So much for my stay in Utama Hotel after so many years and i was close to trying to introducing some friends to go stay there but after looking at this, i had a change of mind,hehehe...
This hotel in general is very Formosa-look-alike. Its like the Formosa 6 years or more ago.
Breakfast :
I cant really give a fair review on this due to the peak season. But during peak time,i easily fail it all. Restaurant for breakfast is big enough to accommodate most of the staying guests (bear in mind,its peak season on weekend), hence no waiting in queue, as compare to Goodway hotel when i was there during peak season.
Food varieties were white porridge, white rice, curry chicken, fried kueh tiao, vegetable,bread, jams, corn flakes, some fruits and desserts. I would say its Zest hotel's standard but just more messier. There is a EGG station whereby i dont see that in Zest tho. I usually go for porridge in hotel breakfast but guess what, i can only have white porridge as there were no "you tiao", no chicken slice, no ikan bilis, no duck egg...only soya sauce, peanuts and a bit of onion leaves. I end up taking bread with Kaya and had one mouthful each of their kueh tiao, white rice, curry chicken and the vegetable. Taste wise is actually not bad. There is something that many hotels do not provide which i found there. Utama Hotel provides condense milk in their coffee/tea station.
Ambiance wise, hmm...its a smoking hotel. So i am having breakfast in a little hazy wonderland. The waiter/waitress clear the used-table fast enough too.
1st impression and 1st interaction:
Stepping into the hotel, it looks as i have expected, very Formosa-look-alike. As if its like formosa hotel many years ago. But after handling over my passport to their receptionist, my impression changed. 1 hotel room key issue, ask about how to be member, and NOT allowing me to place a deposit even after i hand them my passport.
See now, i cant tell anyone how much deposit i am suppose to place if i dont hand them my passport,right?
Anyway, the whole reception counter is like a war zone,hehehe...and their tone tends to be on the ruder part. A NO is a NO, clean and sharp rejection w/o compromise or alternative. Thats what i see.
But like i said earlier, its peak season, but it is becos its peak season, i get this unqiue chance to see them working under pressure. Let's not forget, there are way more non-peak season in the 365 days than peak season/days.
Room :
The room is generally clean. They just need to clean their air-con. The next time if i am going to stay in Utama hotel again, i need to bring an electric air purifier and a air freshener. Simple, the air-con itself spit out heavy cigarette scent (just like those auto electric air freshener) ,which is enough to wake me up in the middle of my sleep. This is a VERY BIG minus point for the room.
Noise pollution wise, well...i can give that part a miss even tho i am a light sleeper. Like in my army days, i am pretty much an adaptive person who could sleep anywhere and everywhere, easily. Even in muddy red soil under the rain,hehehe... to each its own ,i guess.
The next time if i am going there again, i am more likely to stay in their bigger room (or any better room),hehehe...
I will still take their smoking room tho, just this time i will bring at least an air freshener. I am going to shop for an electric air freshener next round.
Food menu for room service :
Notice the part that says "all prices are subject to government tax and service of 21%".
Didnt have extra stomach space for their food this time. Perhaps if fate allows it one day, i might want to try their All time favourite "Indomie" in the menu at 20k rupiah. Plus 21% tax and service would be, 24200 rupiah.
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Looking out from my Utama hotel room, i notice there is a semi-smoking 2 starred hotel called Namii Hotel. A no-elevator hotel.
The view on the photo taken was actually right from the Utama hotel front door. Opposite Namii Hotel is Alfa Mart and beside has a money changer, so this is actually a not bad hotel in terms of convenience. Lots of eatery at the side walk of Namii too. In other word, the Alfa Mart is actually just on the left hand side from Utama Hotel front door.
Took me no more than 10 mins walk to DC Mall. And in front of DC Mall (from their back entrance), i saw Romance Hotel.
Yep, another cheap 1.5 star hotel costing less than S$20 per night stay with fairly good room. Price stated here is un-measurable due to season becos during peak time, their room can cost as high as S$30 a night but during non-peak season, it can go as low as S$9.70.
Took a walk from behind Utama hotel and saw there's also quite a few other smaller scale hotel, like Hotel 18...
Probably a 1 starred hotel as they have as high as 3rd floor but w/o elevator. Hope should be pretty much cheap too. But do keep expectation low.
Walking further down, i saw Pagoda Hotel. Looks 2 starred to me...
...hence i walk in to snap a shot of their price list.
If i were to stay there, might probably take their family room. Most time, those one starred or two starred hotel pride themselves with those bigger better room as guest often need to pay double the usual. Double the usual, still cheaper than many 3 starred hotel,hehehe...
Walking further down the 2nd block after Pagoda Hotel, there's S hotel...hehehe...this is another 2 starred hotel that price themselves pretty low.
Peak season would cost about S$25 or so for their bigger rooms, but during non-peak, it can cost as low as S$13 or so. Like i mentioned above, low starred hotel doesnt mean it would be small room, lousy service, providing nothing in-room etc.
I, for one would like to try out low starred hotel in the coming 2020 year but with calculated risk. Meaning i need to go prepared with things like Baygon insect spray, air freshener, shaving kit, slippers, own transport etc. And i will be targeting their bigger better rooms.
Many a times, smaller scale hotels provide better quality service than 3 to 4 starred hotels. In my own words, i would say...most 3 to 4 starred hotels provide at times, "robotic" good service (pre-programmed service), but many 1 to 2 starred hotels provide either up-to-own-mood lousy service or if not "good human-like" service.
So much for hotel talk. I have given Newton hotel and Biz Hotel, and any other nearby hotels a miss as they were further away from where i stayed in.
I will be looking deeper into :
1. Pagoda Hotel
2. S Hotel
3. Namii Hotel
4. Romance Hotel
5. Maybe Hotel 18 too, which i am keeping in view.
Hehehe...to be continued.
I am saving the best for last on this December 2020 trip.
* Please DO NOT quote my whole post. Thank you.