Sullivans Hotel (Perth WA)

Sullivans Hotel
166 Mounts Bay Road, Perth CBD, 6000 Perth, Australia 
+61 8 9321 8022
F: +61 8 9481 6762

The Sullivans seemed the perfect budget hotel in Perth, raving reviews and such a nice photos, medium range prices, and a rating of 8+. 

However, the Sullivans is an average overrated overpriced hotel, that will do if you are going to spend a night and need a clean, decent hotel in a quiet location, especially if you are visiting with your partner. If you are visiting alone, for business or just want to spend some days visiting Perth, personally, I would go elsewhere. This hotel is a rip-off for solo visitors because the hotel and the normal rooms aren't worth the money, and I think I would be willing to pay about 80 bucks for this room and hotel maximum if I were on my own. The pricing for couples is actually quite cheap as it would be about 60 bucks each, which is a price that reflects the sort of room you get. 

The reception  and the café-bar area is very pleasant overall, and the nicest area  in the hotel. It is quite small, but cosy and comfortable, very luminous with bunches of fresh flowers, nice classy furniture and lovely coloured glass feature panels. Herewith a wrap-up of the rest. 

GOOD
+ Some of the staff.
+ Mostly very clean common areas and rooms.
+ The hard bed and very soft linen. The way I like it.  I never take this for granted, so thank you.
+ The large flat TV with a selection of local and internationals channels.
+ Quiet surroundings. There is lots of traffic at rush hour, but nothing else will disturb you during the night as there are no bars or restaurants nearby. No ambulance sirens could be heard either. 
+ WI-FI worked  greatly in the room and cafeteria, not the fastest Internet but good enough to email, chat and send a bunch of photos to any cloud storage place comfortably and without disruptions.
+ Complimentary coffee/tea in the room with milk capsules and a kettle. I always love this sort of kit. 
+ Complimentary tap water bottle in the mini-fridge.
+ Air-con in the room. 

+ Wake up call service worked sharply.
+ Good if you are couple and are on a budget.
+ Good if you have a family member in the hospital and you don't live in Perth.  
+ You can book some tours from the desk.
+  Free bike loan on request.

OK
> Most of the staff.
> The styling of the rooms and corridors.
> The views from the room (facing a hospital ward, beds of the same visible.)
> Domestic-house sized pool, still nice.
> Complimentary mint chocolates, not to everybody's liking. I think normal chocolates would make most humans happy, mint you :P.
> Officially in the heart of the city, in reality is not in the heart of anything, it is very close to the CBD. About 12 minutes walking distance, and you get to the end of Barrack St and a few more minutes more to the city centre.
> The continental breakfast (18 bucks) consisted of fresh fruit, cereals, muesli and nuts. If this is what you have for breakfast it will do. It was certainly better than my cooked breakfast.
> Coffee is American style, which I like if it has some flavour in it, but it didn't. However, there is a good selection of teas, scones and  jams on offer that made up for it.
> Very basic minimal toiletries. Enough for a night and if you aren't fussy or bringing your own. 
> Plenty of 65+ age group. 

"NOT HAPPY JAN" 
  > The common area of the floor was a forked corridor with three different staircases without a sign on view about which direction the rooms are or where the stairs lead to. I consider that sort of think basic in any hotel with a forked corridor. The only sign on view was the emergency exit in one of them. 
> No inner lock in the room. The only security was an Australian knob-lock instead. I love those, but not in a hotel, please.
> No Safe Box in the room. 
> Not enough room in the wardrobe for a couple to put their stuff if they stay for a few days. I tend to fill one of those myself! 
> Bathroom backpacker style.
> The shower's tapware needs of replacement, as is dated and one of the taps seemed to be "retarded", and the shower and the toilet floors are at the same level so water might puddle the adjoining area. 
> Some patchy dirty spots in the room's power switches (see photo), which I don't expect to see in a decent hotel. Perhaps in a backpacker hotel.

> The air-con is really noisy and next door's could also also be heard.
> They charge you 2% for anything you pay with a card, PayWave included, and also another 2% if you booked with a Visa. 
> There are no cafés or restaurants in the immediate surroundings, the closest one is in the hospital building. You better go to the city centre if you have the time or a  car. 

