Star Ximen

The room was spacious and clean, with effective air conditioning and a mini fridge. It was comfortable and good value for the money. The location in central Ximending was very convenient for the MRT, other public transport, shopping, and food. Housekeeping staff were accommodating. Reception service could use improvement, though. They do offer luggage storage for an extra charge, but even though I checked out at 10 pm and the official checkout was the next day, I was charged for each bag I stored.

The bathroom ceiling leaked, so there was a steady drip all night. The twin beds are small, and the walls are thin enough that I could hear people coughing and talking loudly. The elevator had a strong ammonia smell, like someone had peed in it. The hotel was difficult to locate. Even after our taxi dropped us close by, it took about 30 minutes to find it because the sign was hard to spot and read. The hotel occupies the ninth and tenth floors of a building shared with other businesses.

There were dead cockroaches in the elevator, and a strong mould smell throughout the hotel. You can see mould behind the wallpaper too, so it's hard to ignore. The sheets were clean, but hygiene and cleanliness overall were very poor and not worth the price. It's listed as a three-star hotel, though to me it felt closer to one star.

It's a basic budget hotel, and despite the building looking like it's from the 70s, it isn't a sleazy place. The location is good. Look for the red World Gym sign right next door. It met my needs: the toilet flushed properly, housekeeping came daily, the air conditioning was adjustable, and the wall socket fit my Singapore three-pin plug. If you're particular about towels or pillowcases, bring your own.