The Room with a View - The Fault of My Stars (Metro Hotel KL)

I knew I'd love Metro Hotel even before I was able to stay in it. In fact, I booked a room 5 months before my transit to South America. I wanted to include it in my "been there" list. Why not? The hotel breathed life to that dreary, iffy corner of Jalan Pudu and Imbi. What used to be a derelict, albeit neglected construction carcass is now a concrete high rise; not particularly eye catching, but nevertheless au courant and welcoming. More than anything, the location is a cinch and clincher, right at the fringes of Bukit Bintang, just beside the Imbi Metro, and located across Berjaya Times Square. Everything is accessible from here: Central Market, Puduraya Terminal, Bintang Walk, Jalan Alor, Liuli Fountain at the Pavilion, and the malls scattered nearby - minus the beautiful chaos and unfaltering hum of Bintang Station

This is my almost-funny story with Metro Hotel Bukit Bintang. 

After a 12-hour flight with Air France from Paris, I was finally concluding my long-haul November/December trip that took me to more than 20 cities/towns, riding 13 plane rides through Amsterdam, Paris, Rio Janeiro, Lima, Cuzco, Paris, etc. This will be my last stopover, a three-day respite before finally heading back home. I like my "night caps" in KL, just staying inside my hotel, watching late-night movie and feasting on 8-ringgit lanzones. Zipping through KLIA 2 and KL Sentral, I finally arrived in Metro Hotel Bukit Bintang.

HAPPY WITH PINAYS

It would be no surprise that a toothsome Filipina would man the front desk. I was more than pleased. I wasn't there to get chummy, not by a long shot, but it's nice to have a compatriot. She seemed to be doing great because the other staff kept referring to her. Check in was brisk and I proceeded to a corner room with a spectacular view from the 7th level (8th floor actually). It was 4 PM and my spirit was melting away like a candle. Before getting a shut-eye, I opened my laptop to check messages. I need to get connected to get updated with work and home. Unfortunately, wifi was not working at all. Wifi these days is among top considerations in picking a hotel. These aren't the early 2000's when you'd require exorbitant long distance fees to get connected home. Since I couldn't get connected, I rang front desk. Miss Philippines answered. I thanked her for giving me what I'd consider a prime room, then told her about the wifi connection. After all, my Agoda booking requested that I be lodged somewhere with good connection because I require it! She said she'd call maintenance and get the line rebooted or something. I slept. I badly needed to rest.

NO INTERNET, MY FAULT

I woke up half past 6 and learned that I still could not connect. Zilch. I rang again. This time though, she was getting testy. I was of course surprised when she told me, "Everyone connect, only you no internet!" She did seem to have a good graspof English at the reception (like most Pinoys do) but when she gets riled up, her English turns into fractured phrases. So it was my fault that I don't get an internet connection? It was time to put my foot down and get her to her place. Instead of talking in Tagalog, I spoke in clear English. The medium of instruction in Filipino business is English, and now I meant business. No more "kababayan" niceties. I was the paying guest, and she was the hotel employee who's answerable to my needs as per contract of my hotel stay! Moreover, I refuse to be accorded rude behavior when I wasn't being rude, not by anyone who seemingly is unemployable in my country thus had to look elsewhere.

REDEFINING HEROISM

In my country, Filipinos who leave home for work are considered heroes. Those who stay on to endure what our country has to offer aren't. For some twist of fate, we've redefined the meaning of "heroism" to suit this diaspora. I'd have thought that heroism should be based on less selfish motives than just feeding "his own a family". This is debatable if it were to be pointed out that feeding a hungry family (and sending dollars from overseas) is universal enough to qualify as an important factor to improve an economic parameter. If that were so, it would be equivalent to almost 3 billion people, and not just the estimated 2.2 million Filipinos who work overseas. "Feeding family" isn't exclusive to Filipinos. The rest of the world does it. But it is popular to call 2.2 million "heroes". I'd say real heroes are a much smaller number and it isn't based on migration. But I am digressing.    

MISS PHILIPPINES

I went down the front desk and spoke to Miss Philippines. I hate making a fuss, but wrong is wrong. Agoda says Metro Hotel has excellent wifi, one of the reasons I booked, aside from curiosity being a frequent traveler. If I knew otherwise, there were a hundred hotels in the Bukit Bintang alone to choose from. I never had wifi problems in KL before even in dirt-cheap inns and backpacker joints. Metro Hotel was supposedly a 3-star hotel. What's worse, I was dealing with a fellow Filipino who doesn't seem to know her place - or the proper aptitude to deal with paying guests, for that matter. Why did I have to talk down to her to get what I required? It was so unnecessary. She sent a maintenance guy to my room. As it turns out, there was limited wifi connection by the door, not by my beautifully placed desk. I had to clear the desk where the safe was, placed my laptop there to get a connection. I would stand doing this because it was actually a cabinet housing the refrigerator and the safe. When I move an inch, I'd lose wifi.

