Melaka City Centre Budget Hostel - The Rucksack Caratel

Melaka, with its nostalgic ambiance reminiscent of old Hong Kong, is a perfect destination for a short getaway. The city boasts traditional Chinese characters on signboards, the classic combination of ground-floor shops and upper-floor residences, and the joyful eavesdropping on locals speaking Cantonese. While it may not be an overwhelmingly exciting place, Melaka offers a charming setting for a quick escape. Among its highlights, a visit to the cafes and night market on Jonker Street is an absolute must.

Chinese Version Available 中文版在此：

馬來西亞小出走：[住宿] 馬六甲The Rucksack Caratel – Jonker Street步行距離平價住宿

馬六甲的景點非常集中，帶濃厚的舊香港味，繁體字招牌、唐樓的下舖上居、偷聽講廣東話的當地人説話，雖然不至於超好玩，但是個適合短途出走的地方，方便起見建議住在Jonker Street附近。

Due to the concentration of attractions in Melaka, it is highly recommended to stay near Jonker Street for convenience and easy access to the city’s main attractions.

Pros

The Rucksack Cartel offers an incredibly affordable accommodation option, with the basic room type costing only SGD$35 per night (approximately $210 HKD) on weekdays. However, during our visit over a long weekend from Singapore, the room rate was SGD$100. It’s important to note that we were upgraded to the Garden Suite for this price.
The hotel’s location is conveniently within walking distance to both the Dutch Square and Jonker Street, taking approximately 5 and 7 minutes, respectively. This proximity allows for easy exploration of these popular attractions.

The scenery at The Rucksack Cartel was exactly to our liking, with lush greenery stretching as far as the eye could see.

The Rucksack Cartel is a hostel-style hotel that offers a welcoming atmosphere. In the lobby, they provide complimentary coffee and tea, allowing guests to indulge in the pleasure of brewing their own hot beverages at no extra cost.

Despite its affordable room rates and hostel-style operation, The Rucksack Cartel surprises guests with a delightful feature: a swimming pool. This unexpected amenity adds an extra touch of relaxation and enjoyment to the overall experience, providing guests with the opportunity to take a refreshing dip and unwind during their stay.
The hotel staff at The Rucksack Cartel were incredibly friendly and accommodating. On the day of our check-out, we mistakenly thought we had lost our AirPods. The staff members displayed genuine concern and went above and beyond to assist us. They actively communicated with the cleaning personnel, asking them to keep an eye out for the missing item while we frantically searched through our bags. Fortunately, we discovered that the AirPods were tucked away at the bottom of our travel bag. The staff’s assistance and support throughout the process were greatly appreciated.

Cons

The hotel’s architecture features a series of layered designs, creating an interesting visual effect. However, it’s worth noting that from our room’s side window, we could catch a glimpse of the adjacent room’s large bed. While the privacy might be slightly compromised in this aspect, it can easily be addressed by simply drawing the curtains.

The hotel walls and floors were well-maintained and appeared fresh and clean. However, we did notice some signs of aging on the bed linens, towels, and soap bottles. They weren’t dirty per se, but they had a slightly worn-out feel.
As it is a hostel-style hotel, breakfast was not provided.
Upon opening the kettle, we noticed that the bottom had water stains, which gave us an unfavorable impression. For refilling hot or cold water, it is recommended to go to the lobby on the ground floor instead.

As we decided on a spontaneous getaway to Melaka during the long weekend, we unfortunately missed the opportunity to book some of the more visually appealing homestays. However, the convenience of the location was truly unmatched, and we also managed to save a considerable amount of money. The scenery provided great photo opportunities, and overall, we were quite satisfied with our stay.