> Mediocre rip off cooked breakfast for 23$. You can order the eggs your way, but the poached eggs on my plate were as hard as hard-boiled eggs! (see photo). The cook doesn't know how to cook, doesn't care, or might be busy with other things and didn't have the time to mind the food. Besides, I asked the waiter to remove the sausage from my breaky and replace it with a veggie of any sort, anything; the waiter repeated a-la-robot that the ingredients of the dish were those in the menu description, and that they would remove the sausage. I guess they added something, but unless it was one slice of bacon, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary in my plate, just the sausage out. Of course, they will charge you full price. At least in Maccas or Hungry Jacks you get what you pay for, you have to respect that. 

> The closest convenience store is also close to the hospital.  
> No taxi line nearby.  

> Very small parking area

> The attitude of the morning staff. The guy seemed nice and courteous. However, he bothered to ask every person checking before and after me if they had enjoyed their stay; that is certainly a way to let customers know that you don't like them for no reason. He was requested to call a cab to  go to a transport hub in the city; he did but just mention the suburb, not the transport hub, so it took the taxi 10+ minutes to come. If you know Perth, you are aware of how difficult can be to get a cab at rush hour, which matter if you have to catch a coach, train or plane. The taxi driver commented that he was surprised that Reception hadn't mentioned destination and that he hoped we would have time enough because there was already a jam in the area as it was rush hour. Really, how much does it cost to do things properly and treat all customers well? 
> Not good for solo visitors, as they will pay a lot of money for an average hotel.   

Next! 

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Comfort Inn Wenworth Plaza Hotel (Perth WA)

300 Hay St, Perth WA 6004
(08) 9338 5000
Bookings:1800 355 109
Email
Website
Facebook

I stayed in this hotel for a night during my last visit to Perth. There are two good things that this hotel is worth staying for. The first is its central location at the corner of William St with Murray St, surrounded by many shops, cafés, bars, and the Rayne Sq Shopping Mall. The train station is across the street as well. The second is that this a good value-for-money hotel taking into account that it is in Perth, a city with indecent prices for everything. These two things make it a winner if you intend staying overnight or want a couple of nights in the heart of the city without spending a fortune. This is also an upgrade from a backpacker hotel, cheap enough if you are sharing room and with more facilities and comfort that any backpacker place in Perth.

There is secure access to the rooms as you need your key card to access the lift. 

The Hotel is directly communicated with La Bohème Bar and Restaurant, where you can have breakfast (from 7am onwards) lunch, dinner or just a drink at night, when the place is very popular with locals for after-work drinks. The English pub Moon is next door as well.   

On the other hand, the hotel looks old and run down, outdated (1950s like) with ugly rooms and decoration. If you love the style, my apologies. Having said that I loved the style and colour scheme of the corridors.

 

My room was very basic and functional. I had everything I needed for my overnight stay, TV, clock, desk, complimentary coffee and tea facilities and a mini-bar. I loved the toilet with its retro look, and the set of toiletries was basic but good enough. Both the room and toilet were spotless clean

The mattress was medium hard, so not my cup of tea, as my back suffers with those, but not bad either. The main problem of the room is the the lack of natural light as the window faced an inner courtyard full of other windows. Also, the rattling of the ventilation system was noticeable during the night. 

 

The staff  member at Reception when I arrived was matter of fact, not specially welcoming. On the contrary, the girls in the morning shift were truly friendly. Yet, I asked something to one of them and I was misinformed, so another staff had to correct her. 

EXTRA KUDOS
>There are always taxis at the door, so no need to call one or wait for one.  

FUNNY MOMENT 1
In my booking online page, in the room information area, among the facilities in the room, the following are listed:
> Toilet
> Bathroom
> Towels
> Linen
Woohoo!!! I am impressed!!

FUNNY MOMENT 2
I organised a wakeup call for 630am just in case I missed my phone alarm and my connection. It was 6.19 a.m. according to my watch and to the room's clock when I heard the phone ringing. It was one of those pre-recorded wakeup calls, and said "this is your 6.30am wakeup call." WTF. There are many minutes from 6.19 to 6.30... just saying. It seems that the wakeup system is jet-lagged.  

FUNNY MOMENT 3
Well, guys, remember, just in case you come from the North Pole, or you have just left your hut in the jungle that the contents of the mini-bar are not complimentary. 

