Citrip Hotel simpang lima (FKA CityOne)

If you get into Semarang late and are leaving early the next morning, this place works for a night's sleep. It's cheap, the location is decent, and the hotel looks good in the photos. Just don't expect much beyond a basic overnight stay. My room's AC was noisy and the washroom smelled, and there aren't many amenities.

The rooms are pretty compact and basic. They were reasonably tidy, though there’s room to improve, especially the towels, which were a very unappealing grey. The hotel offers breakfast, but I didn't try it because I wasn't sure the extra cost was worthwhile. The location is a fair distance from Simpang Lima, with several eateries and three minimarkets nearby. There's also a supermarket with a food court in the hospital building across the main road.

There are plenty of useful touches for the price: the AC worked very well, hot water was available, the Wi-Fi was fast, and I found about five or six power outlets in the room, handy if you're bringing a lot of devices. They also left two bottles of mineral water. The staff were nice, though I can't say whether anyone is on duty around the clock. It's a good-value budget hotel, close to Simpang Lima and its daily food bazaar, about a five-minute walk away. Cleanliness is the thing they should work on. I also had a broken shower in my room.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the room and bed were pleasant enough for a night, though they weren't especially clean. If an odor in the room or bathroom bothers you, a cheap air freshener might help. A naphthalene ball in the bathroom could help too.