Hotel CIQ, Wong Ah Fook — Hotel in Johor

First of all this hotel is located at a place with very minimal parking space, if you want to stay here be prepared to pay RM15 per day to park in an hourly rated parking lot opposite the hotel. This hotel is suitable for those travelling to and fro Singapore since it is nearby JB Sentral and those who travels by public transport/Grab.

Here comes the best part which is I almost got scammed by the hotel (RM100 btw). I checked in late around 10+ ish since I was out the whole day in JB. Arriving the hotel late after crawling through an elite tier jam (hotel is located nearby JB Sentral which is a jam hotspot), I was told to pay a deposit of RM100 which is quite high compared to the usual RM50 I pay for other hotels. I didn’t mind since it was just a deposit. As I proceed to go to my room, there was a pail and a leaking ceiling right in front of it. It was hard for me to get into the room but I didn’t mind since i was really tired and wanted to settle down ASAP. When I was about to sleep, I pulled the blanket out from the bed sides and noticed there were little black stains that could not come off by just scratching them. I was too tired to care since it did not smell and wouldn’t bother my sleep. Next day when I want to check out, the receptionist told me to sit and wait while he check the room before I can claim my deposit back. I noticed that another couple who wants to check out the same time as me paid only RM50 for their deposit which was odd. When the receptionist came back he told me there were black stains on the blanket which I caused and because of that he won’t return my RM100 deposit. I was shocked because I did not cause those stains, I told him it was there even before I entered the room but he told me it’s my fault to not inform them about this where they could change my room. ??? I noticed this before I sleep, I was too exhausted and it didn’t bother me too since it was little, how you expect me to take the effort to inform the counter about this small stain and change room?? I even asked him back why didn’t the hotel removed this stain even before anyone comes in after he told me to inform them about the stain, he just replied “The cleaners will simply just clean the room, they won’t notice”. Indirectly he is mentioning the hotel couldn’t care less about cleaning the room or is it just a stupid reason for them to leave it as a trap to munch customers’ deposits? “Simply clean the room”? In the list of hotel terms and conditions at the counter, I told him that there is no line indicating I should inform them about stains etc (unless if something is broken then yes i will inform) and that it is chargeable to customers if there are broken/missing items in the room. I did not break nor lose anything so why should my deposit be burned? (RM100 is alot, compared to the couple who paid RM50 they got back their depo easily, not sure whether he checked their rooms. They stayed on 2nd floor while I was on the 1st floor and it took him a short while to come down using the lift) If there were stains on the floor/walls will I be charged for that too if it wasn’t on the blanket?? After a few mins of me defending myself, he went off to say “Like this, I don’t want to argue much you take back your RM100 but I will just blacklist you”. Yes, he even threatened me. Is this how the hotel treat customers? I did not care much since I got back my deposit and it is over something I honestly did not commit.

So the conclusion of this review is: Record the condition of your room as you checked in even is it just LITTLE BLACK STAINS and inform the receptionist about it so they can “change your room” :) or something much easier, stay at other hotels and avoid this hotel at all costs if you do not want to get scammed. (Unless if you are rich and have a lot of money to lose then go ahead 👍🏻) P.S the rooms were not cheap too, losing the RM100 would equals to I am paying for a 4-star hotel overnight...

Subject: Complaint Regarding Unclean Conditions and Health Issues During Stay

To Management of HOTEL CIQ Johor, Wong Ah Fook

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the cleanliness of your hotel during our recent stay at your property on Wong Ah Fook, Johor. Unfortunately, our experience was far below the standard we expected.

Upon entering the room, we immediately noticed that the room was not properly cleaned. There was a significant amount of dust, which made the environment uncomfortable and unsuitable for a pleasant stay. Additionally, we found small insects in the room, which was highly concerning.

Due to the poor cleanliness and the presence of these insects, three of my friends developed skin sensitivity issues, including itching and rashes. This not only caused them physical discomfort but also marred our overall experience at your hotel.

Given the severity of these issues, I kindly request that you take immediate action to address the cleanliness and hygiene standards of your hotel rooms. We believe that all guests deserve a clean and safe environment during their stay.

I hope to receive a prompt response from you regarding this matter, along with an explanation of the steps you will take to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future ！

Thank you for your attention to this...

1. Room - tiny (barely walking space on 1 side and front of Queen bed), dirty (ants everywhere!), insufficient shower amenities (only enough for 1 person per shower, have to ask for more), roaring aircon, sunken & dirty bed (I got rashes sleeping on it!) ||2) Location - next to public carpark, across police station; but poorly lit road and lots of loiterers; noisy roadworks along Jalan Wong Ah Fook make it a little difficult to access other areas by foot ||BIGGEST ISSUE is ZERO SECURITY - in room safe box (size of a cashbox) comes with preset code provided by 'hotel'; YOU CALL THAT A SAFE??? Also, the hot weather demands the room be kept cool while we're out, but only their room access card can be slotted in (I tried business cards, privilege cards, even credit cards); AND only ONE ACCESS CARD PER ROOM. But that's not the shocker - when I asked for another card and was told there was none, they asked me to just leave it in the slot, they will open the room for me when I come back at night! Yes they did - 2 different staff who have never seen me, and DID NOT EVEN ASK FOR MY NAME, just opened whatever room number I asked for! ||For just a couple of dollars more, go to Citrus Hotel - better security, bigger rooms and nearer to the CIQ. Or pay even less for Amansari with cleaner and bigger rooms...