IF THIS WERE MY HOTEL
> I would revamp and change the colour palette used for bed covers, cushions and bed linen to make it more modern and pleasant to the eye. 
> I would fix the wakeup system.
> I would make sure that the staff, even trainees, are informed of the basics. Otherwise, well, let them have a trainee badge. 
> I would fix the power points that do not work. One of those in my room.
> I would make sure that sachets of creamer are added to the set, or just replaced. None in my room.

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Zhiwa Ling Hotel (Paro, Bhutan)

Zhiwa Ling Hotel

Satsam Chorten, Paro

Kingdom of Bhutan

Ph: 975-8-271277

Email: info@zhiwaling.com

Website

The only Bhutan owned and operated 5-star  hotel, Zhiwa Ling is a dream come true, because of its traditional architecture and craftsmanship, its facilities, the friendliness and care of their staff, and the quality of the service.

Just entering the place is like being part of the royal family  because the hotel lobby is just like one of those palaces and temples that travellers visit in the country. A central inner courtyard with stunning (stunning with capitals) woodwork, paintwork, carving work, and the staff dressed in traditional costumes help you to realise that is a hotel like no other. Zhiwa Ling has a large wide garden area, with different blocks of grey stone where the rooms are located, tea and meditation houses, pond and seating areas around. 

THE ROOMS

The rooms where we were placed were fantastic. A block has only six rooms, so they are large and spacious. Wooden floors, Bhutanese decorative elements and classy sober facilities, with huge comfortable beds and marble bathroom.
 

My suit was very spacious, elegant and classy, with a rear balcony facing a tranquil part of the gardens and very luminous during the day. This spot was delightful, really pretty and cozy (see the photo above), and very conducive to relaxation and meditation. The room was spotless clean and kept that way during my stay. I also loved the small seating area in the room (leather armchair, a two-seater couch, coffee table and floor lamp), and coffee facilities; perfect to unwind, read or have a chat. Free fast wi-fi always makes me happy. 

RESTAURANT

The Hotel's Restaurant is spacious and very pleasant, not that imposing or posh, but the staff, the service and the food make for the rest. Their buffet breakfast is excellent. Everything there, even those things that seem to be very European or "imported", are locally produced, sourced and prepared. They are yummy, flavoursome and very fresh.  I personally loved their Danish pastries, the mini-glasses of fruit yoghurt, and their omelettes, but everything I tried was great. The restaurant opens for breakfast at 6am, but only cold dishes are served until 7am. You can have breakfast delivered in your room for no extra charge. The hotel staff will knock on your door at your preferred time on the clock.

Dinner and lunch are served in the same restaurant. Their dinner setting changes from day to night, and the mood is more intimate and classy. They have a mix of international dishes very well cooked, with several options for entrée, main and dessert. The local staff are working hard to bring an à-la-carte menu in the future (perhaps already have it, I don't know), but I really liked everything I had and they serve decent portion sizes, especially important if you are back from trekking. 

They had a good wine and spirits selection, but very expensive, more expensive than in Australia or UK. But hey, alcohol is not a necessity and if you cannot enjoy a dinner without a drink you probably have an alcohol problem :O.

SERVICE

If you want to experience what good service really is, go to Zhiwa Ling. I have been in many posh hotels in different countries, and this is the best service I have had so far. People seemed genuine, did not seem to be too pushy, too servant-like or too bothersome, they were very smiley and seemed to enjoy their job. Even the guys opening doors for you were lovely despite the task at hand, literally. I did not feel that, like in other hotels, things were done to get a tip. I hate that feeling and I get it often in many places, so it is great that these people made our stay so pleasant. 

The manager of the hotel (a Kiwi, by the way!) comes out to receive visitors personally at the lobby, no matter a couple or a group. How special is that?!

THE SPA

The Spa is not very big but very pleasant, well organised, comfortable and with very kind staff. They specialise in massage, Bhutanese hot-stone baths and facial treatments. The girls are really lovely and I absolutely loved the soothing massage and facial I had there. They are really excited that you are visiting your remote country and are keen to talk and know everything about you and your country if you feel like having a chat.

EXTRA KUDOS

>> Meditation and Yoga areas in the garden.

