TripAdvisor hotel survey reveals the good, the bad and the ugly

TripAdvisor hotel survey reveals the good, the bad and the ugly
September 09, 2008

TripAdvisor announced the results of its hotel survey of more than 2,200 travellers worldwide.

Ninety-two percent of respondents said they are planning to stay at a hotel or B&B in the next 12 months. Nineteen percent will stay at a hotel or B&B more than 10 times in the coming year, and 45 percent will stay between 2-4 times in the next 12 months.

The Good When asked what makes a hotel great, 30 percent of respondents said location is the most important factor, while 29 percent cited comfortable beds, and 24 percent said hotel staff/great service. When asked what makes a hotel bed comfortable, 64 percent said it’s the mattress, 11 percent noted the linens, and another 11 percent said it’s the pillows.

The Bad When asked what ruins a hotel stay, 54 percent said unclean rooms, 14 percent cited noisy hotel guests and 11 percent pointed to poor hotel staff/service.

The Ugly Sixty-eight percent of travellers have experienced a dirty carpet at a hotel, 64 percent have dealt with non-working appliances, and 59 percent have waited as their room was not ready at check-in. Thirty-eight percent of travellers think the dirtiest part of a hotel is the carpet, 37 percent speculate it’s the bedspread, 11 percent believe it’s the television remote and another 11 percent think it’s the bathroom.

Bothered about Bedbugs Eighty percent of travellers said they are concerned about bed bugs when visiting a hotel. Eight percent of travellers surveyed said they have experienced bed bugs at a hotel.

Honest and Truthful? Seventy-eight percent of travellers said hotels are often “as advertised,” 17 percent said they are rarely as advertised. Sixty-six percent of travellers said B&Bs are “as advertised,” 20 percent said they are rarely so.

“Your hotel experience can make or break your vacation and we’ve found that travellers don’t ask for much. Cleanliness is the top travel requirement among TripAdvisor members and that doesn’t seem like too much to ask.” said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor.

Article location: http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/tripadvisor_hotels_survey_reveals_the_good_the_bad_and_the_ugly/

Kuala Lumpur Chinatown

Chinatown (Petaling Street) in Kuala Lumpur is not only a shopper’s paradise with lots of “branded “variety handbags, watches, pens, bags, t-shirts, shirts, jeans, pants and lots more. This street called Petaling Street is always an attraction for foreigners and locals alike. It gets pretty packed and a little stuffy along the streets there but one thing for sure, shoppers are protected by a covered walkway along the street.

A word of caution here is to bargain for those genuine fakes and the traders there are mostly inter-related just like a family i.e. price in this stall compared to the others may not necessarily cheaper as they have the same owners or mutual understanding.

Most of the stalls there have foreigners employed by the locals to manage and this had caused the local touch to old Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur.

What used to be row of streets within the vicinity with lots of history is now bustling with traffic and people movement especially in the evenings when food at the hawker stalls becomes another attraction.

A walk along the streets within the area is reminiscent of good old days where a visitor would be able to experience the awesome design and architecture of pre-war shop houses, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple founded in 1863, Kwong Siew Temple founded in 1886, and Chan See Shu Yuen Association, 1906.

I took a little short walk around the area and captured these few shots with more to come.


Look no further than here is you want to shop, eat and stay with convenience in Kuala Lumpur City!

Main entrance to the Chan See Shu Yuen Association established in 1906

The intricate designs of the wall mural depicting teachings adorned the external walls of the Chan See Shu Yuen Association

The roofs has motifs and carvings that had been preserved through test of time.

The central courtyard of the association.

The main building at the centre of the association.

A sign of a pre-war shop house had gone through the strains of wear and tear in an alley of Chinatown Kuala Lumpur

A typical back alley of Chinatown Kuala Lumpur which had not changed much.

New Hotel Skyscraper in Kota Baru

The first phase completion of a RM300mil mixed development project in Jalan Raja Dewa here in 36 months will transform the skyline of the state capital.

The Dataran Raja Dewa project was hailed as an iconic real estate boost for Kelantan with the building of a twin towers of 31 storeys, said developer Petraz Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Stanley Chew.

Sited on 6.3ha, the project would showcase Islamic architecture, he said after signing a memorandum of understanding between the Kuala Lumpur-based Petraz and the Kelantan government last Wednesday.

Dr Chew said Petraz had 23 years' experience in the property market with its niche in the warehousing industry in Klang, Selangor.

On Petraz’s foray into Kelantan, he said real estate was reaching saturation levels in other states while Kelantan was an emerging market.

