A content creator from the Netherlands who recently embarked on a journey to Pakistan left his followers stunned with his most shocking discovery: a hotel room for a mere INR 117, or Pakistan Rs 400, which is approximately $1.40. Tom, known online as @traveltomtom, is a seasoned traveller who has explored 159 countries, as per his bio. His latest adventure took him to Peshawar where he documented his experience with the budget accommodation.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw the room," the content creator said in the video, which has accumulated more than 860,000 views on Instagram. In the clip, he further revealed that in less than $2, he got more than he expected. At first, when he was climbing the stairs to the room, he was unsure, but inside, the content creator was surprised to see that the room had two beds and a small television.
"Is this the cheapest hotel in Pakistan? May be even in the world? Just 400 Prs for a bed, that is $1.4 USD only!" the caption of the post read.
Watch the video below:
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A post shared by Adventure Traveler & Blogger (@traveltomtom)
In the caption, Tom shared how he stumbled upon this budget accommodation. "The story is that we met these super friendly people on the side of the street in Peshawar and had a chat with them, but we didn't get to see the room on our first meeting. The next day we walked past again and we decided to check it out. Why not!? The people in Peshawar are super friendly and they don't care about cameras and filming, the opposite… they love it!" he wrote.
"So we asked if we could see the room and they were super proud and happy to show us. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Considering the price and being one of the cheapest hotels in the world…Honestly, the Pashto people here in Northwest Pakistan are so kind, easy-going and above all they are super happy to see tourists!" Tom added.
Since being shared, Tom's video has sparked a flurry of reactions. While some users expressed disbelief and curiosity about visiting Pakistan, others reflected scepticism and stereotypes about the country.
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"why do foreign people visit such poor side of pakistan and not the luxury ones and then they show the media that this is how pakistan looks where in reality it is so beautiful and luxurious but these foreigners are just so eager to show this side of pakistan on social media," wrote one user.
"These are middle-class families starting small businesses on their land. These kinds of hotels are super affordable for labor workers who come from villages to find work in cities. I'm glad there is space for every class of people," commented another.
"I hate when people visit other countries and portray the poorest part of that country, seriously," added another. "I can smell this room HAHAHAHAH its almost as ghetto as it gets but its defo memorable and cool and looking back the stories will be so much cooler than staying at pearl continental etc," said one user.