Boulevard Hotel Ternate

After an overnight boat journey I needed a shower and some rest, but it was past 3 by the time I finally got into a room and sorted out the bathroom. I’d booked through an online agent and arrived in the morning, only to be told the room wasn’t ready and to return at 2. When I came back, check-in was meant to take five minutes, but a large group arrived and my turn seemed to get pushed aside. After waiting 20 minutes, even with a welcome drink, I asked again and was told to wait. I pointed out that I’d been there first, and one of the group asked the receptionist to finish my booking. That took another 10 minutes. He was actually okay, just overwhelmed by the sudden influx. A female staff member or receptionist was standing behind him and didn’t seem to do much. The room was a good size, with strong Wi-Fi, but the TV wasn’t good. There was no toilet roll or towel, and the towel I requested took over 20 minutes to arrive. By then I needed the loo and found the bathroom hadn’t been cleaned, not even the toilet seat. I asked the housekeeping guy in the next room to clean it; he said he’d do it later when he finished. I was getting grouchy and reminded him my room hadn’t been ready and I needed to shower and rest. He did clean the bathroom fairly quickly, so at least I saw how it was done, but the whole room needed a proper scrub and the sink drained poorly. There was a window, but it was blocked off. Breakfast had rice and Asian or local dishes, toast with simple jams, fresh fruit, and self-service tea and coffee. The restaurant extends onto the terrace.

The location is very convenient, close to the mall and opposite the shopping centers typical of Ternate. The prices are quite cheap, and you can walk over to shop, spend money, or try the local food. The food selection is limited, though, and the cleanliness and mattress quality weren't very good.

The good points are the location near the mall, ATMs, and restaurants, plus the very good Wi-Fi. It’s a pretty good budget hotel. I only stayed one night, and the room wasn’t very clean. There was a dead cockroach in the bathroom, no sink in the room, and the towels looked grayish, with one grayer than the other.

The staff were very good and moved us to another room when we had trouble with the water, which was running slowly. The bathroom smelled unpleasant, and I was staying on the grand floor at the time. The hotel is in a great spot in the middle of town, across from the new mall in Ternate. The food was nice, and it seemed like a pretty good place for a regular pack meeting.