Tag: Budget

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2920 – Daraga (DRP formerly Legazpi LGP) to Manila – Last-Minute Mabuhay Miles Redemption Ticket to the Metro [December 2022]

Hey, long time no post! Not many of you know, but I recently finished a 24-day trip around Paris, Italy & Barcelona. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to start writing about the trip. I’ve been busy with Christmas festivities & reunions since I arrived back from Europe. Don’t worry, I will start writing about them in the next few weeks.

For today, I want to share with you my recent experience with Philippine Airlines on their PR 2920 flight from Daraga, Albay (DRP – formerly LGP Legazpi) to Manila (MNL). This flight was unique because it happened during the 1st day of using the new 3-letter DRP airport designator code & it was booked using Mabuhay Miles – Philippine Airlines’ loyalty program. Join me in today’s flight report & find out how this flight went.

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines, commonly known as PAL, is the Philippines’ flag carrier. The airline started operations back in 1941 & is currently the region’s oldest commercial airline. Majority of the stake in PAL is owned by PAL Holdings under Dr. Lucio Tan – also the owner of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates – LT Group. World-famous ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways, also owns a minor stake in the airline.

Philippine Airlines operates around 60 Airbus, Bombardier & Boeing aircraft to over 40 international & 31 domestic routes. Its hubs are located in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark & Kalibo. PAL is the country’s biggest full-service airline offering premium experience to its passengers. They offer business class, premium economy & economy class to most of its routes.

PAL is not a member of any airline alliance but has code-share flights with major carriers such as All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air & many more. PAL also has its own frequent flyer program called Mabuhay Miles. PAL is also the only Philippine-based carrier to receive a 4-star rating from world-renowned air transport rating organization Skytrax.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare & Inclusions

It’s not a secret that airfares are more expensive during the festive season. Many people take advantage of the Christmas holidays & go home to their respective hometowns. The demand for plane seats is higher than usual. I didn’t have a fixed schedule at that time, so I had no choice but to book the ticket last-minute. The one-way bare fares for both Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air at the time of booking were at around ₱4,000 to ₱5,000 without baggage. On the other hand, there were no available CEB Super Pass seats on my preferred flight.

I checked my Mabuhay Miles account & saw that I have enough miles to use for a one-way ticket to Manila. I immediately redeemed these miles using the airline’s portal & booked this PR 2920 flight from Daraga to Manila. I used 4,500 miles & only paid ₱870 for taxes & fees. The redeemed Mabuhay Miles ticket included 7-kilogram carry-on baggage, 20-kilogram check-in baggage allowance & a free standard (non-aisle & non-exit) seat.

I may have used up most of my Mabuhay Miles, but I believe I got a good deal with this ticket. I booked it 9 days before the intended flight date during a peak travel period. I was also happy that the ticket included a free check-in baggage allowance. This ticket was definitely a steal!

Travel Requirements

There are no COVID-19 related travel requirements between Albay & Metro Manila. These requirements were abolished a few months ago. The process & requirements are back to the old times where passengers were only asked to bring a valid ID during counter check-in & sometimes, boarding.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Before The Flight

2 days before the flight, I received an e-mail from Philippine Airlines that Bicol International Airport’s designator code will be changed from LGP to DRP effective December 15, 2022. This e-mail required passengers to accept the said changes. Unfortunately, it resulted in an error on the Philippine Airlines website. Minutes after the initial e-mail, I also received an email from the airline containing the official announcement of changing the airport designator code to DRP. I immediately called the airline & had my ticket sorted.

24 hours before the flight, I received another airline from Philippine Airlines informing me that online check-in was already available for my flight. I checked in right away for my flight. The new Philippine Airlines mobile application displayed my mobile boarding pass & the flight details on the homepage.

Flight Information

This Daraga (DRP) to Manila (MNL) flight was operated by a 15.2-year-old Airbus A320-214 aircraft. The plane was initially delivered to Philippine Airlines in November 2007. The plane was initially configured with 12 business class seats & 144 economy class seats but was reconfigured to 180 all economy class seats in May 2022.

PR 2920 took off from Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule at 5:17pm. The flight took 50 minutes & landed smoothly at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:07pm. The flight landed 12 minutes behind schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

CHECK-IN

I arrived at Bicol International Airport 2 hours & 45 minutes before the flight & I was surprised to see the check-in counters open that early. I went to the counters to drop my luggage & get my paper boarding pass. Check-in process took less than a minute – no queues, no whatsoever.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went up to the pre-departure area & waited for the flight. Bicol International Airport’s pre-departure area has more food & pasalubong store choices now compared to when it opened back in October 2021. There’s a dedicated laptop area for those who need to do some work while waiting for their respective flights. There are charging stations on both sides – provided by Smart & Philippine Airlines; there are a lot of seats to choose from.

The Philippine Airlines ground staff informed passengers of the expected aircraft arrival time after it departed Manila. The plane touched down at 4:25pm.

BOARDING

Boarding process started at 4:42pm. Priority passengers, senior citizens & those travelling with kids boarded the plane first. Regular passengers followed. Everyone boarded the plane using the jet bridge & only through the front door. The boarding process finished at 5:07pm.

Please note that face masks are mandatory on all flights within the Philippines. The ground staff announced this during the boarding process.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Philippine Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft has 180 seats in an all-economy class cabin configuration. Each row has 6 seats divided into 2 by an aisle. According to SeatGuru, all seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft have a seat width of 19.7 inches. Economy plus seats have a seat pitch / legroom of 34 inches, while standard economy seats have a legroom of 29-30 inches.

Each seat features a tray table, a small pocket with the aircraft safety card, individual air vents & reading lights. The seats don’t feature personal entertainment screens because this type of aircraft is only used in domestic short haul services.

I got window seat 54K for this flight. The seat had a decent recline & a clean tray table. The seatbelt needs to be replaced since it’s already worn out. In fact, most of the seats on this flight are already worn out. These are still functional but would need some refit soon.

INFLIGHT SNACK

After take-off, the crew went around & gave out a pack of green peas & dried mangoes with a cup of water. Philippine Airlines is the only domestic major carrier that offers complimentary snacks on board. Better than nothing.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Philippine Airlines did not offer inflight entertainment options for this flight & aircraft. The flight only took 50 minutes & this additional feature isn’t essential.

LAVATORY

I didn’t get the chance to visit the lavatory on this Airbus A320 aircraft. The 3 lavatories were occupied throughout the flight. Some even queued for a few minutes just to use the lavatory.

