quite comfortable. With a very effective fan (at full power, it dried out our washing in a few hours, despite the humidity), the room was nice and clean, with the small exception of the floor which still had hair from previous occupants.
The shared bathroom was just around the corner, with one on each level. With only three or four rooms, the facilities were quite enough. The Western style toilet and hot shower worked well enough, though the water pressure of the shower often lacked. It was relatively clean although a bit old, with both doors needing a replacement. There were also some bowls and plates for guests should they choose to eat at the simple sitting area outside their rooms.
It is quite apparent that Tony enjoys having a guesthouse and takes pride in what he does. The plethora of little laminated signs containing tips such as how to prevent a snatch thief from attacking, to ways to keep the guesthouse clean are little ways in which it shows. There's also a board on the level with pinned up maps of the city and where the tourist attractions are, as well as a place where previous travellers have left behind used and loved brochures which are there for future travellers to pick up at their disposal. All this gives Tony's Guesthouse a nice, communal and casual atmosphere which any simple traveller will appreciate.
Overall, a safe and clean guesthouse very conveniently located to the city's attractions. Tony's effort in providing the simple necessities of a budget accommodation choice makes it the best value place to stay in town.
Rating: 8.5/10
Website: none
Tony's Guesthouse is about a 5-10 minute walk from the Dutch Square, where all the famous Dutch architectural buildings are, and also where the bus no. 17 from the Melaka bus Sentral will drop you off (for RM 1), making it a convenient place to stay. It's situated near the opening of a residential street, where a brightly painted yellow wall welcomes you to this guesthouse. Tony is a quiet and pleasant man, with many comments online about also being a helpful and friendly guy. He is also happy enough to leave you to your own devices if that is your wish. We were shown into a room on the second floor out of three, the ground floor being his residence and his little cafe.
The room with shared bathroom (a nightly rate of Rm 12/A$4 per person) was also brightly painted in red, yellow and blue which along with slightly old and rustic surroundings, created a sort of atmosphere that a typical backpacker might like. The room was decently medium sized, with a writing table and chair, as well as a clean clothes horse for hanging up your washing which was quite useful. After an initial scare of seeing a few bed bugs crawling on the wall near the bed head, we were able to relax as the bed itself didn't house any of the bugs itself. The bed was lined with clean, matching pillow cases and bedsheets, and was quite comfortable. With a very effective fan (at full power, it dried out our washing in a few hours, despite the humidity), the room was nice and clean, with the small exception of the floor which still had hair from previous occupants.
The shared bathroom was just around the corner, with one on each level. With only three or four rooms, the facilities were quite enough. The Western style toilet and hot shower worked well enough, though the water pressure of the shower often lacked. It was relatively clean although a bit old, with both doors needing a replacement. There were also some bowls and plates for guests should they choose to eat at the simple sitting area outside their rooms.
It is quite apparent that Tony enjoys having a guesthouse and takes pride in what he does. The plethora of little laminated signs containing tips such as how to prevent a snatch thief from attacking, to ways to keep the guesthouse clean are little ways in which it shows. There's also a board on the level with pinned up maps of the city and where the tourist attractions are, as well as a place where previous travellers have left behind used and loved brochures which are there for future travellers to pick up at their disposal. All this gives Tony's Guesthouse a nice, communal and casual atmosphere which any simple traveller will appreciate.
Overall, a safe and clean guesthouse very conveniently located to the city's attractions. Tony's effort in providing the simple necessities of a budget accommodation choice makes it the best value place to stay in town.
Rating: 8.5/10
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Hive Backpackers Hostel- Singapore
Address: 624 Serangoon Road, Singapore
Website: www.thehivebackpackers.com
The hostel gave excellent directions on how to get to their place on the confirmation print out after we had booked a week's stay here at Singapore on the Hostelworld website, so after an hour or so of travelling on the city's efficient MRT system from the airport, we arrived at the hostel. It's located within sight of the Boon Keng MRT station, and directly across a football field so it's quite easy to spot when you first arrive.
It was a delightful stay, from the time we stepped into the airconditioned lobby and were greeted by the friendly staff to when we left with our luggage to head to the bus terminal a week later, which is only about 10 convenient minutes away.