>> Golf cars to move you around if you need them, day and night.

>> Money exchange service at reception.

>> An oversized umbrella is placed in the veranda by your door if the weather is rainy. 

>> The boys opening the door were just gorgeous. They really look hot in the traditional dress. :O

MIND

# The hotel is a 25-minute drive from Paro city.

# Golf caddies are used to take your baggage in and out your room. The guys have to take the bags on their shoulders to the upper floors as there aren't lifts, so be mindful and don't carry too much stuff. If you do, you are visiting the wrong country. Also, think if you would like to carry that sort of weight on your own shoulders.

# Alcohol is very expensive in the bar and restaurant.
# All the floors are floorboards. So every time you walk they crack. That is specially noticeable when you have people staying in the room above yours. The movement of two wheeled suitcases might sound like the end of the world or a bunch of noisy neighbours dancing flamenco. No, it is not the case, it is the flooring system and people leaving for an early flight. 

IF THIS WERE MY HOTEL I WOULD....

>> Improve the lighting of the rooms, which is way too dim for people with poor sight, and not good for reading or opening the safe for example. I always carry a torch with me, but adding a more powerful  lamp would easily solve the problem. 

>> I couldn't  find the heating/cooling air-con. I might be disguised and operated by the staff. I don't know. The floorboards and the stone walls contribute to the overall coldness of the rooms. Bhutan is in the Himalayas, so even in spring it is cold at night. Perhaps having portable good-quality heaters or a clearly signed system would be great.

>> I would remove the small carpets from the room as they don't have stoppers and, despite being beautiful, they can be a nuisance. Bigger ones or no one. My opinion. 

>> The towel hanger and the bath were too high for me! I could not reach the hanger on my toes! This might be great for tall people, but for average sized women, is not! Perhaps I am not average :\

>> It would be great if the Spa offered a few more services for the ladies, like pedicure, manicure, and hairdressing.

>> It would be great having an ATM in the hotel

***

Visiting Zhiwa Ling is an experience in itself. This is not a luxury hotel in the strict sense of the word, but the luxury is being in that amazing country experiencing an eco-friendly sustainable hotel, the profits of which go to the locals. What is more, the hotel is stunningly beautiful and the staff really welcoming and warm. This is a kind of hotel you cannot visit elsewhere. Unique and unforgettable. 

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Booking.com (Online Retailer)

 

I have used this site extensively for years and I only have good words and a great experience.

I tend to alternate my bookings between this site and Expedia, depending on which of them is selling cheaper, or better rooms for the same price, or better hotels for the same price.

The variety of accommodation is more than you will need, from backpacker places to high luxury, and everything in between. It is up to you what you pay for. They always have better pricing than other hotel online sites like Agoda or Asian Rooms, just to mention two examples, also a better review system and things are mentioned upfront to you.

Most of my bookings with Booking have been for overseas places, and I have always been happy with the pricing, booking system and how things went once in the hotel. I never found myself surprised by what I found, because, well, I knew where I was going and what I could expect.

The information page of each hotel is extensive, well organised, with a great amount of photos to see where you are heading to, plenty of reviews, plenty of room options and pricing to choose within a hotel, and specifications and pricing clearly shown.

One of the things I like most about Booking is the fact that they have more fully-refundable options than other sites, and also that changing and playing with your booking dates is not only easy, but you won't be charged for it, and your booking will maintain the pricing you first paid if the rooms are available for the new dates. This is something important to me, because I have changed dates of holidays or dates of stay quite a bit in the past with a great peace of mind.

The conditions of the booking and specifications of the rooms available for each hotel are clearly visible and stated, with colour markers for important stuff, so you won't miss anything because the font is too small or not visible enough.

I always trust their reviews, because the come from certified travellers like me that cannot post anything there without receiving the link after you finish your stay. Moreover, the amount of reviews that the place generates is higher than any other site, perhaps as bold as Tripadvisor (but here reviews are not verified, just monitored), way more than Expedia, Agoda or any other site. To me, the more reviewers the merrier, because I have an array of many different people telling me that Hotel X is bad, so-so or terrific, and which things are a miss.

