M Roof Hotel & Residences @ Ipoh

After staying at MH Hotel for the past two years (here and here) and Regalodge Hotel (here and here) the two years before that, it was time to move on to yet another hotel this year.  It wasn't because we weren't happy with our stay in MH Hotel but, after 3 consecutive days of breakfast at the same place two years in a row, I thought I needed a change.

We actually noticed this hotel, M Roof Hotel & Residences @ Ipoh, when we were here during the last Chinese New Year but it looked unfinished (then) although I was told by the front desk (this year) that it was opened in January 2017 already.

It's a 3-star hotel with 9 floors and 150 rooms (though I noted that the lift goes all the way to the 12th floor). Perhaps the higher floors are for the 2 to 3-bedroom apartments since they offer that as well.

The guest rating for this hotel is even better than MH Hotel, so I had no qualms about booking our stay here. Our Deluxe Room (with free breakfast) costs RM413.80++ for 2 nights (around RM240 nett a night).

Straight away, as you approach the hotel, the exterior itself gives you that 'grandeur feeling' with its brightly lit roof at the entrance.

Stepping in, the lobby looked really classy with its marble flooring, bright lights, tasteful decor, plush sofas and splashes of greenery.

Spacious Waiting Area in Hotel Lobby

Comfy Seating Area in Hotel Lobby

On one side, you'll find one of two cafes, OldTown Grand.....

...and The Morning After on the other for your breakfast picks (posts on those later).

As for the room size, it seemed a wee bit more spacious than the one we stayed in last year.  Since the hotel has only been in operation for a little over a year, I obviously appreciated the newness and pristine condition of everything.  I also preferred that the room had laminated flooring (instead of carpet) with only a rug but I did get a bit of that musty smell when I first entered the room which soon dissipated very quickly (it was the same musty smell that greeted me when I first entered the lobby).

I liked that the room came with a long couch which was ideal for TV watching.  No complaints on the cleanliness of room + the room was brightly lid.  One drawback, no mirror (or full length mirror) in the room (other than in the bathroom).

The bathroom, a lot more spacious than the one in MH, was spotless too.  The separate shower compartment had great water pressure.  What I particularly liked about this bathroom was the availability of a separate hand shower (besides the overhead rain shower).  Well, I don't have to tell you what's that good for...wakakakaka! :D

Ironing facilities, hair dryer, toiletries (they even replaced the toothbrush + toothpaste once used) and even bathrobes were provided.  For once, I appreciated that the clothes hangers were detachable (unlike some hotels who make them non-detachable for fear that the guests might leave with them)! :P

There's also coffee (OldTown brand, of course) and tea making amenities with sufficient complimentary bottled water (replenished daily).

My Personal Opinion

When we stayed at Regalodge, we enjoyed our stay.  Then we went to MH Hotel and we were happier with our stay.  Now, we like M Roof even more! ;)

More so when the location is so convenient for us....just a mere 2 - 3 minutes away from my husband's family home in Ipoh.  It'll probably be our choice for next year's stay too.

For the price paid (which is still slightly cheaper than MH Hotel), it's definitely a choice I'd recommend the next time you visit Ipoh...with two venues for breakfast and walking distance to plenty of hawker stalls (the hotel is just opposite the Medan Selera Stadium).  The stadium is currently undergoing rebuilding works which should be completed by the first quarter of the year.

M Roof Hotel & Residences

Jalan Dato Lau Pak Kuan

Taman Bandaraya

31400 Ipoh

Perak

Tel: 05-547 1777

Breakfast & Stay @ MH Hotel Ipoh

For the second year in a row, we chose to stay at MH Hotel @ Ipoh again for our annual Chinese New Year "balik kampong" trip coz we were happy with our stay here last year.  I managed to get the room at the same rate (of RM250 a night) this year.

I was happy with the good service provided by the hotel, the spaciousness of the room, the close proximity to my husband's family house and the late night 'snacking' possibilities near the hotel (with 24-hours McD next door and Domino's and Subway further down the street....kekeke!) ;D

But, most of all, I liked the bathroom shower....with separate shower compartment and great water pressure! Although this time I was a bit annoyed that the housekeeping made a boo-boo when they took away my towel (one I brought from home) by mistake.  I made a complaint and it they took them about 24 hours to locate it, have it washed and sent back to me.  Other than this little "blip", the rest of my stay was pleasant enough.

Hotel Lobby

Lion Dance (at the hotel entrance) on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Similar to last year, the room stay came with complimentary buffet breakfast (there wasn't an option without breakfast from the online booking site I booked from), so I had breakfast at the hotel for three consecutive mornings at MH Pinnacle on the 20th floor.

View from the 20th floor

Day 1 Breakfast

This year my sister-in-law's family booked the same hotel as us after hearing about our good stay the previous year.  My brother-in-law was pleasantly surprised with the quality and selection of the buffet breakfast seeing that it cost only RM15 per person.

Day 2 Breakfast

If I had to compare the breakfast this year to last year's, I'd say the selection this year had slightly less choices compared to last year + most of the dishes were repetitive and similar (with just a few slight variations) on all three mornings that I was there (but no cause for complaint considering the price).

