Hotel: TUNE HOTEL - KUTA
Booking Details: 4 NIGHTS of stay. Check-in 25-DEC-2010. Check-out 29-DEC-2010.
Total Booking Cost: Rp. 1,576,960
When I finally arrived at the booking confirmation page, I could not believe what I saw. A night stay at the heart of Bali's Kuta Beach costs only US$40 and it was December, one of the busiest holiday period of the year. Just to make sure that my eyes were not playing tricks on me or that I did not make any errors on the itinerary, I went through the booking confirmation page at least twice and made sure that the details were correct.
Yes, there was no mistake. Everything was accurate. As always, my doubt immediately turned into skepticism. There must be a hidden catch somewhere, I thought. It took me two days to clear my doubts before telling my wife that maybe we should consider Tune hotels for our stay in Kuta. After weighing all the possible consequences, we decided that the risk is well worth. After all, we have flown on AirAsia flight before and know how AirAsia is good at providing real no-frill service. Being a member of the AirAsia's business empire, how bad can Tune hotels be possibly be? I ensured myself. After all, they proudly claimed that Tune Hotels offers a 5* Sleeping Experience at 1* Cost.
December 25, 2010 21:00 hours. There we go. We have finally arrived at Tune Hotels, Kuta. First impression: It is not bad after all. The hotel occupies just a piece small compound and the reception is no bigger than 3mx3m.The check-in process was hassle-free. It was completed in less than 10 minutes. We were given the key (1 card) to the room and had to pay a deposit of Rp. 15,000. No credit card swipe is necessary as the rooms come with no mini-bar. We proceeded to the lift. The moment the lift door was opened, the AirAsia's unique touch (advertisements in all possible locations) was immediately felt. On our way to the room, more ads are displayed along the corridor. Well, this could be their way of increasing revenue and squeezing the room price.
We finally reached our room. The room (double) is probably smaller than the reception area. Ads were displayed in almost every corner of the room and even in the bathroom. Well... we have now discovered the "hidden catches". A bit disturbing it might be, but it was still okay. While the room is small, it look well maintained. The bedsheets and bathroom are clean.
When it comes to sleeping time, we were excited to find out the 5* sleeping experience that they have so proudly acclaimed of. It turned out that the mattress is King Koil and while the pillow is not made of duck's feather, it is good. Honestly speaking, we slept well and sound during the 4-nights stay (not sure if that's because we were always so tired after full day of adventure in Kuta). We give them due credit for their claim.
To help you plan for a comfortable stay at Tune Hotel, here are few tips that I could share. The room booking does not come with air-con usage. If you want to use the air-con, you have to buy credits (based on 24-hours) from them. The room comes with ceiling fan that is more than enough to make you feel cool (considering the size of the room). So if you plan to spend most of the entire day out of the room (which I believe most people would), I don't think you need more than 12-hours of credit for each day. You have to bring your own towel, bath soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste. Nothing is provided, but you can buy from them if you prefer to. At the hotel lobby, there is a mini convenience store. But be warned that prices of items are generally about 2-3 times compared to outside convenience store. Bring few additional cloth hangers if you plan to stay long and have a wet time at the Kuta Beach.
All in all, we get what we paid for. Nearby inns and hotels of similar size costs roughly the same or more but cleanliness and security might be an issue in some cases. The hotel is less than 5 minutes away from Made's Warung (probably one of the most famous eatery in Kuta), 5 to 10-minutes away from Discovery Mall and the main Kuta Beach.
Booking Details: 4 NIGHTS of stay. Check-in 25-DEC-2010. Check-out 29-DEC-2010.
Total Booking Cost: Rp. 1,576,960
When I finally arrived at the booking confirmation page, I could not believe what I saw. A night stay at the heart of Bali's Kuta Beach costs only US$40 and it was December, one of the busiest holiday period of the year. Just to make sure that my eyes were not playing tricks on me or that I did not make any errors on the itinerary, I went through the booking confirmation page at least twice and made sure that the details were correct.
Yes, there was no mistake. Everything was accurate. As always, my doubt immediately turned into skepticism. There must be a hidden catch somewhere, I thought. It took me two days to clear my doubts before telling my wife that maybe we should consider Tune hotels for our stay in Kuta. After weighing all the possible consequences, we decided that the risk is well worth. After all, we have flown on AirAsia flight before and know how AirAsia is good at providing real no-frill service. Being a member of the AirAsia's business empire, how bad can Tune hotels be possibly be? I ensured myself. After all, they proudly claimed that Tune Hotels offers a 5* Sleeping Experience at 1* Cost.
December 25, 2010 21:00 hours. There we go. We have finally arrived at Tune Hotels, Kuta. First impression: It is not bad after all. The hotel occupies just a piece small compound and the reception is no bigger than 3mx3m.The check-in process was hassle-free. It was completed in less than 10 minutes. We were given the key (1 card) to the room and had to pay a deposit of Rp. 15,000. No credit card swipe is necessary as the rooms come with no mini-bar. We proceeded to the lift. The moment the lift door was opened, the AirAsia's unique touch (advertisements in all possible locations) was immediately felt. On our way to the room, more ads are displayed along the corridor. Well, this could be their way of increasing revenue and squeezing the room price.
We finally reached our room. The room (double) is probably smaller than the reception area. Ads were displayed in almost every corner of the room and even in the bathroom. Well... we have now discovered the "hidden catches". A bit disturbing it might be, but it was still okay. While the room is small, it look well maintained. The bedsheets and bathroom are clean.
When it comes to sleeping time, we were excited to find out the 5* sleeping experience that they have so proudly acclaimed of. It turned out that the mattress is King Koil and while the pillow is not made of duck's feather, it is good. Honestly speaking, we slept well and sound during the 4-nights stay (not sure if that's because we were always so tired after full day of adventure in Kuta). We give them due credit for their claim.
To help you plan for a comfortable stay at Tune Hotel, here are few tips that I could share. The room booking does not come with air-con usage. If you want to use the air-con, you have to buy credits (based on 24-hours) from them. The room comes with ceiling fan that is more than enough to make you feel cool (considering the size of the room). So if you plan to spend most of the entire day out of the room (which I believe most people would), I don't think you need more than 12-hours of credit for each day. You have to bring your own towel, bath soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste. Nothing is provided, but you can buy from them if you prefer to. At the hotel lobby, there is a mini convenience store. But be warned that prices of items are generally about 2-3 times compared to outside convenience store. Bring few additional cloth hangers if you plan to stay long and have a wet time at the Kuta Beach.
All in all, we get what we paid for. Nearby inns and hotels of similar size costs roughly the same or more but cleanliness and security might be an issue in some cases. The hotel is less than 5 minutes away from Made's Warung (probably one of the most famous eatery in Kuta), 5 to 10-minutes away from Discovery Mall and the main Kuta Beach.
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