At the southern end of a string of lo-tels, the Mirage is a nondescript nine-storey block with basic comfortable accommodation. Besides the low rates, its chief attraction is its 'family' environment, meaning it's one of the few lodgings along this seedy strip that doesn't rent rooms by the hour.
The Mirage is for real: what you get is a plain but functional place to stay in a safe, friendly environment for a pretty low price. The affable ladies at the desk will hand you a key attached to a piece of heavy metal. Ride up a grimy elevator to find a small room with abundant closet space (no hangers) and a tiny, beige-tiled bathroom (drinking water is dispensed in the hallway). A thin mattress is neatly made up with a royal-blue bedspread, and the air-con unit drones at a tolerable volume. The rear of the building looks out on other tall blocks; the higher you go, the more distant the street noise.
