Talofa Inn

I was shocked when I checked into this hotel. I booked two nights because of good online reviews and its location in the city center. Strictly speaking, it's a family-run guesthouse. I paid about 450 RMB per night, thinking it wouldn't be too bad. However, I ended up in a tiny room of about 9 square meters without a private bathroom (you had to go through the lobby to get to the toilet). That wasn't all; after the front desk closed at 7 pm, the entire hotel relied on the security guards patrolling their assigned areas for maintenance. There were two guests on the first day, but on the second day I was the only guest left. I specifically asked the security guard not to wander off at night. When I went to use the bathroom, it was pitch black outside. The guard had turned off all the lights in the lobby and the lights leading to the toilet, and left with the door wide open! Only the streetlights outside provided a pitiful glow through the door. I contacted the front desk, but they couldn't reach the guard either. Finally, they contacted the head of the security company through their supervisor, who then managed to get the guard back. Being the only person in the entire hotel in a foreign country, I was truly disappointed. Ctrip (the travel agency) was commendable for their proactive handling of the situation afterward.