Econtel Hotel — Hotel in George Town

I have never made any bad review about any services/food around me before but what I have experienced in this hotel is the worst nightmare so far. ||||Two good things about this hotel: The hotel is at a good location as it is close to Queensbay Mall, everything is convenience and the staffs are rather friendly. ||||Other than that, it was an awful experience. If you look at the picture I took, you can see that there is a gap between the window and the wall next to the bed, and the gap actually connects my room to the room below me. In another word, I can hear everything very CLEARLY like what's going on in the room below me.||||The 1st day I checked in the hotel in the afternoon, I was having fever and needed a good nap, after settling everything, i fell asleep and I left my work phone on top of the blanket. ||||When I woke up I realised my work phone is gone! ||||I tried searching my room thoroughly and I couldn't find it, I was very sure the phone was on the bed as i did some arrangement before i sleep. The explanation can be either someone came into my room and took it (which it doesn't make sense, because my personal expensive phone is still with me) OR the phone flipped and dropped into the hole/gap when I was pulling the blanket while I sleep. ||||If is the latter, then the guest in the room below me probably saw the phone and took it. I informed the receptionist immediately after i suspected it dropped to the lower floor and we both went to room below my room and try looking my phone but we found nothing. According to the room guest, that room was booked for his company's staffs, he was not the only person has access to the room to sleep, so somebody else might found the phone and left earlier while i was still taking my sick nap. ||||Well to the staffs' credit, they do spend reasonable effort in locating my phone including searching both my room and the room below me, and call me to follow up about my work phone. ||||At the same night, I was trying to sleep again after the lost phone experience and i realised i couldn't, not because i slept too much in the afternoon but the voices around me is so overwhelmed! I can hear my neighbours flashing their toilet bowl, open and closing their door and etc. At early morning 230am, thanks to the neighbour hotel - Eastin Hotel, there were few trucks of lorry loading stuffs in and out, about 20 -30 man talking very loudly, shouting, laughing at each othe, it lasted around 1 hour and i only managed to sleep at 4am. ||||The second night, after i came back from work, when i entered the room, i don't know why suddenly there are so many mosquitoes appeared in my room, i have done a rough count, probably got 10 mosquitoes in the room and i only managed to kill 3. After the 1st night lesson, i decided to sleep early. ||||Around 2:30 am, i have been woken up by the erotic/loud/having sex until your neighbour piss off (literally) sound from the room below me. The girl was so loud it almost sounds like they are having sex in front of me. ||||Okay, you can...

The 2 stars I’m giving are only for the price (cheap) and location (very close to Queensbay mall and to where I need to go during my stay).

The room is tiny. Hardly space to move. And jt was supposed to be a room for 2 pax. No fridge. Hardly any space to move. Once you get into the room must straight jump onto the bed. Do not bring large suitcases that need to open flat as you will have no space at all.

Wifi is bad. Connection is intermittent. Aircond needs to be switched off at the main switch and on again before you actually get cool air.

Water heater doesn’t seem to do its job heating up the water. Even at a high temperature the water was just lukewarm at best. Pressure is ok (maybe because I was on 1st floor).

No elevator. Just stairs. Not friendly to elderly or those who have physical limitations. No porter or anyone to help you carry bags up and down either. The reception area is a tiny little enclave with only the reception counter and a small bench beside it.

The malay lady at reception when I checked in was blur and didn’t know anything. Gave me inaccurate information about the parking arrangement. So the hotel is located in a commercial area where the parking is managed by a private operator and there are extremely limited parking spaces. When I asked about parking charges she said I have to tell the carpark attendant I stay at this hotel so they can give me a flat rate of RM 7 a day. She had no idea if this RM 7 is multiple entry or per entry or how I can pay. She just kept saying don’t know when I asked about parking there overnight. Fine. When I went to the booth at the parking exit, the attendant (chinese uncle) was rude and said ya just park there. Pay at exit. He did not even want to take my car number.

The next morning I went out at 7am. The attendant booth was empty. I had to use touch n go to exit and the charge was RM 24! When I came back later in the day I went straight to the reception and this time it was an indian guy on duty. He told me the carpark attendant must take down my car number and then I need to pay upfront for the no. of days I’ll be staying then the attendant will update the system with my car number so the system will allow me to exit without having to make payment at exit. This time he told me, RM 10/ day for multiple entries, RM 7 per entry. Which the earlier lady did not tell me. She also never told me I need to pay the parking upfront to the attendant.

This time there was another chinese uncle at the attendant booth and he was friendly, asked my car number and explained the process to me. He said need to pay upfront for the no. of days staying and he will update my car number into the system. Then the system will recognize my car at exit and no further payment required. He even issued me a receipt for my payment to him.

There is a water cooler on the 1st floor and an ironing board. The water quality is ok.

Would not repeat...

Pros:|1) Walking distance to Queensbay shopping Mall. Location is superb.|2) Hotel relative new, so everything is still nice and functioning.|3) Hairdryer and hot shower provided.|4) Surrounded with eateries, pubs and convenience shop.|5) Good size bed, mattress not too soft or too hard.|6) Iron, iron board and water dispenser readily available at hallway. |7) Hotel located just behind Eastin Hotel.|8) Astro channels provided which is a nice addition.||Cons: |1) Not so friendly or could careless Malay receptionist. Don't volunteer info unless you ask, like wifi password and parking fee redemption. Customer service is really lacking. |2) Parking is a problem, and need to pay.|3) No ventilation or window in the shower, so it's always wet and slow to dry after each shower.|4) No mini fridge.|5) Like most hotels, slamming of doors and noises from hallways can be heard clearly.|6) Room size maybe an issue for some that requires more...