Merdeka Guest House

The room was quite adequate, and there’s an outdoor seating area plus a place to cook your own meals and tidy up. The friendly host is happy to offer advice on all sorts of things. It’s a cool place in a village across the river from Kuching old town, reached easily by a RM2 ferry ride.

I booked this very cheap place on Booking.com and it was more comfortable than I expected. For RM200 including tax, I got four days and three nights in a clean room with a queen bed, Nescafe 3 in 1, tea, and a bathroom with a water heater. It suited two people and one child. The owner, an uncle, was generous with advice about places to visit and let me check in as early as 10 am because my flight arrived early that day. It’s not too far from Kuching Waterfront. Following his suggestion, I took Bot Penambang across the river for around RM1-2 and saved a lot of money. You can also walk over Jambatan Darul Hana, but it’s a little further.

It’s a quiet, cosy place in Kuching, and it works well if you rent a car since there’s free roadside parking. The room is a short drive from town. The owner was helpful and very friendly, and even left us some food for free. Check-in was straightforward, and there’s a free water dispenser in the common area.

It really felt like home. The owner was thoughtful and sweet, making things easy so we could have a pleasant stay. Being able to cook, do laundry, and use the bicycle was a huge plus.