Funny Ximen Hotel

Room 905 has two queen beds for up to four adults, and the location is excellent for shops, food, and public transport. Beyond that, I found the stay disappointing and rate the room two stars. I paid USD 415 for four nights after my Airbnb host cancelled at the last minute, but the price didn’t match the quality. The room was extremely old and run down. The beds, mattresses, pillows, blankets, furniture, paint, and interior all seemed outdated and in need of replacement or renovation. The main door felt weak and not secure; I worried a strong force or kick could break it open, which affected my sense of safety. Cleanliness was acceptable, though not impressive compared with what I’m used to in 3-5 star hotels. Water pressure in the bathroom was good, but there was no bidet. Reception staff were polite, and one accompanied us to the room. During self check-in, though, two staff members seemed to watch us instead of helping when needed, which made the process uncomfortable and unprofessional. The three elevators were confusing because not all serve every floor, so using the wrong one means going back to ground level. Street singers and karaoke can be heard until the middle of the night because the hotel is on the main walking street. Better sound insulation, perhaps with a better sliding door, could help. Renovation, stronger room security, and updated furnishings would improve the experience.

I was there with friends in the first week of April, and wouldn’t recommend the place. The walls were thin enough that we could clearly hear neighboring conversations. The water temperature kept changing by itself, even when we didn’t adjust it. Staff entered despite the “make up room” sticker and only changed the bed sheets. The beds felt itchy, possibly because of bed bugs. There was no bidet, and tissues weren’t replenished.

We were in our 20s, so not many accommodation issues were non-negotiable for us. That’s part of why the experience felt okay, though you do need to manage expectations. It isn’t luxurious, but it serves its purpose. I’d be wary of bringing elderly people or children, and there’s no parking because it’s in the middle of Ximending. The room was a bit musty when we walked in and small for three, though there was still space for luggage. The walls are thin, so we could hear other rooms. Sometimes nobody was at the front desk, but the contact details for WhatsApp or Line were posted there. With an Agoda booking, you need to contact them within three days so they acknowledge it; that made me nervous, but it worked out. On the good side, the hotel is right in the busy Ximending area and was easy for us to find by pasting the address into Google Maps. It’s on the 7th floor. We paid 15k Philippine pesos for five days, or 5k per person since there were three of us. Staff were kind, accommodating, and spoke English. The room had a TV, towels, tissues, liquid body soap, and shampoo, and you can request other complimentary items in the lobby. There’s a self-service kiosk for check-in, check-out, and payment, plus an oven toaster in the lobby. We could leave our bags there before check-in or after checkout while waiting for a flight. There’s no bidet, though they do have a long shower hose.

The room smelled really bad when we first went in, and the bathroom bin already had toilet paper in it when we looked. The Wi-Fi was hard to access because it didn’t show up when my phone searched. The hotel was also very hard to spot, so keep an eye out. We were given only one key card per room. Pick the most responsible person, or they’ll charge 500 dollars; another card costs 300 dollars. There was one card at reception too, so check in after 3 pm unless you want to wait for someone to come. The air conditioning was terrible and not enough. One side of the bed was softer than a very soft plush toy, while the other was hard. Before even an hour had passed, part of the door broke and snapped in half. We bought our own air freshener, since none was provided, and anything you want costs extra. Keep your expectations very low.