AHA Boutique Hotel

We couldn't stay in the room for even a minute and left immediately to find another hotel. I'm still traumatized by it. The place was nothing like the pictures and felt like it hadn't been cleaned in years. It was the most disgusting room I've ever seen. There was a horrible stagnant water and mildew smell throughout, strong enough to make breathing uncomfortable. The walls had visible mold and damp stains, which made me worry about cleanliness and hygiene, and about possible health effects like breathing problems or allergies. At least five cockroaches were on the bed, and we saw them scurrying around the bathroom and bedding too. It was distressing and made the room feel like a health risk. There seemed to be no pest control at all, and I felt the hotel had disregarded guests' basic comfort and wellbeing. I'd expected somewhere clean, hygienic, and comfortable. Instead I was deeply disappointed, and the experience ruined my time in this city.

The rooftop hangout area and pool were the best part, especially at this price. The receptionist was polite and even let me look at the rooms first, which I appreciated after seeing so many negative reviews. For the cost and location, it's a good deal. My essentials were covered: clean beds, working air conditioning, and a usable shower. Someone also came each day to clean the floors, bring fresh towels, and refill the water.

The staff were all really nice to me, but good service couldn't make up for the lack of sleep. I'm on the sixth floor and the bass goes hard until 2 at night. There are ashtrays in the hallways, and it smells of cigarettes everywhere. Sleeping here is impossible. The room I paid for was small, with no sofa or desk. When I booked, the photos showed a nice room with both, but on arrival they said they'd used the wrong picture and it was for the VIP room. I wouldn't recommend spending your money here unless you just want to pass out drunk and wasted. For me, a hotel is for getting a good night's sleep.

We left after about 30 minutes, just long enough to book another hotel. We lost the $640 Aus we paid for seven days, but it felt worth losing because we felt unsafe and thought we could have lost much more. The place was very dirty, and the pictures looked 50 years old or more. The indoor pool is on the roof under a bamboo cover, and nobody was swimming. We only walked up to the pool before leaving, so no pictures. They called our room a VIP room. I'd only stay here without family and on a $20-a-day budget.