We were shown into a Japanese styled block of rooms, with about two or three bathrooms per level of private rooms. The dorms were located on the ground floor near the reception. Our room (the Sakura room) was a room with airconditioning and windows facing Lavender Street (bewarned for those who sleep lightly because this room is quite noisy as it is closest to the busy intersection with Serangoon Road which has traffic all night long and only stops in the early hours after midnight). The windows were only covered by a light straw/bamboo style hanging so the sun rising also happens instantaneously in this room. The room itself was meticulously clean, even down to the bedposts. We later saw the cleaner wipe these down, which showed a level of effort rare in budget accommodation, which made it all the more admirable. They also use vacuum cleaners to clean the floor. The room also had an IKEA like table which was useful.
For around S$25 (A$25) per night and airconditioning, this was a great choice as the breakfast, although simple enough, was plentiful. Cornflakes, toast with jam/butter and coffee/tea made a great start to the day, as one would need as much help as possible to survive the huge and numerous shopping malls to Singapore! When one would run out during the breakfast hours, the staff were only too happy to refill. The free wi fi connection would occasionally drop out during the peak night time hours however that was pretty much the only complaint about the place. Oh, and besides the toilet in the nearest bathroom that would remain regularly stubborn and refuse to flush. The bathrooms themselves were quite clean and provided toilet paper.
The hostel also had four or five computers in the lobby for those who didn't bring laptops with them which was quite nice of them, and also had free tourist brochures and maps, as well as a nice hang out area with cable tv as well. As it was located on Serangoon Road, the region of 'Little India' was just a short walk away, with its well known temples, the Mustafa shopping plaza and the many sari and restaurants close by. There were also several bus stops nearby which made it handy to get to various parts of the city.
Overall, the best place that we've stayed at by far. The staff were friendly and nice, the rooms were spotless, the bathrooms were great and it was in a good location for , with even a foodcourt about five minutes away which we went to numerous times for dinner. Two thumbs up.
Rating: 9.5/10
Website: www.thehivebackpackers.com
The hostel gave excellent directions on how to get to their place on the confirmation print out after we had booked a week's stay here at Singapore on the Hostelworld website, so after an hour or so of travelling on the city's efficient MRT system from the airport, we arrived at the hostel. It's located within sight of the Boon Keng MRT station, and directly across a football field so it's quite easy to spot when you first arrive.
It was a delightful stay, from the time we stepped into the airconditioned lobby and were greeted by the friendly staff to when we left with our luggage to head to the bus terminal a week later, which is only about 10 convenient minutes away.
We were shown into a Japanese styled block of rooms, with about two or three bathrooms per level of private rooms. The dorms were located on the ground floor near the reception. Our room (the Sakura room) was a room with airconditioning and windows facing Lavender Street (bewarned for those who sleep lightly because this room is quite noisy as it is closest to the busy intersection with Serangoon Road which has traffic all night long and only stops in the early hours after midnight). The windows were only covered by a light straw/bamboo style hanging so the sun rising also happens instantaneously in this room. The room itself was meticulously clean, even down to the bedposts. We later saw the cleaner wipe these down, which showed a level of effort rare in budget accommodation, which made it all the more admirable. They also use vacuum cleaners to clean the floor. The room also had an IKEA like table which was useful.
For around S$25 (A$25) per night and airconditioning, this was a great choice as the breakfast, although simple enough, was plentiful. Cornflakes, toast with jam/butter and coffee/tea made a great start to the day, as one would need as much help as possible to survive the huge and numerous shopping malls to Singapore! When one would run out during the breakfast hours, the staff were only too happy to refill. The free wi fi connection would occasionally drop out during the peak night time hours however that was pretty much the only complaint about the place. Oh, and besides the toilet in the nearest bathroom that would remain regularly stubborn and refuse to flush. The bathrooms themselves were quite clean and provided toilet paper.
The hostel also had four or five computers in the lobby for those who didn't bring laptops with them which was quite nice of them, and also had free tourist brochures and maps, as well as a nice hang out area with cable tv as well. As it was located on Serangoon Road, the region of 'Little India' was just a short walk away, with its well known temples, the Mustafa shopping plaza and the many sari and restaurants close by. There were also several bus stops nearby which made it handy to get to various parts of the city.
Overall, the best place that we've stayed at by far. The staff were friendly and nice, the rooms were spotless, the bathrooms were great and it was in a good location for , with even a foodcourt about five minutes away which we went to numerous times for dinner. Two thumbs up.