The only downside I can think of, is the fact that some hotels, especially in the past, allowed you to book and pay at your hotel's reception desk. I never like that, because it opens the door to trouble in countries and with people who see Westerners as a rip-off object. So I tend to book rooms in which the payment is automatically deducted from my bank account, without me having to go to the reception desk to pay for anything but the extras.

My experience has been fantastic so far and I hope it continues the same. I have a trip coming in  a week or so, and I will be using Booking. 

They also have an app, who doesn't?!, and it is very clean to the eye and well organised and easy to browse and book. I use it just to browse, as I always prefer booking from my laptop. 

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Expedia (Online retailer)

I have used Expedia so much in the last 7-8 years and with so much satisfaction and saving me so much money that I am surprised at the low ratings out there on the net.

I travel overseas almost every year, sometimes twice a year, and I have booked flights alone, hotels alone and combos, always with great satisfaction and Expedia working as a machine for me.

I started using Expedia because I was fed up with the poor customer service (even lies) I got from my usual travel agencies (those constantly advertising on TV ). Also their prices seemed always more expensive than those I then saw online, and last episode was that the departure of my return flight from an overseas trip was changed in the Christmas period, and nobody bothered to tell me in the agency. I found out by chance and I found myself in a dreadful situation with a lot of out of pocket expenses and difficulty to find transport and hotel.

I truly hesitated to organise my first holiday with Expedia. Travelling is something sacred to me. If somebody or something messes up things, I am going to be furious and devastated. However, everything went great. I have been using Expedia services ever since.

The offer of places and companies is huge, from the humble backpacker place to the super-luxurious hotel, from the low cost airline to the the posher one, from national to International flights. The booking system allows you to clearly see waiting times between flights, something I find important because bygone are those days in which I considered reasonable waiting 10+ hours in an airport no matter how super-duper the airport. If there is any change to your flight, no matter it is of 5 minutes, you will receive an email telling you that your flight details have changed.

Pricing is great, usually the cheapest prices in the market, that is why I book with them. My love is not blind, ever. Sometimes the hotels are better priced at Booking.com, so I book those there.

The booking system is fuss-free, clear, easy to follow, with all the important things mentioned and visible upfront.

Depending on the destination, you can also book and pay for your transfer at cheaper prices than you would if you paid it at the regular prices you find them in your country of origin. I have used the service a couple of times and worked smoothly for me. Expedia also offers day tours and activities for some places, but I have never booked any of those. Travel insurance is also on offer, and I have also used it for short trips; for long ones or combo holidays I use other companies.

My last interstate ticket was purchased with them, the arrival and departure separated eight months, at fantastic prices and with Qantas. Last year I had a multi-country trip, so I did book the flight through a normal travel agent; however, the agent offered me a limited number of hotels at ridiculous prices. I checked those on Expedia and they were cheaper and offered better rooms. I ended buying all my hotels in five different countries via Expedia. Got there, presented the voucher, tadahhhh no fuss.

I have reviewed many of the hotels and companies I booked through Expedia, following the link they provide once you have finished your flight/stay, and they have always been published. Therefore, I trust other reviewers' reviews. A good deal of the reviews in Expedia come from Trip advisor, a place I trust because I am a contributor.

Expedia has a 24/7 Customer Service. I have used just once and the guys on the phone were very helpful. Unfortunately, the conditions of my tickets were set and there was nothing I could do. Since then, I make sure I find out whether the flight dates can be changed or not, and how much would cost me. That it is easy, because that sort of information is mentioned upfront while you are booking.

EXTRA KUDOS
> They have a decent app, so you can carry your trip details on your device without the need of printing. I personally prefer using my laptop for bookings (security reasons, size reasons, sight reasons), but it is great having the choice of browsing hotels and flights from your device. 
> They have launched a reward program, which is always great to be part of if you are a regular frequent traveller.

DOWNSIDES
> Although you can re-schedule the dates of your flights and hotel bookings, there is not a straight way to do so like in other online sites. Basically, you have to cancel your existing booking and rebook again. That is not convenient most of the time, because if you do that, the pricing you will be charged is the one valid at the moment of booking, not the one you initially booked. This might result in a change of hotels or airlines and higher prices.
> There are many reviewers online unhappy with Expedia. To be honest, if I was booking for the first time, I would be scared. Yet, I don't think this is the majority of users of the site.

