Lanesborough Residences Brunei

I rented a villa for my family last year. It was huge but empty, and although there was a bed and sofa, there wasn’t even a trash bin, towel, toilet roll, or other consumables. The pool was okay, but the booking customer service was rude and I was really unhappy with the place. This was my last visit. I won’t be back.

I had a sleepover with friends at the villa and enjoyed the night. It’s pretty huge, but quite dusty, and my friends found rubbish left in the wardrobe. Some toilets had no bidet showers, and the pool area was dirty. This place needs a good clean. Also, in case you’re wondering, there’s no Wi-Fi.

We had a pleasant stay at Villa 13 & 14 in Lanesborough Residences for three days and two nights, but I’d only recommend one night. The villa is enormous and suited to a family gathering, with two ensuite queen bedrooms, three more queen bedrooms with shared bathrooms, two living rooms, a kitchen, dining room, two lounge rooms, a spacious balcony and a patio that’s good for BBQ. There’s also a washing machine, fridge, induction stove, microwave and oven, though I’m not sure other villas have the same appliances. We were told these were the best villas for cleanliness and appliance condition. Still, Lanesborough Residences had previously rented them on contracts before starting this staycation business, so housekeeping and customer service weren’t up to the standard of top hotels in Brunei. We understood they weren’t well trained in hotel management, but customers should lower expectations for service, cleanliness and maintenance. Before booking, we’d read complaints about dirty floors, flies, broken toilet flushes, and no brooms or vacuums. We found the floors sticky, perhaps because they hadn’t been mopped thoroughly, and flies were everywhere inside and out. We were told this was because the villas were near the area where last year’s fly incident went viral. The flushes in Villa 13 & 14 all worked, though that might not be true in other villas. We had to ask three times for a broom, face to face, as texts didn’t work. Before check-in, the team had assured us by text, after many requests, that Wi-Fi would be available. On arrival, we were told there was no Wi-Fi. The customer service team said they understood only one villa had it, but that needs to be verified. We’d appreciate honesty from both customer service and marketing. We also insisted on checking the villa before paying in full, to make sure it was clean, the sheets and blankets were changed, and bins were provided. We were paying a lot, and that’s basic housekeeping. On check-in day, we saw only four housekeeping staff for this massive three-storey villa. Their equipment, just a broom and some basic cleaning products, didn’t look like professional cleaning supplies. If you decide to stay here, I’d suggest one night and checking cleanliness before full payment. Go directly to the office for anything you need instead of texting. The villas could make for an excellent staycation if the service were at least above average.

There was no Wi-Fi or dustbin in the house, the floor was dusty and we had to sweep it ourselves, and the toilet was so dirty that nobody came to clean it even after we asked management. I also doubt they changed the blanket or comforter. The place wasn’t pleasant to stay in, and the Instagram advertising was false. I’d give zero if I could.