Malang's Hidden Gem: OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah Review (You Won't Believe This!)
Malang's Hidden Gem: OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah Review (You Won't Believe This!) - A Deep Dive (Brace Yourselves!)
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to take you on a rollercoaster of a review. Forget your sterile, cookie-cutter hotel critiques. This is the real deal. We're talking about OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah in Malang, and honestly? I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it. Let's just say, it's an experience.
Accessibility:
Alright, so this is where things get a little… tricky. The website says they have facilities for disabled guests. But, and this is a BIG BUT, the reality on the ground felt a bit less smooth. Elevators? Nope. Wide hallways? Didn't see 'em. If you're relying heavily on mobility aids, definitely call ahead and grill them about specifics. My advice? Contact them, get the full lowdown, and manage your expectations.
On-site Accessible Restaurants / Lounges: …Um, Let's Talk About That.
Okay, here's the rub. There is food. There is a "restaurant" (in quotes because…well, you'll see). But accessible? I didn't personally have accessibility issues, but I didn't see anything overtly designed for wheelchair users. The whole place had a bit of a "rustic" (read: potentially bumpy) vibe.
Wheelchair Accessible:
See above. Probably not ideal. Proceed with caution and pre-trip homework.
Internet Access, Free Wi-Fi in All Rooms!, Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet Services, Wi-Fi in Public Areas:
Okay, the Wi-Fi. Let's be honest, it's crucial. And I’m happy to report, that it's there. Mostly. In my room, I got a decent signal (Wi-Fi [free] in all rooms!), but in the communal areas, it was a little… spotty. Sometimes it was blazing fast. Other times, I felt like I was back in the dial-up era. Internet [LAN] – well, I didn't see a LAN cable in my room. So, yeah – mostly relying on the wireless. But hey, free Wi-Fi is free Wi-Fi, and I could at least update my Insta, even if it took a few minutes. Internet services? Nothing exceptional but it gets the job done, mostly, and is better than a lot of similarly priced options.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax, Spa/Sauna, Pool with View, Etc.: The "Relaxation" Reality
Now, the website promised a pool. A pool with a view. And, well, they weren't lying! The pool was there. And, yes, it did technically have a view. But the view was a bit distant, and the pool was… small. Cozy, I'd say. More like a refreshing dip rather than a luxurious swim. Sauna, Spa, Steamroom - I didn't see any of this. Seriously, don't expect a full-blown spa experience. This isn't that kind of place. Massages? Nope. Fitness center? Nada. This is not the place to spend your day trying to unwind.
Cleanliness and Safety: A Mixed Bag
Okay, this is where it gets serious. Anti-viral cleaning products? Check. Daily disinfection in common areas? Seemed so. Hand sanitizer everywhere? Yup. Staff trained in safety protocol? They seemed to be trying their best. They even had rooms sanitized between stays. However, the overall cleanliness felt a bit… rustic, let’s say. There was an aura of "lived-in-ness." I wouldn't call it dirty, but it wasn't gleaming. Safety/security feature - They had them. Smoke alarms, CCTV in common areas, security around the clock. However, you need to keep your own eyes open.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Food Adventures and "A La Carte?"
The food… Ah, the food. Breakfast was included, kinda. You could choose between something vaguely resembling Western or Asian. I went for the "Asian" version. It involved rice, some mystery meat, and a lukewarm beverage. Not awful, but not exactly Michelin-star material. There's a restaurant, but the options are limited. A la carte? Yes, technically. But the menu felt…small. Poolside bar? Nope. Snack bar? Not really. I did manage to get a bottle of water. And that was a win. Don't come expecting to be blown away by culinary delights.
Services and Conveniences: The Essentials (and a Few Surprises)
Air conditioning in public area? Yes. Cash withdrawal? Yes, I saw an ATM. 24-hour front desk? Yes. Daily housekeeping? Yup, and my room was freshened up while I was gone, which was nice. Laundry service? Yep. Luggage storage? They had it. Now, a few things stood out that were a little quirky. They had a "shrine" – which was interesting (though I didn’t use it). There was even a "convenience store," but it was more like a rack of snacks. Overall, the services were functional, but don't expect bells and whistles.
For the Kids… Or Not?
Family/child friendly? Hmmm, that depends. The kids meal I saw on the menu consisted of a single mystery meat patty and a slice of white bread. There were no special kids facilities. I'd say skip it until the kids are old enough to enjoy the, uh, character of the place.
