Sakia Stay

Breakfast was nice.

We came to look at the workspace, and there were three men with a Yankee-style motorcycle there in the evening. Maybe because there were two of us women, when they realized we weren’t guests, they said, “Well, feel free to look around.” We were looking at the exhibits and chatting when they told us to keep our voices down because there were guests. I doubt they’d have said that to the motorcycle guests outside, and it felt like they were judging people for themselves. As we left, we heard loud voices at the front desk from a family of four. They didn’t say anything to my friend, and when she said “thank you” at the entrance, they ignored her without even looking at us. Like other reviewers have mentioned, I encountered a staff member who made me wonder why she worked in customer service. I feel bad saying that.

The former school has been renovated into a hotel, and the front desk staff were polite, clear, and helpful. The breakfast bread from the first-floor restaurant was delicious. All the shower rooms, toilets, and washrooms were spotlessly clean, and nothing felt unpleasant. I especially appreciated the laundry service during my multiple-night stay: they washed and dried my clothes and returned them that same evening. The walls are a little thin, so footsteps can be heard.

The bed comforter and pillow were excellent, and even the toothbrush felt high quality, with a wooden handle and bristles that were firm but not too hard. The room also had air conditioning, a strong exhaust fan, fridge, safe, kettle, coffee, mirror, towels, hangers, sofa, and table. There’s no TV, which makes sense once you hear how thin the walls are. Conversations from next door, neighbors snoring, hallway footsteps, and even vibrations from the apartment upstairs all carry through, so you’ll probably need earplugs to sleep. Shared showers, toilets, and sinks are separated for men and women. Smoking is allowed on the second-floor balcony, though it’s chilly there in the mornings and evenings this time of year. Spring through autumn seems like a good time to stay; winter might be rough with only a shower. The restaurant was fantastic, and check-in was explained clearly and politely.