Cabin Crew Service

Philippine Airlines brands their service as the ‘Heart of the Filipino.’ The cabin crew on this Legazpi to Manila flight embodied that way of service & gave their best in catering to the needs of the passengers. They welcomed all passengers with their best smiles & helped in putting passengers’ bags in the overhead compartment. They gave passengers the best possible service they could provide. Kudos!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The cabin crew implemented an organized disembarkation process for this flight. They called 5 rows at a time & asked passengers seated on these rows to stand up, get their bags & disembark. All passengers followed & got off the plane in an orderly manner.

Baggage claims didn’t take long. Our check-in bags were already at Carousel 4 a few minutes after we arrived at the baggage claim area.

Final Thoughts

It was another excellent flight with Philippine Airlines. The positive points outweighed the negative points by a mile.

Let’s start with the positive points. First is miles redemption & value for money. This flight only cost 4,500 Mabuhay Miles & ₱870 worth of taxes & fees. This was a steal considering the redemption ticket was booked 9 days before the intended flight date & during peak travel season. The original flights were priced at 4.5x the fare I paid above. Second, the redemption ticket already included 20 kilograms of check-in baggage allowance. This allowance could easily cost ₱500 if you booked the regular ticket. Third, the check-in counters opened earlier than the usual 2 hours before the flight schedule. This made the check-in process easier & faster as the ground staff didn’t have to deal with a lot of passengers at a time.

Fourth, Philippine Airlines still gives out complimentary snacks on a short domestic hop like this from Daraga to Manila. I flew with Singapore Airlines on their Singapore to Kuala Lumpur & Kuala Lumpur to Singapore routes & I was only given a drink of choice – no nuts, crackers or whatsoever. Props to PAL for keeping the onboard service. Fifth, it’s been a while since I experienced an orderly disembarkation process on a plane. The crew on this flight managed to ask all passengers to follow the disembarkation process they organized. Lastly, the cabin crew on this flight was excellent. Their quality of service was top-notch – indeed the Heart of the Filipino.

This flight wasn’t perfect. The flight left Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule & landed 12 minutes after the intended schedule. These delays are inevitable in a congested airport like Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but it still somewhat affected the whole flight experience. Second & finally, the seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft need some refit. The seatbelts are already worn out & could use some replacement.

Will I fly them again in the future? Definitely – it’s a no-brainer. I hope I can also fly their international sector in the future.

For those interested in the nerdy details of this flight, see below:

Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 15 December 2022
Flight Number: PR 2920
Route: Daraga, Albay (DRP) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 50 minutes
Seat Number: 54K
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C8610
Engines: 2 x CFM International Engines
Age: 15.2 years old
Delivered: November 2007

Have you flown with Philippine Airlines recently? How was your experience with the country’s flag carrier? Feel free to share your personal experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about flying Philippine Airlines? You may post them below or you may send an e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. Stay tuned for the next one coming in shortly. I also have a few flights lined up in the coming weeks & months. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: THE BED KLCC – Modern & Premium Capsule Hostel in Kuala Lumpur City Center

A few months ago, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a week. I was joined by my friends for 3 full days & I took them around the beautiful city. I already posted about this 3-day budget Kuala Lumpur – check out this blog post to know more. After they left, I moved to another hostel named The Bed KLCC. This capsule hotel is the topic for today’s Hostel of the Day review. Join me as I share with you my experience & some facts about this modern & premium capsule hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

In case you missed it & aside from the KL on a budget post I mentioned above, I’ve also shared details about all my flights to & from Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines – Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila. I also shared details about the 1st hostel I stayed with in KL – PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Don’t forget to also check them out!

The Bed KLCC

The Bed KLCC is a modern & posh capsule hostel that opened in 2017. The property’s goal is to provide comfortable & affordable accommodation in the Kuala Lumpur City Center. The hostel occupies part of the ground floor, 1st & 2nd floors of the famous Vortex Building. Reception is found in the ground floor with The Bean KLCC Café. The communal lounge & dining area is found on the 1st floor. The private & dormitory rooms are found on both the 1st & 2nd floors.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Location & Access

The Bed KLCC is located at No 12, Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur City Center. It is accessible to major train lines – a short walk from KJ12 Dang Wangi Station of the LRT Kelana Jaya Line, MR8 Bukit Nanas Station of the KL Monorail & SBK18A Bukit Bintang Station (nearest Exit 7) of the MRT Sungai Buloh – Kajang Line. The GoKL City Buss Blue & Green Lines also stop near the property.

The property is about 25-30 minutes walk & train trip to KL Sentral – the city’s central transportation hub. From there, passengers can take the bus or the express train to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The airport is an hour away by car or private transportation.

The Bed KLCC is pretty much near everything in KLCC. The nearest convenience store is literally opposite reception & The Bean KLCC. There are a handful of restaurants nearby such as Hard Rock Café KL, McDonalds, Gravy Baby & Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant. Suria KLCC & the iconic Petronas Towers are 10 minutes away by foot.

The Bed KLCC’s location is easy a 10 out of 10. It is located within the city center & is near almost everything a visitor needs.

Private & Dormitory Rooms

The Bed KLCC has numerous types of rooms that can cater to all types of travelers. Those travelling on budget can stay in their dormitory rooms while those who are travelling with their friends or partners & want privacy can opt for the private rooms.

A bed in a dormitory room costs RM55-RM65 per night. The front entry bod costs RM55 while the side entry & female-only pods cost RM65 per night. A night stay in the dormitory room includes access to free Wi-Fi, air-conditioned rooms, roll-down partitions per bed, unlimited drinking water refill & shared bathrooms. The bed also includes a pillow & blanket, towel, reading light, power socket & a clothes hanger.

The Bed KLCC has 5 types of private rooms. The single pod suite costs RM100 per night & includes a single bed, a working table with mirror plus all the amenities found in the dormitory bed / room. The private twin pod & queen pod suite cost RM130, while the family & travel buddy rooms (all for 4 people) cost RM170 per night. All these private rooms have access to shared washrooms & toilets per area / group of rooms. The room rates mentioned above are the rates published by the property on their website. Please take note that other booking platforms such as Agoda, Booking.com, Hostelworld & Traveloka have their own promotional rates.

I booked my stay with Booking.com & paid RM270 for 3 nights in a private single pod suite. I got the room for RM90 per night. Thanks to my Booking.com Genius Level 2 loyalty status, I got a 10% off per night. This booking also had a flexible cancellation term which was perfect for travelling these days. My bank charged me ₱3,455.56 including the foreign currency conversion fee for all 3 nights. That translates to around ₱1,151.85 per night. It’s expensive for a city like Kuala Lumpur but I believe the cost is worth the price given the property’s facilities & amenities. You can get cheaper hotels or hostels than this,  but you can’t match the premium experience The Bed KLCC gives to their guests.