Rating: 9.5/10
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Bali Manik- Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Address: Jalan Benesari, Kuta
Website: none
The block of rooms are built in traditional Balinese style, with three levels of rooms. We stayed for three nights and tried to bargain with the manager, who is the most unfriendly, reluctant person you could find, however he wouldn't budge with the price of Rp 100 000 (A$14) per night for a twin bed room (even after quoting us cheaper two weeks ago, saying that 'the price had gone up' since then).
We were shown to a room on the third floor, up the steep narrow staircases and into a room with white tiles and a wardrobe with no rod to hang clothes in. One of the single beds had clean white sheets and pillow cases however the other one had clear, significant stains on it. Luckily I had my own bedsheet which I now hastily pulled out. The bathroom had a noticeable dip in the tiled floor which meant that water from the shower would remain on the floor for a considerable amount of time, thus contributing to the damp smell that would occasionally leak out into the room. The toilet, shower head and sink would do well with new replacements, but it was functional enough, with cold showers to look forward to as part of the room.
Breakfast was taken up to the seats and table located just outside of the room, and were quite decent. A small, thin banana pancake, a small plate of pineapple and banana, and tea/coffee would be served as we'd take in the quite pretty view over the nearby shops and inns.
Bali Manik is located within 10 metres away from the convenience store, Circle K, and on not one but two occasions, we were woken up at 4am by a crazy women sitting outside the store drunkenly shouting and singing loudly. The street is usually non stop with car and motor bike traffic, but usually dies down at around midnight. The hostel is also around the corner from the markets on Poppies Lane II, and is about 10-15 minutes walk to Kuta Beach, making this area a popular place to stay for surfers and tourists alike. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes, tourist booking centres and convenient shops nearby.
Overall, a standard kind of budget accommodation to stay at in Kuta, with what you pay for and nothing more. Obviously stained sheets shouldn't have gotten through the cleaners like this, but the breakfasts were good enough and the location convenient. Don't expect warm gestures of friendship from the manager and you'll do fine at Bali Manik.
Rating: 6.5/10
Website: none
The block of rooms are built in traditional Balinese style, with three levels of rooms. We stayed for three nights and tried to bargain with the manager, who is the most unfriendly, reluctant person you could find, however he wouldn't budge with the price of Rp 100 000 (A$14) per night for a twin bed room (even after quoting us cheaper two weeks ago, saying that 'the price had gone up' since then).
We were shown to a room on the third floor, up the steep narrow staircases and into a room with white tiles and a wardrobe with no rod to hang clothes in. One of the single beds had clean white sheets and pillow cases however the other one had clear, significant stains on it. Luckily I had my own bedsheet which I now hastily pulled out. The bathroom had a noticeable dip in the tiled floor which meant that water from the shower would remain on the floor for a considerable amount of time, thus contributing to the damp smell that would occasionally leak out into the room. The toilet, shower head and sink would do well with new replacements, but it was functional enough, with cold showers to look forward to as part of the room.
Breakfast was taken up to the seats and table located just outside of the room, and were quite decent. A small, thin banana pancake, a small plate of pineapple and banana, and tea/coffee would be served as we'd take in the quite pretty view over the nearby shops and inns.
Bali Manik is located within 10 metres away from the convenience store, Circle K, and on not one but two occasions, we were woken up at 4am by a crazy women sitting outside the store drunkenly shouting and singing loudly. The street is usually non stop with car and motor bike traffic, but usually dies down at around midnight. The hostel is also around the corner from the markets on Poppies Lane II, and is about 10-15 minutes walk to Kuta Beach, making this area a popular place to stay for surfers and tourists alike. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes, tourist booking centres and convenient shops nearby.
Overall, a standard kind of budget accommodation to stay at in Kuta, with what you pay for and nothing more. Obviously stained sheets shouldn't have gotten through the cleaners like this, but the breakfasts were good enough and the location convenient. Don't expect warm gestures of friendship from the manager and you'll do fine at Bali Manik.
