ASKA Holt

There was no staff or reception, and everything had to be handled by phone with someone in the Philippines. To get into the building, I had to call the number posted on the door for a code. I also had to call to get the room number and key code, and again for the Wi-Fi password. This is an AirBnB presented as a hotel, not a hotel. My room seemed to be in a converted parking garage on a lower level, facing a wall.

The place was quiet and within walking distance of Bonus, with tour pickup points just a minute away. The rooms were very clean and the bed was comfortable. It’s a staffless hotel with online check-in, and they send instructions before your stay. Finding your room can be a little confusing, but it wasn’t too bad. I’d stay here again.

This is a simple, decent hotel with self check-in. It’s not right beside all the attractions, but there are good connections to the city center, and pickup points for several tour companies are nearby. The rooms were clean, and the surroundings were nice, with a bakery just across the street. There’s no restaurant, so breakfast comes packed and is hung outside the room each morning. It was good value for the price. One issue: the shower cabin wasn’t enclosed very well, so water leaked into the WC area.

The room was disappointing, with smashed photo frames, exposed electrical wiring, and other issues. I don’t usually complain, but I didn’t feel it was worth what we paid. I also spent much of my stay helping other guests get into their rooms because the instructions weren’t clear. One man had been locked outside in the snow for about an hour and didn’t speak any English, so I called for him. He had no room code either. The person on the phone gave me his room number, yet wouldn’t give me my own, which made no sense to me. It also wasn’t clear enough that check-in was self-service. We never got an email with our codes, so we couldn’t enter the building. They didn’t answer the phone at first, and it took about 45 minutes to reach someone. After that, we still had to wait for an email with the codes.