In case you haven’t read it, I also post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

The Bed KLCC has a long list of facilities & amenities available to all guests. Check out these facilities & amenities below:

Fast & Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to fast & free Wi-Fi. Their internet connection is perfect for those who want to work remotely from Kuala Lumpur.

Daily Breakfast Service – The property offers daily breakfast service to those who availed of this option at the time of booking. Unfortunately, I did not avail of the hostel’s free breakfast.

Aesthetic Communal Lounge – The Bed KLCC has one of the most aesthetic hostel communal lounges I’ve seen in my years of travelling. It is at par with the coziness of Steel House Copenhagen’s communal lounge.

Spacious Dining & Food Preparation Area – The hostel has a spacious dining & food preparation area for guests who want to eat or prepare their food in the hostel.

Complimentary Tea & Coffee – Guests can make their own coffee or tea in the dining area as long as the common area is open.

In-House Café – The Bed KLCC has an in-house café called The Bean KLCC. The café offers coffee, tea & some snacks & sandwiches.

Well-Maintained Communal Shower & Toilet Areas – The property has clean & spotless shower & toilet areas. These common areas are found on the 1st floor & are well-maintained.

Private Room Amenities – Private rooms have amenities that are not found in dormitory rooms. The rooms have working tables & chairs, toiletries (including toothbrush & toothpaste), storage spaces & reading lamps.

Private Wash Rooms – Guests in the private rooms have access to clean private wash rooms. These wash rooms are complete with toilet papers, hand soap, shampoo with conditioner & liquid body soap.

Travel Desk – The Bed KLCC also has a travel desk for those who want to avail of local tours & airport transfers. Feel free to approach the hostel staff to find out more about this service.

Luggage Storage – Guests who arrive earlier than the check-in time or those who will leave hours after the property’s check-out time can store their luggage with the property. Don’t hesitate to ask reception where you can leave your bags.

Laundry Services – The property also offers laundry services for those who need their clothes / belongings washed during the stay. Please ask reception on how you can avail of this service.

Communal Powder Room – The Bed KLCC also has a communal powder room for those who need to use it. It is located near the communal shower & toilets.

Hair Dryer & Ironing Facilities – The hostel also provides hair dryer & ironing facilities. These are found inside the powder room.

Unlimited Drinking Water Refill – The Bed KLCC offers unlimited drinking water refill to all its guests. The water dispenser is found near the sink in the communal food preparation area. Don’t forget to bring you own water container.

Shoe Storage Areas & In-Room Slippers – Guests need to leave their shoes in their respective shoe lockers. All rooms should be accessed using the in-room slippers provided by the hostel.

Centralized Air Conditioning System – The property has a centralized air conditioning system. This means that air conditioning is only open at night (I think at 8pm) until 8am. The communal areas remain well ventilated throughout the day.

24-Hour Reception – The property’s reception is open for 24 hours. No need to worry if your flight or bus arrives after midnight or if you need to leave for the airport in the wee hours of the morning.

Boardgames / Puzzles – There are boardgames & puzzles which guests can play with during their stay.

Printing & Scanning Services – The hostel also offers printing & scanning services for a fee. Feel free to approach reception to avail of these services.

Friendly & Multi-Lingual Staff – The Bed KLCC has friendly & multi-lingual staff. They have staff who speak Malay, English & even Filipino.

Secured Hotel Access – Only guests have access to the dormitory & private rooms. Guests are given key cards during check-in that work on their assigned floor / level.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags need not worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has 2 lifts which can be accessed using the hostel key cards.

Hostel Experience

I had a lovely & quiet stay with The Bed KLCC. I arrived around 8:00pm & was greeted by one of the Filipino staff at reception. I was even assisted by one of the staff & helped me bring my bags up to my private room. Great welcome from the staff!

The single pod suite was decent, neat, but didn’t have much space. The room layout was alright. The room gets super cold at night; guests do not have the power to control the in-room temperature. The thick comforters somewhat help ease the super cold temperature. I hope the property management can find a way to have the best possible temperature at night or at least improve the room ventilation systems. 

The property’s highlight for me is its communal lounge & dining area. This communal space is very aesthetic. It looks & feels very cozy, modern & premium. I initially planned to work in my room for 2 days but ended up doing it in one of the high chairs & tables in the common area. The area was quiet & perfect for work.

The Bed KLCC pretty much remained quiet throughout my stay. I didn’t get the chance to meet some co-travelers / guests. I hope or wish the hostel can organize activities for those who want to join & meet other people. It doesn’t have to be a loud and noisy party; it can even be just a community dinner or game night or other social activities. I’m sure there are guests who will join.

Will I recommend The Bed KLCC? Definitely! It’s a premium, modern & cozy property found in the middle of Kuala Lumpur City Center. It is at the higher end of the affordability range in Kuala Lumpur but it surely lives up to its price. If only I knew that I’d be working most of the time from the common area, I should have stayed in one of those dormitory beds instead. Anyway, I still had a great stay with The Bed KLCC!

Do you have questions about The Bed KLCC? I’ve listed their contact details below. Feel free to reach out to them on the following platforms:

The Bed KLCC
Address: G1 @ Vortex KLCC, No 12, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Phone Number: +60 3 2715 2413
E-mail Address: booking@thebedklcc.com / thebedklcc@gmail.com
Website: www.thebedklcc.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebedkl
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebedklcc

Have you stayed with The Bed KLCC? How was your experience? Share your experiences in the comments section below. By any chance, are you planning to book your stay with The Bed KLCC? Do you have any questions about the property? Feel free to post them in the comment section. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. I cannot wait to share more hostels to all of you. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: Z HOSTEL PHILIPPINES – Makati’s Prime & Best Value Hostel in the Heart of Poblacion

The hostel businesses, together with the whole hospitality industry, are one of the worst hit sectors by the pandemic. The hostels were not allowed to operate the way they used to be. Fun get-to-know conversations inside dormitory rooms, communal room games & activities plus the use of shared hostel facilities were all banned since the pandemic started.

With the relaxation of pandemic-related restrictions, these activities & fun experiences are starting to happen again. Hostels are re-opening & starting to recover from the hardships they experienced during the early & uncertain days of the Covid-19 era. One of Makati’s prime hostels – Z Hostel Philippines – has re-opened to Filipinos, foreigners & to the public.

Recently, I got invited by our friends at Z Hostel Philippines to stay with them for a few nights. I’ve been to Z Hostel’s rooftop bar a few times before but not really stayed with them, so I gladly accepted the invite. Today’s hostel of the day feature will be about my Z Hostel Philippines experience. Join me as I share with you details about the hostel’s features, room types, amenities & the perks of being a hostel guest.

