Hotel Review: Laguna Redang Resort

Ok, here goes.

View from entrance

It was a company trip this time around. Yay, everything's free. We chose Laguna Redang Resort because it was the 2nd most expensive package and it fitted our budget. The package included a return flight ticket to Redang Island, accomodation, meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners) and 3 snorkeling trips. Quite a bargain, really!

Our foyer

Overall, the interior are quite satisfactory considering we are staying at a deluxe room. Foyer's floor was of tiny pebbles and main area of solid timber flooring which was luxurious. However, room smelled murky, maybe because the resort was located by the beach and that the room has alot of wooden furnitures?

The toilet, sink and shower room were all separated. I wished they'd just make it into a usual hotel bathroom where it's all together as it's quite cramp. Luckily I'm not that big of a person, so yea. 

Sink area a little small as I stayed with another 2 colleagues. All our stuffs were all over the place.

I think there were some mistakes in the design of the shower room and the toilet. It will be much better for the shower room and toilet to switch places because the toilet has a window which is facing the outside of the room and the shower room's window was facing the toilet. The shower room were stuffy and wet for quite sometime after someone showered in it.

OK this is my bed.

The bedroom was also not that organised. I was wondering why did the hotel decided to have the 2 single beds by the tv? It's so weird! They should've pulled the queen bed more to the left and then put the other 2 single beds on the right side. There were so much space! If you refer tothe first picture, there's 2 rattan chairs and a table, the hotel should really get rid of that, it's just so ugly and OLD!

And finally, the view from the balcony. Seriously?

Overall, I rate this place 3 star. Their rating of 4 star is totally overrated. Maybe I'm fussy but for the price that the company paid for, we deserve more than what was given. Although my colleagues think it's pretty awesome but my standard for 4 star is definately more than this.

Hotel Review: PP Casita

This is also my first visit to Koh Phi Phi (Phi Phi Island). It's pronounced as PP instead of Phi Phi as in Philippines! Because of the H in between the P and I, I kept calling it Phi Phi instead of PP! How embarassing!

Anyway, we stayed at PP Casita. It's one of the 3 star hotel that's situated in the town area. Hotels that are more than 4 star are all at the corners of the island and there's absolutely no proper vehicle lane on the island as I've only seen 1 pickup truck so far during my trip. Also, to get into town from the more expensive hotels, you'd have to take a boat ride.

Without further ado, here are the pictures of the said hotel.

This the hotel's swimming pool. We only dipped in the pool that one time after sun tanning the afternoon before.

That's our cottage! We initially booked the Building Rooms but it was fully booked and the hotel happily gave us the Cottage at the same price! We booked through Agoda.com though.

This is our room! Our room was the FURTHERST of all! It took us AGES to reach! Ok, fine, I'm exaggerating. It was probably a 3 minute walk from the Lobby or so.

That's my bed. There goes the blue pillow again! What are you doing there?! Love the sheets though.

That's the front door and that is not my backpack.

The lovely desk next to my bed. The pink hair dryer is mine. I simply dislike hotel hair dryers as the air blowing aren't hot and strong enough. Or I'm probably just too used to my own hair dryer. Whatever.

This is the bathroom. Obviously.

Lovely sink. It's so 2000's or perhaps late 90's.

That's the shower area. Ignore the black patches at the corner of the green mosaics. Anyway, the mosaics are cool and as long as you stopped looking at the moss, you'll be fine.

Overall, I like this hotel because it's just simply central. There are alot of shops just outside the hotel area.

However, even at 3am, you can still hear the club's music as Phi Phi is practically a party island! It doesn't bother me much though.

The room came with breakfast but you will be disappointed in it. It looks like canteen food but for what you pay for, you can't expect much.  Service was overall great, bed and room was made up every morning and the reception staff were really nice.

I'll stay here again if I ever go back to Koh Phi Phi!

Hotel Review: Aizuya Inn

My first visit to Japan was in 2008 and it was a very impromtu one. I googled up and down for the cheapest and best accomodation that I could find. Obviously I am not going to be staying at the usual hotel but an inn this time.

As I enter the door, this is what I see. Yea, yea. I know. It looks like a store room BUT it has 3 tatami mats which measures 6ft x 9ft. As you can see there's a window and an LCD tv. It also has an air conditioner cum heater installed in each room.

That's the door, mattress and a pillow. Mattress was the standard Japanese mattress for tatami mats. The pillow has a shape and it feels like it's beanies inside BUT if it's beanies, how can the beanies hold the shape of the pillow? It was shaped to fit a person's head. Weird stuff!

Watching Japanese news at 8.15am. Ok, not that I understand it but..... there was nothing in English that early in the morning. I do notice that they show American movies on a Thursday night (I don't remember if it was on a daily basis but yea). Oh by the way, the tv's 14".

