Sabah has really been blessed with some of the most beautiful islands and coral reefs. It’s crystal clear waters and exotic aquatic treasures have captivated visitors and divers from all over Asia and from around the world. Listed below are among 4 of the best dive sites of the coast of Sabah.

Sipadan Island – Praised by internationally renowned oceanographer and film maker Jacques Cousteau, Sipadan is rated as one of the best diving spots in the world. Its position puts it in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, heart of the Indo Pacific basin. Rising 600 metres from the seabed, it provides spectacular wall dives and underwater gardens. More than 3000 species of fish and coral species have been classified in this rich ecosystem. It is also known for its unusually large number of green and hawkbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest. Another unique feature is the turte tomb which houses many skeletal remains of turtles. Sighting the residential barracudas and big eyed trevally is on every divers wishlist. They tend to form spectacular tornado like formations. Mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead and whale sharks can also be seen at times.

]]> http://blog.cutideals.com/2012/01/sipadan-top-dive-site-in-malaysia/feed/ 0 http://blog.cutideals.com/2011/12/exponential-guest-arrivals-3-million-and-growing/ http://blog.cutideals.com/2011/12/exponential-guest-arrivals-3-million-and-growing/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:46:22 +0000 admin http://blog.cutideals.com/?p=472

For 4 days only! 30% off when booking for 2 nights at Tune Hotels in Malaysia, Bali

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 December 2011 – Global value hotel brand Tune Hotels has set a new record for itself by registering three million guests over a period of four years since the opening of its first hotel in downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007.

From the one millionth guest mark it achieved in March 2010 to two millionth by mid-2011, Tune Hotels’ guest arrivals have been exponential as the network aggressively expands across Southeast Asia and the UK.

Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “We are very proud of the three-millionth guest achievement and we would like to thank all our loyal and new guests who have embraced the accommodation concept and model pioneered by Tune Hotels, making it a global phenomenon. When we first started in downtown Kuala Lumpur in 2007, we did not imagine that Tune Hotels would be such a successful brand that takes the world by storm.”

To celebrate, Tune Hotels is treating guests who book for a minimum of two nights at its hotels in Malaysia and Bali, Indonesia to a 30% discount on published room rates, excluding add-ons. The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com only for four days from Tuesday 20 December 2011 until Friday 23 December 2011.

Stay period starts from 1 January 2012 up to 31 March 2012, excluding Fridays and Saturdays. The promotion is not applicable to Tune Hotels at KLIA-LCCT Airport; in the UK, Thailand and the Philippines.

With a current inventory of over 2,000 rooms spread through 14 hotels in Malaysia, Indonesia, the UK and Thailand, Tune Hotels has been experiencing consistently high occupancy rates across the network.

Tune Hotels had last week launched its maiden property in Thailand with the official opening of Tune Hotel Hat Yai. With the latest opening, Tune Hotels now operates 14 hotels globally – ten in Malaysia; two in Bali, Indonesia; one in London, England; and one in Thailand. By March 2012, five more Tune Hotels are slated for opening including its second London hotel at Liverpool Street; Pattaya in Thailand; and three locations in the Philippines – Angeles City, Cebu and Ermita, Manila. These new hotels will add around 1,000 more rooms, bringing its total room inventory to over 3,000.

Mark pointed out that about 30 new Tune Hotels will be opening globally in the next 12 months, adding: “With these additional rooms, our number of guests will grow even faster and we expect to reach the five millionth mark by mid-2012. We encourage guests to stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook and Twitter to keep tab of the latest openings and promotions. More Tune Hotels are scheduled for opening in Asean, the UK, India and Australia, that will give our guests even more options for travel destinations.”

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

Tune Hotels has successfully pioneered a branded value hotel brand with the concept of pay-as-you-use that has become hugely popular amongst travelers from across the world. Under the concept, guests only pay for room rates with the option of adding on other amenities like towels & toiletries, air-conditioning, in-room wifi and satellite TV service at selected hotels.

Adding further convenience and comfort for its guests, Tune Hotels has recently extended the check-out time at its Asian hotels to 11 a.m. from 10 a.m. previously. Deposits for towel rental and room keycard have also been removed while hairdryers are now provided in all rooms free of charge.

