Singing to the TUNE in Taiping

Hi everyone,

I was in Taiping recently to settle some personal matters and since I knew I had to stay overnight to finish what I came to do, I booked a room at the Tune Hotel.

I wanted to stay somewhere close to town so the Tune Hotel seemed a pretty good choice since it is located merely 5-minutes drive away from the city center. I had booked the Family Room for our group of 4 at RM186.71 nett per night from Agoda.

I noticed that the published rate in the Tune Hotel website for the same check-in date was RM228.00 per night, substantially higher than the price I got from Agoda. Before making a booking, you might want to check a few hotel-booking websites and compare the various prices to ensure you end up with a great deal.

The 113-room Tune Hotel Taiping was opened in 2014, making it one of the newest hotels in the heritage town. It is strategically located within the new Taiping Centre Point development, right across from the Taiping Sentral Mall and Tesco hypermarket. There are a number of outlets in the mall offering a host of dining, entertainment and shopping options (Kenny Rogers Roasters, Nasi Kandar Pelita, Levi’s, Vincci, Kamdar, Guardian, MBO Cinemas, Kidz World Fun Park, etc.). The must-see attractions in Taiping such as the Lake Gardens, Zoo and Night Safari are located no more than 5 kilometers away from the hotel.

We arrived at the hotel just slightly after 2.00 p.m. Parking was not a problem since there was plenty of street parking right in front of the hotel entrance. Otherwise, basement parking is also available.

Standard check-in time is at 2:00 p.m. onwards while check-out time is at 11:00 a.m. Early check-in starting from 11:00 a.m.and late check-out up to 2:00 p.m. are possible for a charge of RM15.00 respectively, subject to room availability. 

The receptionist was courteous and helpful and upon check-in, we were issued with the electronic key card to our room. The card is required to activate the buttons in the elevator by tapping it on the sensor inside the elevator. This security feature restricts the use of the elevators to the floor where the room of the checked-in guest is located. Two thumbs up for high security! The card was then used to unlock the door to our room and the power supply inside the room was activated by inserting the card into its slot. Since the card has various important functions, do take good care of it.

I was very happy with my choice of room. The Family Room can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 children below 5 years old.

What I liked about the room:

• Even with 2 Queen-sized beds, a sofa, a wardrobe (with space to put your opened luggage next to it), a work desk and a chair, the room still felt spacious and comfortable.
• The super-comfy beds. The spring mattress beds, pillows, pillowcases, bed sheets and duvets are custom made for Tune Hotels by bed-makers who supply to 5-star hotels so that its guests can enjoy 5-star sleeping luxury, without having to stay in expensive hotels. The duvet has a 250-thread count which made me just want to stay forever under it!
• The floor that was clean enough we did not have any second thoughts about sitting cross-legged on it to enjoy our ‘nasi kandar’ picnic in the room when my cousin and her family came to visit.
• The sofa that can easily double up as a child’s bed.
• The mounted flat-screen TV which can be moved to face the bed or the sofa depending on where you are sitting.
• The big wall mirror - a girl's best friend!
• The high-pressure heated power shower in the en-suite bathroom.
• Towels and basic toiletries were included in the room rates although the Agoda website mentioned that towels are available on rental basis.
• There was air-conditioning AND a ceiling fan in the room. I love having options! 

What I didn’t like about the room:

• The door of the en-suite bathroom, which opened outward from inside. If you were coming out of the bathroom but you can’t see that someone is standing right outside the bathroom door (due to the smoky glass), you might bang the door into that person if you open the door hastily. A sliding door would have been a safer and more practical option.
• The room windows that can be easily opened by a child.

Other things that are provided in the room which we didn’t use:  Electronic safe, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi

Not provided: In-room telephone,  coffee/tea making facilities, extra bed/pillow

Overall, we had a very pleasant stay at the Tune Hotel Taiping. We didn’t feel like we were staying in a budget hotel at all even though the hotel has a 3-star rating. If we ever come back to Taiping, we would definitely stay in this hotel again, with the Family Room being our favorite choice.

My Overall Verdict:

Location: 9/10

Hotel Ambiance: 7/10

Room Comfort: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Value for Money: 9/10

Address & contact details:

Tune Hotel Taiping

Jalan Istana Larut, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 1-300-88-8863
http://www.tunehotels.com/my/en/
http://www.agoda.com/tune-hotel-taiping/hotel/taiping-my.html

Photo credit: Agoda.com ('cos someone totally forgot to take pictures!)

Lotsa Luv