A Hotel

I spent over RM800 for five nights and left feeling completely let down. The bedding was filthy and smelled awful, including the sheets, blankets, and pillowcases, so I was uncomfortable throughout the stay. The room also had a strong smell, almost like cigarette smoke. When I asked for air freshener, the staff made a face and didn’t seem keen to help. The TV never worked either. I asked for help, but was told the system was down, with no solution offered. I had to take out all my own rubbish because the staff showed no interest in dealing with it. When I raised these complaints, an employee wearing a hijab brushed them off by saying, “This is a 2-star hotel, not a 4-star.” I’ve stayed in 2-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur that looked and felt nothing like this. Whatever the star rating, service should matter. I was extremely disappointed and wouldn’t recommend this hotel. There are much better options at the same price.

The location is OK, but the room and service didn’t feel worthy of being called a hotel. My air conditioning still didn’t feel cold after running at 16 degrees for a long time. Even talking at a normal volume in the cafe at 9pm was treated as loud. I paid to enjoy my vacation, but it felt like staying in a university hostel. They expect guests to follow the house rules, yet when we asked, the receptionist could only show us regulations written in Chinese, with no Malay or English version. How are we meant to read them if we don’t understand Chinese? I wondered whether this was China or Malaysia. Extremely disappointing.

The neighborhood around A Hotel looks a bit ghetto at first, but it’s actually very local, with lots of local restaurants. The nearest jetty is the tourist jetty, jeti pelancongan. When we arrived, Lily listened to our concerns and helped sort things out. Thank you, Lily, and thanks to staff Ina and Nami. Room sizes vary and some are small, and could use a bit of touch-up. There’s a balcony for hanging clothes. They took a 100RM key deposit, returned at checkout. A water dispenser is available for refills, so you don’t have to keep buying plastic bottles in Semporna, where there’s a lot of rubbish everywhere.

I couldn’t rest at all. Dogs barked through the night, then motors, cars, and neighbors slamming doors made noise early in the morning. The surroundings were dirty and noisy, and the area felt like a very complicated neighborhood, unlike the clean, clear setting shown in the travel agency’s photos. If you want a peaceful, comfortable hotel holiday, avoid this place. For a backpacker stay, the room is spacious and comparatively clean, though they call it a “hotel” and should set expectations more like a hostel or motel. Even on a budget, I think the price is too high for this environment. If you book through an agency, be aware they won’t refund the room fee if you decide to switch hotels.