On top of that, guests can enjoy even more savings of up to 20% with the pre-booked Comfort Package that includes towels, toiletries and air conditioning credits online. Selected hotels are offering the Plus Package that bundles television and in-room WiFi, representing 30% savings for online booking.

Apart from enjoying great value, great savings at Tune Hotels, guests can also enhance their benefits and privileges by becoming a member of the BIG loyalty programme, of which Tune Hotels is a partner. BIG is a global loyalty programme that has just been launched, allowing card members to accumulate points when travelling and shopping with BIG partners worldwide, and redeem the accumulated points for exciting rewards including flight seats on the world’s best low cost carrier, AirAsia. More information on BIG is available at www.tune2big.com.

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 December 2011 – Pioneering value hotel brand Tune Hotels has launched a global year-end promotion that also marks the opening of its first three hotels in the Philippines, scheduled for the first quarter of 2012.

From 6 December 2011, rooms at Tune Hotels in the Philippines are open for booking from as low as PHP188 (Pesos) per night. Tune Hotels are set to open in Angeles City with 165 rooms on 10 February 2012, followed by Cebu City (150 rooms, 24 February 2012) and Ermita, Manila (167 rooms, 9 March 2012).

As a treat for the festive season, Tune Hotels’ rooms in other countries are also on offer. Rooms in Malaysia will go from RM10 per night while rates for Bali, Indonesia rooms start from Rp29.000, Thailand (Bt 99) and the UK (GBP 35).

“In line with the holiday spirit, we are calling on our guests to start planning and booking early for next year. We want our guests to save as much as they can on our rooms and use the savings to ensure that they have fun-filled, memorable holidays staying at Tune Hotels,” said Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels.

Tune Hotels currently has 13 operating hotels including ten in Malaysia; Kuta and Legian in Bali, Indonesia and Westminster in London, UK. The year-end promotion also includes the soon-to-open new hotels at Liverpool Street in London; Hat Yai and Pattaya in Thailand.

The promotion is offered exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com and bookings can be made from 6 December 2011 until 16 December 2011. The promo rates are available on a first come, first served basis, for stay period starting from 1 September 2012 up to 30 November 2012. To specially celebrate the opening of its new Philippine hotels, stay period at Tune Hotels in Angeles City, Cebu City and Ermita, Manila shall commence from the respective hotel’s opening date up to 30 November 2012.

Commenting on Tune Hotels’ foray into the Philippine market, Mark said: “The Philippines is an important market for Tune Hotels. With the rise of budget travel packages from airlines and increase in business travels, there’s a high demand for no-fuss hotels that would provide affordable, safe, clean, convenient and comfortable accommodations and that’s precisely what Tune Hotels is all about.”

“Boasting over 7,000 beautiful islands, the Philippines is a popular travel destination, not just with the international travellers but also with the local market. Year on year, there has been growth in traveling to the Philippines from soaking up the sun on the world renowned beaches of Cebu to experiencing the Filipino culture at the heart of Manila. The archipelago is simply rich with beautiful places that draw the tourists in. We see a huge potential in the Philippine market,” added Mark.

Apart from Angeles City, Cebu and Ermita, Manila, Tune Hotels also plans to expand its operations in other key Philippine cities: Makati (Manila), Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao) and Ortigas (Manila). By 2013, another branch is scheduled to open in Quezon City, Manila, then totaling seven Tune Hotels in the country.

Tune Hotels is part of Tune Group, a lifestyle business conglomerate co-founded by Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, who are the Group CEO and Deputy Group CEO respectively of Asia’s largest low cost carrier AirAsia.

To add further convenience and comfort to its guests, Tune Hotels has extended the check-out time at its Asian hotels to 11am from 10am previously. Deposits for towel rental and room keycard have also been removed while hairdryers are now provided in all rooms free of charge. These changes took effect from 1 December 2011.

By adding more rooms to its network, Tune Hotels has significantly improved its operational efficiency. Guests enjoy even more savings of up to 20% with the pre-booked Comfort Package that includes towels, toiletries and air conditioning credits online. Selected hotels are offering the Plus Package that bundles television and in-room wifi, representing 30% savings for online booking.

