It was Hari Raya and we needed a hotel ASAP because the hotel we were at was below expectations and dirty. A quick search on hotels closest to us as well as good reviews pointed us to this hotel -- and we were glad we picked it.
First of all, it was clean -- our main criteria as parents to an infant. And on top of that, it was comfortable, conveniently located and had a fantastic view, together with a balcony attached to enjoy that view (which is ideal for smokers too). We couldn't stop looking out the window.
However, there were a few drawbacks. Since the hotel occupies the topmost floor of a condo complex, one needed an access card to go up to the hotel. Meaning that before checking in, you would need a person from the front desk to come down to the lobby or parking lot entrance to let you in. This is not convenient if you have a lot of things to carry (and no, they do not have a bellhop either to help you with your luggage). However, this lends a sense of security.
Other drawbacks include not having breakfast in the package (but you are in Kota Bharu, meaning plenty of good food at every corner). No coffee and tea sachets in the room for a hot beverage in the morning. And also that you need to take the stairs if you get rooms at the very top.
Service-wise, while the person at the front desk was chatty and decent, there was no professionalism -- he obviously lacked hospitality training. He did not exude warmth and welcome one would expect at most hotel, just general decency. While this was not a big issue with us, the person also offered us some coffee products he was selling on the side and urged us to like a Facebook page. Again, it was not a big issue, but it was not very professional and made the situation rather awkward. Proper training on etiquette was sorely needed for a person in this position.
A reminder for families with young kids: This hotel may not be the best choice for you if you have children who can be rather rowdy/curious/etc as there is insufficient safeguards around the windows and balcony area. A curious toddler can easily fall off if not supervised.
However, I am sure that this is just the one person and other persons at the front desk did not act this way. In any case, better training would further improve the quality of the hotel and I am sure will then attract more customers.
With that said, I enjoyed my stay nevertheless. For the price, it was a good place to stay and I will readily overlook all shortcomings. In fact, I had no problems with my stay and my comments were mere suggestions on how to improve the hotel. I believe that the hotel can be much better than it is with just a few changes.
Again, bear in mind that this is pretty much a basic hotel, lacking certain amenities and convenience many hotels offer. But if you are not too fussy and just looking for a clean and comfortable place to stay at a convenient location and an affordable price with a beautiful view to boot, this is a good place to consider. I will definitely choose this hotel again. Thank you for the stay.