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Here is where I stayed and what I think about it.
All the hotels can be found in the Lonely Planet guide to Singapore,
Malaysia, and Brunei. However, I have my quarrels with this otherwise
excellent guide, when it comes to their judgement of hotels. If
you are like me, you are likely to equate mid-budget with mid-quality,
which is a mistake. Mid-buget is more like lower end, in my opinion,
in most places, with the exception of Penang, where I was very
happy with The Continental.
Rating: excellent, good, ok, fair, poor.
- Singapore,
Albert Court
Value for the money: ok
Booked through travel agent: 80 Euro/night
Melaka, Gold
Leaf Hotel
Value for the money: ok (it's cheap)
Called 1 day in advance: 40 Rm/night
Kuala Lumpur, Swiss
Inn
Value for the money: ok
Stayed twice, both Deluxe room were rather smallish (but had windows)
Booked through travel agent: 160 Rm/night of which the hotel saw
100 Rm/night
Ipoh, The Majestic
Value for the money: fair (no phone)
Great veranda though!
Walked up: 80 Rm/night
Penang, The Continental
Value for the money: excellent
Walked up: 100 Rm/night after discount
Cameron Highlands,
Tanah Rata, Heritage Hotel
Value for the money: fair (nearly twice as expensive as
The Continental with less to offer)
Good view though
Walked up: 160 Rm/night
Kota Bharu, Safar Inn
Value for the money: fair (as basic as the Gold Leaf hotel,
but twice as expensive)
Had a nice balcony but TV didn't work, phone required going through
operator.
Unmarried couples are not allowed to share a room.
Called 1 day in advance: 80 Rm/night
Perenthian Island
Resort
Value for the money: poor (not much worked in this resort:
no phone, laundry, or TV)
This is the most expensive and best advertised resort on the Perenthian
islands.
Next time I'll try the Coral View (best service) or Watercolours
(best food) resort.
Walked up: 225 Rm/night after discount (also got an upgrade for
free---still a rip-off)
Hotel Capital,
Kota Kinabalu
Value for the money: good
The only complaint I have is that it was rather noisy.
Called 1 day in advance: 90 Rm/night for Deluxe rooms.
Kinabalu Park
Value for the money: poor
Complaints: rats (Park HQ) and wet bedding, no heating (Laban
Rata)
Called 3 days in advance, fixed price. Still had to delay by 1
day because of unavailability.
Almost, on all places that I mention, I could have negotiated discounts. If I didn't negotiate, it doesn't mean it wasn't possible.
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