Noting that about 30 new Tune Hotels will be opening across the globe in the next 12 months, Mark said: “We encourage guests to stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook and Twitter to keep tab of the latest openings and promotions. More Tune Hotels are scheduled for opening in Southeast Asia, the UK, India and Australia, that will give our guests even more options for travel destinations and it’s going to be really exciting.”

Tune Hotels has successfully pioneered a branded value hotel brand with the concept of pay-as-you-use that has become hugely popular amongst travelers from across the world. Under the concept, guests only pay for room rates with the option of adding on other amenities like towels & toiletries, air-conditioning, in-room wifi and satellite TV service at selected hotels.

Apart from enjoying great value, great savings at Tune Hotels, guests can also enhance their benefits and privileges by becoming a member of the BIG loyalty programme, of which Tune Hotels is a partner. BIG is a global loyalty programme that has just been launched, allowing card members to accumulate points when travelling and shopping with BIG partners worldwide, and redeem the accumulated points for exciting rewards including flight seats on the world’s best low cost carrier, AirAsia. More information on BIG is available at www.tune2big.com.

For real-time updates and promotion alerts, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

KOTA BHARU, 25 May 2011 – The Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Fa-iz Petra ibni Sultan Ismail Petra officially inaugurated the opening of the latest branch of Tune Hotels in Kota Bharu, Kelantan yesterday, acknowledging the ever increasing importance of Kota Bharu as a travel and tourist destination with vibrant commerce and business sectors.

Also present at the ceremony were the Deputy Menteri Besar of Kelantan YB Dato’ Haji Ahmad bin Ya’kob, State Secretary Dato’ Haji Mohd Aiseri Alias, the Kota Bharu Municipal Council (MPKB) President Tuan Haji Nazran Muhammad and other state dignitaries.

Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels said: “We are very proud to be right here at the heart of Kota Bharu and to be able to participate and contribute towards the progress and development of the state in general. Tune Hotels’ business model promotes and encourages other business activities like restaurants and transportation among the local community, apart from opening up job opportunities. We hope to help promote Kelantan further as a travel and tourist destination which is a treasure trove rich in culture and history.”

“The official opening Tune Hotels Kota Bharu by the Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Mahkota Kelantan reaffirms our commitment to the state. Tune Hotels’ framework in our home country of Malaysia is now complete as we cover the central, northern, southern, eastern and western parts of the country,” added Lankester.

Tune Hotels Kota Bharu is a partnership with property company HLK Group.

The opening of the Kota Bharu hotel brings Tune Hotels’ number of operating properties to 12, including 9 in Malaysia. Tune Hotels’ existing hotels in Malaysia are located in Kuala Lumpur, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Kota Damansara, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu and Kota Bharu; Kuta and Legian in Bali, Indonesia and one in London, England.

Meanwhile, rooms at Tune Hotels are currently on sale from as low as RM2 for hotels in Malaysia and from Rp20.000 for those in Bali, Indonesia. Booking opened from 23 May 2011 until 3 June 2011 for stay period from 1 March 2012 up to 31 May 2012. Guests can further save 20% if they purchase the Comfort Package that includes towels, toiletries and air condition credits. They can enjoy even more savings of 30% with Plus Package that bundles television and in-room wifi.

For real-time updates and promotion updates, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

Rock-bottom rates from RM5/Rp50.000 for April hotel stay to thank 1 million guests

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2011 – Tune Hotels, the pioneering limited-service hotel brand, has gone beyond the symbolic participation in Earth Hour in its environment conservation initiatives and practices, says its Group CEO Mark Lankester.

“This year we will again participate in Earth Hour as we did in past years. But the fact is, Tune Hotels has actually gone beyond Earth Hour from day one as environment preservation and carbon neutral practices are deeply ingrained in our business philosophy. While businesses globally are spending millions of dollars to offset carbon emission, we at Tune Hotels do it as part of our corporate culture and business model. It’s our way of life!” he explains.

Drawing example from Tune Hotels’ pay-as-you-use concept for air conditioning, Lankester says the practice has made the consumer smarter in the consumption of energy. While air conditioning is available in 12-hour and 24-hour blocks, the ‘credit’ can actually be used over a number of days, depending on the guest’s usage pattern.