Rating: 6.5/10
Hotel Elen- Senggigi, Lombok, Indonesia
Address: Jalan Raya Senggigi
Website: none
We were dropped off by the shuttle bus at the edge of town, in front of an affiliated tourist information centre and told that this was the centre of Senggigi to scare us. As from what anyone could see, it looked tiny and deserted. Most of the passengers on the bus had the smarts to ignore their 'advice' and start walking. We did, soon enough. And we found the 'real' centre of the town, where a young teenager and an older man approached us and strongly suggested 'Hotel Elen, Hotel Elen' to us for budget accommodation. We let them guide us to a narrow, dodgy looking alleyway next to a convenience store which initially I was very hesitant to go through, but it turned out legit as this was where Hotel Elen was situated, behind this block.
We managed to negotiate the nightly price for a bed room down from Rp 100 000 to Rp 90 000 per night (A$12) for a week's stay with one of the co owners and checked in. Our room was one of a rectangle of rooms outside, opposite a koi pond with a small waterfall as well as a poor bird entraped in a tiny birdcage. It had two seats, a table as well as a clothes hanger which was quite useful for drying off swimming costumes after a day at the beach. The room was simple but clean enough, and the bathroom had a Western toilet with a flush. The shower was cold water but it worked relatively well. There was also a cupboard with shelves to store our belongings as well as a fan to replace the old, broken air conditioner.
After a few days of having some food tied up in bags, the room would attract a noticeable amount of ants, but nothing much more menacing which was good.
The staff would say hello everytime they saw us, but would thankfully keep pretty much to themselves, besides tending to the property and gardens. The owners paid significant attention to make the gardens attractive, with a large fenced up cage at the back containing birds and rabbits. Another magnificent bird was kept in another small cage but in bad conditions, with the interiors needing urgent cleaning. The animals do give a pleasing element in the surroundings but the owners may like to pay greater attention to their upkeep to keep their viewing pleasurable by the guests.
The breakfast was extremely simple- one thin plain pancake with either bali coffee or tea, and a cup of sugar. We used the sugar to add taste to the sole pancake, but would sometimes need to substantiate our breakfast later on.
Overall, a decent place to stay in a town severely lacking budget accommodation. Rooms are clean enough, with nice surroundings but prepared for a very simple breakfast.
Rating: 7/10
Website: none
We were dropped off by the shuttle bus at the edge of town, in front of an affiliated tourist information centre and told that this was the centre of Senggigi to scare us. As from what anyone could see, it looked tiny and deserted. Most of the passengers on the bus had the smarts to ignore their 'advice' and start walking. We did, soon enough. And we found the 'real' centre of the town, where a young teenager and an older man approached us and strongly suggested 'Hotel Elen, Hotel Elen' to us for budget accommodation. We let them guide us to a narrow, dodgy looking alleyway next to a convenience store which initially I was very hesitant to go through, but it turned out legit as this was where Hotel Elen was situated, behind this block.
We managed to negotiate the nightly price for a bed room down from Rp 100 000 to Rp 90 000 per night (A$12) for a week's stay with one of the co owners and checked in. Our room was one of a rectangle of rooms outside, opposite a koi pond with a small waterfall as well as a poor bird entraped in a tiny birdcage. It had two seats, a table as well as a clothes hanger which was quite useful for drying off swimming costumes after a day at the beach. The room was simple but clean enough, and the bathroom had a Western toilet with a flush. The shower was cold water but it worked relatively well. There was also a cupboard with shelves to store our belongings as well as a fan to replace the old, broken air conditioner.
After a few days of having some food tied up in bags, the room would attract a noticeable amount of ants, but nothing much more menacing which was good.
The staff would say hello everytime they saw us, but would thankfully keep pretty much to themselves, besides tending to the property and gardens. The owners paid significant attention to make the gardens attractive, with a large fenced up cage at the back containing birds and rabbits. Another magnificent bird was kept in another small cage but in bad conditions, with the interiors needing urgent cleaning. The animals do give a pleasing element in the surroundings but the owners may like to pay greater attention to their upkeep to keep their viewing pleasurable by the guests.
The breakfast was extremely simple- one thin plain pancake with either bali coffee or tea, and a cup of sugar. We used the sugar to add taste to the sole pancake, but would sometimes need to substantiate our breakfast later on.
Overall, a decent place to stay in a town severely lacking budget accommodation. Rooms are clean enough, with nice surroundings but prepared for a very simple breakfast.
Rating: 7/10
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Unknown Inn- Padangbai, Bali, Indonesia
Address: Unknown; in a lane off the main road in Padangbai (Jalan Pedabuhan Padangbai).
