Temasek Hotel

The technician was the only decent person I dealt with. He was polite and professional, and offered to help move me to another room, but senior management, including the GM, wouldn’t approve the change to save costs. The General Manager, a woman, was rude and unprofessional. Even after it was clear the mistake was hers, she wouldn’t apologize and acted arrogant and defensive. That’s unacceptable in a leader. The access door still malfunctioned and wouldn’t open properly, despite repeated claims it had been fixed. That’s a serious safety concern in an emergency. Check-in was slow and messy, with an outdated system and staff who seemed confused and untrained, even though there weren’t many guests. My room smelled strongly of mothballs, or ubat gegat, and I soon saw a cockroach in the bathroom. The hygiene and management at Temasek Hotel were a complete letdown, and I felt guests were treated without respect. I’ll never come back or recommend it to anyone.

The hotel is badly lit throughout, so it felt dark and unsafe, and the photos online are old and don’t show how it looks now. The room had cobwebs on the floor, a leaking bathroom basin tap and a light that didn’t work. The technician said to leave the heater on for a while, but after ten minutes the water was still cold. There’s a basement car park, but apparently no basement parking for guests, so I had to park in front of the hotel. It was a big disappointment. Budget hotels I’ve stayed in could easily have done better.

The staff were friendly and tried their best to help, but the hotel needs better upkeep and pest control. I spotted a cockroach in the room, which made the stay uncomfortable. I paid around RM200 for 3 nights and wasn’t expecting luxury, just basic cleanliness and comfort. Housekeeping never came during my three-day stay. The pool was closed for maintenance, and nobody told me beforehand. I also asked for mineral water and was told they had run out, which surprised me since the hotel wasn’t crowded. I hope management improves the maintenance and guest experience.

The bed frame and air conditioning were the only things that met the mark. Everything else at Temasek Hotel fell below even basic hotel standards, and this was one of my most unpleasant stays. Check-in was quick, but the receptionist was unfriendly and unhelpful. The dark, poorly lit hallway felt unsafe, and our room was at the very end. It looked nothing like the online photos: old, dirty and poorly maintained, with cracked, stained walls and visible lizard droppings. A live lizard fell from the ceiling, which was shocking and distressing, especially for anyone with a phobia. The floor was dusty and sticky. In the bathroom, the glass doors were stained, the shower walls were dirty, and there were no signs of proper cleaning. The heater didn’t work, so we only had cold showers. There were no hooks for clothes or towels, and the wardrobe had only a few hangers, clearly not enough. The sheets, pillowcases and blankets looked like they were rarely washed. Toiletries were sparse, just one small soap bar and a tiny shampoo bottle, and when I asked for more I was told they’d cost extra. The receptionist said a hairdryer was included, but there wasn’t one in the room. We had to collect one ourselves, and it didn’t work. The advertising was misleading, the facilities unhygienic and the conditions felt unsafe. I strongly advise people to avoid the hotel. If zero stars were possible, that would better reflect my experience.