“Some people are hardly in the room during their stay and may only need the air conditioning for a few hours in a day so the credit balance can be carried forward to the following days. Likewise, guests welcome the idea of renting towels as it not only gives them the option to save cost but also contribute towards water conservation and lower chemical detergent usage,” he says.

On top of that, Tune Hotels carefully selects electrical and electronic equipment to be installed in its rooms, ensuring that the air conditioner, ceiling fans and television sets are highly energy-efficient that provides maximum quality and comfort.

“Through the pay-as-you-use concept, we are indirectly inviting our guests to join us in our endeavour to be carbon neutral. Our guests are clearly attracted by our price and we faced some objection to our pay-as-you-use approach in the early stage but now more and more guests realise the benefits and it is more than just the price. They stay comfortably at our hotels at very reasonable costs and at the same become smarter in making choices to help preserve the environment.”

As all unessential lights throughout the Tune Hotels network in Malaysia, Bali and London are turned off for 60 minutes on Saturday night, 26 March, guests are treated to a special promo deal by Tune Hotels.

In conjunction with the Earth Hour campaign, Tune Hotels rooms in Malaysia will go on offer from as low as RM5 per night, and Rp50.000 for rooms in Bali, Indonesia for a stay in April 2011. Booking starts from 26 March until 31 March and is only available online at www.tunehotels.com. Meanwhile, Tune Hotel Westminster in London has committed to donate £5 for every room booked from 26 to 31 March for an April stay date to the WWF’s Sky Rainforest Rescue Programme which aims to tackle deforestation in the Amazon and protect the home of thousands of species.

“This Earth Hour promotion is extended as a special thank to the 1 million guests who have stayed in Tune Hotels since we first opened the Downtown Kuala Lumpur hotel at Jalan Sultan Ismail in 2007. Since January this year we have also removed the administration fee for room reservations across all our hotels. As we open more hotels we experience better economies of scale and become more cost efficient. We are delighted to be in a position to pass on the savings to

our guests,” says Lankester.

Tune Hotels currently has 12 hotels with 9 located in Malaysia. They are in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Damansara, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Penang, Kota Bharu, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Bintulu and Kota Kinabalu. It has 2 hotels in Bali at Kuta and Legian and one in Westminster, London.

To enjoy the promotion and for further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

To get real-time updates and promotion updates, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

]]> http://blog.cutideals.com/2011/03/tune-hotels-goes-beyond-earth-hour-in-environment-conservation/feed/ 0 http://blog.cutideals.com/2011/02/tune-hotels-opens-12th-hotel-in-kota-bharu/ http://blog.cutideals.com/2011/02/tune-hotels-opens-12th-hotel-in-kota-bharu/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:17:34 +0000 admin http://blog.cutideals.com/?p=434

KOTA BHARU, 23 January 2011 – Tune Hotels today opens its 12th hotel in Kota Bharu, completing its presence in all regions of the country – central, north, south, east and west. Located next to the KB Mall in central Kota Bharu, the 173-room hotel is strategic for both tourists and business travellers as it is located within Kota Bharu’s shopping belt and food trail that are heavily infused with the rich Kelantanese culture.

The opening of Tune Hotels Kota Bharu comes barely 3 weeks after Tune Hotels Bintulu in Sarawak that opened its doors on 3 January 2011.

Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels says: “Hot on the heels of Bintulu, we are opening Tune Hotels Kota Bharu in Kelantan today. Tune Hotels’ framework in our home country of Malaysia is now complete as we cover the central, northern, southern, eastern and western parts of the country and now that this is done we can rapidly move to fill in the spaces. The opening of Tune Hotels Kota Bharu is an acknowledgement of the ever increasing importance of Kota Bharu as a travel and tourist destination with vibrant commerce and business sectors.”

“We are also proud to be the first Malaysian brand to take advantage of the new Facebook Profile look to announce this opening virally by applying a graphic twist to it,” he said.

Tune Hotels Kota Bharu is a partnership with property company HLK Group, which has established HLK Ventures Sdn Bhd exclusively to develop Tune Hotels Kota Bharu.