Website: unknown
We had just spent over an hour on a shuttle bus going from Ubud to Padangbai, and had just escaped the clutches of an overeager owner of a new inn who ushered us in to see his rooms which were brand spanking new and extremely nice but which was still being built, when we happened along this hostel unnamed and unknown. This little laneway running parallel to the main street along the shore of Padangbai had most of the hostels in this area within a few metres, and which we spent a night there. We had originally planned to stay a week in this town but due to several horrible situations that we found ourselves in, we'd quickly decided to move on and get the hell away from this place which seemed to act as a deep and menacing hole to which we were being pursued in an unexplainable but evil manner.
The hostel seemed nice enough, and indeed it was the best choice there was after inspecting several other places of budget accommodation. Indeed, I heard a fellow traveller from another room remark to her friends that this place was the fanciest place she'd stayed in so far.
There were two levels of rooms (beware, the flight of stairs were very steep and very narrow) and our room with hot shower was negotiated to be Rp 80 000 per night for a week's stay (down from Rp 100 000). The room was nice enough, with white tiles on the floor and a functional bathroom, if a bit icky feeling (it also had a cistern-less toilet). The bedspread looked a bit old though, but the fan worked which was all we asked for.
But it would soon prove useless because...
There was a 3-4 hour period that night from around 8pm-midnight where the electricity was cut off in the whole town. We were sitting in a restaurant eating when all the lights, everything went out and it was pitch black. It seemed to be a regular occurrence as without batting an eyelid, the restaurants swiftly lit their candles and continued on with the dinner service. We went back to the hostel, thinking that it'd all be fixed soon enough but having no idea that we'd have several hours of waiting ahead of us. Without electricity, that meant the fan was useless and the room very soon got extremely, EXTREMELY HOT. It felt like it was literally 50 degrees, and after lying there sweating our of our ears, we took the possible mosquito bites over slow death and sat outside on the edge of the balcony. Even though it was still warm outside (this is the tropics), it was much better than remaining indoors and we sat there (surprisingly mosquito free) until midnight when our room had significantly cooled down from the night air we'd let in.
The breakfast was made by a guy who although was asked for an egg and tomato jaffle from the menu (and was even pointed to the item by a finger), made a tomato jaffle. Yup, two pieces of toasted bread with a piece of tomato in it and nothing else. Does that make sense to anyone? I understand that his English wouldn't have been exactly fluent but the pointed finger would have definitely made inroads with another average Indonesian. Anyways, it came with bali tea or coffee, and surprisingly, the tea was quite nice. A plate of pineapple and bananas came with the breakfast which was quite nice.
So it wasn't really the hostel's fault that we had a nightmarish night so I'll exclude the uselessness of the fan for half the night in my review, and say that it was a decent place to stay (if one doesn't happen to stay in this town for the one night of the month where they cut the town's electricity for half the night, as an employee in the hostel told us when we went downstairs to ask what was going on).
Rating: 7/10
Website: unknown
We had just spent over an hour on a shuttle bus going from Ubud to Padangbai, and had just escaped the clutches of an overeager owner of a new inn who ushered us in to see his rooms which were brand spanking new and extremely nice but which was still being built, when we happened along this hostel unnamed and unknown. This little laneway running parallel to the main street along the shore of Padangbai had most of the hostels in this area within a few metres, and which we spent a night there. We had originally planned to stay a week in this town but due to several horrible situations that we found ourselves in, we'd quickly decided to move on and get the hell away from this place which seemed to act as a deep and menacing hole to which we were being pursued in an unexplainable but evil manner.
The hostel seemed nice enough, and indeed it was the best choice there was after inspecting several other places of budget accommodation. Indeed, I heard a fellow traveller from another room remark to her friends that this place was the fanciest place she'd stayed in so far.
There were two levels of rooms (beware, the flight of stairs were very steep and very narrow) and our room with hot shower was negotiated to be Rp 80 000 per night for a week's stay (down from Rp 100 000). The room was nice enough, with white tiles on the floor and a functional bathroom, if a bit icky feeling (it also had a cistern-less toilet). The bedspread looked a bit old though, but the fan worked which was all we asked for.
But it would soon prove useless because...
