Hotel Benjamin Naval

Hotel Benjamin Naval is right in the heart of Naval, close to markets and restaurants. The room was clean and the A/C worked well. WiFi was super unstable, though, and even basic Google searches were a struggle. Also, the main entrance is locked from 11pm until morning, so you can’t come and go freely.

The good thing was having a large room with plenty of space. It’s a cheap budget hotel, and you get what you pay for. When I pulled a drawer open, its cheap plastic handle broke. The wardrobe’s top hinge wasn’t attached either, but I caught it before it hit me or the floor. The furnishings and decor look like the 1970's, and I’m not joking. It didn’t even look clean.

The room was very big, maybe 2 to 3 times the size of modern hotels, and it was close to where we needed to be the next morning. The decor looked like the 1970's/ 1980's and the place needs serious modernisation and investment. A drawer handle broke in my hand, probably because it was so old and weak. The wardrobe’s top hinge wasn’t attached, but I managed to stop it hitting the floor. The shower was feeble, and the toilet hose was broken and kept leaking.

For a budget hotel, the value for money is really good, and I think it’s not bad at all. It’s right by the Pier and van terminals, which makes getting around easy. There are plenty of restaurants and supermarkets nearby. You get free drinking water from the barrel, and there’s Aircon but no hot shower.