Josapa Guest House

I don’t know how this place gets 4.6 stars. I’m traveling solo and don’t ask for much, but this was a letdown all around. There was no staff around over the weekend, and they hadn’t even known I was arriving that day. Things were confusing, and nobody explained how to check out. The room was almost bare, with just a bed and mirror. There was no heater or hot water, which wasn’t mentioned on the website or in reviews, so expect an ice cold shower at night. The TV didn’t work either, every channel wanted a subscription despite the website listing a working TV. Noise carries completely. On the first night, some “job” banged through the hallway and woke me up. The next morning, a yoga class on the second floor started at 7am and woke me again. The location’s poor, far from the city centre and anything worthwhile nearby, apart from Batam mall opposite the ferry terminal. At least it’s close if you want to get back and escape. Hard avoid.

The staff were really helpful, even carrying my luggage from the lobby up to my room on the third floor. There’s no elevator, but that was fine with me. The building has three floors: lobby and a small shop downstairs, a yoga room on the second floor, and bedrooms on the third. I got a double bed room with AC and an ensuite bathroom, plus two bottles of mineral water each day, bar soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. The price was great. The location is right in the centre of Batam. The neighborhood felt strange at first, especially at night, but I felt safe there. It was a nice stay.

Easy to find, with a restaurant nearby. The place was nice and clean, and the staff were very friendly. The only snag was the slow air conditioning.

The room was clean and the staff were friendly. It had no window, unfortunately, but I still had a great stay.