Available in All Rooms: The Room Itself…
Okay, the rooms. Here’s the lowdown: Air conditioning (thank goodness!), Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Free bottled water. It had the basics. The bed was firm, the sheets were clean. The TV… well, there were satellite/cable channels, but half the channels were fuzzy. Mirror, check. Shower, check. Hot water? Yep – though it did take a while to warm up. The room was perfectly adequate. No complaints…but nothing to write home about either.
My Specific Experience - The "Almost Disaster" and the Unexpected Charm
Okay, so here's a personal anecdote. On my first night, the air conditioning in my room decided to… well, it decided to die. I nearly melted. In a panic, I called the front desk. The staff, bless their hearts, were incredibly helpful. They scrambled to fix it. It took an hour and a half (while I was sweltering), and a slightly frazzled electrician, but they got it working. It was a minor disaster, but I have to say, the staff's willingness to help was commendable, and they were genuinely apologetic. Okay, then!
The "Syariah" Factor
OYO 90061 Melati House is a "Syariah" hotel. This means you can expect certain things – no alcohol being served, and potential separation of genders in some areas. It's important to know this context.
So, Should YOU Stay Here? (The Verdict!)
Look, this isn't the Ritz-Carlton. It's not the Four Seasons. It's a budget-friendly, quirky, and slightly rough-around-the-edges place with heaps of character. It's imperfect, but it's also honest. If you're looking for luxury, this isn't it. If you're looking for a place with perfect facilities, this isn't it.
However…
If you're on a budget, you're willing to embrace a bit of adventure, you enjoy getting away from the "typical" hotel experience, and you appreciate a staff that is genuinely trying their best, then… you might actually love it, like I did!
My final verdict? It's a solid three-out-of-five stars. It’s not perfect, but it has a certain charm. It's an experience. It's real. And sometimes, that's all you need.
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Okay, buckle up, buttercups. Because if you thought planning a trip was a breeze, let me tell you, it's more like wrestling a greased piglet blindfolded while dodging rogue water balloons. This itinerary for my stay at OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah in Malang, Indonesia, is proof I survived, mostly. Let's get this show on the road… or at least onto the page…
The Malang Mess: A Highly Unreliable Itinerary (But Hey, It's Mine)
Day 1: Arrival & That Questionable Bed
- Morning (Around 7:00 AM, but who's counting?): Arrive at Malang's Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport. Okay, so the flight was delayed. Of course, it was. Murphy’s Law is my co-pilot. The airport itself? Let's just say it had that charming, slightly-too-warm-and-humid Indonesian airport vibe. After the plane it self got delayed, I was already feeling the urge to go back home. I thought to myself, "I don't have the guts for the trip" and nearly canceled it. But I kept pushing.
- Morning (8:00 AM -ish): Taxi to OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah. Ah, the anticipation! I envisioned a serene, flower-filled haven. Reality… was a little less poetic. Finding the place was a mini-adventure. The driver, a very enthusiastic man named Budi, got lost for a bit. He kept shouting the address like a mantra. The drive was a nice experience, though.
- Morning (9:00ish): Check-in. The staff were incredibly friendly, bless their hearts. (They probably deal with a lot of crazy.) The room… well, let's just say the bed looked… suspiciously clean, like it had seen better decades. A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over me. Jet lag, the devil incarnate.
- Mid-morning (10:00 AM): Collapse on the bed. Attempt to nap. Fail miserably. The heat. The noises. The sheer foreignness of everything. It was overwhelming.
- Lunch (12:00 PM-ish): Scramble for food. Find a warung (small local eatery) nearby. Ordered nasi goreng (fried rice). Delicious! This is a win. The chili, though… MY GOD, the chili. My sinuses cleared faster than you can say "Indonesian spice."
- Afternoon (Variable, depending on chili-induced recovery time): Wander the streets. Get hopelessly lost (again). Take photos of everything. Buy a batik scarf I'll probably never wear. Decide Malang is both enchanting and slightly overwhelming, all at once. The chaotic buzz of the streets, the smells (some good, some… less so), the sheer amount of motorbikes… it's sensory overload in the best possible way.
- Evening (6:00 PM): Dinner at a recommended local restaurant. Found the place after half an hour of looking, ordered some grilled fish that was a bit to salty for my tastes, and got way too much rice. The ambiance was better than expected.
Day 2: Bromo's Breath & a Near-Disaster on a Scooter
- Early Morning (3:00 AM!): Wake up for the Mt. Bromo sunrise tour. This involved a jeep ride. The jeep ride was… a test of my internal organs. The roads were more akin to rollercoaster tracks. Woke up to a beautiful sight. The sunrise. The view. Absolutely breathtaking. I will admit. I'm so glad I didn't stay home.