Now this predicament was easy to solve. Just inform your guest that there are rooms with superlative views, but with limited connectivity. If they require better connections, give them one, most especially if they've noted that during booking.

TARZAN LANGUAGE

More importantly, re-train a front desk staff on manners and proper staff etiquette and remind them to know their place. "Everyone connect, only you no internet?" Are we on Tarzan-language these days? She, of course, apologized after I reminded her that, for the duration of my one-month travel, in all my 11 or so hotels from 5 countries (France, Netherlands, KL,Brazil and Peru), Metro Hotel Bukit Bintang was the only place where I could not connect! How's that for Tarzan speak?

MY MONEY

I wasn't going to run amok over non-serviceable wifi. I was if idiots talked down on me like they knew better. Excuse my French but I am footing the bill for this room, not you. You get part of your salary from my money. How clear is that? It wasn't even the intermittent wifi. It was the attitude. "Everyone connect, you no connect?"

Metro Hotel has 119 beautifully interiored rooms, spread on 12 floors. The beds are among the most comfortable in KL. Everything here feels and smells new. After all, it just opened in 2013. They are also well rated in Agoda. Taxis are a dime a dozen in front of the lobby, and the guard will get an honest one, albeit fixed-rate, for you.

I will book again with Metro Hotel in the future. I like the hotel. It would be among my favorites here (among 25-30 hotels I've stayed at Bukit Bintang area alone) had it not been for this attitude debacle. Most of the staff are polite and competent. I do not require friends from any hotel staff. I require, not even impeccable, but competent service. Should she be a Filipina, usually known for warmth and efficiency, I will switch to "business-like". Give me Malays anytime. Isn't that ironic?

This is the Eye in the Sky!

The new tunnel along Jalan Pudu just opened.

All that desk for my laptop and I could not even use it there. I had to move to a cabinet by the door (below) to get an intermittent wifi signal.

I had to clear this cabinet and place my laptop there to get an intermittent signal. Yup, standing while going online by the door. 

Spacious bathroom with fully functional hot-water facility.

Painting inside my room.

Rainy day at the capital.

Jalan Imbi

Jalan Pudu. Furama Hotel is seem from a distance. Berjaya Times Square at the left.

Front desk (reception)

By the elevator hall.

Outside the hotel. The guards would be glad to get you your taxi and will emphasize how much you need to pay. No extra charges here.

Metro Hotel Bukit Bintang

Off Central KL - Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah & the Surrounding Block

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Staying at the other end of Jalan Pudu - away from Puduraya Station (Hentian Puduraya) was interesting because it felt like I was left off center. It was still part of the Golden Triangle, the Bukit Bintang realm, but the place is really in the fringes of this backpack epicenter. In this area, I stayed in 2 nearby hotels or guesthouses: Hotel Orkid Inn and Beltif Hotel which were a study of contrasts. The area is also very close to Berjaya Times Square and the Imbi monorail station. From Jalan Pudu, the next intersecting street was that of Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, easily demarcated by the high rise of Taragon and Furama Hotel. The area is dotted with dated shop houses, turned into mostly Chinese-Malaysian restaurants. As you go further east and southeast, you find karaoke bars and massage parlors found in the areas of Jalan Baba, Jalan Nyonya and Jalan Brunei Utara.

My earliest association with the oddly named street is by gastronomy. though there's more than enough option, I stayed away from dark colored entrees. Kedai Mekanan Teochew is a safe choice for a restaurant. It fancies itself as a porridge restaurant, with several options on platters. A plate with several spoonfuls of mixed viand and rice is a measly 5.50 ringgit, plus 2 ringgit of Coke.

There's an upscale shopping complex in the vicinity called Shaw Parade which is decked in luminous red. There's a bank and a convenience store. Beltif Hotel is located in the same street. Though you will find a sign that says "Internet" along the same road, there's no browsing to be had there; just online gaming.

The area isn't exactly pretty, but its proximity to Bukit Bintang, Puduraya Station and the Bintang Walk makes it an ideal place for backpackers and other tourists. This post tries to document the area.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

This mixed plate at Kedai Mekanan Teochew Restaurant costs a measly 5.50 ringgit.

Food during late lunch.

My food at dinner time.

Kedai Makanan Teochew Porridge Restaurant

Beltif Hotel at the right side of the building.

Shaw Parade

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant (above and below)

Sunday Club

Jalan Basa

An altar in front of a Karaoke Bar

Dark corner along Jalan Pudu

Map of the area

Hotel Orkid Inn - Accommodations in KL

Among the KL hotels that I've stayed in during my long haul travel last March and April (2012), Hotel Orkid Inn was easily my least favorite. It's also the cheapest, and is really a testament to the worth of money that could buy you pleasure. Cheap is analogous to spartan facilities and even poorer hospitality. I somehow expected this but I am stubborn. I needed to check out cheaper options because not a lot of travelers can always stay in Le Apple Boutique Hotel most of the time. This was a traipse to the lower tier of accommodations. But much as I hate to admit it, it isn't really all that bad - if you're not finicky.

