SLEEEP (Causeway Bay)

I booked a month at the sleeper, and my first night began with a bit of something yellow coming off the bed wall when I brushed it with my hand. It looked like a booger. Later, the building’s front door keypad stopped working when I returned from work at midnight. The guard had previously told me to press the bottom to call the flat owner to open it, and that had worked before. This time I had no cell service, so I got a friend to call the hostel phone about 30 times. I waited at a Mcdomalds for two hours until the guard opened the door. The hostel did refund one night. For three quarters of my stay, one air conditioner was broken and never repaired. The one that worked barely cooled the beds and seemed to serve mostly the common area. The common area also recently began to smell like pungent dead fish. With the temperature at 30 degrees Celsius and only one barely working AC, it felt like a sauna, sometimes suffocating. The website promised a good sleeping experience, but basic ventilation was a problem. They also ran out of towels and left me stinking through the night. I don’t think the staff were willing to fix these problems. Some were rude after my valid complaints and dismissive when I said I’d been stuck outside at 3 am, with no sign of remorse. They said the AC would be fixed the next day, but nothing improved. Then they said they had “filed a complaint” and the other staff had to deal with it. There was no apology, just “we warned you about the air conditioner,” though I’d previously been told it would be adequate and not suffocating. Please fix these issues.

With internet access and a charged phone, this might be a good choice. The bathroom was clean and had bath towels and reusable slippers, there were plenty of charging ports, the ventilation worked properly, and there was even a vanity mirror with LEDs. It’s also easy to find. But this was still a nightmare experience for me. There’s no front desk. This is a converted home in a building, and at the door you have to scan your own code, fill in a form, then wait for an email before you can enter. My phone was almost dead when I arrived. I used its last battery to submit the form, but the email didn’t arrive in the stated three minutes. I waited nearly ten, turned off my phone, and sent a help email, with no reply. I had to go out to find food and charge my phone. First I went to Jolibee, trying to tell myself the fried chicken was okay for a New Year’s Eve dinner, then found my credit card had paid for it. At the McDonald's next door, I spilled my drink while looking for a seat, then realized that in Hong Kong, even McDonald's had no charging ports for people staying to charge. I walked down the road feeling like a frustrated wild dog, surrounded by polished, happy pedestrians with their families. I crouched on the ground thinking about my flight, cancelled more than 40 hours earlier, the train ride from Manchester to London with three suitcases just to get off, and the place I’d carefully chosen so I could leave at 4am without disturbing anyone or maxing out my card. I only wanted a good night's sleep. It was all ruined. I didn’t want to think about my relationship with fate, or understand anyone or be understood. It felt like a theatre of the absurd, crouching by the roadside like an overwhelmed wild dog. I’m not telling this to accuse anyone, though it may sound that way. I just don’t know how to get out of this sinking swamp. Now you know why this place isn’t on many travel sites. It’s not for tourists.

I was fine with self check-in for my one-night booking, but it turned into a disaster. The QR code wouldn’t open the door. Customer service stopped replying after 15 minutes, even though I contacted them because I was locked out and couldn’t get in. I asked for a refund, but they refused. Very disappointing service. I wouldn’t recommend staying here while they keep using this self check-in system.

The bed and pillows were exceptionally comfortable, and the place was clean, quiet, and comfortable overall. The toilets were excellent and very clean. Nice toothpaste, soap, and shampoo were a thoughtful touch. I only wish the locker space were a bit bigger.