The Shore Residence Apartment

We stayed for 3D2N, from 30th May-1st June, in a studio suite on the 18th floor with our family of four, 2 adults and 2 children. The room was spacious, and check-in around 3:15 pm was smooth with no queue. Cleanliness was just so-so. The bathroom wasn’t family-friendly because of its see-through glass, so we had to switch off the bathroom lights while bathing to reduce the reflection. The pool was clean and a decent size. The location was the main reason we booked. It’s within walking distance of 99 speed mart, a mamak stall and Jonker Street. There’s also a Chinese restaurant about a five-minute walk away. Breakfast was bad, with icy cold food and a predictable selection: fried rice, nasi lemak, croissants, pink guava, apple juice, coffee and tea, roti canai, salad, laksa, omelette and porridge. The lift attendants were friendly, polite and professional, but the four small lifts serve 42 floors of hotel and residence. During peak hours, getting from the 18th floor to the ground floor can take around 15 minutes. We also got locked out of our room after a short walk in the mall. Housekeeping thought the door lock battery had run out, but the housekeeping PIC said that wasn’t the issue and called maintenance. One person came and couldn’t open it either. Six people in total attended to the problem, and it took around two hours to resolve. They didn’t actually repair the lock, they broke it open and replaced it. We were compensated with a late checkout. Even so, we probably wouldn’t recommend staying here, especially in peak season.

I had a really pleasant stay at The Shore Hotel & Residences Melaka. My room on the 40th floor was spacious and comfortable, with a nice partial view of Melaka River. There’s a water taxi jetty right in front of the hotel, and the location is great. Breakfast had plenty of choice and all the amenities were there. Nadia at the front office was especially warm and friendly, and the staff, including security, were helpful and welcoming. I’d seen comments about slow lifts, but as I was there on a weekday, that wasn’t a problem for me. I really enjoyed the stay and would happily return.

The apartment was a long walk from the main lobby, which was difficult with our elderly mum. Checking out meant walking all the way from residence 3 back to the lobby. When I asked about a trolley, reception said it would delay the lift. That’s unacceptable. There was no Wi-Fi, and the TV didn’t have even one English channel for an international traveller. The kitchen wasn’t equipped: no knives for cutting fruit, no dish soap and no coffee creamer, though coffee and tea were provided. We had only one toilet roll for our two-night, three-day stay. The bidet leaked and flooded the bathroom, and the drawer had exposed rusty screws. I tried calling reception, but no one answered. The website showed an indoor infinity pool, but when I asked, someone said there was no such thing. Overall, this might suit a local guest, but not foreigners. The glossy booking.com photos give a completely wrong impression. I’d never stay here again or recommend it.

The location is excellent, but the housekeeping setup was the worst. This is the first hotel I’ve stayed at where guests have to call to request housekeeping. Otherwise, the room gets no attention at all: no towel change, cleaning or refills. There are no towels at the pool either, so guests are told to bring one from their room. The lifts are a disaster, with four that are always full and very hard to get onto.