There was a 3-4 hour period that night from around 8pm-midnight where the electricity was cut off in the whole town. We were sitting in a restaurant eating when all the lights, everything went out and it was pitch black. It seemed to be a regular occurrence as without batting an eyelid, the restaurants swiftly lit their candles and continued on with the dinner service. We went back to the hostel, thinking that it'd all be fixed soon enough but having no idea that we'd have several hours of waiting ahead of us. Without electricity, that meant the fan was useless and the room very soon got extremely, EXTREMELY HOT. It felt like it was literally 50 degrees, and after lying there sweating our of our ears, we took the possible mosquito bites over slow death and sat outside on the edge of the balcony. Even though it was still warm outside (this is the tropics), it was much better than remaining indoors and we sat there (surprisingly mosquito free) until midnight when our room had significantly cooled down from the night air we'd let in.
The breakfast was made by a guy who although was asked for an egg and tomato jaffle from the menu (and was even pointed to the item by a finger), made a tomato jaffle. Yup, two pieces of toasted bread with a piece of tomato in it and nothing else. Does that make sense to anyone? I understand that his English wouldn't have been exactly fluent but the pointed finger would have definitely made inroads with another average Indonesian. Anyways, it came with bali tea or coffee, and surprisingly, the tea was quite nice. A plate of pineapple and bananas came with the breakfast which was quite nice.
So it wasn't really the hostel's fault that we had a nightmarish night so I'll exclude the uselessness of the fan for half the night in my review, and say that it was a decent place to stay (if one doesn't happen to stay in this town for the one night of the month where they cut the town's electricity for half the night, as an employee in the hostel told us when we went downstairs to ask what was going on).
Rating: 7/10
Sudana Homestay- Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Address: Jalan Gautama/Goutama/Cootama, No. 11, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Website: none
I came across this homestay soon after arriving at the Bemo/Taxi station, near the centre of Ubud. It's located on the first street coming from that direction, and is in a narrow street constantly busy with cars and motorbikes. Plenty of other homestays can be found on the same street but Sudana's Homestay offered the cheapest rate with breakfast for a week so we went with this one. The homestay is family owned, with children who are as friendly as their parents and offer a friendly smile everytime passes them. Madi is the main contact and has a smile that can almost literally light up a lightbulb, and is friendly and welcoming. Breakfast is included with the accommodation, and has a menu of either:
- a tomato and egg jaffle
- a scrambled/boiled egg or omlette with two pieces of buttered toast
- a banana/pineapple pancake
The food also came with a small plate of papaya, pineapple and banana, as well as a choice of Bali coffee (very strong black coffee) or black tea.
We ordered the scrambled egg with toast for most of the week until we realised that the tomato and egg jaffle was much nicer. I also tried the banana pancake which was extremely oily but chewy and doughy which was the sort of pancake I personally like, but which most others probably don't. It was evident that Madi put a decent amount of effort into making her breakfasts, but a common factor were the black specks of dirt of something which came on the utensils, plates and cups. The coffee or tea would be accompanied with a small jar of sugar, but so would the noticeable ants that would be crawling around in the sugar. Seeing the semi-outdoor kitchen where the plates and cutlery would be washed and kept to dry explained all this, but still, it wasn't exactly nice to see with your food first thing in the morning.
There are separate buildings containing the rooms at the back of the main house where guests stay. Each room comes with its own little verandal/outside seating area where breakfast is served, and the rooms are fan cooled. Each has its own toilet without a cistern, so a bucket and hose is provided. All open windows were covered in nets to prevent mosquitoes from entering the room.
We originally negotiated a week's stay in their cheapest room which was the first one on the right hand side- (a discounted rate of Rp 70 000 per night, about A$9 per night) a double room with a cold shower however this was quickly regretted as the room dingy, with a definite depressed atmosphere about it. The bedside table was old, rusty and dirty and the toilet was a shocker. There wasn't a bucket as such provided to wash the toilet down, but a small heart shaped, pouring tool that was nowhere sufficiently large enough to contain enough water necessary to do the deed. Soon after having a shower, we discovered a huge cockroach on the floor which made the whole experience even worse. I refused to enter the bathroom after that which made it quite impossible to stay another night in that room, and after sharing our thoughts, we agreed to request an upgrade to another room.
We didn't mention anything of our reasons for making the change to Madi, but she let us know that one of the other rooms with a hot shower would become available later that day for us. What a difference Rp 20 000 can make. At a negotiated Rp 90 000 per night (A$11) for a remaining week's stay, the room was brighter, larger and airier. The toilet appeared cleaner, with a large bucket provided to take care of the absent cistern, and there was of course, the hot water (which actually stopped working halfway through the week until we let Madi know, and were told that it was due to the gas heating tank being broken but it was quickly fixed).