Day 3 Breakfast

Looks like I ate eggs done every possible way.....omelette, sunny side-up, scrambled and sunny side-up flipped.  No, wait....I didn't have half-boiled eggs (and they didn't do poached eggs...hehe!) ;D

Free flow of hot refreshments and snacks plus complimentary ice cream (one time redemption only) just like last year was available for guests at their in-house cafe on the first floor.  But they stopped selling those cheap pre-packed nasi lemak and fried noodles (in its place were cup noodles) :(

So, this year, we turned to McD (next door) and Domino's (further down the road) for our snacking (or supper) options! ^_~

My Personal Opinion

Convenient location, close to amenities (restaurants, supermarket, shopping mall) and a comfortable stay with value-for-money breakfast thrown in are some positives for those who may want to consider this hotel for their stay in Ipoh.

MH Pinnacle
20th Floor MH Hotel
PT 212695B Jalan Medan Ipoh 1A
Medan Ipoh Bistari
31400 Ipoh
Perak
Tel: 05-545 1000

Stay @ Swiss Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut, Lumut

The 33rd Kiwanis Treasure Hunt adventure from KL to Lumut culminated in a 2-night stay at Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut.  The hotel is located quite far from the main road and you have to go through many bumps (on the road) to reach the hotel proper (en route you can see their award winning golf course).

The Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut houses 300 rooms categorised into Garden View, Sea Facing View and Sea View deluxe rooms (the others being the Executive deluxe rooms and Damai Suites) each with a private balcony.

hotel entrance

hotel reception

This 4-star beachfront hotel offers a panoramic view overlooking the Straits of Malacca and Pulau Pangkor if you're lucky enough to book (or, in our case, get) a sea view room (the more expensive one of the three)....obviously, we didn't!  Not that I would complain seeing that this is for a worthy cause.

We got a garden view room on the first floor with a view of.......bah, grass (when I opened the balcony door)! :D  Not that I would want to step out onto the balcony anyway as it looked as it hasn't been cleaned for ages.

Well, here was our room....it might look good in photos but, in truth, it was rather old and aged...and in urgent need of refurbishment.  The furnishings were old and chipped, the bathroom was a bit small though the wash basin area was quite spacious.  The standard of cleanliness could have been better.  We wore bedroom slippers throughout our time in the room.

Luckily, we weren't in our rooms for long periods of time but just to sleep...and thankfully the bed was at least clean and comfy.  And don't get me started on the very limited TV channels (there might as well be no TV in the room).

Not only did we have to contend with flies at places where we dined, we even had to contend with these pests in our rooms (which led me to believe that they're everywhere in the hotel)!  Don't believe me?

Well, here's proof.....this is just one I captured (resting on a pillow)...and he (maybe she) brought along many more friends (like 10 - 20 of them) to 'party'! >.<  They'll tell you that it's caused by the poultry farms in the area....I don't know, I didn't see any.  They'll say it's the "fly season" but, if you check the reviews given in the hotel booking websites, you'll find comments about the flies almost every month.  They'll say that the fly infestation problem only started in the past one year...but the comments go as far back as 2012 (maybe even further than that)! @.@

Certain areas of the hotel was not properly lit and some areas have a peculiar old, damp and musky smell. Some parts even had a bad stench.

Even though I've penned what seems to be negative things about the hotel, these comments are nothing new as they've been reported by many of their hotel guests in popular hotel booking websites already.

Even though the hotel was run down and dated, I did see some positives.  The hotel surrounding is very beautiful and calm with lots of greenery.

The surroundings certainly look well maintained with no dead or yellow leaves strewn over the pathways.

All the trees and flowers are well kept and nicely trimmed.

surroundings tastefully landscaped

serene environment

cool setting

lush greenery

If you take a walk around the resort premises (which we did after breakfast on Day 2), you'll notice just how lovely the scenery is...with a beautiful natural landscape.

What a view!

The sea has such a calming effect :)

We even spotted a guy enjoying a relaxing bout of fishing...and he was proud to show us his catch! ;)

outdoor swimming pool

The hotel is also a gateway to the beautiful Pangkor Island.  You can actually charter a boat to drop you off in Pulau Pangkor inclusive of a 3-hour round island tour.

Another positive would be that access to the beach is within a short walking distance from the hotel rooms for those who enjoy taking a swim in the sea or just walking on the beach.

But the most positive aspect (for me) has got to be the beautiful sunset views.  You can enjoy these views from your room (if you happen to get a good sea view room) or from the beach.

picturesque

beautiful sight

stunning view

lasting impression

We took in the breathtaking sunset view (from the beach) on our first evening there...and you wouldn't want to miss it for the world! ;)

My Personal Opinion

If you're looking for a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city (since it's pretty remote and far away from the nearest town), this could be the place for its tranquility and serene atmosphere. 

But if you're horrified by flies and don't want to be traumatised by a massive fly invasion, it's best to stay away.  This is not....I repeat NOT a no-fly zone!  Wakakakaka!! :D

They should seriously look into this pesky fly problem and find a solution as the place has great potential for a scenic and laid-back getaway.  The treasure hunt was certainly a lot of fun....just the stay wasn't as pleasant as we would have liked.  Perhaps, we may join another hunt in the future....but not if it's to Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut again......uh-uh!!

Swiss-Garden Beach Resort
Jalan Damai Laut
Off Jalan Teluk Senangin
32200 Lumut
Perak
Tel: 05-684 3333