Birkin International Hotel

The kids’ club was a hit with my children, and the room was spacious. The hotel feels cozy and relaxing. Staff took good care of us from the moment we arrived through to getting settled in our room, and even called afterward to check that everything was okay and we had what we needed.

The beds and pillows were clean and comfortable, and the room was a reasonable size. Still, I don't feel this deserves a 5-star rating. We booked a family room for four, but towels, teacups and toothbrushes were only set up for two. There were no hand towels, face towels or slippers either. The tea and coffee supplies were leftovers from the previous guests, and after we asked for fresh ones, we waited a long time. The receptionist described our room as sea-facing, but it only had a partial sea view. The water heater also didn't work, so we had to call reception and wait for maintenance. The lighting was dim, especially by the makeup area, and the bath area was poorly kept, with badly stained walls. These problems took away from our planned Mother's Day weekend. Breakfast didn't have a very wide choice for the quoted RM95 per person, which felt steep. After arriving, I saw the walk-in rates were RM65 for adults and RM45 for seniors. The pool was quite dirty, with dried leaves, twigs and other debris in the water, and guests weren't expected to follow proper swimwear rules. We saw people swimming in T-shirts, track bottoms, shorts and even tudungs.

The breakfast selection was really good, with things like steak and sushi, and the view from the hotel was lovely. Staff were friendly and helpful throughout, and I'm grateful for their hospitality. It was my first stay here, and I came away happy overall. There were some rough spots. The hotel looked very much like a 5-star place on arrival, but the lifts were painfully slow around 8pm. We missed them six times and missed the fire show too, until a helpful staff member took us by the service lift. Check-in also took longer than expected because the hotel was crowded, though the staff stayed patient and professional. When I got to my room, it hadn't been cleaned or properly prepared. After I complained, the service manager on duty handled it professionally and arranged another room, though it took an hour. Weekend prices seem a bit overrated if service during peak hours doesn't improve. I'd come back if I could get a premier room at a fair, worthwhile price.

They extended breakfast hours until 1:30 PM, which was a thoughtful idea, especially for families. It meant we didn't have to rush out early and made the stay more enjoyable. My room was clean and comfortable, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I had a pleasant, relaxing trip and would definitely return.