Palette - Bukit Mata Boutique Hotel

The noise started at 4am, with a bassline loud enough to rattle the walls and wake me up. Staff told me it was “a club,” but I went to check out of curiosity and desperation. It was actually a neighbour blasting music in their room. What kind of club runs from 4am to 6am, when everyone should be sleeping? The noise and vibration were still going at 6am as I wrote this, ruining my sleep. I appreciate Mona trying to help, but it didn’t stop. I was on holiday and had a hiking tour at 9:30am the next day. Thanks to DJ Neighbour’s 4am wake-up, I’m going to be a zombie in hiking boots. There were problems in the room too. The shower rack immediately rotated and gave up when holding the shower head. Toilet paper and a hairdryer weren’t in the room, so you have to request them like rare collectibles. For RM20 more, you could stay at the Imperial Hotel in Kuching, where the only vibration would be your phone alarm. If you’re into surprise concerts and DIY maintenance, this might be for you. Otherwise, I’d give it a miss. Worst hotel experience I’ve had after staying at over 30-40 hotels and AirBnBs.

Rose at the front desk was great and really helped me with my booking. The location is also great, close to The Hills mall, places to eat on Padungan Street and at Topspot, plus a Thai restaurant inside the mall.

I was working at nearby Kuching UTC, so the hotel’s location, just a block away, was very convenient and I could walk there. The room was decent, clean and tidy. The lift and shower worked well, and the air conditioning worked too, though it took a long time to cool the room and might need servicing. It’s near Hill mall and “Food Haven,” an interesting food court. There’s a noticeable noise from a nearby nightclub. If you’re easily disturbed while sleeping, it may be an issue.