It is unquestionably the worst Hotel by value I have ever stayed in. Whoever decides on the management strategy appears to have a cheap approach that is not commensurate with this brand. I consider this an exceptionally poorly organised hotel.
Despite the lovely staff, I resent having paid so much to stay here. I feel almost cheated, and thus, I cannot rate it better than I have. It is an unforgivable mindset to run a hotel in this way. You don’t deserve the lovely staff you have and certainly none of your guests.
There are many more issues to list than I have written, but I set out a snapshot of ones that come to mind as I type this after my stay:
1) The area outside the lobby was so congested with queues of cars that I had to walk amongst vehicles and vans with my luggage. The reason: The hotel has cordoned off multiple empty car parking spaces outside at 20 RM so there was no room to drop off. It seems like a cheapskate mindset, not appropriate for a luxury hotel. There was no concierge to be seen. This felt like arriving at a busy and unwelcoming airport.
2) I paid 780 MYR per night for a King deluxe room. I was requested to leave a 200 MYR deposit despite finding no consumables in the room.
3) My room had a bath, but no bath foam, soap, shampoo, or toiletries within reach of the tub. No water gun is by the toilet, but a cheap seat with installed micro water spray that is so low-grade it’s excruciating. I have used many, and none were like this. There are no weighing scales, hand soap, or body cream. Large plastic dispensers are locked to the wall in the shower. The wardrobe has no light, so you can’t see how to use the safe, no umbrella in the closet or room.
4) There is no coffee machine, just a kettle, two small water bottles, a warm, empty fridge, instant coffee, tea, and white sugar. Not enough water to make tea and have a glass of water. The staff did provide more when asked, but you shouldn’t need to ask.
5) Terrible cheap furniture, sofas and chairs. It was the most uncomfortable I have ever encountered. Even Ikea wouldn’t peddle it, let alone a decent furniture maker. It may look ok but the quality is exceptionally low.
6) The bed is uncomfortable, has poor quality sheets and bedding, terrible lighting with no central controls, no night lights, curtains that don’t close properly, and plastic vinyl artwork that’s not even straight in some rooms. It’s not art; it’s plastic printed sheets on a wooden frame.
7) It is far too cumbersome to connect to the internet from the room. I was asked for a range of personal details and to accept T&Cs. I must provide my home address, e-mail, and other information to connect to the Internet in the Hilton?! It's more like an airport in Russia to get free wifi. I had to get help multiple times to get through it. I don’t want my data harvested and sold or be at risk of it.
8) External landscaping front and back with virtually no trees or native-planted gardens. Mostly grass and concrete and occasional sad, non-native trees. We are in Borneo, a tropical climate once home to a delicate rainforest. Don’t put signs up in your rooms about conserving the environment if you can’t even afford a few native trees and landscaping or manage a garden in an allegedly 5-star hotel. It looks like you don’t care, but expect everyone else to where it saves you money. The swimming pool surroundings make me think of a hotel in Beirut. Virtually no soft landscaping other than grass and a few dying plants in a planter. Cheap pool tiles with unfinished drain points that may cut your feet if you’re not careful. The pool is cheaply finished with sparse trees and little landscaping. Smiley staff, but don’t bring you a towel. You have to look after yourself.
9) Breakfast is a little disappointing. Paper napkins, un-charming restaurant. No plain yoghurt, porridge, rolled oats or muesli, dates, nuts, prunes, etc. By all means, showcase local curries, but some of us want healthy options for breakfast beyond fruit.
I could write a longer list of other points. It might be OK if it was 100-200 MYR a night, but it is undoubtedly not at almost 800 MYR!
The staff I encountered were charming, accommodating, and keen to resolve issues. The assistant manager, Petros Sabam, went far beyond what one might expect to improve the situation. He bent over backwards to accommodate my needs on the executive floor, but I cannot overcome my resentment of how this hotel is run and the terrible value for money. He would be at the top of my list of onsite management staff to recruit if I ran a hotel. They are fortunate to have him and others.
A message to the franchise owners: Your future reviews may reflect your need for a more thoughtful investment and management style. Let’s see if future guests are discerning or care. I expect many are corporate or non-private bookings, so the guests may be reluctant to write what they think on here when they are the guests of others or perhaps don’t care if they are not paying for it.
Don’t put up signs about the environment when you have the most depressing lack of landscaping but have enough land to create beautiful gardens and even showcase multiple rainforest trees and plants, but you don’t.
It looks like you don’t care. Shame on you.
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