[nono1973]

Originally Posted by localbest

Bro nono, appreciate your analysis on the hotel charges. However I deliberately don't compare apple to apple because I want to see if the cost of durian is significantly more costly than an apple. But now I realised the price gap difference between a 2 star Lailai and 3 star Formosa is getting smaller over the years therefore see not worth staying in a 2 star hotel.
(Only a small $21 difference can have a more comprehensive and enjoyable stay)

I look at hotels base on their location as well as my planned route for my trip etc etc. Example if i like Formosa so much becos of its location,i will search for hotels nearby and that particular chosen hotel need to have close enough proximity as formosa as well as other services like ,room service,food,cleanliness etc etc.

In your case,you already fixed yourself between Lai Lai and Formosa,hehehe...then more of less from now on,you will more likely be staying in Formosa more cos no matter how, Lai Lai or Batam Star definitely isnt going to be better.

Originally Posted by localbest

Yes, Formosa is not only getting cheaper to stay now via online or kaha, it is also constantly improving itself by providing comfort, quality furnishing and taking care of hotel guest needs.

Yes,i 100% agree with your saying. Formosa takes their customers feedback seriously and has constantly been upgrading to serve them better. More importantly for me,it is also getting cheaper and cheaper over the 1 year...lol.

Originally Posted by localbest

1) Personal care or complete toiletries provided in bathroom including hair dryer, anti-slip mat, etc.

One small problem here,sometime they only provide 1 set of tooth brush/toothpaste,1 pair of slippers when i have 2 person staying in it.I know,i can always call them to ask for another set. They are also doing away with most of their bath tub,hehehe...cannot play rubber ducky in the bath tub anymore...lol.

Originally Posted by localbest

2) Strong Wi-Fi signal can be received in almost the whole hotel space like room, restaurant, hall, lifts, corridors, etc.as it provide many access point to boost the signal.

Yes,wifi signal strength has significant went better as compare to last year. Anyway,i rarely use their wifi but feedbacks from the bros who joined me in my trips tells me so.

Originally Posted by localbest

3) Recent replacement of all the spot lights (halogen) to LED lights in the room and toilet, since LED technology is getting more advance now.

Hehehe...check their new bath tap in my last trip,they even gold plated it a little...lol.

Originally Posted by localbest

4) From the wall there are many handphone charger cable for nokia, sony, Samsung, blackberry, etc. Think this is the only hotel I have seen that provide charging of handphone facility.

Yes,but the most important piece of hp charging wire for samsung is always broken. Nonetheless,they still offer to charge my hp at their reception.

Originally Posted by localbest

5) Carpet bring cosiness not many 3 star have this type of provision.

I found at least a dozen dead baby cockroaches on their carpet few trips ago in my 1st hour of stay. I have to ask them to vacuum it all over again,hehehe...do you know what the dead cockroaches means? That means there are unlikely to have any live ones around. In all my stays,i see no live insects in the room unless i open the room windows,hehehe...

Originally Posted by localbest

6) Old fashion CRT TV have been changed to LED TV with more than 50 channels.

Bro,you sure its LED or LCD TV? They are still using the old LCD TV but i have not seen any CRT tv in all my stays in Formosa so far. Their LCD TVs do not have HDMI port,so they are considered as older model of LCD TV to me,hehehe...and yes,i LOVE their TV channels.

I seriously learned to appreciate Formosa better after having stayed in the 2 star hotel in my last trip. (note : it does not means the 2 star hotel i stayed in is no good,just not better than Formosa)

Originally Posted by localbest

7) Last but not least, the tile of the long bath can be dismantle for guest to hide their barang barang...

LOLOL....yes! YES! Thats my personal safe deposit box in the hotel room!!

Originally Posted by localbest

Bro, a very good piece of advice, to save cost but I am too lazy to monitor the online price. For me paying the Kaha auntie a visit talk cock sing song also quite a nice experience.

Most time,Kaha will be cheaper than online but i always plan my Batam trip about a week beforehand,so no harm clicking the browser to check the prices. At times,Kaha will tell me no room,but in these cases,i call Formosa direct,hehehe...give them my name and...Ta! Da! I got a room,hehehe...

Originally Posted by localbest

Imagine if kaha can sell us at 475k, Formosa could have sold the hotel voucher to kaha at maybe 380k. if walk in, Formosa charge 580k which is much more expensive.

Thats why i am always looking at alternatives,eg An Shun Travels,hehehe...i dont like the idea of constantly rely solely on Kaha for hotel voucher. There MUST ALWAYS be a plan B for the "if all else fail" situation,hehehe...

Originally Posted by localbest

Are u referring to lovina inn or Gideon hotel? For me I got a weird habit tend to match the quality of cewek I book with the number of star of a hotel to stay.

When I want to cheong batam in a tight budget, I will book a 600k cewek (cheapest) staying in a 1 or 2 star hotel. (lovina inn, Lailai, bahari, batam star)

When I want to enjoy more by spending moderately, I will book a 1 juta - 1.2juta cewek staying in a 3 star hotel like Formosa deluxe room.

But when I want to splurge by spending money extravagantly, I will book a 1.5-2juta cewek and stay in Formosa but in a junior or executive suite.

I find it funny/strange if I book a 600k cewek but stay in a 4/5 star hotel.

I am guessing thats your habit.

For my case,i get a hotel base mainly on comfortability. Comfortability as in both the girl and myself needs to be comfortable. She is my companion for the night,someone i treat as partner rather than a sex worker. So regardless if she is in the 600k or the 1.2 mil category,hotel has never been an issue. More importantly in any hotel,everything or at least nearly everything must be within reach,eg. Food,provision shops,massage etc etc.

Originally Posted by localbest

Heard Goodway hotel use to be 4 star. do you mean that it has downgraded to 3 star ? But its studio room is smaller and cheaper, probably same cost as Formosa deluxe room ?

I think it has been downgraded to a 3.5 star. So far i have only stayed in Goodway once,which is their most basic room which cost about 525k/night on public holiday from Kaha in 2015,so its about same as Formosa room. The main thing i dislike most about Goodway is their big mirror is directly facing the bed,rather sinister in some sense.

Oh,and most of their TVs were in CRT,hehehe...cannot blame them also,Goodway has 260 over rooms whereas Formosa only have 100+ rooms and for them to change all their TVs to LCD ones is going to burn a big hole in their pocket,hehehe...wifi-wise it shows full bar or near to full bar,but always hang. The room service menu shows both Sin$ and IDR and once i see that,i usually deem it as carrot chopping.