No, the room did not come with the food. The pork with rice (red packet), potato salad (black packet) and Jasmine Tea were all bought from 7-11 which is right at the corner of the inn. The mochi was a freaking RM4 per piece. I only got 3 to try out. Oh yea, they provided this foldable table in the room for food, laptops or whatever you wish to do with it.

Minami-Senju Metro Station

More info: Although I had a private room, the bathroom, sinks (for washing your teeth, wash your hands) and shower room are all shared.

Sakura already blooming mid of Feb! Lucky me!

There are about 3 male and 3 female toiles on each floor and also 3 male and 3 female shower rooms on the ground floor. Or was it 2 each? I forgot. Oh, it's 100 yen per 5 minutes of running water for the shower. The good thing is that, whenever you turn off the water, the time stops running and when you turn it back on, it will be the same temperature as you have adjusted before and the time continues from when you stopped. And you know what, 5 mins worth of running water is ENOUGH for a good shower. I'm probably wasting litres of water at home being in the shower for 10 mins each time.

Ramen that I had at one of the restaurants in Yodabashi Akiba.

They have a kitchen for use too and there's 2 coin washing machines and 2 coin dryers. Again, I forgot how much it was. There's a fridge to store your food, don't forget to use the marker pen by the fridge to write your name on your food just incase.

The inn was extremely clean (room, toilets & showers) included. However, I was there during winter and it's low season. I hope it stays that way throughout the year.

Oh, and it's about 8 mins walk from the Minami-Senju metro station.

Update: I'll be posting up more photos of Aizuya Inn soon as I'll be visiting Japan again this September.

Update2: Sorry but I won't be posting up more photos of this place since I didn't get to take anymore. You can check out their website for more photos since they are all of the place.

Hotel Review: Hard Rock Hotel, Bali

So, I went to Bali and I booked a room at Hard Rock Hotel.

I paid about USD100 per night but it's the deluxe room with the deluxe swimming pool (for deluxe room guests only!) and the usual buffet breakfast.

The rooms look as per their gallery pictures at their website.

2 queen beds!! Which is amazing if you have 4 people travelling together, they could share a room and the size of the room is really big.

The bathroom was really dated. I wish they had somehow refurbished it to look more modern. Water was hard too but no worries. They provide 2 bottles of drinking water on a daily basis for FREE!

OMG, I'm stuck in an 80's bathroom.

The toilet roll holder is a little creative and it works as the towel hanger too. Overall, I was really happy with my stay. The deluxe rooms' building is located away from the superior rooms' building and you have to have the access card to access the building.

I like the privacy in all and the pool is really quiet. I think they call it the Chilling Pool.

Hotel Review: Sutera Harbour Resort - The Pacific Sutera Harbour Hotel

Date: September 2008

Apologies for the dated review. I was staying in Sutera Harbour Resort's The Pacific Sutera Harbour Hotel on my trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

It was one of Citibank's credit card promotion, hence I chose this hotel. I believe it was RM299++ per night and it was a really good deal back then as rack rates were around RM450++ and above per night. This comes with breakfast.

When I saw the superior room, I was a little disappointed. It looks dated and yea, it's dated. Furnitures, curtains, yup!

This is what I see when I first opened the room door. I upgraded myself to the Club Room. That's another RM195++ on top of the Citibank's promotion price.

Although the decor was dated but it was clean and comfortable.

Oh, and it has a balcony. Cool, right?

Oh, not forgetting the bed.

Okay, blue pillow - you have got to stop sleeping on my bed!

Awesome right? The sunset is so beautiful!

Now, this is the Club Room's breakfast area. For that 2 mornings, I think I was the only one having breakfast here. No crowds and there's a menu! The juices are freshly squeezed/made, not the usual ones that we drink off the pack - that was served at the coffee house. I feel so privileged!

I like the juice glass.

These were what I had on the 2nd morning. It's yummy. Presentation wise - love it!

Hotel Review: Intercontinental Hotel Saigon

Date: April 2010

I stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel Saigon during my trip to Vietnam.

Didn't really take much of the photos of the room. Pictures were taken from googling.

The room looked exactly as pictured. It was really cozy and clean and nice. But the white lazy chair is not very nice to sit on. I had a backache from sitting at that position! I think it just compliment the whole modern contemporary look of the room.

The bathroom were really nice as well. You can't really see but at the right hand side of the bathroom is where the modern bathtub is located and the glass door on the left is towards the shower area. Toiletries were adequate and bathroom were really modern and clean. Free bottled water included!

This is the lawn at the swimming pool level of the hotel. So breathtakingly beautiful! To the left is the services apartment that Intercontinental offers. I believe it might be for long term rental? I'm not sure.

That's my Roxy slippers. Sorry, going out of topic here.

Anyway, the price is a little on the high side. I believe it was around USD150 per night at that time but it's so worth it.

Buffet breakfast was included in the room price. Overall, it's standard hotel breakfast. Nothing spectacular but it's alright.

And the best part is, Hard Rock Cafe is located at the ground floor of the same building. Talking about convenience!