Cendana Mulia Hostel

My friend and I have never felt this uncomfortable at a hostel. Around ten local middle-aged men were hanging around all the time, and I couldn’t tell whether they lived or worked there, or were long-term guests. In the evenings they held some sort of gathering in the common room. The beds had plastic covers, and if you got the top bunk, it was only a few centimetres below the AC and could leave you freezing overnight. Then a cockroach crawled over my friend’s foot in the bathroom. We’d booked two nights, but left as soon as we could. Worst hostel I’ve stayed in.

This was a brand-new hostel, opened at the end of October 2015, and the house had been completely renovated. The rooms were very clean, the location was quiet and felt safe, and it was a five-minute walk to a mall and supermarket. There were nice private rooms and dorms, breakfast included, plus a balcony and patio for relaxing. It’s run by a local family. Since it was new, I thought it had good potential, and I could see travelers enjoying a stay here.

I was there in the rainy off-season and had the hotel mostly to myself, with maybe two or three other guests. Everything was clean and easy to use, and the staff were great. They helped me with trip advice and places to visit, were very accommodating, and even provided a motorbike to rent. The only drawback was that the place was a little difficult to find.

For a cheap hostel, it’s noticeably cleaner than most others I’ve seen in the country. The cozy place has a front and back garden, and the colors and design go together well. There weren’t too many guests, and it’s close to a main road, so taxis, cars, and motorcycles can get there easily. Drinking water is available hot or cold, and there’s tea, coffee, a stove, cooking gear, a fridge, soap, and hot water. No pests running around either. You can walk to a mall, an Indian restaurant with mid-range prices, a sports field, and a kids’ playground. Very cheap public transport runs north-south along the main road nearby. The two closest wartegs weren’t very tasty. I suspect they don’t clean their cooking utensils as often as they should, since the egg tasted like fish and the chili sauce had that “old underwear” feel. One has an underage saleslady who might make good wife material in about four years, just remind her to clean those pans more often. Soundproofing could be better, and the hostel manager knows about that. Still, it’s an issue in pretty much every hostel in the tropics.