Way back in March...
By airport hotel, I mean one physically in the airport or one close enough to take a shower, grab a bite to eat and have a short sleep before your next flight...when it's just way to long to window shop the duty free stores and drink expensive or bad coffee.
I remember our first experience in an 'airport' hotel at Kuala Lumpur's luxurious International Airport Pan Pacific back in 2007, pre-blogging/reviewing days.Transported to reception in a golf buggy (if we'd known about it) and greeted by lovely staff, a cold refreshing drink and hot towels. Stray enjoyed one of the best Aussie steaks he'd ever had for around AU$13, paid for in 3 different currencies! The gargantuan buffet breakfast was well executed and to die for.
These days we land at KL's budget airline terminals (LCCT) and after lugging our bags from the plane, across the tarmac, through immigration, we continue on to the far side of the large car park to the Tune Hotel. A complex of small air conditioned boxes containing a bed with just enough space to walk around it, and a bathroom. Convenient and satisfactory...unless of course they're booked out.
This time we bussed it from Melaka to LCCT and caught a cab out to the Empress Hotel in Sepang, for 42 ringgit. A bit of a drive, a ways out of the airport area, but much closer than the city. A 12 storey hotel, described in its brochure as 'unfolding true Malaysian hospitality in an innovative setting surrounding by interesting local activities' - verbatim.
Translated that roughly means this is a big, old building, yet clean and comfortable. The rooms are generous and well equipped, however, the hotel looks like it was plonked smack in the centre of a sleepy, well worn suburb in the middle of whoop whoop. And, whose inhabitants seem to be doing their utmost to ignore its existence. As one would. Most of the surrounding shops were closed the afternoon we arrived, which made it, more than likely, quieter than usual.
If you're fed up with watching bad quality Sat TV, hungry and or after a beer, step out the front doors, cross the road and turn left. On the corner is a Chinese owned restaurant with plenty of food choices and friendly faces.
Don't think about taking a doggy bag back to your room though, the sign in the hotel foyer clearly states NOT to bring outside food inside... and the fridges have been removed from the rooms. The hotel does have its own cafe, open from 5.00 am until 1.00 pm, and room service if I remember correctly. Brekkie was included and was more than ample.
Handy hint! Book a shuttle for the return journey to the airport when you first arrive, it'll only cost 15 ringgit.
Would I stay again? Yes, if I had to. It's simply an 'over nighter', nothing more and nothing less. No biggy, but don't believe the hotel's blurb and photos. To be honest, the stay was a little surreal, mainly due to the oddish location.
Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai
By airport hotel, I mean one physically in the airport or one close enough to take a shower, grab a bite to eat and have a short sleep before your next flight...when it's just way to long to window shop the duty free stores and drink expensive or bad coffee.
I remember our first experience in an 'airport' hotel at Kuala Lumpur's luxurious International Airport Pan Pacific back in 2007, pre-blogging/reviewing days.Transported to reception in a golf buggy (if we'd known about it) and greeted by lovely staff, a cold refreshing drink and hot towels. Stray enjoyed one of the best Aussie steaks he'd ever had for around AU$13, paid for in 3 different currencies! The gargantuan buffet breakfast was well executed and to die for.
These days we land at KL's budget airline terminals (LCCT) and after lugging our bags from the plane, across the tarmac, through immigration, we continue on to the far side of the large car park to the Tune Hotel. A complex of small air conditioned boxes containing a bed with just enough space to walk around it, and a bathroom. Convenient and satisfactory...unless of course they're booked out.
This time we bussed it from Melaka to LCCT and caught a cab out to the Empress Hotel in Sepang, for 42 ringgit. A bit of a drive, a ways out of the airport area, but much closer than the city. A 12 storey hotel, described in its brochure as 'unfolding true Malaysian hospitality in an innovative setting surrounding by interesting local activities' - verbatim.
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| View from the window |
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| Another view from the window |
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| The window |
Don't think about taking a doggy bag back to your room though, the sign in the hotel foyer clearly states NOT to bring outside food inside... and the fridges have been removed from the rooms. The hotel does have its own cafe, open from 5.00 am until 1.00 pm, and room service if I remember correctly. Brekkie was included and was more than ample.
Handy hint! Book a shuttle for the return journey to the airport when you first arrive, it'll only cost 15 ringgit.
Would I stay again? Yes, if I had to. It's simply an 'over nighter', nothing more and nothing less. No biggy, but don't believe the hotel's blurb and photos. To be honest, the stay was a little surreal, mainly due to the oddish location.
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| Local houses at the end of the street |
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6 comments:
Sounds like you had an interesting experience! Traveling takes a lot out of me so I'm a big fan of airport hotels. All I care about is that they are quiet and clean and if the bed is as hard as a rock, there are enough pillows to make up for it.
@Catherine If by interesting you mean kind of surreal/odd, then yes ;)
Hey great stuff, thank you for sharing this useful information about Airport Hotel.
Airport Hotels
@peter thomos Hi and thanks for your feedback and for visiting Cooee. Hope to see you here again :)
How much would the tune hotel been if a room was available and what did you end up paying for the place with 'the window'?!!
@MeMock the Tune is still around AUD40, we paid 60 for the Empress at the time, however it can be much cheaper when promotional rates are available. 33 dollars at the moment on Agoda.com
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