Merton Hotel Ipoh

The staff were courteous, and I liked the attractive interior, with a few spots that looked great in photos. But there was a urine smell in the toilet and a bed bug problem. They charged RM5 for an extra towel, though the price wasn't posted at the counter and I only learned it when I asked. On our last day, the key card also failed when we tried to get into the room at 11:30 a.m. We won't stay here again.

We picked this hotel because it had a room with three beds, but the photos were misleading. Our room was dirty, old, and moldy, with mold across the wall and a bad smell in the air. At almost RM400 a night, it wasn't worth it. The lobby felt outdated, the staff were so-so, and getting there meant dealing with distance, traffic lights, and lots of jams. We could also hear the next room opening its door and using the toilet. In room 208, water and mold had swollen the door so badly it wouldn't open or close properly. A crazy experience, and I won't be back.

The staff were courteous throughout, and the location near popular tourist spots was a real plus. I booked through Trip.com, and when the first room had a broken toilet light, the front desk responded quickly and moved me to a higher-tier room. That room was larger, but it had its own problems. The flush didn't work properly, the air conditioning took a long time to cool things down, and noise from nearby rooms made it hard to rest. I gave the hotel 3 stars, mainly because the service and location stood out. Better room maintenance could make the stay much better.

The reason I'm writing such a long review is one night shift staff member, a very helpful and friendly man. I can't remember his name. I stayed from the 24th to the 26th of April, and our first room had air conditioning trouble. When we returned close to 1 a.m., it was still bad, so we asked to move. He checked which rooms were available and changed us to another one right away. Then he personally took us there, which really touched us. Even after getting us settled in the new room, he kept apologizing. If I stay at this hotel again, it will mostly be because of him. The hotel should be proud to have him.