Z Hostel Philippines

Z Hostel Philippines is a high-rated & well-featured hostel property in the heart of Poblacion, Makati. It opened in January 2015 & has welcomed guests from all over the world. The hostel is managed by a group of friends who have a common interest in traveling & backpacking. Since it opened in 2015, the hostel managed to keep its place as one of Makati’s best – placing number 1 on Trip Advisor during its first 4 years, getting top ratings in Hostelworld & Booking.com & even getting endless features in magazines, television shows, newspapers & blogs.

The hostel building has 6 floors & 2 upper decks. The property has 121 beds in 30 private & dormitory rooms. It also has a café on the ground floor & a café / bar on the roof deck.

Location & Access

Z Hostel Philippines is located at 5660 Don Pedro St in the center of Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. It is not located along the main road, but it’s still easy to get a ride. The nearest main road is Kalayaan Avenue; it is about a minute walk away from the hostel doors. Makati Avenue comes next & is about 5 minutes by foot from the hostel. The nearest shopping malls (Century City & Powerplant Malls) are within 1 kilometer from the hostel. The international & domestic airports are about 20-30 minutes (10-14 kilometers away) away without traffic.

The hostel is basically near everything. It is near a convenience store & near to almost all restaurants, cafes & bars in Poblacion & along Makati Avenue. You can literally walk to every establishment from the hostel’s doors. Its location is an easy 10 out of 10. It may not be along a main road, but it surely has access to practically everything a guest needs & wants during his/her stay.

Private & Dormitory Rooms

Z Hostel Philippines caters to every type of guest. The hostel has private rooms for guests who want their own space during their stay. It also has dormitory rooms for travelers who are on a budget & who are keen on meeting new people during their stay.

The hostel has 4 types of dormitory rooms – 4-bed mixed, 6-bed mixed, 6-bed female & 8-bed mixed dormitory rooms. All these dormitory rooms have in-room toilets & showers, air conditioning, in-room desks & counters. Every dormitory bed has a pillow, a blanket & a console with a private reading light & power socket. Dormitory room guests also have access to lockers where they can put their bags & valuables. Please note that guests need to bring their own padlocks. Nightly dormitory room rates are as follows as of August 2022: ₱1,065 per guest in an 8-bed mixed dormitory, ₱1,1100 per person in the 6-bed mixed & 6-bed female dormitories & ₱1,150 per night in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room. All these room rates include breakfast. Z Hostel also offers room rates that don’t include breakfast – ₱760 per guest in an 8-bed mixed dormitory, ₱840 per person in the 6-bed mixed & 6-bed female dormitories & ₱880 per night in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room

Part of the 8-bed mixed dormitory
Part of the 6-bed female dormitory

The hostel has 2 types of private rooms – the bunk bed room & the double room. The private bunk room features a bunk bed for 2 people, with each person having his or her own bed. The private room has a queen bed in the middle of the room. All these beds include pillows & blankets. These private rooms also include a private toilet & bath (with toiletries), a desk, a storage area, a large mirror & a safety deposit box. Hair dryer, flat iron & board are also available by request. These private rooms cost ₱2,550 per night for 2 people. The rate already includes breakfast. Room only (no breakfast included) rates are also available for ₱2,000 per night for 2 people.

Private Bunk Room
Private Room

Guests who want a mix of socialization, fun & comfort may request to stay on the Fun Floor. The fun floor is located 1 level below the hostel’s roof deck. Guests staying on this floor have the easiest access to the hostel’s nightly parties. The room configurations available on the fun floor are the 4-bed mixed, 6-bed mixed & private rooms. The room rates are the same as mentioned above.

I stayed for 3 nights in the 4-bed mixed dormitory room located on the fun floor. The room has enough space for 4 people; it has a window & has air conditioning. It also features a clean in-room toilet & shower, a useful desk, storage space & individual lockers. The noise & sound from the hostel’s roof deck did not bother my sleep in all 3 nights.

This is the 4-bed mixed dormitory room located on the the Fun Floor – where I stayed for 3 nights.

The hostel also runs promotions once in a while. They offer dormitory beds & private rooms on discount. Feel free to check out the hostel’s socials (see below) or reach out to them to know more about these promotional offers.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Free & Fast Wi-Fi – All guests have access to a free, fast & work-from-home friendly Wi-Fi connection. Please don’t forget to ask for the password during check-in.

Excellent Breakfast – Guests who book rooms & dormitory beds that include the free breakfast add-on can experience an excellent breakfast meal. It may not be a typical Filipino rice meal, but it includes toast with butter & jam, fruits of the day, cereals, eggs (sunny-side up, scrambled or omelet) & coffee or tea.

Z Hostel Café – Guests who did not book or avail the breakfast option can order food from the café. The café is open from morning until night time & has a long list of food options to choose from. Check out the menu below.

Z Hostel Roofdeck Bar – Guests staying at Z Hostel have access to the hostel’s famous roof deck bar. The bar is open daily from 5:00pm to 3:00am. Non-guests can access the roof deck bar by buying an RFID bracelet (worth ₱100) per group & loading ₱500 consumable credit per person. The roof deck bar also offers food & drink options – see menu in the images below.

This RFID also allows holders & guests to enter & access Z Hostel’s partner establishments – The Green Door & The Apartment.

Nightly Hostel Roofdeck Event – Z Hostel Philippines hosts nightly events in their roof deck bar. Crowds don’t start until around 10:00pm-11:00pm. Check out the hostel’s socials for the daily events.

Z Hostel Sundeck – The newly-constructed sundeck is the hostel’s pandemic project. They built a sundeck on top of the roof deck bar. The sundeck has amazing views of the Makati & Rockwell skylines & is the perfect place to sip your drink while watching the beautiful sunset with your friends. People can access the sundeck by paying ₱5,000 consumable credits per table.

In-room Shower & Toilets – All dormitory & private rooms at Z Hostel feature in-room toilet & shower areas. These toilet & shower areas come with bath gel, shampoo & hand soap.

In-room Amenities – All dormitory & private rooms have air conditioning & desks or counters. Each dormitory bed features a private reading light, a small bed console & power plug. Private rooms include drinking water with glasses, lamps & bed-side consoles. Guests in private rooms & 6-bed female dormitory rooms are also given bath robes to use during their stay.

Safety Deposit Boxes & Personal Lockers – The hostel has safety deposit boxes in private rooms & personal lockers (with in-locker power plugs) in dormitory rooms. Those staying in dormitory rooms need to bring their own padlocks.

Hostel Essentials Shop – For those who forgot to bring padlocks & other hostel essentials, you may head over to reception & buy these from the hostel shop. They also sell Z Hostel-branded goodies such as bags, shirts & bags.

Communal Lounge Space – The hostel has a large communal space near the entrance & reception area. There are comfortable couches where guests can hangout & talk.