TIPS
Before booking you should:
> Check and recheck that the dates you have typed and shown are those that you really want.  
> Check and recheck that your name is correctly spelled.
> Be sure that your ticket or bookings are refundable or you can change them paying little.
> Buy travel insurance. Life is unpredictable.

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Grand Aston Yogyakarta Hotel & Convention Center (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Grand Aston Yogyakarta
Jalan Urip Sumoharjo, 37
Yogyakarta 55222
Indonesia
Phone: 13 38 10
Website
(First photo courtesy of the hotel's website)

The Grand Aston is a modern classy and comfortable hotel located in the heart of Yogyakarta. Although not in the city centre, the Grand Aston is located at walking distance from supermarkets, shopping malls, shopping streets and some of the city sights. 

Although the Grand Aston is a five-star hotel, you won't experience that unless you stay in one of the super-expensive super-duper suites. The hotel is classy but feels a bit run down and old-fashioned, and not luxurious enough. Yet, this is a great hotel, and you have everything you need there: lovely spacious rooms, huge restaurant, café, spa, gym, travel agent, beauty salon, conference facilities, free wi-fi and what is not. This is a business hotel for locals and other Asians, so there are not many Western visitors in general, especially from Australia. Most of them were Europeans visiting the amazing ruins for which Yogya is renowned in the world. You might have to stand with stoicism the stares of some people. 

THE ROOM
The Superior Room is very spacious and uber-clean, with a very classy timeless decoration, plenty of power points to plug your gadgets (even an desk's in-built international power socket), flat screen with a good selection of International TV Channels, air-conditioning, writing desk, a wonderful firm king bed, plenty of light points, safety box, a large classy bathroom with large shower, and a good selection of good quality toiletries, robe and sleepers included! 

THE RESTAURANT
The Grand Aston has a huge cafe-restaurant (with business and conference facilities in the mezzanine). Breakfast was included in the price of the room, so that was lovely. Their breakfasts cater for eastern and western palates, with so many sweet and savoury options that is impossible not to overeat. They prepare your eggs the way you like it, the quantity you like it, on the spot. I have never seen so many different things in a buffet! Quality of the food varied, but in general was good, although I found some supposedly Western stuff a bit weird. The sweets were very arty and colourful.

Coffee is included in the breakfast voucher, but if you want a proper machine coffee you have to pay it extra. I thought their percolated free coffee was good.

Their themed dinners are buffet style, a bit pricey, but very varied regarding dishes on offer and quantity. It is self-service, so you eat and die happily. The Indonesian buffet was really lovely, especially the lamb on the spit, which was terrific! 

There is a lady offering natural Indonesian digestives to customers, for free, dressed in a traditional dress. She seats at her spot in the dining area around 9am, if my memory does not fail. I tried some of them, and they tasted, well, "herby".

THE SPA, THE GYM AND THE POOL
I loved my visits to the Spa, which is very small but well equipped and the staff have magic hands and do wonderful facial and body treatments. Their Balinese massage is just awesome and perfect after a long flight, and a must if you have never experienced one. I was impressed with the care and friendliness of the staff, the long opening hours, the style of the facilities, and the treatments and products used on me. I am lady spa, so I was quite "spased" and I cannot speak more highly of these magic ladies.

The pool is very small but lovely, with a classy and elegant layout and decoration, for both sexes, and a few chairs to seat and relax; there is a café/bar attached, quite "expensive", and the guy attending to him is also in charge of providing you with towels and keeping an eye on the pool. 

The gym is also very small but with basic great quality machinery, and the guy attending to customers was just lovely.  

TRAVEL AGENT
The Travel Agent was a bit of disappointment as they just offer private drivers, car hiring and flight sales. They do not offer organised group tours. Private driving is the best thing, and affordable for foreigners, but extremely expensive for Indonesian standards. At least you know that they have fixed prices and you won't have to bargain. They will tell you that their drivers speak English, but most of them have a very limited very basic English, and communication can become a struggle.  

THE STAFF
All the Staff in the hotel were lovely, very helpful, smiley and willing to help: from cleaners, café attendants and waitresses, receptionists, masseuses, concierge, everybody. However, I found a tendency not to give customers correct information about pricing of transportation, and hesitation in the reply when you ask them for travel agents other than the one in the hotel, even if the others offer different services. Although information online about pricing is usually correct, they do not accept that as real because, well, you are a foreigner, hello hello. Basically, some people were very reliable on pricing information, and others totally untrustworthy.

