A New Name For The Blog!

Of Atlases And Empty Pockets is my new pride and joy! This blog's name was previously Sunshine And Pixie Dust, but well, to be honest, it was irrelevant. Hahaha! It took me awhile to actually change it, but yes, here it is! 

Of Atlases And Empty Pockets is a blog where I'll be sharing not only my thoughts, opinions, and reviews on hotels, but to also share my love and knowledge that I have gathered from my travels. Be it somewhere only an hour away, or miles away for that matter, travelling will always do you good. Afterall, there is a saying that goes - "Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind." -Seneca

The vigor of the mind in travelling applies when you see spectacular things, or when you learn something new and worthwhile while travelling. Whether it's about appreciating architecture, breathing in the smell of the ocean, running along a beach, hiking up mountains, or just learning about a new religion and culture, it will make you feel invigorated. It makes you see life in a bigger picture, and that it is such a refreshing thing you can do for yourself. Well, at least that is what travelling does to me.

The meaning behind my blog's name - Of Atlases And Empty Pockets is already explained by its name - of maps, which is related to places, and empty pockets, because I have spent it all on travelling, and oh, on hotels too!  Hahaha! 

Travelling does not always need to be expensive or planned out well. Who says you can't do it impromptu or on a budget? Doing that doesn't, and wouldn't make it less of an adventure because as long as you are moving, you are one step ahead of those who are afraid of leaving their comfort zone.

 "We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment." -Hilaire Belloc

Bayview Hotel, Melaka

HOTEL RATING: 6/10 

A new month calls for a new post, yes? Hahaha! Hi, readers! I'm back with another review of a hotel in another state of Malaysia. This time, its Melaka, or also known as Malacca!

Overview

Today, I'll be talking about Bayview Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia, and here's an overview of the place. This hotel is a 4-star accommodation set in the city centre. Located along Jalan Bendahara, Melaka, Malaysia, this hotel is about a 6-minute walk to The Shore Shopping Gallery, and about a 20-minute walk to the famous and must-visit Jonker Street! Right beside the hotel stands a convenient store and small stalls selling food. Pretty convenient, eh?

Bayview Hotel

I checked-in Bayview Hotel on the 13th of May, 2016, and it was RM300 for a 2 night stay in their Superior Room, and the price was inclusive of tax and service charge. Oh, do note that RM2 will be charged per night as a heritage charge. It is said to be part of the state government’s effort to meet the cost of infrastructure facilities to provide more comfort to tourists.

Bayview Hotel's lobby

The Superior Double or Twin Room 

The Superior Double or Twin Room is a 32 m² room with a choice of either 2 single beds or 1 double bed. There is a lot of space in the room even after a 2-seater sofa and a small coffee table is added in. I was lucky to have gotten a room which overlooked the city area, and boy, was it pretty at night when all the city lights were on. Right in front of the bed, you'll have a flat-screen TV and a work desk right below it. A mini bar, a safe, a coffee & tea maker, and WiFi is provided as well. 

The Superior Room

The view overlooking The Shore Shopping Gallery (Grey buildings)

The work desk and an extra seating area

The mini bar and coffee & tea maker

To be frank, I was extremely unhappy about this hotel's cleanliness. I came in to a room which was not only dusty and dirty with hair all over the place, but with Sandflies swarming the bathroom, and mold and moss growing on the tiles of the bathroom floor. I WAS DISGUSTED. It was worse than some public restrooms that I've been in to, and what's probably worse is that I'm actually paying for it. I don't know if the room was even cleaned in the first place before I checked-in, but this is honestly my first experience in dealing with such terrible housekeeping from such a reputable hotel. 

A 4-star hotel? I think not.

The many strands of hair that was left behind on the chair

The Bathroom

I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of the bathroom because I literally stormed out of the hotel room and down to the reception to lodge a complaint because I was just that furious and frustrated. I mean, anyone would be, right? 

So happen, Mr. Johan, the manager on duty, was there to assist me. He was nice and polite enough to request the cleaners to clean up the bathroom for me. And you know what? After 15 minutes of washing, scrubbing, and spraying pesticides all over, the bathroom was now clean - like how it was supposed to be in the first place! I mean, if you need time to clean the room, yes, I'll give you some extra time. But you DON'T let guests in to an already-stayed-in-room-the-night-before. That's just bad and sucky service. 

FYI, I clean my own bathrooms at home to know that those mold and moss don't just grow overnight. Gee, I can't believe I'm getting worked up over this, again. Urgh.

The bathroom

The bathroom comes with a standing shower and a basic set of toiletries. And what I mean by basic is just Body Soap, Shampoo, Lotion, and a bar of soap. Toothbrush and toothpaste are additionally charged, so do take note. 

This hotel has a small fitness center, a steam room with sauna facilities, and a swimming pool. I must say that through all my stays in hotels, this was the first time I have ever gone in one. Maybe it was because the pool was empty, but nonetheless, the swimming pool was good. There was one for adults, and one for childrens. 

The swimming pool

Facilities and Services include:

• 2 Restaurant On Site
• Outdoor Swimming Pool
• Fitness Center
• Hot Tub/ Jacuzzi 
• Front Desk Services- 24-hour Front Desk, Baggage Storage
• Karaoke Room

Check-in time: From 3 p.m.

Check-out time: Until 12 p.m.

I would rate this hotel a 6/10 as the hotel didn't meet its requirements and standards as a 4-star hotel, and there were many other flaws like an-always-closed restaurant and not so friendly staff. I do hope that this hotel could step up their game because I know that with a better management and housekeeping team, this hotel would definitely be a full house! I hope this has helped you narrow down your options if you're looking for a place to stay around Melaka, Malaysia! Till then. xx

Disclaimer: This write-up and the opinions shared are all mine. I was not paid to promote or to review this hotel whatsoever. Some pictures provided are mine, while some have been taken from the web.