Istanaku Hotel — Hotel in Manado

There are 2 istanaku guesthouses in manado. They are located opposite each other on the same road.||We stayed at istanaku guesthouse 2. Our primary reason for choosing this hotel was it's location - close to souvenier shops (including christine klappertaat), and close to eateries and cafes.||The hotel lobby is decorated quirkily with colourful murals. The staff were polite and helpful.||It's a 4 storey building but there isnt a lift for guests. There's a saying on the wall near the stairs 'There is no elevator to success. You need to take the stairs' 😅😜|But there is a lift at the back of the building which the staff use to carry your luggage. So having to use the stairs wasnt really an issue (unless you have knee problems!)||The rooms were of average size. You cant fit an extra bed. Bedding was comfortable for a good nights sleep. Blankets were thin....it just meant you couldnt have the AC on full blast. The room and bathroom were clean. The shower was excellent - a proper one, not one of those installed boxes. The water pressure was good and hot water was available. There was also a TV in the room.||Breakfast was included in the cost of the room. I am not sure if the food is halal. Breakfast was simple - chicken/beef soup, fried rice and bread (+spreads).||All in all, our stay at istanaku guesthouse 2 was pleasant and comfortable. It was value for what we paid for. I suggest requesting a room on the 1st floor.||PS. There is a fridge and freezer in the lobby where you can purchase bottled/box beverages...

A nice looking hotel with common areas that look newly renovated, and slightly older looking rooms. The room was spacious with a comfortable bed and full body mirror. There was no electrical outlet next to the bed, just at the desk. The bathroom was a bit cramped without much space to place toiletries, but otherwise ok. There was no fridge or complementary water bottles in the room, but instead a water dispenser in the corridor, providing unlimited cold and hot water.||||The WiFi speed peaked a 3Mb/s but could get pretty slow at times. There are usually more than one router in range, so trying to switch to a faster one might work.||||The restaurant area is big for such a small hotel, and there were always plenty of free tables. The complementary buffet breakfast consisted of fried rice with meat or salted fish, noodles either fried or in soup, toast and jam, and fresh fruit, with drink options being water, juice, tea and coffee, but no milk. After breakfast hours, the restaurant serves good and very reasonably priced Indonesian food.||||One of the best things about the hotel was the staff, which was professional, English speaking, and very friendly...

The hotel is reasonably priced. The breakfast is mediocre. However, for this price, including breakfast, this hotel is a good deal in Manado. The rooms are clean, everything works, and nothing is broken. In short, the maintenance is good. Most Western tourists come for Bunaken. They constantly count prices in euros and dollars, resulting in almost anybody in Manado treating Western tourists as cash. This hotel offers car excursions for ridiculously high prices, such as Rp 850,000 per person, while a price of around Rp 700,000 for a car with a driver would be normal. If four Western tourists go on a day trip, they would pay 4 x Rp 850,000 = Rp 3.4 million. The average monthly salary in Indonesia is approximately Rp 3.8 million. In short, Manadonese people should understand that by offering motor cycles and cars for rent and offering excursions at reasonable prices, they can sell much more than by selling excursions to a single tourist at ridiculously high prices. Because I speak Indonesian well, I can arrange a car with driver through the locals for a normal price, but this should simply be offered to Western tourists...