Review: Birdnest Guest House, KL, Malaysia

A lucky coincidence led us to Birdnest Guesthouse. While sitting in a café, discussing how to escape our bedbug-infested hostel without trekking half way around the city, my travelling companion and I were lucky enough to be overheard by Will, the owner of Birdnest Guesthouse and our new knight in shining armour. His prices were similar, his rooms were nicer and he knew the city like the back of his hand. Before being allowed to unpack, we were made to soak all of our clothes and hang them out in the sun, in order to kill any of the little biting blighters that may have crept their way into our stuff. Although slightly humiliating, it was good to know he was serious about this tricky problem. Bed-bugs are notoriously common in KL, and despite my somewhat lax attitude towards living standards while travelling, I draw the line at creatures that actually try to eat me in my sleep.

The atmosphere at Birdnest was relaxed and friendly, with a communal kitchen area, free internet and chilling areas both inside and out where card games were played in the evening. Will was always helpful in advising good places to go, sights to see and things to eat (although we did turn down his offer of trying toad after seeing their little faces peering through the glass). Having some form of artistic talent, we found another positive in Birdnest. After spotting my coloured pencils one evening, Will explained how he was keen to add some more decoration to the already colourful Guesthouse. With the promise of free beds, our couple of nights stay changed into a week as we painted different birds on each room door. So, if you are planning a trip to Malaysia, drop in to admire our handiwork in KL and you might just end up staying.

Birdnest's website- http://www.birdnestghouse.com/

I originally wrote this for Exploration-Online... http://www.exploration-online.co.uk/article.php?id=483