The room came with a shelf built into the wall, as well as a bedside table (sufficiently newer and cleaner than the previous one) and some hooks on the wall. I came to know the room quite well, as I became sick soon after our arrival in Ubud and had to spend pretty much the rest of the week holed up in bed. A cockroach was seen in the bathroom a few days into our stay which put a damper on things but overall, the room was a hundred steps up from the 'nightmare room' of our first night.
Overall, a nice, affordable homestay in a great location. Being the cheaper kind of homestay, it may show in things such as cleanliness (it seemed that the bedsheets were never washed/changed, and the bedsheets were not really bedsheets), but presided over by the friendly family, it'd be a good bet for one on a budget in Ubud.
Rating: 6.5/10
Website: none
I came across this homestay soon after arriving at the Bemo/Taxi station, near the centre of Ubud. It's located on the first street coming from that direction, and is in a narrow street constantly busy with cars and motorbikes. Plenty of other homestays can be found on the same street but Sudana's Homestay offered the cheapest rate with breakfast for a week so we went with this one. The homestay is family owned, with children who are as friendly as their parents and offer a friendly smile everytime passes them. Madi is the main contact and has a smile that can almost literally light up a lightbulb, and is friendly and welcoming. Breakfast is included with the accommodation, and has a menu of either:
- a tomato and egg jaffle
- a scrambled/boiled egg or omlette with two pieces of buttered toast
- a banana/pineapple pancake
The food also came with a small plate of papaya, pineapple and banana, as well as a choice of Bali coffee (very strong black coffee) or black tea.
We ordered the scrambled egg with toast for most of the week until we realised that the tomato and egg jaffle was much nicer. I also tried the banana pancake which was extremely oily but chewy and doughy which was the sort of pancake I personally like, but which most others probably don't. It was evident that Madi put a decent amount of effort into making her breakfasts, but a common factor were the black specks of dirt of something which came on the utensils, plates and cups. The coffee or tea would be accompanied with a small jar of sugar, but so would the noticeable ants that would be crawling around in the sugar. Seeing the semi-outdoor kitchen where the plates and cutlery would be washed and kept to dry explained all this, but still, it wasn't exactly nice to see with your food first thing in the morning.
There are separate buildings containing the rooms at the back of the main house where guests stay. Each room comes with its own little verandal/outside seating area where breakfast is served, and the rooms are fan cooled. Each has its own toilet without a cistern, so a bucket and hose is provided. All open windows were covered in nets to prevent mosquitoes from entering the room.
We originally negotiated a week's stay in their cheapest room which was the first one on the right hand side- (a discounted rate of Rp 70 000 per night, about A$9 per night) a double room with a cold shower however this was quickly regretted as the room dingy, with a definite depressed atmosphere about it. The bedside table was old, rusty and dirty and the toilet was a shocker. There wasn't a bucket as such provided to wash the toilet down, but a small heart shaped, pouring tool that was nowhere sufficiently large enough to contain enough water necessary to do the deed. Soon after having a shower, we discovered a huge cockroach on the floor which made the whole experience even worse. I refused to enter the bathroom after that which made it quite impossible to stay another night in that room, and after sharing our thoughts, we agreed to request an upgrade to another room.
We didn't mention anything of our reasons for making the change to Madi, but she let us know that one of the other rooms with a hot shower would become available later that day for us. What a difference Rp 20 000 can make. At a negotiated Rp 90 000 per night (A$11) for a remaining week's stay, the room was brighter, larger and airier. The toilet appeared cleaner, with a large bucket provided to take care of the absent cistern, and there was of course, the hot water (which actually stopped working halfway through the week until we let Madi know, and were told that it was due to the gas heating tank being broken but it was quickly fixed).
The room came with a shelf built into the wall, as well as a bedside table (sufficiently newer and cleaner than the previous one) and some hooks on the wall. I came to know the room quite well, as I became sick soon after our arrival in Ubud and had to spend pretty much the rest of the week holed up in bed. A cockroach was seen in the bathroom a few days into our stay which put a damper on things but overall, the room was a hundred steps up from the 'nightmare room' of our first night.
