First Time Staying at an Airbnb in Brunei: EZ Lodgings, Bandar Seri Begawan

So, in case you haven't read my previous post on my last Borneo trip, my main destination for the trip is actually Brunei Darussalam. Not only that I wanted to go to Brunei as I have to tick off this country from my bucket list, but also because I've got an old friend there to visit. 😉

My first time in Brunei became the first thing for me to do something else: staying at an Airbnb.

I know, some of you might wonder where I have been all the time that I never used the platform before as I've traveled. However, despite creating my account in the platform a long time ago, my first experience staying at Airbnb was on the trip to Brunei.

In Brunei, I stayed at EZ Lodgings, located around 15 minutes drive from the city center in Bandar Seri Begawan. For this, I got recommended by Suzie ever since we started talking about my plan to visit her in Brunei.

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Brunei As My First Place to Stay at an Airbnb

As I mentioned before, I actually created an account on Airbnb for years. I even tried to book the accommodation through the platform for my last Bangkok trip a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it as the apartment was already booked on the exact same date.

Trip after trip, I always found some accommodation with a cheaper rate on the other platform. So, that's actually the main reason why I finally used Airbnb for the first time recently when I was in Brunei.

Suzie recommended EZ Lodgings for my accommodation as she knows Dina, the host. Bonus point, because EZ Lodgings is one of the most affordable accommodations in Brunei.

EZ Lodgings

After contacting Dina through Airbnb message platform a few times, I booked a room at EZ Lodgings for 4 days and 3 nights. I paid $62.02 USD, with tax included for my accommodation in Brunei.

Before confirming the booking, I even had to make sure whether Airbnb is legal in Brunei to Suzie. One thing that I should take note about Airbnb is that it is illegal in Singapore, so I always avoid using the platform especially in Singapore.

However, Suzie assured me that apart from the fact that Singapore and Brunei currency being on par with each other, Brunei is not as strict as Singapore. In fact, now that I've been to both countries, I could totally tell you that even as an Indonesian earning IDR, I find things in Brunei more affordable than those in Singapore.

First Impression

EZ Lodgings is not exactly located in the city center. However, its location is strategic as it's only a walking distance from The Gadong Mall. It is also surrounded by so many eateries from some seafood restaurant to even McDonald's.

It is relatively easy to find EZ Lodgings as they have their location correct on Google maps. The only issue is that their signage is quite small that you may not see it in the first glance. But once you find it, you only have to go upstairs and you're there.

Dina sent me the code to enter the property and informed me which room that would be mine for 3 nights. As I didn't have any internet connection once I reached Brunei, Suzie did most of the correspondence with Dina at the time and she was super helpful!

They also provide a shared washing machine and iron board when needed.

We barely had any issue to enter the property, and I was genuinely impressed that the property resemblances the pics in the picture. Totally not just some kind of propaganda. It's as clean and as cozy as pictured in the Airbnb profile. 🙂

Review

By the time I reached the accommodation, I was thankful that Suzie recommended this Airbnb to me. Not only was the rate lower than average, but it was just a perfect place to stay for my 4-day trip in Brunei.

I usually booked the accommodation with a private shower, and even though they only provide shared bathroom in the accommodation… I still find this a terrific option for a stay in Brunei!

The room has everything that I needed for my stay. A cozy bed with the air conditioner that works. It even has a night lamp for those who need it. I don't, so I really didn't bother about its existence. 🙂

I've also got a window view, even though the view is actually through the jungle. So, I rarely opened the curtain when I was there.

And they also provide a small mirror for me to do makeup and skincare routine in the bedroom, so it is really super nice. In addition to that, they also provide a towel with a toilet paper inside the bucket where I could put my toiletries for when I went to the shower. I find this very useful and thoughtful, especially since we share the bathroom with other guests.

The two doors behind the chairs are the bathrooms they have, shared with other guests.

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The location is super great, only walking distance to The Mall Gadong and surrounded by so many eateries around the building.
It has everything you need during your stay. From a cozy and a private bedroom, to even shared washing machine and kitchen. Yes, you can even cook in the accommodation as long as you clean it up after you use it!
Affordable price with excellent services provided.
Dina, the host, is super responsive. She even tried to arrange a driver when I didn't get any Dart car to catch my bus to Kota Kinabalu on my last day in Brunei.
They provide the bucket so our toiletries could be well-organized despite the fact that we share the bathroom with other guests.
The property is super clean!

(-)

No dryer for the washing machine. We need to dry clothes manually and when I was there, the drying space was always full so I went to the laundry instead to save some time.

They have two shared bathrooms with the same layout as this.

Would I Stay at EZ Lodgings Again?

Definitely, yes… I think they also have some rooms with a double bed too. Given the idea that the rate is affordable compared to other accommodation in Brunei, I wouldn't think twice to stay at EZ Lodgings again.

The location is strategic as it's quite easy to get around from there, and the property is really nice to stay for a few days too. And they even have a kitchen so you could always prepare your own meals, in case you're running out of money to eat elsewhere.

My take on the first stay at EZ Lodgings through Airbnb was indeed positive. Money well spent, a place that is worth to stay for a few days. Everything is excellent.

Anyway, it's 2019 already… Have you stayed at an Airbnb for any of your trips? If so, where is the first Airbnb you stayed and how was your first experience?

If you're still yet to create a new account on Airbnb, click here to get some discount for your first booking. That's all for today, and cheerio! 🙂

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