Guest House Matahari

For 150k, I’d give this guest house 4/5. The room wasn’t clean, but it was fairly spacious for one or two people. There’s a communal area, and the staff were good. You get a refrigerator, wardrobe without hangers, TV, good AC, and a water heater. The bedsheet and towel were dusty. What else do you expect from a budget room that isn’t a capsule?

We left and stayed somewhere else in the end. The road is a bit dodgy, though it’s about three minutes from the main road. We only stayed one night because the room issues kept piling up. The first smelled of smoke, so we moved. The AC in the second stopped working, so we moved again. In the third there was no blanket, the Wi-Fi was poor, and the electrical socket was exposed with wires hanging out. The key didn’t work either, so staff had to let us in with the master key. It was at least cheap, so we tried to add another night. The receptionist that night said the extension was confirmed and we could pay in the morning. In the morning, they said our reservation wasn’t valid and every room was booked. After I explained that wasn’t what we’d been told, the receptionist said a room was available, but at a much higher price than we’d paid online. We couldn’t book online because the property showed as “sold out,” yet that room was apparently available for the higher price. For some reason, the option to review the property on Booking was removed. Not sure why.

The location is fantastic, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The room light wasn’t bright enough, the TV had hardly any programme options, and the supposed warm water was cold. Still, it was good value for the money.

Spacious room at a nice price for low-budget tourists. The sheets and pillows were clean, though the bathroom really stinks. They don’t provide towels, a hair dryer, or other toiletries.