Meanwhile recently, effective 5 January 2011 the pioneering limited-service hotel chain has permanently eliminated the administration fee for room reservations across all of its hotels.

“The New Year comes with good news for our guests as Tune Hotels is removing the RM10.90 admin fee across our entire chain – for good. Guests now only pay for the room and opt for our special comfort package to enjoy greater savings. As we open more hotels we experience better economies of scale and become more cost efficient. We eventually found the admin fee no longer relevant and are delighted to be in a position to pass on the savings to our guests,” said Lankester.

Available exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com, Tune Hotels guests can now enjoy a bundle called the ‘Comfort Package’ that includes 12 energy-saving hours of air conditioning, towels and bathroom amenities for only RM15.90. That is a savings of 20% as compared to stand-alone services. Twelve hours of air conditioning costs RM13.62 while towels and bathroom amenities are charged RM5.30 per set.

“We always listen to our guests and strive to meet their needs and expectations whilst at the same maintain our limited-service model in order to give them better value for money. Tune Hotels Kota Bharu is yet a further hotel, after Danga Bay, Kota Damansara and Bintulu, that feature in-room widescreen LCD TV’s, something that our guests asked us to add as an optional extra under our limited service model and we are moving to install these group-wide,” Lankester said.

The opening of the Kota Bharu hotel brings Tune Hotels’ number of operating properties in Malaysia to 9 having recently opened their hotel in Bintulu on 3 January 2011. Tune Hotels’ existing hotels in Malaysia are located in Kuala Lumpur, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Kota Damansara, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu and Kota Bharu; Kuta and Legian in Bali, Indonesia and one in London, England.

For real-time updates and promotion updates, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

Malaysia’s most rocking hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is one of the trendiest according to globe trotters. The results are in and Hard Rock Hotel Penang is proud to be honoured the Top 10 Trendiest Hotel in Asia on TripAdvisor® 2011 Travelers’ Choice® Awards, ranked at Number 3.

Results can be viewed on http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-g2-cTrendy-Asia.html

“Being awarded in TripAdvisor® 2011 Travelers’ Choice® Awards is indeed an honour as this recognition is received through honest testimonials by the world travellers themselves. We are thrilled to know that we have lived up to the expectation of our guests who are here seeking a memorable experience during their vacation with us. Most importantly, leaving them great memories,” said John Primmer, General Manager of Hard Rock Hotel Penang.

The modern and stylish Hard Rock Hotel Penang at Batu Feringghi, Penang, is unlike other conventional beach resorts. Since the opening just over one year ago, the hotel has successfully defined a new meaning to lifestyle resorts in Penang which embraces music, energy and its own unique philosophy for the rocking soul.

At the entrance of the vibrant lobby, every guest is welcomed by the iconic Hard Rock logo created with chandelier-like lightings, bringing a high level of energy to the main entrance. This contemporary design is enhanced with a check-in counter that features a reception bar concept. The hotel features a modern structural design with a rockin’ edge, tricked up interior designs enhanced with over 500 pieces of original memorabilia from rock stars around the world.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang boasts 250 chic rooms and suites with unprecedented views of the hill and sea. One of the most popular room categories is the no other than the Lagoon Deluxe Room. Being the first in Penang, the Lagoon Deluxe room is another innovative creation where one can jump right into the pool from the room’s deck!

The hotel also features a magnificent 26,000 sq ft free-form swimming pool – the largest swimming pool in Penang with water slides and a sunken pool bar called The Shack. Other facilities include the al-fresco Pizzeria, Hard Rock Cafe, Rock Spa, Body Rock, Lil’ Rock Kids Club and Teens Club.

“At Hard Rock Hotel Penang, we believe that our staff plays a significant role in the whole experience. They are the essence of the Hard Rock experience,” adds Primmer. A haven for work and play, Hard Rock Hotel Penang embraces the uniqueness and diversity of their staff which ultimately aims to achieve one goal – to create an authentic experience that rocks.

In its ninth year of competition, travel review website TripAdvisor®, honoured the world’s most outstanding hotels through the world travellers. Unlike any other hotel honours, TripAdvisor ® 2011 Travelers’ Choice ® winners are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from millions of travellers around the globe.