Communal Shower & Toilet – The hostel has a communal shower & toilet on the 2nd floor. Guests who have already checked out can still use these amenities before leaving the hostel premises for their next trip.

Tour Desk – Z Hostel offers guided tours & bookings to whatever the guest needs. Feel free to ask reception about the tours available during your stay.

Games Area – The hostel has a games area where guests can play with other guests. They have a pool table near the café. They also have board games that can be borrowed from the hostel.

Luggage Storage – The hostel offers free luggage storage for incoming & outgoing guests. Those who are waiting for room check-in or an evening flight or bus trip can leave their bags near the reception at no extra cost.

Drinking Water Refill – Z Hostel Philippines has a water dispenser in the cafe which guests can use to refill their water containers.

Seasonal Hostel Activities – The hostel also offers seasonal activities to its guests. Pre-pandemic, Z Hostel had Poblacion walking tours, sunset sessions at the roof deck & traditional dinners for those who want to feast on Filipino food. These activities are currently on pause because of the pandemic.

24-Hour Reception – Z Hostel Reception is open all day & all night. There is always a staff in the reception area 24 hours a day & 7 days a week.

Printing Services – The hostel also offers printing services for those who need it. Make sure to check the updated printing rates with reception.

Friendly & Approachable Staff – Z Hostel’s staff have been one of the friendliest & approachable hostel staff I’ve dealt with. Everyone greets you with their best smiles – from the security guard, to the waiters, bouncers, café staff, receptionists & even those from housekeeping. They make sure that they provide their best service to the hostel guests.

Secured Hotel Access – Hostel guests are the only ones allowed inside the hostel rooms. Each guest is given a key card that only works on your assigned room. Visitors are only allowed in the lobby, café & the roof deck bar.

Lift Access – Guests who have large bags need not to worry about going up & down several floors. Z Hostel has a lift which every guest can use.

24-Hour Security – Z Hostel is a secured hostel. The hostel always has a guard by the hostel doors. The hostel is also equipped with security cameras all over the property.

Hostel Experience

I stayed with Z Hostel Philippines for 4 days & 3 nights & I can say that I really enjoyed my stay. These factors made my stay enjoyable & memorable. First, the hostel’s location is superb. It is located in the busy street of Don Pedro & has many food & drink options nearby. It is not along a main road, but everything you need is nearby. Second, the hard product is excellent. The room I was assigned to was spacious & clean. The air conditioning worked well & the bed was comfortable to sleep on. The room had everything a hostel guest needs. The dormitory room windows & in-room toilets & showers were a big plus. I’ve stayed in many hostel rooms which don’t have windows & in-room toilets & shower.

Third, the café & roof deck bar has good food & drink options. My personal favorites were the Butabara (grilled pork belly sticks with kimchi), Pork Adobo Flakes Rice Meal & their best-selling signature cocktail drink – May Forever. I seriously lost count of how many May Forever’s my friends & I ordered in those 2 party nights. Fourth, the nightly roof deck events & parties add so much fun to the guests’ experiences. The hostel became well-known because of these events & parties. I am very happy that these are back & happening again. Lastly, the hostel has some of the friendliest & most guest-oriented staff I’ve encountered in a while. The staff always greets you every time they see you in the hallway & even join you in the elevator.

Pork Adobo Flakes
May Forever – Z Hostel’s best-selling signature cocktail.

I honestly can’t think of anything Z Hostel could further improve on. However, I have 2 wishes for the hostel. First, I hope the hostel crowds – both local & foreign – start to go back & stay with the hostel. The guests contribute a lot to the hostel vibe & experience. Second, I hope that timing & regulations allow the daily hostel guest events to operate again. Personally, I am a traveler who also considers hostels as destinations aside from the place I am traveling to. It would be nice to experience the sunset sessions, walking tour & traditional dinner with co-hostel guests – just like how it was before.

Will I stay again with Z Hostel? It’s definitely a yes! I will even bring my friends next time if time & situation permits. One day, I will bring my friends to the sundeck & watch the beautiful Makati sunset from the awesome deck.

I said it above & I will say it again. Don’t look anywhere else. Z Hostel Philippines is the place to be! It is Makati’s prime & best value hostel in the heart of Poblacion.

Do you have any questions about the hostel & its facilities? Are you planning to book your next hostel stay with them? You may reach out to them in the following platforms:

Z Hostel Philippines
Address: 5660 Don Pedro St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City, Philippines 1210
Phone Number: +632 8856 0851 / +63 917 316 9362
E-mail Address: zhostelreservations@gmail.com / reservations@zhostelph.com
Website: www.zhostel.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zhostelph
Instagram: www.instagram.com/zhostelph

This pretty much sums up everything about my 3-night stay with Z Hostel Philippines. I’d like to specifically thank Cao, Rommel & the whole Z Hostel Philippines management & team for accommodating me during my stay. I had so much fun working with you; I will surely be back!

Do you have any questions about my experience with Z Hostel? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature! Watch out for the next hostel feature. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

3-Day Kuala Lumpur Weekend: Do-It-Yourself Below 20K Trip Around Malaysia’s Modern Capital City [July 2022]

Last July 2022, my friends & I took advantage of the relaxed border requirements & flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a quick 3-day trip. We decided to fly to Kuala Lumpur since it was the cheapest international destination from Manila at the time of booking our air tickets. It was also my friends’ first-time visiting Malaysia. Allow me to share details of this quick & affordable 3 days around Malaysia’s modern capital city.

Airfare

I flew with Singapore Airlines to Kuala Lumpur a few days before my friends did & only paid US$146.69 return. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above. My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges.

The full-service ticket includes 25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance, 7 kilograms carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals, personal entertainment system & 1.5 hours layover / transit (both ways) in Singapore Changi Airport. This Singapore Airlines ticket was definitely a good deal considering the ticket was booked a month before the scheduled flights & the airline provided full flight service.

My friends flew with Cebu Pacific Air to & from Kuala Lumpur & paid around ₱9,800 return. The ticket included 7-kilograms of carry-on baggage allowance. They opted to fly with Cebu Pacific Air because they found the airline’s flight times perfect for their schedules.

Want to know the difference between full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines & low-cost service airlines like Cebu Pacific Air? Check out this Flight 101 post about these 2 types of airlines.

I wrote separate blogs about my flight experience with Singapore on these flights to & from Kuala Lumpur. Head over to these flight reports to know more: Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila.

Entry Requirements

Malaysia still imposed entry requirements at the time of this trip. Fully-vaccinated passengers were exempted from pre-departure & on arrival testing requirements & quarantine but were asked to provide & verify vaccination status prior to their flight. We were also asked to register & obtain the Digital Travelers Card (Blue Traveler Card) at least 3 days before the scheduled flight. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers were asked to provide pre-departure test results, take on arrival testing & isolate / quarantine for a few days. They were issued the Home Surveillance Order (Red Traveler Card) that was checked during the check-in process.

