Hotel O Bamboo Inn

The owners are friendly, and the price is very affordable. The only catch for a one-day stay is that the air conditioning takes at least half a day to cool a family-sized room. The owners are kind enough to let you leave it running while you're out, though 😉

We were told at reception that management had cancelled our booking, but when we asked for proof, the receptionist couldn't provide any. He then offered us a room at double the price shown online. Agoda confirmed that nothing had been cancelled and handled it for us, so I got a refund I might not have received directly from the hotel. We stayed around the corner at "Ferringhi Stay Inn Hotel" instead. Their receptionist was much friendlier and the price was far lower. Only choose Bamboo Inn if you want to feel scammed.

For a budget stay, it was good value. The room was a decent size, with a wardrobe, chair, TV, and a place to hang clothes. The shower room was spacious and laid out well. There weren't any windows, and we heard some road and nightclub noise. I imagine it may be similar at the much more expensive five-star hotel across the road.

The room had a filthy toilet, stains on the bed, and bugs. Lift a corner of the bedsheet and you'll find bed bugs. It was the worst experience I've had, so don't book this hotel. I called and messaged the owner but got no reply. At reception, the staff insisted I pay an extra RM5 as tax, even though I'm local and the foreigner tax is RM10. When I asked what the charge was for, they couldn't explain, but said I couldn't stay without paying. I was exhausted, so I paid the RM5 and wasn't given a receipt.