- Morning (Around 7:00 AM): Hike around the crater. Seriously, the air is thin, the sulfur smells like rotten eggs, and the scale is… immense. I felt like a speck of dust on the face of the universe. The whole experience was a bit of a spiritual moment.
- Morning (9:00 AM): Breakfast back in Malang. Back at the hotel, I ate some breakfast.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM): Rented a scooter. (Big. Mistake.) Malang traffic is NOT for the faint of heart. Negotiate with the rental guy, make it clear that I have very little experience, and he assures me it's fine. Famous last words. I drove the scooter, very slowly, through the streets. The looks I got! And the NEAR-MISSES! I’m pretty sure I aged a decade in an hour.
- Afternoon (3:00 PM): Attempt to visit a famous temple. Get stuck in a traffic jam that makes Dante's Inferno look like a Sunday stroll. Give up.
- Evening (6:00 PM): Dinner (and a large Bintang beer) at a little cafe. Found a quiet place to eat, and relaxed to think about my almost-death, and enjoyed the food.
- Evening (8:00 PM): Return the scooter, heart still pounding, and swear off two-wheeled transport for the rest of my life.
Day 3: Coban Rondo Waterfall & Reflecting on Regrets (and Delicious Coffee)
- Morning (9:00 AM): Find a driver (much safer option) for a day trip to Coban Rondo Waterfall. It’s a lovely spot, really rejuvenating, but the crowds! OMG, the crowds. Apparently, every man, woman, and child in Malang had the same idea.
- Morning (11:00 AM): Wander around the waterfall. Took some photos, dodged selfie sticks, and generally enjoyed the fresh air (despite the hordes).
- Lunch (1:00 PM ): Lunch at a quaint little place near the waterfall area. The place was cute. Tried some local cuisine, it was good.
- Afternoon (3:00 PM): Coffee break. Malang coffee is supposed to be excellent. Found a cool local coffee shop. Ordered a latte. Sip. Sigh. Bliss. The coffee was strong, the atmosphere charming, and I felt a flicker of peace.
- Afternoon (4:00 PM ): Visited a local market. Found some beautiful things.
- Evening (7:00 PM): Dinner. The food. The tastes. The music. I was starting to get the hang of things.
- Evening (8 PM): Reflect on the trip. Think about all the things I had done. Wonder if I would do it again.
Day 4: Departure (And That Unfinished Batik Scarf)
- Morning (8:00 AM): Scramble for breakfast. Eat a pathetic packet of instant noodles. The hotel breakfast was… not inspiring.
- Morning (9:00 AM): Pack. Realize I haven't even looked at the fabric for the batik scarf. Oh, well.
- Morning (10:00 AM): Taxi to the airport.
- Morning (11:00 AM): Say goodbye to Malang. Feel a strange mix of relief and sadness. This place… it’s a whirlwind. Messy, beautiful, exhausting, exhilarating. This entire trip was a test in patience and resilience.
- Afternoon: Fly home. Arrive. Collapse. Sleep. Dream of nasi goreng and the rumble of motorbikes.
Final Thoughts:
Okay, so this wasn't the most polished vacation. It was chaotic, unplanned, and I probably saw half of what I could have seen. But you know what? I wouldn't trade it for all the meticulously planned, Instagram-perfect trips in the world. Malang, with its quirks and its chaos, got under my skin. And maybe, just maybe, that's the whole point. The imperfect, messy, real-life moments? Those are the memories that stick. And hey, I still have that batik scarf… maybe I’ll learn to sew someday. Maybe. Or maybe I’ll just frame it and call it art. ;)
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OYO 90061 Melati House Syariah: The Malang Mystery - Unfiltered FAQ
Okay, spill the tea! Is this place *actually* a hidden gem, or just a cleverly marketed lemon?
Okay, buckle up. Hidden gem? Ehhh... it's complicated. "Hidden" is accurate, that much is for sure. Finding Melati House Syariah felt like a treasure hunt conducted in a particularly dusty corner of the internet. It's not the Ritz, let's be clear. It’s more, like, a perfectly serviceable, slightly-worn-around-the-edges place to crash. But... and this is a big but... if you’re looking for a *real* taste of Malang, a place that feels more "lived in" than "Instagrammable," well, then... maybe. It's got vibes, alright. Vibes of, like, a family home that someone decided to turn into a hotel. And that someone... well, bless their entrepreneurial heart.
"Syariah"... sounds... strict. What should I expect culturally at Melati House?