As of 1 August 2022, Malaysia has removed all entry requirements for all incoming international passengers. All travelers are allowed to enter the country regardless of vaccination status & are not required to provide negative test results & undergo quarantine. All quarantine orders related to Covid-19 have been lifted by the Malaysian government.

Please note that these entry requirements may still change from time to time. Make sure to check the Malaysian government’s website, MySafeTravel, days before your trip for any changes in the entry requirements. You may also check these requirements on your airline’s Covid-19 travel information pages.

KLIA to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located in Sepang District, about an hour away from the main city of Kuala Lumpur. There are several ways to go to Kuala Lumpur from the airport & vice versa. The fastest & most expensive way is via the KLIA Ekspres. This train service takes about 40 minutes & costs RM55 one-way or RM100 return.

The cheap & more affordable option is via the hourly bus trip to & from KL Sentral. The fare costs RM15 one-way & the trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic. Private transfers are also available via Klook & KKday for a little over ₱700.

I took the bus from KLIA to KL Sentral & paid only RM15. On the way back, I booked a private transfer from my accommodation back to KLIA. I paid ₱736 for this private transfer & was picked up from my hostel.

Accommodation

My friends & I stayed at Hotel Westree KL Sentral. My friend Junelle & I booked 3 nights in their superior twin room & only paid ₱2,633.93 for the whole stay. We took advantage of Traveloka’s 20% off promotion & got a ₱650+ discount. We paid the hotel ₱878 per night – that’s ₱439 each per person per night. That is almost the same rate as some hostels in Kuala Lumpur.

The hotel is located at 142 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, right at the back of NU Sentral Shopping Mall. It is close to the KL Sentral Monorail Station & a few minutes walk to the KL Sentral bus terminal & KL Sentral train station. The property is also near a number of convenience stores, shops & restaurants. Its location is a 10 out of 10.

Hotel Westree KL Sentral’s room was just right. It has 2 single beds, air conditioning, a big closet, a desk & a large mirror. It also has a private toilet & shower with complete amenities. The hotel doesn’t offer a breakfast option but has a small shop near reception. They also have a water dispenser near the lounge area where guests can refill their water containers free of charge. The property allows guests to leave their luggage before check-in or after check-out.

Transportation Around the City

Going around Kuala Lumpur is easy. Almost all of the places to visit are accessible by train, monorail, or by bus. My friends & I were lucky because train & bus rides during our visit were free of charge. The government announced free MRT, LRT, BRT (bus rapid transit), monorail, Rapid KL bus & KTM Komuter rides in Klang Valley for a month from 16 June to 15 July 2022. This free ride service followed after the launch of the new MRT Putrajaya Line.

Outside these trains & buses, visitors can also book ride-hailing applications such as Grab & Air Asia Ride. You read that right! Air Asia has a ride-hailing subsidiary operating around Kuala Lumpur. My friends & I used Air Asia on selected rides during our visit. They have cheaper rates compared to Grab.

Places Visited in Kuala Lumpur

My friends were only in Kuala Lumpur for 3 full days. We visited as many places as possible in this short span of time. We also met one of my friends, Geof (from my Siquijor, Siargao & Myanmar trips before), who’s now based in the city. Check out the places we’ve been to in these 3 days.

DAY 1 – BOTANICAL GARDEN, MERDEKA SQUARE & CHINATOWN

Day 1 started with a train ride to Pasar Seni Station & a breakfast meal at a local hawker place. We had our chicken & rice meal for RM8 & a glass of cold the Tarik for RM2.50.

After breakfast, we headed to the bus stop & found out that the old bus route to the botanical garden is no longer operational. We then decided to just walk for 30 to 45 minutes to the Perdana Botanical Garden. We walked around the botanical garden for about an hour. Entrance to the botanical garden is free.

From Perdana Botanical Garden, we took an Air Asia Ride to Suria KLCC. We walked around the shopping mall & then checked out the Petronas Twin Towers from the outside.

After going around KLCC Suria & the Petronas Twin Towers, we took the train from KLCC Station to Masjid Jamek Station. We walked a bit & decided to have a late lunch at Secret Recipe near the Central Market. I got their vegetarian fried rice satay meal for around RM20.

After lunch, we walked to Masjid Jamek Lookout Point @ River of Life, then to Masjid Jamek Pedestrian Bridge & back to the Masjid Jamek station area. We didn’t bother to go inside Masjid Jamek Mosque because we were in wearing shorts.

We then went to see the Sultan Abdul Samad Building from the outside & walked around Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square) – the country’s Independence Square.

We dropped by the KL City Gallery to have our photos taken in the iconic I ❤️ KL sign, then headed to the Central Market to meet my friend Geof.

We walked along the Petaling Street Market & headed to Kwai Chai Hong to take photos of the murals.

We had our dinner in the famous Lan Zhou Mee Tarik Restaurant. I ordered their beef daoxiao (knife-cut) noodles paired with their beef barbecue stick & a can of Sprite. The whole meal only cost me RM22.

After dinner, we had our first round of drinks at Pik Wah Restaurant. We then headed to Bukit Bintang to meet with my friends from Couchsurfing for another round of drinks.

We missed the last KL monorail trip so we took the last train to Muzeum Negara Station & walked back to Hotel Westree.

DAY 2 – BATU CAVES, BUKIT BINTANG & KL SKYLINE

Day 2 started with breakfast at McDonalds KL Sentral Station. After breakfast, we took an Air Asia Ride to Batu Caves.

My friends & I went up the 272 stairs to see what’s in the cave. The whole trip up to the cave & back took us around 30 minutes. We left Batu Caves before 11:00am & took the KMT Komuter train back to KL Sentral.

We went back to Hotel Westree to freshen up. Just before lunch, we walked to Little India to check out the area & also drop by the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Fatima.

We took the KL Monorail from KL Sentral Station to Bukit Bintang Station & had lunch at Lot 10 Hutong – a food court / modern hawker center at the lower ground floor of Lot 10 Shopping Mall. We bid our goodbyes to my friend Geof & then went to order food for lunch.

I got char siu pork rice meal & char kway teow (stir fried noodles) with chicken for lunch. I also shared hokkien mee with one of my friends. I can say I ate a lot during that meal.

After lunch, we walked around Bukit Bintang. We’ve been to Jonetz by Don Don Donki (their Donki store originally from Japan) & mostly around The Pavilion Mall.

Around 4:00pm, we took an Air Asia Ride to KL Tower. We bought our tickets (RM110 each on site – I suggest that you buy ahead of time from Klook) & went up the Sky Deck & Sky Box. We took photos with the glass boxes & waited for sunset & night time.

