maybe it’s just me, but i feel a bit cheated here
So Maxis sent me a booklet filled with discount vouchers for things such as hotel rooms, mobile phone accessories, clothes, food, spa.. those type of things. Normally I discard these things as I can’t afford RM1630 for a 4D/3N stay at Club Med (not including club membership fees), even if getting there and back is free. Well, that was just an example taken from the booklet lah.
But my dearest Pinky just informed me that she will have a week off in late August, as part of her transition to a new job. As she thinks that I am a rather awesome person, she wants to spend that week in KL/PJ with me. She also suggested a trip to Penang, as she has never been there and would like to go try their most wonderful and delicious local fare. After all, appreciation for good food is just one of the two traits we Malaysians share with Singaporeans; the other being giddy with happiness at securing a good (usually shopping-related) bargain.
I remembered the Maxis discount booklet, and something about cheaper rates for a hotel room in Penang. Turns out that the voucher is for the Parkroyal Hotel in Penang. The offer states that you can ‘get a 50% discount on accommodation and receive a complimentary upgrade to the next room category’. Sounds rather awesome, right? I’ve stayed at that very hotel before, and it was a really nice experience.
So I checked out the website, and the rate for a ‘Deluxe Twin-Bedded Seafacing Room’ costs RM420 per night. Fantabulous! Upon confirming the dates and rates with Pinky, I called the hotel to book our room.
“RM 450++ a night AFTER discount.”
“Huh but the rates stated on your website is RM 420.”
“Oh, those are website rates. Already on promotion.”
1. I know that rates on websites are always slightly cheaper. But by a full half price?
2. *Already on promotion* did not appear anywhere on the site
3. I am more stunned than angry.
So maybe it’s just me. But I still feel a bit cheated. And friend told me that I should blog about it, so here it is.
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These voucher things are always a con, they are just an excuse to make you spend more money or get hooked into the product line.
Very rarely there are actual legitimate discounts involved.
Stay at Vistana la. nice and cheap
How else they make money from us than by baiting us with these discount vouchers? They get paid by their advertisers to advertise their products to their customers, in return, they hook you customers to their advertisers by enticing you with discount vouchers.
Want to stay in Penang? Try Tanjung Bungah Hotel, quite nice, 3 star and service is excellent with their own ‘private’ beach.
Crown JEwels not bad also. 99 per night.
kpdnhep is promoting their hotline services to report such con offers… would you like to test the government’s improved delivery systems??
haih where did my comment go
vistana is too far from town.
tanjung bgh hotel,paradise – rates quite reasonable.
crown jewels under renovations the last i checked.
hit me up if you need anything!
Try Equatorial. Quite nice. And penang has a lot of backpackers inn if you are ok with that
u can try hotel g, which is directly linked to a shopping centre
it’s along gurney drive but no beach tho
but if ur priority is to try out the local fare and not go frolick in the sea, then hotel g would be the best choice
also its new, modern and chic and affordable
RM200++
I agree, most of the vouchers and reward schemes/loyalty programs aren’t really discounts at all and comes with a lot of restrictions. Hotels also have a published rate and discounted rate, and if you know any journalists or people working in tourism, you can get a room at a really, really cheap price.
Sometimes its actually less troublesome to just book the online promotional rate rather than going thru those booklets. Sure, most of them look attractive, but there’s a never ending catch to it, either you have to book the room during weekdays or you can only choose some fancy ass suite etc.
I’d recommend G hotel, Gurney, or even Sunway Hotel.
Suan,
if you have a way of getting around Penang, be is cycle, drive, ride, fly, walk, by all means stay in the beaches. Stay in the ferringhi area. Holiday Inn, Bayview resort.
But if you want to soak in the culture and food of Penang in the now declared Heritage City.. and you have no way of getting around other than walking in the island heat, then find somewhere to stay in town.
There are a few hotels in town, red rock is new, and the one opposite it which I cannot for the life of me remember the name. Cititel (new) ,continental hotel (old) and hotel malaysia (old, beside continental hotel)is smack in the middle of the upper penang road (read party zone). City Bayview hotel just nearby the upper penang road. Sunway hotel is smack beside new lane, eat your heart out.
Or you can do the homestay thing.. aka find a friend in Penang and stay!
450 after discount????
meaming 900 before discount????
gee… what kinda services they provide????
ST: haih one could always hope
leona: that’s in the middle of town, right?
MY: good idea. am checking it out thanks
dr tan: oO will check that out too
Thanks
suertes: speaking of that, i saw their ad in the cinema. was just telling my friend, how on earth anyone can remember the URL . maybe i should make a complain about that ad
reallybites: heh want to meet up?
i am more mafia now than ever 
tharan: E is expensive, no?
joanne: is that the same thing as Gurney Hotel? Stayed there once, quite nice
HB: am tryinggggggggggggggg hehehhee
Z: asiarooms is actually not bad. i always refer to them
ky: sunway hotel eh… still don’t know if we are going to stay in town or batu ferringhi
neeshen: thanks for the tip! this time we are going up by bus, no cars. well, i just need directions to lorong selamat
zewt: hahahaahha actually that’s the same price as 5 star hotels in KL.
LOL about the url. Yeah, since you got me started, man, these ministries are crazy…
Not related, there’s this ministry (dunno if it still exists) with the acronym KTAK. Everytime I see it I either think of it as KaTAK, or worse, KeTiAK…
yay! i’m going to penang with suanie! yay!
stay in red rock or the hotel opposite it which I could not remember the name. it is just 2 lanes, past a great hawker center, to lorong selamat.
Town Area :
Sunway Hotel (lotsa foods downstairs),
Cititel (lotsa pubs downstairs),
City Bayview (lotsa pubs downstairs too)
Gurney Drive :
G Hotel (lotsa foods, lotsa cafe, lotsa pubs nearby),
Gurney Hotel (where we had coffee with KY, remember?),
Northern Hotel (though a bit far from Gurney hawker center)
Seaside :
Bayview Beach Resort
These are some that I can think of lah.
would love to if i’m around! let me know the dates etc!
suertes: hahha i remember that!! i wish they’d consult me… pay me soe money to advise them on memorable URLS…
pinky: yays!
neeshen: oo noted, thanks
bryan: come pretty boy, let’s meet up with RB!
RB: okok will confirm the dates later
When are you coming?