Grocer's Inn

There’s plenty of room to relax with others, get some work done, or have quiet time to yourself. I felt safe, and the female dorm was a great price. The reception and cleaning staff were so kind and helpful, easily worth more than 10 stars. It’s the best budget hostel I’ve stayed at in KL as a solo woman traveler. The rooms are simple, but comfortable enough for a few days.

The dorms seem like some of the best value in town, based on the ones I’ve tried and the others I’ve checked out or heard about. An 8-bed dorm costs RM 17 a night and is clean and airy. There’s free WiFi, a cafe and laundry service. The single rooms cost 38 with a fan or 48 with air conditioning. It’s very central, and there are plenty of showers and toilets that get cleaned regularly. Staff are friendly and helpful. You can hang out on the balconies, in the enclosed patio, or on the large roof area, which also has a TV. Mornings can get a little noisy from nearby shops, and food smells sometimes drift in, but neither was too much of a problem for me. The top floors seem best.

I stayed in the 4-bed dorm. The beds were good, and there was a fan and even a sink, though the room felt a bit dark. The building’s layout doesn’t make it easy to socialize. The rooftop could have been a nice place to hang out, but it felt abandoned and lifeless. The morning staff were among the most helpful people I met on my trip, and they were lovely and charming. They took care of whatever I needed. The cleaning staff were also super nice. Night staff were a different story, not exactly impolite, just not very interested in you.

It’s in a nice spot in China Town, and our room was quiet. We found the rooms clean, and the owners were polite and helpful. We liked having coffee on one of the porches and watching TV on the roof veranda. It’s a budget place with a cosy, family-friendly feel.