At 7:30pm, we went down from KL Tower & walked to Suria KLCC. We again took photos of the Petronas Twin Towers at night. From Suria KLCC, we walked to the Bukit Nanas Monorail station & took the monorail to Bukit Bintang Station.

We dropped by Jonetz by Don Don Donki to buy some stuff before heading back to Hotel Westree again via the KL Monorail.

DAY 3 – GENTING HIGHLANDS & CHINATOWN (AGAIN)

We checked out from Hotel Westree at 7:00am & walked to the KL Sentral Bus Terminal to take our 8:00am bus to Awana Bus Terminal. We bought the return bus tickets in advance from this website & paid RM18 roundtrip.

The bus trip took about an hour. Upon arrival at Awana Bus Terminal, we had breakfast in one of the convenience stores. Most of the restaurants were still closed. Minutes before 10:00am, we went up to the cable car station & took the regular cable car up to Genting Highlands. PS. We bought the cable car tickets ahead of time & only paid RM31 for a one-way standard gondola & one-way glass bottom gondola.

We walked around Genting Higlands shopping malls & theme parks for a few hours. We had our lunch in the food court. I had chicken char siu rice for the main meal & cendol for dessert.

Around 1:30pm, we took the glass bottom gondola down to Chin Swee Station & walked to the Chin Swee Caves Temple. This Chin Swee Station stop is a free stop on the return gondola tickets.

After an hour, we took the cable car again back to Awana Station & went around some premium outlet stores beside the bus terminal.

At 4:00pm, we took the bus from Awana Bus Terminal back to KL Sentral Bus Station. We went straight to Chinatown to buy some last-minute pasalubong & to have dinner. Around 7:00pm, we took the train back to KL Sentral, walked to Hotel Westree to get our stuff.

Junelle & friends walked to the bus terminal to take the 8:00pm bus to KLIA Terminal 2. Meanwhile, I booked an Air Asia Ride to my next hostel – The Beds KLCC.

Summary of Expenses

I mentioned in the title that this 3-day trip cost below 20,000 all in. This total cost does not apply to me since I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for 8 days. However, it does apply to my friends who went there for 3 full days. Let us look at the breakdown of expenses below.

My friend paid ₱9,758.27 for the Cebu Pacific Air roundtrip ticket to Kuala Lumpur on Cebu Pacific Air. Prior to flying to Kuala Lumpur, she paid her share on the following: 3-night accommodation at Hotel Westree (₱1,316.97), Genting Highlands return bus tickets (₱227.83), roundtrip cable car tickets (₱396.74) & KLIA to Hotel Westree transfer (₱410.34). On the day of the flight, she paid the required travel tax worth ₱1,620.

She brought a pocket money of RM500 (conversion rate of ₱12.50 per RM1 = ₱6,250). This pocket money was enough to cover 3 meals per day (averaging RM10-RM20 per meal including drinks), all Air Asia Rides we took, bus ticket back to KLIA2, KL Tower Sky Deck & Sky Box entry ticket (RM110) & treats (pasalubong) she bought from Jonetz by Don Don Donki & Chinatown.

She spent ₱19,980.15 all in for this 3-day weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I believe this total trip cost is affordable & acceptable given the following reasons: (a) this trip was booked a month before the intended travel dates, (b) high fuel prices which resulted to higher fuel surcharges in air tickets & (c) current inflation rate. Gone are the days (at least for now) that return international tickets with Cebu Pacific Air were below ₱3,000.

That sums up our recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The pandemic & the current world crisis may have changed a lot of things, but our love for discovering new places, investing in experiences & traveling on a budget remains. Do you have any questions about traveling around Kuala Lumpur or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send in your questions & comments via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s trip to Kuala Lumpur. Please look forward to the next one! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: PODS THE BACKPACKERS HOME & CAFÉ – A True Backpacker’s Home Near Kuala Lumpur’s Central Transportation Hub

Guess what? Hostel of the Day features are back! Yes, you read that right. Leisure travel & backpacking is now picking up after being temporarily halted during the early days of the pandemic. With vaccines now available & borders re-opening, travelers have started to push through with the plans they had back in 2020 & 2021. The recent easing of restrictions also saw the re-opening of our beloved hostels & shared accommodations. I am very happy that these hostels now have the chance to make up for the losses they had in the recent years.

I’ve recently restarted traveling after being on the ground for over 2 years. I’ve mostly flown to & from Manila from my hometown & had short trips with friends in Davao & Cebu. Just last month, after 31 months of being in the Philippines, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a short out-of-the-country trip. I spent my first few days in a hostel called PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Join me in today’s hostel feature to know more about this budget accommodation that’s a stone throw away from KL Sentral – Kuala Lumpur’s central transportation hub.

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café is an affordable & eco-friendly hostel located in the Brickfields neighborhood near KL Sentral. The hostel opened in April 2011 & since then has catered to backpackers & budget travelers. The hostel occupies 4 floors. The ground floor has the café & communal area. The first, third & fourth floors house the private pods & the dormitory rooms. PODs The Backpackers tries its best to help the environment by adopting eco-friendly measures such as using recyclable materials & avoiding single-use plastics.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Location & Access

The hostel is located along Jalan Thambipillay in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. It is accessible to almost all transportation lines in the city. It is a 5-minute walk away from the KL Monorail KL Sentral Station. It is about a 10-minute walk from the main KL Sentral Station. This train station has access to almost all major train lines in Kuala Lumpur – MRT SBK Line, LRT Kelana Jaya Line, LRT Ampang & Sri Petaling Line, KLIA Express (high-speed train to the airport), KLIA Transit (affordable train ride to the airport), KTM Komuter (KL local railway service), KTM Inercity & KTM ETS & Skypark Link.

The hostel is also near several city bus stops & more importantly, the KL Sentral Bus Terminal. This bus terminal gives people bus links to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminals 1 & 2, Genting Highlands & other localities. The KL Sentral Bus Terminal is about a 5 to 10-minute walk from the hostel doors.

The nearest convenience store is a minute away – right in front of the hostel, while the nearest local grocery is literally next door. There are other convenience stores & groceries nearby, closer to the NU Sentral Shopping Mall & KL Sentral Station. The hostel is also surrounded by different local restaurants & bars. PODs The Backpacker’s location is an easy 10 out of 10. It is located close to everything a traveler needs during his or her stay.

ROOM Options

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café caters to all types of budget travelers. They have 3 room options (mini PODs, single PODs & double PODs) for those who want some privacy; they also have 3 dormitory room options (4-bed female, 8-bed mixed & 16-bed mixed) for those who don’t mind sharing the room with other travelers.

