Breakfast was almost comical - we were offered toast and fried rice. I said just the toast please, and we both got toast and a fried egg. On the up side, the coffee was very good and the staff tried hard but weren't used to westerners.
Perhaps the Siantar was once a good hotel, but if we pass this way again I'll make sure we're in time for the last ferry to the island.
A word of warning - and I'll also post this on the following page - a man called Samuel proved to be the most annoying and persistent tout we've come across yet. He followed us around like a dog - I came out of the hotel room for a cigarette and he was there waiting, we went out to eat and he was there waiting. He just wouldn't leave us alone until our patience broke and we were really, really rude to him. We had previously tried just plain rude and it didn't work. The next day we saw him reeling in a lot of backpackers - perhaps they weren't quite as rude as us and couldn't shake him off. He was selling trips and tours and really pushing Samosir Cottages on the island, which we'd found on the internet and were intending to check out because it looked good. His prices were more expensive than booking direct with them and we got an even better rate by walking up.
