Ain Studio Apartment

The location works well, but the room itself is only moderate and the place feels overrated. The bed is quite hard, the towels are old, and the AC makes a lot of noise. Sometimes the heater and TV don’t work. The walkways to the rooms are rather dirty, and the lifts are so tiny they fit only two adults. It was OK overall, though housekeeping and cleanliness need attention.

There’s a decent breakfast place downstairs, and the Friday morning market and Friday night market are both conveniently located. The room and toilet were good, with lots of amenities, and the air conditioner worked fine. The toilet could be cleaner, though, and the receptionists were okay. You can park at the front or back of the lot. I avoided the basement parking because it looked dark. The pavement has a ramp, but there’s no ramp from the road up to it, so it’s not very accessible for wheelchairs or strollers. The nearby mosque is about a three-minute drive away. One concern: there’s no extra lock on the inside of the room door, so someone with a key can unlock it from outside.

The unit can fit up to four people, two adults and two children under 12, and it costs less than a hotel. It’s a handy base for nearby attractions, with coin laundry on the apartment block’s ground floor. The facilities are good, including a water filter, so we didn’t need to buy drinking water.

Right in the heart of Kota Bharu, with breakfast nearby and plenty of parking. The building is quite old, but still acceptable.