Sojourn Beds & Cafe

Really good location and staff (Lin is wonderful), eclectic tastefully decorated interior. No electricity cutoff when leaving the room. There appears to be 3 dorm rooms and 2 doubles upstairs and one triple down (behind the cafe). All rooms are shared bath (there are 2 upstairs). I stayed 3nights in the downstairs triple, which was in the back, off the street, without a window, so was insulated from outdoor noise, but not stuffy. A/C worked great except the fan seemed uncontrollable: speed oscillated continuously (even in “quiet” mode) and since I’m a light sleeper, earplugs did the trick. Two light switches provided good lighting, and there is a switchable exhaust fan to vent and another fan to circulate air, but they aren’t necessary. The room has clothes hooks, sufficient space, and there’s a drying line on the roof. The bathrooms (upstairs) have the typical Asian shower that floods everywhere (squeegees are provided, but ignored by guests). Also available are 2 sinks and 2 toilet stalls downstairs (for cafe patrons?), so triple room occupants only have to climb stairs to shower. Overall a really nice clean place to stay.

Taiping is a hidden gem of Malaysia and this hostel is similarly a hidden gem as well. Very comfortable rooms with ac that blow nice and cool, and a location that is very close to everything you may want to do in Taiping. The host as well is extremely pleasant. I came to Taiping with no idea what I should do, and the host gave me plenty of ideas to fill my itinerary. I couldn't recommend it more.

Lin was an amazing host. I had enjoyed long conversations with her. She had recommended great places to eat nearby. This being the centre of town, there were plenty of food options nearby at all hours of the day. I also liked that she had never tried to sell any tours or packages, nor did I feel any pressure to buy the drinks from the cafe, unlike at many budget hostels looking to earn extra revenue. Filtered water and hot beverages were available, the WiFi was strong in my room, and the property was very clean. My room was the one facing the road, but the sound insulation was so good that I didn't hear the thunderstorm outside one night, even without earplugs. A small fan is provided in each bunk if the inside gets too warm when the privacy curtains are drawn. The reception hours are limited, but there are clear instructions for a late check-in or an early check-out, and you can leave your bags at the accommodation after check-out too.

Nice common areas to hang out and you can make yourself some coffee/tea/milo whenever you like. There is also a big selection of books. Our small room felt very comfy with the high ceiling and the shared bathrooms where nice and clean. We very much enjoyed the breakfast recommendation, walking around 7 minutes to a big hawker market that was full of locals. It was a great option for us while we did the night safari in Taiping. The park at walking distance is also nice to see wild birds and we also saw a large reptile swimming.

Such a cute hostel in a nicely renovated traditional building. Owner/staff was very friendly and let us check-in early (much appreciated!). Great location in Taiping old town, with lots of nice cafes and restaurants nearby. For info, the triple room had no window. The owner told us at the time of booking, and we decided to keep the room anyway. The room did feel a bit claustrophobic, but you can hang around in the café area. We did enjoy our stay there.