Ohana Kuala Lumpur

The view was a big bonus for a 30 MYR stay, and getting around was easy. When I had a fever, I could reach convenience stores, a mall, and restaurants without much trouble. I liked the place enough to extend for another night. Three days there felt about right for me, since my KL trip was five days. It seems they’ve put a lot of investment into the place since last year, judging by the reviews. It was cleaner, though a few areas were still messy. It felt comfortable without being cluttered, and the atmosphere was relaxing. The staff were laid back, mostly doing their own thing with a bit of small talk. The room was just adequate. Charging my phone with a USB B to C cable didn’t really work, so I used my iPad and charged it downstairs during my stay.

The laundry help came with a little ceremony: after I’d washed my things on high heat as they asked, the morning receptionist gave me two free machine tokens. When I requested a clean towel so I could shower while the wash ran, he called it a “special exception.” That was after I had to bring the bedbug issue up again myself. The first staff member denied it even while I showed her the bites on my arm, then said they steam the beds weekly. I explained that steaming doesn’t kill bedbugs and that pesticide is needed. I went out for the day and returned to find nobody had checked or followed up. Later, the same woman told me to clear my bunk and wash everything hot, and agreed to cover the laundry. The lobby smelled strongly of cigarette smoke, despite a sign banning smoking in rooms. People smoked on the balcony and the smell drifted inside. When I tried to catch the staff member’s attention downstairs, she was watching a show on her phone and barely looked up. I know bedbugs can happen. What mattered to me was the response: they could have shown some concern, believed me, or offered compensation for a night or two. Hostels can take preventive steps too, like closing for a night every month or six weeks and fumigating the whole place. Instead, they kept saying they steam the beds every week. Maybe by the time you stay, nothing will have changed and you’ll get the bedbug suite. :)

My trip was ruined by the way we were treated, and I wouldn’t recommend booking here. The place was dirty, especially the bathrooms, and it smelled bad. The photos online didn’t match what we found. There was no cleaning, the reception service was poor and disrespectful, and I felt the owner showed no appreciation. I’ve visited several countries, but this place was different. In short, I’d rate it zero.

We booked two nights and left after just one. The staff were genuinely friendly and helpful, and the bed was fairly comfortable, but the rest of the hostel was awful. Cockroaches were all over the place, including inside the bed pods, and the bathrooms were filthy with water constantly covering the floor. The dorm was far too hot at night. The hostel also looked nothing like the pictures, with people’s belongings lying around and everything feeling incredibly dirty and messy. It was disgusting. Book here if you want to hang out with cockroaches and bedbugs and have a miserable time. Never again.