Muntri House - Hostel

Negative one star. I visited two years ago, but after swapping stories about the best and worst backpacking experiences, I thought this was one people could avoid. Filthy, badly neglected, and falling apart. Everything seemed to be rotting.

I found live bed bugs and small blood stains on the sheets after my first night. I'd noticed several bites and first thought they were mosquito bites, but checking the bed made the problem clear. It completely ruined my stay, and finding them was unacceptable. I reported it right away, but the front desk response felt half-hearted and lacking urgency or accountability. There was no real apology, no immediate offer to move me, and little concern about how serious it was. This is a major health and safety issue and makes me question the property's overall cleanliness and management. I'd urge anyone considering this hotel to think twice. I hope management acts quickly and seriously to address the infestation and improve hygiene practices.

The house is quite large and very central, with beautiful Peranakan decor and even an old well out back. I didn't stay there, and staff were living in the rear of the property. I understand the current owner plans to revamp it, so it may be worth visiting again later. I was interested because the property belonged to my great, great, grandparents in the early 1900s, before they moved to Singapore.

The location is genuinely good, which makes the rest of this stay even more frustrating. I’d been traveling for over three years and this was among the worst places I’ve stayed. Before arriving, I tried for five days to extend my booking through emails, calls and Booking messages, but got no reply. Once I reached someone, they said they couldn’t help and told me to contact Booking. Meanwhile, staff seemed to spend all day on their phones, yet couldn’t respond to a customer. I was also charged an extra 10% in “service fees,” which felt absurd given the service was basically absent. The place looked neglected from the start. A bench outside was covered in pigeon droppings, the hallways smelled bad, people smoked indoors and nobody seemed bothered. Two fish were kept in a tank with a strobe light running constantly. The bathrooms were filthy, with mold, broken fittings and cigarette butts. When I asked for toilet paper, the staff member didn’t seem to know where it was. My private room’s air conditioner was so loud I couldn’t sleep, even with earplugs. I reported it in the morning and was told nothing could be done, though they did eventually move me to another room. The place clearly needed maintenance. If I could give zero stars, I would. I wouldn’t recommend staying here, even with that good location.