RedDoorz @ Tuktuk Danau Toba

I thought I could sleep anywhere after months of backpacking, so I ignored the bad reviews. I shouldn’t have. No one was at reception for 20 minutes, and nobody answered the phone. There was black mould on the pillows, the room wasn’t sealed off from the corridor, and the WiFi didn’t work. I booked another hostel instead.

The main issue is the litter around the lake and garden. There are broken beer bottles where children play barefoot and people come to relax, along with plastic scattered everywhere. If they cleared it once a day, this could be a nice place to unwind. The rooms are old and not especially nice, but it’s one of the cheapest places on the island, so that’s understandable. A bin in the room would help.

I was completely let down by this stay. The bathroom was in awful shape, the linens had stains, and dust and grime covered the room. It looked more like an abandoned house than somewhere guests should stay, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in years. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Save your money and go elsewhere. You might even see ghosts if you stay here.

We booked two nights, but I had to complain to Agoda on the first day because there were hardly any workers around. At 9:30pm on our last night, someone finally knocked and asked if we wanted to switch rooms. I’d seen the room he offered the day before, and it wasn’t much better. When I asked why this was only being dealt with then, he walked away. I’m still in contact with Agoda about this sorry excuse for a hotel. The place seemed deserted when we arrived, like a scene from an apocalypse. There was thick dust and cobwebs everywhere, and nothing looked cleaned in at least a year. The only staff member we could find during the first hour was a little cat we named mee maow. Nobody was at the front desk, just a note with a contact number, and they didn’t answer texts or calls. Our room looked nothing like the pictures, apart from having a bed. Dust and cobwebs covered it, there was what looked like blood from squished mosquitoes on the wall, the ceiling was coming down, and the bathroom walls were mouldy. There was also a mouldy, used cigarette on the cabinet in what was supposed to be a non-smoking room. The shower had no hot water, which was disappointing too. It looks as though this hotel may once have been amazing, but now it feels like an abandoned building nobody cares for. I’d give it zero stars if I could. Don’t try to save money here. Other budget rooms nearby are worth paying a little extra for each night.