New Dawn Hotel

We came back for a second stay and it seemed they’d freshened the place up a little since two years ago. It’s a basic, clean hotel with a fairly central Pontian location, and the beds and pillows are comfy. Downstairs there’s a Muslim joint next to the hotel, and there are small snack stalls along the road. They’ve made some thoughtful choices: each floor has a water cooler, and at reception you can get 3-in-1 coffee sachets, paper cups and stirrers, with hot water available. Our one complaint is the bathroom. A partition between the toilet and shower would help, and there should be more hooks for clothes. Still, it’s a good spot for a short stay. Thanks to Awien for sorting out our last-minute bookings!

The only decent part was that the staff’s attitude seemed okay when we checked in. The window latch was broken, so we couldn’t shut the window properly, the aircon barely got cold, and there was a smell of smoke in the bathroom and outside the bedroom. Worst of all, there were bed bugs. My sister woke up covered in bites on her face and body, and they were really itchy. I saw bugs on her bed. When we reported it, the staff didn’t seem to know what to do and told us to check with agoda LOL. It was so unhygienic, and we’ll never come back. 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

We booked at the last minute, and it was worth it. The family room was spacious and everything else was good. You do have to go to reception yourself to get hot water and 3in1 drinks.

Room 216 was spacious, generally clean and fairly quiet, and we had a pleasant, comfortable two-night stay. The desk clerk was polite and helpful. There’s free instant coffee in the lobby, hot and cold water refill stations, a rain shower with decent heat and pressure, a small TV, and even toiletries. We especially liked that shower. By car, it’s easy to reach most points of interest in any direction. There’s plenty of parking, and it could suit lorry or bus drivers staying overnight. Econsave is next door for picking up food and drinks for a sunset picnic by the Pontian Shoal. Malay western fusion food is right beside the motel, though the restaurant had lots of flies and we didn’t feel comfortable there. That restaurant isn’t part of the motel. For the price, it’s good value, and I’d recommend it for a short holiday in the potian region or a business trip. A few things could be better. The lobby doorbell didn’t work, so we waited outside the locked lobby for quite a while until someone opened it. Keep their official mobile phone number handy in case you need to call to get in. The aircon was cold, but its red warning light was on, so the filter net probably needs regular cleaning. The bed head, water jug, and the nooks and crannies of the sitting chair were dusty. We cleaned them ourselves with a cloth we travel with. The pillows were low and too soft for us. We’re particular about dust, you could call it