RM 9.99 Hotel Room? How can?

Can lah, with TuneHotels.com!

I was floored when I saw the picture of the hotel on Ajay’s flickr, and flabbergasted when I read her entry about TuneHotels. RM9.99 for a hotel room. A hotel, not a hostel!

Tune Hotels follows the no-frills concept (and its color scheme) from its sister company, low cost carrier, Air Asia. Simply put:

• Don’t expect any complimentary breakfast
• Towels are not provided
• No toiletries to take home either
• Airconditioning is pay per use
• No TV, mini bar, telephone, safe, nor coffee making facilities
• No closet or wardrobe
• No room service

On the otherhand, they do have/offer:

• “Five star beds”
• Ensuite toilet and bath for all rooms WITH hot water
• Bed linens are provided
• Daily housekeeping
• Kopitiam located at the ground floor

As advertised in their site, prices for single rooms start at RM9.99. However, booking and getting cheap prices with TuneHotels.com is similar to booking flights with AirAsia.com. If you’re booking on days when the hotel is expecting a high number of bookings, prices shoots up.

Also, similar to booking with budget airlines, you must take note of their policy regarding cancellations and refunds:

Can I cancel my booking?
Yes, you can. If you cancel your booking forty-eight (48) hours before the 1400 hours check-in time of the day of arrival, then your account with us will be re-credited with the amount you have already paid with the cancellation charge being debited, and the net amount will be held in your account with us for future payments for other accommodation booked with Tune Hotels.Com. However, if you cancel your booking after the forty-eight (48) hours, then the amount is deemed forfeited.

Does Tune Hotels.Com offer refunds?
Tune Hotels.Com does not provide refunds. Should you wish to cancel a booking or cancel a night’s stay you may do so via www.tunehotels.com. An cancellation charge will be applied. The rest of the amount paid will be held in a credit account for booking another Tune Hotels.Com room, which must be utilised no later than six (6) months from the cancellation date.

Source: TuneHotels.com

Another thing to consider when looking for a place to live, whether permanent or just for a couple days is location, location, location.

I’m no KL expert, but experience has taught me (rather painfully) that maps are NOT up to scale. And to me, the hotel’s location seems pretty far from the city center (then again, my guage of the KL city center is the Petronas tower and environs haha). Unlike the hostels, which are clustered mostly in Chinatown or Bukit Bintang (where most of the action is), Tune Hotels is on the other side of the city. However, they say they are just “two stones throw away” from the Medan Tuanku monorail station. How far can you throw a stone?

Nonetheless, I’m still interested to try staying at this hotel. Mainly to see how well their no-frills concept is working, whether their bed is as comfy as it looks.

Information and pictures from the TuneHotels.com website.