The Sun Hotel Madiun

The parking mix-up was frustrating. I'd given my vehicle plate number at check-in, but I was charged for parking when I left. The next morning, the gate staff said my car wasn't registered and opened the gate manually. When I brought it up at checkout, they only wrote it down then, so it hadn't been registered from the start. I stopped in Madiun during a road trip and booked through a travel app that same day. At check-in I was told only smoking rooms were available. When I asked for a non-smoking room, they said it would cost an extra Rp150,000 and blamed me for not making a special request in the app. I accepted the room, but it didn't seem prepared well: it was dusty, had cigarette butts left behind, the tissues were mismatched, and the towel smelled unpleasant (photo attached). Shouldn't hospitality come first? My stay wasn't as pleasant as I expected. I hope they fix these things going forward. Travelers passing through Madiun might choose to stay at Sun Hotel, and poor service could affect that experience.

The restaurant had quite a range of food, but the taste was just ordinary. My room was fairly clean, though mosquitoes and several flies buzzing around were pretty annoying. There wasn't anything special about the hotel, and reception was ordinary too. At check-in they asked to hold on to guests' KTP, or identity cards. Is that really important?

I asked for at least one of the two rooms to be next to the elevator because I was traveling with my parents, and they gave me exactly what I requested. Check-in and checkout were smooth, and I loved the bed. Bathroom amenities were provided, and the elevator was good, with hardly any wait even though the hotel was full. Parking was free, with no questions from the attendant. We booked without breakfast, and when I asked for plates and cutlery, they charged a small corkage fee, which was fine and worth it: IDR 10K for four plates, four spoons, and four forks.

The location and service were great. The room was very clean, and the bed and sheets were really comfortable, though the pillow was small. There were some drain flies in the bathroom, and the shower pressure was too low.