Lantern Hotel

The best feature is the big balcony looking out over Chinatown. The hotel is affordable for the location, right in the middle of Chinatown, and there's a refillable water station. That central spot is convenient, though it can be noisy. We heard metal grinding at 11pm while trying to sleep. The broken lift looks like it won't be repaired anytime soon, judging by how long the malfunction sign has been there. It isn't suitable for elderly guests or people with disabilities. Our room was tiny, with about a foot between the twin beds and no table for loose items. There was no wardrobe, just a few hooks, and no hangers or decent way for business travelers to hang jackets, shirts, or pants. The access card was very hard to read, taking at least five or six tries before the green light came on. I asked for two cards, and I suspect one never worked.

The sky terrace has a great view of the new Tower 181 and Petaling street below. Inside, the room was compact and clean, with a hot rain shower and free water dispenser. The bright, wide foyer was a nice change from the usual narrow corridor, and the location is ideal for the Petaling street area. The lift was broken and hadn't been repaired. For check-in I had to contact staff by WhatsApp, which took 10-15 minutes before I could get in. Super nice view of new tower 181 from the sky terrace.

I paid for three days and two nights but checked out the next morning after finding another hotel at the same price with better facilities. I last stayed here in 2017, when it was much better and Ms Dayah at reception handled everything well. Now it feels abandoned. The owner or manager needs to look at staffing. The lift was under maintenance and out of service, so I had to use the stairs. Luckily I only had a backpack. Avoid this if you want a comfortable place to sleep or rest. There was no electric kettle in the room, and although free WiFi was included in the booking, you had to go to the reception lobby every time you wanted an internet connection. There was no TV either. I had packed tea sachets from home and would at least have liked a kettle. Past midnight, people in the next room were banging loudly on doors and shouting over one another, so I could hardly sleep. I'm glad I found a room at another hotel near Berjaya Times Square. Breakfast for guests in the alfresco seating area on level 2 had stopped. A Nepalese staff member told me his other Nepalese friends had gone on leave for the CNY holidays. If you need coffee before a long itinerary, you can order food Panda to the hotel, unless you can wait until you're showered and ready to go to one of the nearby cafes.

I liked the unusual layout of the balcony room, and sitting there looking over the walking street was lovely. The staff were amazing, attentive, and helpful with what I needed. They also did a great job keeping the room tidy. Breakfast is English style. It's not really my thing, but it does fill you up.