The hotel itself can't quite make up its mind: is it an "inn" or is it a "hotel"? To address the dilemma, it chose to name itself both. It is Hotel Orkid Inn. It is located in a 4-story building that's seen better days. It's mostly dwarfed by its nearby neighbors - Taragon and Furama Hotels to its left; Berjaya Times Square to its right. With Jalan Pudu in front of it and the Imbi monorail station just a few minutes walk away, the building stands on a prime location. Good word of mouth can even inspire bustling business. Obviously that won't come from me.

DIRECTION FROM THE AIRPORT

If you're coming straight from the airport, just hop on a bus to KL Sentral (9 ringgit), then take the monorail train to Imbi (1.60 ringgit, 6 stops). From there, just walk towards Jalan Pudu, turn left then find this yellow-and-pink building before reaching Jalan Changkat Thamby Dollah. It won't take you 10 minutes from Imbi. Cheap transit, indeed.

WHAT IS CHEAP WORTH?

Once you find this building, take the stairs and head to the 3rd floor where the hotel lobby is. The hotel occupies the 3rd and 4th floor of this building that's easy to ignore because unlike other hotels in Jalan Pudu, there are no grand, glittery lobbies. I handed my Agoda booking to a guy of Indian descent who seemed surprise to see me. Funny thing was, I wasn't the "pleasant surprise", was how I felt upon arrival. "I have a booking," I told the guy. He took my voucher and without saying a single word, he pointed me to a stair to his left. Was he vocally impaired? Aphonic? Sick of the suppurative form of tonsillopharyngitis? "My room is uptairs?" I asked. "Yes," he finally muttered. He wasn't MUTE after all. But you see, when you're paying just a nickel, don't expect first class service or world class hospitality. In the scheme of things, what you hand out and what you get eventually go with the territory.

Now I am not into red carpets rolled before me. I want my arrivals as painless and swift as possible, but it's another thing to feel unwanted in a place I pay 79 ringgit for, regardless of how paltry the amount is. Don't I even deserve a clipped smile? Crazy people, if you ask me.

With key in hand, I found my room at 302. It had a double bed with a good sized bathroom, an AC, a television set circa 1970, and a window with a view. The lobby has a common sitting room, but you would be better off trying any of the restaurants in the vicinity - and there are several, inexpensive and otherwise.

OTHER ORKID HOTELS

For backpackers, this place would suffice, for sure. I've seen far worse places at a higher price. There are taxis plying Pudu at most times of the day - or night. By the way, there are 2 other similarly named hotels in the vicinity so if you book in one, make sure you know which one exactly. The other one is called Hotel Orkid, just at the back of Hotel Orkid Inn. It stands beside a row of restaurants and videoke bars. The other one is also called Hotel Orkid also facing Jalan Pudu at the other side of Furama, and a little farther away from Bukit Bintang (this has a spiffy, bright lobby with glass walls).

I do find interest in discovering places that other travelers inhabit. Sometimes you feel grateful you find one that suits, not just your budget, but your temperament as well. This one falls under my radar of comforts, but I am sure others will find this acceptable. I actually felt this, but looking back, why force yourself on people who can't even offer a welcoming smile? There are literally hundreds of other guesthouses in KL, several of them - maybe 3 dozens or more along Jalan Pudu where this hotel is. I'd be happier spending my petty cash on other hotels.

This is the Eye in the Sky!    

Don't miss the small door/entrance (a stairway) at the right corner of the building.

Small hotel entrance leading to a stair. Right outside is Jalan Pudu.

Front desk at the 3rd level of the building.

Sitting room

Stairs to the 4th level.

Fourth floor hallway. My room was 302.

My double bed was very comfortable but I worried a bit about the stains and condition of the lower bunk.

A dab of fresh paint sure made the difference, but you know the room has seen better days in the carpet and bed.

Fourth floor view. The blue and white building is a Police Headquarters.

A view from one of the windows at the 4th floor. Berjaya Times Square behind the old shop houses.

Taragon and Furama Hotel - two hotels in one huge building complex.

Other options, if budget is tight:

- http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2009/03/accommodations-in-kuala-lumpur-part-1.html
- http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2009/03/accommodations-in-kuala-lumpur-part-2.html
- http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2009/04/backpack-accommodation-in-kl-part-3.html

Hotel Orkid found at the street parallel to Jalan Pudu at the back of my hotel

The other Hotel Orkid along Jalan Pudu, closer to Furama. Unfortunately, the surroundings along this Jalan Pudu stretch leaves much to be desired. There's nothing there that will interest tourists. No restaurants, internet shops, department stores. This stretch is also mostly dark at night so I am not so sure you'd feel safe walking this part. It's my impression. I could be wrong. The lobby of this hotel looks a LOT better than my hotel so that could be a plus.