NEARBY
The Galleria Mall, is a medium size lovely shopping mall, at barely five minutes walking distance from the hotel and with not many Westerners around. It has a great selection of shops and very friendly staff and floor personnel. The Galleria comes handy for some International fast food outlets (KFC, Mackos ice-cream booth and a Wendie's) and there is a food hall in the basement with a wide selection of Indonesian and Asian restaurants and stands, plus several posh cafes spread around the mall. There is a considerable variety of clothing, sports, shoes, and beauty shops, as well as a bargain area in the central courtyard.   

I you just want to buy a few things to take to your room, there is a Super Indo supermarket just across the street, if you are brave enough to cross the street at pick hours. This is a supermarket for locals, and full of locals, something I always love, nothing compares to mingling with locals, whatever that minds :), and you can buy those extra bottles of water, snacks, take-away food and other only Indonesian thingies that you want. 

The nearest sight is about 20 minutes walking distance, but if you are not used to the humidity of the place or do not live in a tropical area, you will avoid doing that at any cost. On the other hand, a ride on a becak (pronounced bechak) is a must. 

IF THIS WERE MY HOTEL...
* I would try to revamp superior rooms and provide customers with a bit more.
* I would change the mini-bar in the rooms, because it is minuscule and outdated.
* I would provide customers with a bigger wardrobe, which is a bit small for two people if you stay for a few days. Perhaps a better organised one, with more drawers might do the trick.  
* I would include a jar or tube of hair-conditioning among the toiletries. Shampoo with hair-conditioning is not good enough for people with long hair.
* The room's windows cannot be open, so the room was a bit smelly when the air-con was off.  That happens every time you go out, as the key works as power switch as well. If this were my hotel, I would give customers two cards, to keep the power on when going out. 
* I would change more often, or perhaps replace more often, the sheets covering the treatment stretchers at the Spa, as they were a bit smelly at the end of the day.
* I would change the lighting in the ground floor common areas. It does not help to create ambience and makes the hotel look older than it is.
* I would make sure that retrograde men are not given a room beside the pool. I had to suffer the dirty stares of a group of taliban-looking guys despite me wearing a very conservative swimsuit. Perhaps allocating those rooms to families or women would be more suitable. This is a five-star hotel, so I expect certain things not to happen.

TIPS
> Most Indonesian people do not speak English, so be smiley, learn a few words in Bahasa Indonesia, and you will find that things become easier all of the sudden. It shows your respect for their culture and expands your brain.

> The level of English of the staff varied tremendously. At reception was perfect, no problem, but in other areas the staff had limited English, reduced to basic greettings and vocabulary related to their trade. Confusion might arise because of this, so I recommend for you to use writing notes to make clear what you want at times if you notice that the staff are not getting what you are saying. Then smile broadly.

> I found a "rip off the Westerner as much as you can while smiling at their face" mentality in Yogya. The tourist infrastructure is very limited outside Bali, and prices exorbitant for Indonesian standards. Be careful with taxi and becak drivers, too many of them tend to get your money and do not give you the return, no matter the quantity due. Or drive slow as a cow to get more money, or arrange a price and then say that it was double of what they say.  If you are on a budget, use your legs a bit and be firm in your haggling. Again, if you speak a bit of Bahasa, things smooth out immensely. They are just grateful for your effort.

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Vismaya Luxury Resort (Bangkok, Thailand)

Vismaya Suvarnabhumi Luxury Resort
98 Moo 15 Soi King Kaew 43,
Bang Phli, Samut Prakan,
10540 Thailand
Phone: 66 (2) 738 49 88
Website

Vismaya Budget Transit Hotel is what the hotel should be called, because this what Vismaya is. You get what you pay and you cannot get luxury for 50 bucks the night, right? Still, the words work magic on you psyche especially if the hotel has flattering images of the rooms and a pool in them. 

This is a very convenient transit hotel, especially good if you just have to spend a few hours sleeping without any wanderings in Bangkok between your flights: the hotel is pleasant, has spacious rooms, a nice pool, bar/restaurant/cafe, free buffet breakfast, free hourly transfer to the airport, free Wi-Fi at awesome prices. All what you need.