“There is potential here so we have come to seek the opportunities while bringing about modern development to the town,” Dr Chew said.

He said the developer was discussing with potential anchor tenants including five-star hotel operators, hypermarket operators and shopping mall operators about the commercial aspect.
The shophouses would likely be leased by state government departments and local merchants, he said, adding that the first phase would be ready in 36 months and the second by 2014.

Besides bringing in new commercial enterprises and investments, the project is set to become a new landmark for Kota Baru.

The project comprises 40 units of three-storey shophouses, four blocks of five-storey office lots, twin 31-floor office lots, an eight-storey building which can house trade exhibitions and a three-storey car park.

There are also two 12-storey service apartments and 126 town houses in the project.

Source : The Star

Who Budgets? Traveler or Hotel?

Traveling at a budget?

Travelers often seek the best offer or saving they can secure to travel but this does not mean they could not afford to stay in a 5-star hotel. It simply means getting the best deal and use the savings for other travel expenditures like entertainment, shopping, travels and etc.

Accommodation providers underestimating this budget travelers could backfire as more travelers worldwide seek to travel within an allocated or specified limits. This is a growing trend globally where tourists stretch their spending to the maximum and yet able to enjoy their travels without breaking the bank account.

Most travelers of this category would seek for accommodation which is clean and located in convenient spots at various destinations. Traveling of such nature would require some detailed planning on accommodation, land arrangements and flights which are normally paid in advance. Exercising the use of credit card would be the last resort for travel expenditure above their budget.

More frequent then not, budget travelers would prefer to book accommodation well in advance in budget hotels that fits within their defined means which are mostly done through online reservations engines and portals. Though they have a wide choice of hotels to select from reservation portals, nothing beats reserving direct with the hotels and able to travel with a peace of mind. There is a high possibility that the chosen hotel was referred to by a friend or relative of the traveler which makes it more important for the budget hotel to provide the guest alasting impression.

Expectations of travelers of this category are straight forward but hotels are forced to keep abreast with the rates and packages offered by other hotel properties in and around their property location. Such travelers would not hesitate to cross over to another hotel should the service and accommodation facilities fall below their expectations.

Budget hotels are similarly pressured to deliver the best including what used to be guest facilities reserved for 4-5 star properties e.g. WIFI access, satellite TV in rooms, coffee and tea making and etc.

With the number of budget accommodation providers increasing steadily over the years, we ought to see a tougher competition for occupancy and capability of hotels to manage their operating costs and yet provide a service with a smile.

So, what is budget accommodation is all about? The answer would demand more for the hotel property to keep their operating costs low, with profits at an acceptable margin whilst keeping the guest happy for a return visit rather then the guests with a budget.

The Zon All Suites Residences On The Park

The Zon Hotel All Suites Residences On The Park lives up to its name . The On The Park, Kuala Lumpur property has another sister property in Johor Bahru called The Zon Regency Hotel By The Sea which are owned by Naluri Corporation Berhad.

Visitors to Kuala Lumpur city would cherish staying in the locality of KLCC Twin Towers for close proximity to Suria KLCC for shopping as well as it is a short distance away from the Golden Triangle. For business travelers, keeping fit is a priority and gym workouts or jogs around the park would be ideal before the enjoy the evening entertainment after a hard day at work.

Travellers with young families would also focus the City Centre as the Petrosains and Aquaria KLCC within the complex would keep them busy. This would only mean that larger rooms to fit all family members whilst enjoying the closeness to all the fun available in KLCC area.

With high demands and expectations from travellers today, The Zon All Suites On The Park is ideal for all travellers as the rooms offered are Suite Bedrooms which ranges between one to three bedrooms. What is important here, the Suites comes with a separate living room and fully-equipped kitchenette.

If the guest decides to savour the hotel F&B, Terracotta Restaurant offers culinary which would satisfy your taste buds. If you are tired of dining in a typical surrounding, opt for outdoor dining at Poolside Terrace where the view would definitely enhance the range of Eastern and Western delights being offered.

The recreational facilities ae complete with gymnasium, sauna and jacuzzi. There is an outdoor swimming pool with a separate children pool next to it. This is where family fun gets better.

For events and business seminars, the function rooms and halls are fully equipped to ensure your events in The Zon All Suites Residences On The Park, with it's close proximity to KLCC, will never be the same as events in many other city hotels.

So, if you are heading to Kuala Lumpur soon, check out The Zon All Suites Residences On The Park and experience the hospitality. Reservations can be made here.