THE PINES MELAKA — Hotel in Malacca

I will try to be as objective as possible in my review of this hotel, which I and the family (four persons) stayed for 3 nights.

We stayed with the hotel just after the Chinese New Year holidays. When we arrived, there was no one around to assist with the unloading of cases and bags nor offer a word of welcome at the door. After completing the usual formalities at the reception fronting the entrance, we again "self-helped" to bring our cases and bags to our room on level 26.

Not exactly a "big" issue, but being a 4☆ property, The Pines could have done better with the initial touch points with the customer.

Our room features two outdoor balconies (hence on level 26) with 2 separate toilets and bedrooms. The first impressions of the rooms were pretty decent, but it soon went downhill:

There is a basic kitchenette in the room, but not a single bowl or plate is available for use. I wonder why?

The fridge is not a fridge but a "cooler". My milk and yougurt drinks went in cold but came out warmer that it was despite the fridge on the highest (coldest) setting.

The common bath room door was not closing properly, so we called for maintenance. Maintence crew came promptly and after assessing the issue, decided to fetch a grease gun to lube the tracks. He was gone for so long (at least ½ an hour) that the running joke amongst us was that he went searcing for grease at Mr DIY at Lotus Mall 10 mins drive from the hotel.

We requested four sets of shower gel and shampoo on the first day, and housekeeping brought three sets. We again requested four more sets of shower gel and shampoo on the second day, and housekeeping left two sets for us (2 sets to be "shared" between 2 bath rooms). We decided to stop asking and bought our own. Can't imagine having to beg for such basic items when we paid nearly RM3.4k for the stay.

The view and breeze at the balcony were excellent, but the leaky door seals on the sliding doors marred the entire experience. Throughout the night, we can hear the incessant howling of the wind thru the gaps in the door seals.

The common bedroom aircon conked off on the 2nd night with an unresponsive wall panel. We highlighted the issue to the hotel desk, which managed to get the control panel to work but not the aircon. The common bedroom perpetually felt warmer than the rest of the rooms, despite being on similar temperature as the rest.

The TV channels are very limited with very poor resolution. Neither was it a smart TV (hence no YT, NF, TT, Amazon Video) so good luck finding entertainment to keep the kids occupied. Fortunately, wifi works and I used my own tablet to fill the gap.

The breakfast served at the hotel was very basic for a 4☆ property. 2 choices of sliced bread with butter and jam. There are 2 types of chilled juices, milk with cereal and traditional (Hainanese) coffee and tea and a machine serving premixed hot coffee, tea and chocolate.

For hot food there are fried noodles, prata with curry, ayam pedas and the usual American breakfast fare (scrambled eggs, hash brown, hot dogs and ham) which are served on all three days of our stay. There are 2 types of cut fruits (which quickly ran out but slowly replenished), an oatmeal and porridge section with porridge condiments as well as a nasi lemak station.

Used plates are not always cleared promptly, and there will usually be a small pile of utensils on our table by mid-meal.

I could juz be me, but I felt that the hotel is truly lacking...

Truly disappointed with the altitude of concierge service guy name Sharvin and a lady name "Beg" , I would give negative star if it's available.

As a regular guest for The Pines Melaka, I would say everything about the hotel are good except these 2 hotel staffs terrible behavior that I experienced for more than 1 time, I was trying not to give such review until today the second time of these 2 terrible staffs.

Today, during my check in to hotel, Sharvin was telling me something general with his overly very low voice till I can't even hear and ask him again , then he was explaining again to me in bahasa Malay with overly high tone with his impatience facial emotion until I felt uncomfortable, I felt like he is throwing temper and insulting me in that way, I just quiet and listen to his high tone explaination in bahasa with the anger face.

Then I told him I don't prefer to check in to end room,middle room will be ok for me, he listened and quiet and later I have got my room key and proceed to my room and found that is the end room. When I went to concierge and asked why he arranged the end room for me, he is quiet and didn't say anything and continue doing his work with the computer, then the Muslim lady name "Beg"(without a name tag and she said her name is "Beg"),without acknowledge anything and keep defending for Sharvin and said all room full and no more room, I told her that I have initially informed Sharvin that I do not prefer end room and Sharvin was listened and quiet followed give me the room key which is exactly the end room, then "Beg" with the very unfriendly face and told me I need to wait till another 30 mins (4pm) if I need middle room, and asked me go to wait, I was just wait and stand in front of the concierge counter waiting and less than 5 minutes, they gave me the middle room key, obviously middle room is available, but at the beginning, Sharvin still purposely gave me the end room for me to check in without saying anything.

Both of them never realized that they keep offending guest and purposely create many troubles to guest even they know that I was rushing to check in to room for online business meeting at 4pm which I had told them. And due to their altitute, I almost missed the important business meeting.

I had bad experiences with these 2 staffs before due to their bad altitude and terrible behaviour.

Really terrible experience, I would suggest hotel management to recording the conversation between staffs and guest at this concierge counter. Then they will know how bad altitude are...

I recently had the pleasure of staying in the Junior Suite at The Pines Melaka Hotel during a 3D2N teambuilding activity, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish!

Firstly, the Junior Suite was spacious and elegantly designed, providing ample space for our team of three. The beds were comfortable, ensuring a restful night's sleep after our busy days of teambuilding activities. The room amenities were top-notch, and the modern furnishings added a touch of luxury to our stay.

The hotel staffs were truly the highlight of our visit. From the moment we checked in until the time we left, they greeted us with warm smiles and were always ready to assist with any request. Their attentiveness and genuine friendliness made us feel right at home, creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for our teambuilding event.

The Pines Melaka Hotel's facilities were fantastic and catered perfectly to our needs. The well-equipped meeting rooms were ideal for our team sessions, and the hotel's serene ambiance provided a conducive environment for brainstorming and collaboration.

Moreover, the food at The Pines Melaka Hotel was simply outstanding! The dining options were diverse, offering both local and international cuisines, and most of the food we tried was delicious. The breakfast buffet was a delightful way to start each day, and the restaurant staff were courteous and attentive throughout our meals.

The location of the hotel is also noteworthy, as it is conveniently situated near many popular attractions in Melaka. During our free time, we were able to explore the city's historic sites (Jonker Street, The Stadthuys, Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower, etc) and enjoy some well-deserved leisure activities, thanks to the hotel's strategic location. Not to forget, Cendol Durian at Jonker 88 was one of the highlights during our trip.

In conclusion, I can confidently say that our team had a fantastic experience at The Pines Melaka Hotel. The combination of excellent accommodations, friendly and attentive staff, well-equipped facilities, and delicious food made our teambuilding activity memorable and successful. I would highly recommend The Pines Melaka Hotel to anyone visiting the area for either business or leisure. Thank you for providing us with such a wonderful experience, and we look forward to returning...