If you are going to stay for a few days or for an extra day, you might want go elsewhere, as the location is not good to wander round but in taxi. On the other hand, if you decide to stay, you will find that place relaxing, and you will save a good deal of money you can spend the way you like.

I think the hotel is backpackers friendly, and an upgrade from a normal backpacker place, with many facilities you find in good hotels minus the price.    

 My "deluxe" room was very spacious and luminous, facing the pool, with lots of storage room, flat TV, with a very comfortable firm bed. There was a long benched table, an armchair and a desk chair. The bathroom was spotless clean and shiny with separate bathtub and shower. However, both areas were Spartan regarding everything else, bare concrete floors, run out furniture and appliances in need of an overhaul.

The staff were polite but a bit abrupt at times. This is due, mostly, to their poor English and difficulty at communicating properly. Lost in translation has a meaning here. I found that the ladies at reception softened with Thai greetings and thankyouses, and relaxed enough to be smiley and way friendlier. 

POINT MAKERS
+ The hotel offers an hourly free shuttle to/from the airport. The transfer trakes about 10 minutes if the traffic is good.
+ Free Wifi all around the hotel, both in the rooms and lobby. Mine was fast and reliable, and it is remarkable in such a cheap hotel.
+ ATM in the premises.
+ Storage room for your luggage if you want to go to the city after check out.
+ Buffet breakfast is included.
+ The Lobby is an open space used as lobby, cafe, restaurant and bar. During the day is very luminous and relaxes, but it lives up once the night lights and music are on. They have a decent selection of Western and Thai favourites, and of soft and alcoholic drinks, at medium prices.

SO SO 
> Muggy room despite the air-con. You need the air-con to run for a while to get it right. The room was really hot and muggy when I arrived. The hotel gives guests one key card that is used both to open the door and operate the electric system; if you go out for a while, the room will be left without air-con and will be muggy at your return. It would cost little giving guests two key cards, especially to those staying more than a few hours overnight. 
> Air-con is noisy.
> The bedside tables were at floor level, way below the bed, so they were of no use! 
> Slow drainage in the shower. 
> Minimal toiletries.
>There are tons of TV channels to choose from. Most of them in Thai. Only Channel 896 *You2Play" had some music in English. This is a transit hotel full of Westerners, why not including a few channels at least in English?
>  The buffet breakfast was varied but a bit tasteless. There was a mix of cooked Asian and Western favourites, fruit and salad plates, plus coffee, tea, juice, fresh fruit, cereals, etc. I thought that the cold part of the breakfast should be covered as flies were binging on the fruit. It does not cost much placing the cold food in covered containers. 
> Several cabs at the door. They are not metered so you will paying about double than you would with a metered one. However, they are affordable for most Western main currencies, and they come handy to go to the city. The pricing chart for the main destinations is clearly visible and written in English at the reception desk.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH
> Minimal decoration. The paintings in my room were three empty frames, framing the crack on the wall (see photo). It made me smile, though. 
> The towels are old and ratty (see the photo).
> Repairs badly done in the bathtub base (see photos). 
> Check out was not extended for a late departure despite me checking at 5 pm the previous day. 
> Staff at the bar/cafe were polite but totally disinterested in attending to customers. I tried to get their attention 3 times, by hand gestures and "excuse me" without success and I had to get up and approach the bar to get my bill.
> The notepad had not been refilled, just one leaf left. No pen. 
> There are geckos everywhere, especially the corridors, in the evening and night. One of them welcomed me in my room (see photo). They eat insects and, in a way, they are a natural insecticide, but 1/ they are very noisy 2/ they move fast, 3/ they come out at night, 4/ you want to go to sleep without having to worry about closing your bags or your eyes.  I like geckos, but no hotel should have them around, especially in the rooms. Otherwise, market them as a charming environmental insecticide, tell customers that they aren't dangerous, so visitors are prepared.   

MIND
> The surroundings of the hotel are not inviting to have a walk. 
> The place is located away from the main road, in a lateral side street, not easy to find by taxi, unless you are familiar with the area and you can direct the driver or they have the hotel card in Thai.

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