Overall, a nice, affordable homestay in a great location. Being the cheaper kind of homestay, it may show in things such as cleanliness (it seemed that the bedsheets were never washed/changed, and the bedsheets were not really bedsheets), but presided over by the friendly family, it'd be a good bet for one on a budget in Ubud.
Rating: 6.5/10
The Galaxy Hotel- Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Address: Jalan Abimanyu, No. 9A, Seminyak
Website: www.galaxyhotelbali.com
The hotel looks like it's situated right near the beach on the website but it's actually on a busy road in Seminyak, an upmarket area in Bali, surrounded by boutique clothing stores and nightclubs. It was in a convenient location, with restaurants and a few warungs nearby, and a convenience store almost directly opposite.
We'd booked an ensuite room for seven nights in early September, 2009 for A$194 in total, which is quite expensive considering you can find an equivalent room in Kuta for around A$12. However the cost fits the area and the hotel was quite pretty, built in the traditional Balinese style. The doors were two narrow double doors Balinese style again, but had a slight gap in between which one had to be aware of when one was in the room with the lights on.
The room was quite decent sized, with a writing table and two chairs, and the bathroom had a hot shower with a Western style toilet. However at times, it smelt a bit damp as the floors retained water which was annoying. The air conditioning was great after a day's sweaty walking but would occasionally stop working, and there was nothing to fix it but to stand up on the bed and repeatedly press the on button in the hopes that it would start up again.
We'd sometimes have food tied up in bags and left on the table, but this wouldn't deter a few ants from finding their way in.
The hotel came with free wi-fi which was very convenient, but the signal would be quite weak when using it in the rooms so you'd have to either stand outside on the common balcony where it would slightly improve, or go next door to the adjoining bar where the strength would be the strongest.
The owner, an Australian man, was helpful when we asked about transport and gave us some idea of how much taxis would cost to go to Kuta, for example. However, it was his co owner wife, who inadvertently gave us the best advice by hiring a motorbike/scooter as it would work out easier and better value. However the rest of the local staff didn't know much English and therefore weren't able to provide us with useful local information if they were asked.
Overall, a nice place to stay for the beginning of our trip, with the nice little luxuries of a place that wouldn't necessarily come with a place cheaper. One would possibly then 'downgrade' to a hostel in Kuta where it'd be closer to all the action later on, but no major complaints here at the Galaxy.
Rating: 7/10
Website: www.galaxyhotelbali.com
The hotel looks like it's situated right near the beach on the website but it's actually on a busy road in Seminyak, an upmarket area in Bali, surrounded by boutique clothing stores and nightclubs. It was in a convenient location, with restaurants and a few warungs nearby, and a convenience store almost directly opposite.
We'd booked an ensuite room for seven nights in early September, 2009 for A$194 in total, which is quite expensive considering you can find an equivalent room in Kuta for around A$12. However the cost fits the area and the hotel was quite pretty, built in the traditional Balinese style. The doors were two narrow double doors Balinese style again, but had a slight gap in between which one had to be aware of when one was in the room with the lights on.
The room was quite decent sized, with a writing table and two chairs, and the bathroom had a hot shower with a Western style toilet. However at times, it smelt a bit damp as the floors retained water which was annoying. The air conditioning was great after a day's sweaty walking but would occasionally stop working, and there was nothing to fix it but to stand up on the bed and repeatedly press the on button in the hopes that it would start up again.
We'd sometimes have food tied up in bags and left on the table, but this wouldn't deter a few ants from finding their way in.
The hotel came with free wi-fi which was very convenient, but the signal would be quite weak when using it in the rooms so you'd have to either stand outside on the common balcony where it would slightly improve, or go next door to the adjoining bar where the strength would be the strongest.
The owner, an Australian man, was helpful when we asked about transport and gave us some idea of how much taxis would cost to go to Kuta, for example. However, it was his co owner wife, who inadvertently gave us the best advice by hiring a motorbike/scooter as it would work out easier and better value. However the rest of the local staff didn't know much English and therefore weren't able to provide us with useful local information if they were asked.
Overall, a nice place to stay for the beginning of our trip, with the nice little luxuries of a place that wouldn't necessarily come with a place cheaper. One would possibly then 'downgrade' to a hostel in Kuta where it'd be closer to all the action later on, but no major complaints here at the Galaxy.
Rating: 7/10
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