Right, the "Syariah" thing. Don't freak out. It's not exactly a bootcamp for your soul. (Though, hey, maybe it's a helpful nudge towards mindful travel, depending on your take on the world.) Think more "respectful" rather than "rigid rule book." Modest dress is generally expected in public areas (think shoulders covered, nothing too revealing). I saw couples behaving respectfully, no hanky-panky on display. And you won't find alcohol on the premises (which, honestly, is a plus for me sometimes, after a long day exploring Batu). Just be aware; it's a family-run place, so show the same respect for their home that you would for your own (hopefully, your family's nicer than mine!).
The reviews mention a "charming" front desk. Is this code for "auntie who speaks only Bahasa and gives you the side-eye"?
Okay, the front desk. Let's go there. "Charming" is a polite way of saying "auntie who might or might not understand your request for extra towels and definitely has a better idea of where you *should* be going than you do." My encounter was... memorable. I arrived late, famished, and struggling with my Bahasa (honestly, my Bahasa is more "busted" than "fluent"). She fixed me with a look that clearly translated to "You look lost, young traveller." BUT. She then, bless her heart, proceeded to patiently help me figure out how the AC unit worked (it didn't, at first, but she fixed it!)... and then suggested the BEST street food stall a few blocks away where I scarfed down the most delicious *bakso* I’ve EVER had. So, yeah. Charming. In a very authentic, Indonesian, slightly-mysterious-but-ultimately-helpful-despite-the-language-barrier kind of way. Bring a translation app. Trust me.
The rooms... are they actually clean? I'm terrified of creepy crawlies.
Cleanliness is... a relative term, isn't it? Let's just put it this way: it's not pristine hotel-chain clean. Think "lived-in-but-generally-tidy home." My room was, thankfully, insect-free, but a little bit of "Malang air" had clearly permeated the space. The sheets felt clean, the bathroom *was* clean (relatively speaking), and the bed was comfortable enough. But look, if you're the kind of person who packs a UV light to check for dust bunnies, maybe this isn't the spot for you. It's budget accommodation; manage your expectations. I'd rate the cleanliness a solid 3.5 out of 5. I didn't see any *massive* issues, and the whole place certainly wasn’t a biohazard. Plus, I'm pretty sure I saw a lizard on one the walls, but hey, it's Southeast Asia! It adds to the charm, right?
Okay, let's talk location. How easy is it to get around?
The location is actually *pretty* good. It's not smack-bang-in-the-middle of the tourist chaos, which is a massive plus in my book. You're a short (and cheap) Grab ride away from the main attractions like the Malang Town Square and the vibrant Kauman district. And the area around the guesthouse felt safe and friendly at night. It's a perfect base for exploring the real Malang, not just the tourist hotspots. I spent a whole afternoon wandering the local markets after a morning at the hot spring with a friend, and it was one of the highlights of my trip. But, be prepared for a bit of traffic, of course. Malang is a busy city, and traffic moves at its own pace. But overall? Easy peasy for getting around. Just factor in some extra time for travel.
The breakfast... is it the legendary "included breakfast"?
Ah, the included breakfast. This is where things get *interesting*. It’s a basic Nasi Goreng (fried rice), or sometimes, if you’re lucky, simple toast (white bread, of course) with a little jam. One morning, I swear, I got instant noodles. Okay, I'm being dramatic... maybe. It’s not exactly a breakfast buffet to write home about. But, hey, it's *included*. I mean, it'll fill you up, and the coffee is usually good (strong, if you're lucky). It felt very authentically Indonesian, and I liked it. My buddy had a different experience, though. He's a picky eater, and he wasn't thrilled. He found the Nasi Goreng a little underseasoned, and there were days it didn’t appear until way later than the advertised time. So, adjust your expectations accordingly. Consider it a warm-up for the day's food adventures.
So, should I book it? Give me the final verdict already!
Alright, deep breath. Here's the deal: if you're a budget traveler who's after a genuine Malang experience and you don't mind embracing a little bit of "rustic charm," absolutely. Book it. It's not perfect, sure, but it IS memorable. You'll have stories to tell. It's a good value for the price. But, if you're high-maintenance, or you need pristine perfection and all the comforts of modern hotels, then maybe...just maybe...look elsewhere. You'll probably be happier in a chain hotel with air conditioning that *actually* works. But you'll miss out on the adventure. And honestly? Melati House Syariah is a pretty good adventure.
What's the WiFi situation? Do I need to prep for digital starvation?
The WiFi... ah, yes.Hotel Haven Now
