U Design Hotel Bukit Mertajam

We were four people with two rooms booked for two nights, but left a day early. The stay was so far below how this place used to be that I wouldn't recommend it anymore. None of us slept well, and the rooms and furnishings felt run down. The towels and blankets looked very old, and the beds, bedding, and noise made for an uncomfortable night. Fresh sheets, towels, and blankets would help. Our room at the back was noisy at night. We had asked for one at the front, but at check-in the owner, Mr Ong, said none was available. He also said we had requested connecting rooms, which we hadn't. We understood that room requests depend on availability, but didn't appreciate that explanation. The floor was a little sticky, though we could accept that given this isn't a fancy hotel. There was no shampoo, just one bathroom dispenser that I think contained bath gel. That wasn't a major issue, since I could get my own. When we checked out early in the morning, a staff member said he would ask his boss about refunding the unused night and that someone would call or message us. Nobody from U design followed up. Even if a refund wasn't possible, I expected at least a reply. The hotel also doesn't seem to have a proper system, so if you may need to shorten your stay, consider waiting until the stay ends to pay, since an unused night might otherwise be avoidable. It used to be quite good, but now it seems to be getting worse. That's my honest review.

The staff, cleaners, and other workers were friendly, and I have no complaint about them. The hygiene was another matter: I saw five small cockroaches over two nights. They were still appearing after I reported it to reception and asked for the room to be cleaned. There's a club, pub, or disco right behind the hotel, and its loud bass-heavy music played around midnight. It made a comfortable night's sleep impossible for us. I can't recommend this hotel to others.

I booked a family room, and my family enjoyed staying here. The hotel is new and very clean, with careful touches like toothpicks for pressing the lift buttons and a bin to dispose of them. I'm particular about hygiene, COVID precautions, and housekeeping, and they did those things well enough for me to feel at ease travelling. We'll definitely come back if we're in Bukit Mertajam again.

I've stayed here twice now. The room was spacious and pleasantly cool, and the receptionist was very friendly and helped me with a late check-in. Wi-Fi was easy to use but weak, and mobile coverage wasn't strong either. Parking at the hotel is limited, so I had to use paid public parking.