Hello, readers! As I've mentioned in a an earlier post, I made a trip to Ipoh, Perak. Well, a food trip, actually. :-)
I've been to Ipoh a few times for its food but I always had trouble looking for a decent hotel. Most of the hotels in Ipoh looked very ancient and dowdy. Some would prefer to stay at the Sunway Lost World Hotel at Tambun, Ipoh which highlights its Lost World Theme Park. Since I was traveling with my husband, I didn't think I would want to pay extra for something that I wouldn't utilise. It didn't seem like an ideal choice to us because we wanted to stay in the Ipoh city center, nearby the foodie spots.
There are some well-known hotels in Ipoh which locals would know but I didn't like that they're worn-out. Yes, I am a little picky. All I want is just a decent hotel: clean, reasonable and good hospitality. I understand that if it is strategically located, it would most probably cost more but then again I do not really mind the location that much compared to the hospitality and the cleanliness. I have stayed in an array of hotels, both budget and luxury. I do not wish to have red carpet everywhere but I just need a clean room with nice mattress, clean blanket, clean towels, clean floor, clean bathroom... :-D Clean everything!
Nowadays, I look for boutique hotels which usually are smaller-sized but with mediocre to great service and hygiene. I usually do my bookings online and via telephone calls. This time I realised that booking directly through the phone was cheaper than booking it online. I placed a reservation order and arrived late in the evening.
Surprise, surprise! When I arrived, I was carrying three big luggage bags into the hotel while I waited for my husband to park his car. And guess what? The security guard just sat there comfortably, watching me entering the hotel. Well, I just feel that you could at least open the door for me? And then he went closing his eyes and rested. When my husband came, he felt so bad for me because he asked me to wait for him. He complained about the poor service when he saw the security guard basically just rested on the couch. I went roaming around and realised that it was a rather new hotel. It was officiated in January 2012. It was just a little over a year!
The interior was very pleasant looking, a contrast compared to the hotel surrounding. I think it was a cinema next to the hotel, across a small alley. As you can see in the photos, the receptionist area was very well-lit, very welcoming but as I looked up, it was quite dark. I agree with energy conservation but somehow I felt that it was a bit dark upstairs. That aside, the hotel should be valued by its location. It is right across a money exchanger store and a twenty-four-hours convenience store next to the hotel. That alone, made me feel that it was the right hotel to stay in.
The corridor was clean! Hurray!
When I entered the room, voila! Amazing! It surpassed my expectations!
The room looked extraordinary. It gave out a comforting vibe. Notice the green bamboo portraits? Tranquilising...
I am always concerned of the bathroom. I prefer a bathroom with a big shower head for a relaxing bath. The bathroom was adorned with good features and guess what? Stainless steel everything!
When I left, there were two receptionists at the reception desk. While waiting for my husband to drive his car over, I noticed a really good act of kindness. The receptionist quickly asked the man in the photo if he wanted the bottle of shampoo and other toiletries his family members left in another room. And then when I entered my car, the receptionist kindly helped the man to load his bags into his car, without even being asked! What an amazing hospitality, isn't it? I left the hotel with a great impression of the hotel. Thanks to this receptionist who restored my faith in this hotel after a negative first impression from the security guard the night before.
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