Copthorne Hotel Cameron Highlands

We had a good two-night stay at Copthorne, and paying extra for the mountain view was worth it. The room was clean, the beds were comfortable, there were slippers, and we had plenty of room for our bags. Most staff were friendly and helpful, though their English wasn't very good. Breakfast was included, but we paid extra for the buffet instead of the set menu. There were some good dishes, especially the egg omelette and chicken curry with its nice sauce. The coffee was a letdown, like weak kopi-o “poh”. At an international hotel, I expected fresh-ground espresso or americano. I liked the location. We weren't driving, but traffic on Route 59 was bad. Getting a Grab from the hotel was easy, but finding one for the return trip wasn't, and there aren't many drivers.

The location is extremely convenient, with a paved, fenced walkway to kea farm. When we checked in, the staff were setting up the buffet dinner, and the BBQ lamb caught our eye, so we walked in to eat. There was a great variety to choose from, and the hotel has been renovated to keep it up to date.

For a 4-star hotel, this was a very disappointing stay. The room was dusty and hadn't been properly cleaned before check-in. We had to ask for slippers and a toothbrush after we were already in the room. The pillows were old, dirty, and marked with yellow and black stains. They were so unhygienic that I couldn't sleep on them. I called room service to have the room cleaned again, but the housekeeper mopped while wearing shoes inside. That suggests poor staff training and cleaning standards. This wasn't the cleanliness or service I'd expect from a 4-star hotel.

The room and café both need attention. There were lots of flies around the café, and our room was dirty: dust on the table and bedsheet, hair on the sheet, and a floor so grimy our feet went black. Staff did come mop it and replace the broken fan remote when we asked. Getting the room took a while, too. We registered around 2:40 PM, but it wasn't ready; after checking again at the counter, we got the card around 3:30. Hotel check-ins are usually quick for me, and this felt inefficient, especially during Ramadan when the place didn't seem busy. The staff responded to our requests, but cleanliness and efficiency need improvement.