A mini POD is a small private room with a single mattress on a built-in platform. A single POD is a larger private room with a single mattress also found on a built-in platform. The room also has a bigger cabinet / storage space. A double POD is a private room that has twin mattresses on top of a built-in platform. Guests in these private rooms have access to shared shower & toilet areas, centralized air conditioning & in-room ceiling fans. Standard room rates range from RM70 – RM90 per night.

All dormitory rooms have bunk beds with the numbers depending on the room configuration. Like the private rooms, guests in these dormitory rooms also have access to shared shower & toilets, centralized air conditioning & ceiling fans. Standard dormitory room rates start at RM40 per night. Please take note that private & dormitory room rates vary per booking platform. The hostel’s own platform offers 20% discount to all direct bookings, while third-party booking websites like Agoda, Booking.com, Hostelworld & Traveloka have their own promotional rates.

I booked my stay with Agoda & paid RM123.20 for a 2-night stay in a single POD. I got the room at RM61.60 per night – RM1.60 more than the hostel’s 20% off promotional rate (RM60 per night) but with flexible booking terms. This room rate includes free cancelation up to 1 day before the first night & a pay later option. My bank charged me ₱1,619.82 including the foreign conversion fee for this 2-night stay. I paid ₱809.91 pesos per night for this private single room. I believe it was still a good deal considering the type of room I had & the hostel’s location & amenities. Know more about the room amenities in the next section below.

In case you haven’t read it, I also post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Like any other hostel, PODs The Backpackers Home & Café has a long list of facilities & amenities that guests can enjoy during their stay.

Free & Fast Wi-Fi – All guests have access to free & fast Wi-Fi connection. Don’t forget to ask reception what’s the password. The hostel’s connection is reliable; it allowed me to host seamless Zoom meetings.

Café & Restaurant – The hostel has an on-site café & restaurant named TeaPODs Café. The café & restaurant is owned by a Filipino. From what I was told, they serve a wide range of cuisines all day & they even have a long list of Filipino dishes.

Well-Maintained Communal Shower & Toilet Areas – The hostel has minimum 2 communal shower cubicles & 2 toilet areas per floor. The staff cleans these shared facilities on a daily basis.

Rooftop Communal Space – The hostel has a rooftop communal space which guests can access. The rooftop area has chairs, tables & a couch where people can stay & chill. It has a nice view of the KL Sentral skyline, especially at night.

Communal Social / Lounge Area – In case guests don’t want to use the rooftop space, they can also chill & hangout in the ground floor communal area.

Private Room Amenities – Guests booked in private rooms are given bath towels to use during their stay. They can use the large cabinets inside the rooms; they also have full control of the rooms’ ceiling fans. They also have access to universal power sockets; they don’t need to bring their own adaptors.

Travel Desk – The hostel has a dedicated travel desk that offers guided tours around Kuala Lumpur & Malaysia. Feel free to ask reception for details.

Luggage Storage – PODs The Backpackers Hostel offers luggage storage for their guests both before check-in & after check-out.

Laundry Services – The hostel also offers laundry services. Feel free to check with reception if you want to avail of this service.

Ironing Facilities – Guests can iron their clothes using the iron & ironing board on the 1st floor.

Drinking Water Refill – Guests can refill their water bottles / containers near the reception area.

Seasonal Hostel Activities – Once in a while, the hostel organizes activities which guests can join & enjoy. Don’t forget to ask reception if there’s anything scheduled during your stay.

Games Area – The hostel also has some board & card games which guests can play with during their stay. Guests can use these board & card games for free.

Safe Deposit Boxes at Concierge – They have safe deposit boxes which guests can use to store their valuables.

Shoe Storage Areas & In-Room Slippers – The hostel asks guests to leave their shoes near the floor entrance & use in-room slippers while inside their respective rooms.

Centralized Air Conditioning System – The hostel’s air conditioning system is centralized. It is usually turned on at 8:00pm & runs for 12 hours until 8:00am. Outside these hours, guests can use the ceiling fans installed in every room.

Long Reception Hours – PODs The Backpackers Hostel’s reception is open everyday from 8:00am to 2:00am.

Printing & Scanning Services – The hostel offers printing & scanning services to its guests. These services area available in the reception desk.

Friendly & Responsive Staff – The hostel staff are friendly, hospitable & responsive. The people assigned in the reception desk during my check-in & check-out where very accommodating. They answered all my questions & explained every single detail about my stay. The person behind their Facebook page is also responsive & pleasant to talk to.

Secured Hostel Access – Only hostel guests can access & go inside the private & dormitory rooms. Guests are given key cards during check-in that work on their assigned floor / level.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags don’t need to worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has a lift which guests can use to get up & down from their assigned rooms / beds.

Hostel Experience

I had a great 2-night stay with PODs The Backpackers Home & Café. Their single pods are perfect for those who want to stay in affordable accommodation at the same time having some privacy away from the usual dormitory rooms. I liked how the mattresses inside the rooms were placed above the built-in platforms. I enjoyed the hostel’s facilities & amenities such as the fast & reliable Wi-Fi connection, the well-maintained rain showers & toilets & the spacious rooftop terrace. I also laud the hostel’s eco-friendly measures of recycling materials & avoiding single-use plastics. I believe the hostel’s ace is their location; it is accessible to almost all places in Kuala Lumpur.

I was a bit sad I didn’t get the chance to try out the food & drinks at TeaPODs Café. I was supposed to have lunch there after check-out but I was told they were closed for general cleaning. If there’s one thing that I didn’t like about the facilities, it’s the poor ventilation of the single pod assigned to me during my stay. The room had no windows (which I don’t mind really) but it would have been nicer if it had an exhaust. I had to open the door once in a while just to keep the room temperature bearable, especially during the day. Other than that, I think this hostel is really good.

The hostel location paired with their budget-friendly rates & awesome facilities make this property a true backpacker’s home. The hostel was quiet during my visit but it is still nice to see that people are starting to travel & visit Kuala Lumpur again. I hope to stay with this hostel again on my next visit to the city!

Do you have questions about the hostel & their facilities? Feel free to contact them in the following platforms.

PODs The Backpackers Home & Café
Address: G-6, No 30, Jalan Thambipillay, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone Number: +60 3 2276 0858
E-mail Address: admin@podsbackpacker.com
Website: www.podsbackpacker.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/podsbackpackers
Instagram: www.instagram.com/podsbackpackers

Have you recently stayed in a hostel? How was your experience compared to the pre-pandemic days? Feel free to share your hostel experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about my stay with PODs The Backpackers Home & Café? Post them in the comments below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature! I am happy that this section is back & I cannot wait to share more hostels & experiences in the future. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.