The Pines Hotel

The sheets and toilet mats were dirty, and the floor felt sticky. I’d rate hygiene 2/5. During rest or sleep, there was loud noise from the hallway, and smoke from guests smoking in the toilet seemed to spread through shared ventilation. We were also told to move our parked car because the owner was coming. A further odd detail: the hotel owner also owns the clinic downstairs. I hope the clinic’s hygiene isn’t at the same level as the hotel’s.

Food from the little stalls by Maybank near the hotel junction was the big surprise. One sold kueh, including Malaysian desserts, fried banana and other fried food. The other had pesemboq, ABC and Cendol. Everything we tried was delicious, 10 million stars for both stalls. The room setup was unusual, like two standard hotel rooms inside one larger apartment space, but without a kitchen or dining area. There was a spacious living room with a TV and two big sofas, though the TV signal wasn’t good. One bedroom had a queen bed, the other two single beds, and they shared a toilet. There was a water heater and a sitting toilet. The dispenser was on level 2 while our room was on level 3. Parking was the biggest hassle, since the hotel is behind several warehouses and we had to compete for spaces with company lorries and 4x4s. There’s no lift in the three-storey building, so people with mobility issues should check with the owner first. The bathroom water heater kept shutting off, which is a real problem in the cold area near Cameron Highlands. No air conditioning, but that makes sense in a cold place. No photos, my phone broke that day.

Parking is awkward because other businesses seem to treat the spaces as their own. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my car there for long in case someone scratched it.

The room is basic, but it was clean enough. It’s quite secluded and a long way from the tourist spots, so having your own transport matters.