Special Comfort Package to give guests better value

BINTULU, 5 January 2011 – The pioneering limited-service hotel chain Tune Hotels is celebrating the opening of its latest property in Bintulu by permanently eliminating the administration fee for room reservations across all of its existing 12 hotels from today.

“The New Year comes with good news for our guests as Tune Hotels is removing the RM10.90 admin fee across our entire chain – for good. Guests now only pay for the room and opt for our special comfort package to enjoy greater savings. As we open more hotels we experience better economies of scale and become more cost efficient. We eventually found the admin fee no longer relevant and are delighted to be in a position  to pass on the savings to our guests,” said Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester.

Commenting on the Tune Hotel Bintulu opening, Lankester said: “Tune Hotel Bintulu is testimony to our commitment to Sarawak and we hope it will further promote and develop the state’s tourism and travel industry, in particular within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). The opening of Tune Hotel Bintulu will not only provide more convenience and comfort to tourists and holidaymakers to the ‘Gas Town’ but also those on business trips there. As we anticipate more corporate guests from the oil and gas industry, rooms at the Tune Hotel Bintulu are designed for longer stays and more living space.”

Strategically located in central Sarawak, Bintulu is connected by air to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching as well other towns. It sits on the massive Trans-Borneo highway trail that links Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, presenting enormous potentials for the tourism and travel industry. Bintulu is also an important access point to Bakun, Southeast Asia’s largest hydroelectric dam. The Similajau National Park, which is just 30 minutes away, offers nature lovers activities like jungle trekking, canopy walk and a wealth of flora and fauna. With various tribal ethnics inhibiting the Bintulu area like the Iban, Orang Ulu and Melanau, visitors will also discover a myriad of traditional and ancient cultures that are well preserved in the many villages and longhouses. Opening its doors on 3 January 2011, the 101-room hotel is Tune Hotels’ second property in Sarawak, making it the only state other than Selangor to have more than one Tune Hotels. The first Tune Hotel in Sarawak opened at the Kuching Waterfront in 2009.

“Hot on the heels of Bintulu, we will be opening Tune Hotel Kota Bharu in Kelantan with 173 rooms, on 23 January 2011. Tune Hotels’ framework in our home country of Malaysia is now complete as we cover the central, northern, southern, eastern and western parts of the country and now that this is done we can rapidly move to fill in the spaces,” added Lankester.

Meanwhile, Tune Hotels General Manager of Marketing and Communications Karen Thong, in welcoming the inaugural guests at Tune Hotel Bintulu on its opening day, said: “Tune Hotels is rolling out a special campaign to commemorate the admin fee removal. Our gift for guests from  2011 onwards is making things simpler and at the same time providing even better value than before. Guests can now enjoy a bundle, we’ve named the Comfort Package that includes 12energy saving hours of air conditioning, towels and bathroom amenities  for only RM15.90, via the website – a savings of  20% than before.” To give consumers better choices, the services are also available separately. Twelve hours of air conditioning costs RM13.62 while towels and bathroom amenities are charged RM5.30 per set.

“We always listen to our guests and strive to meet their needs and expectations whilst at the same maintain our limited-service model in order to give them better value for money. Bintulu and Kota Bharu are yet further hotels, after Danga Bay and Kota Damansara, that feature in-room widescreen LCD TV’s, something that our guests asked us to add as an optional extra under our limited service model and we are moving to install these group-wide.”

The opening of Bintulu and Kota Bharu brings Tune Hotels’ number of operating properties in Malaysia to 9, and 12 globally. Tune Hotels’ existing hotels in Malaysia are located in Kuala Lumpur, KLIA-LCCT Airport, Kota Damansara, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu; Kuta and Legian in Bali, Indonesia and London, England.

For real-time updates and promotion updates, guests can stay connected with Tune Hotels via Facebook at www.facebook.com/tunehotels and on Twitter via www.twitter.com/tunehotels.

For booking and further information, visit www.tunehotels.com

Those mental images you have of Switzerland where you see cosy, tidy towns, cow-covered meadows, snow capped mountains as far as the eye can see…well it’s all real. It’s kinda hard to find a place that actually looks like those postcards you find at the stores but in the case of this beautiful country, what you see is what you get.

Switzerland is both culturally and geographically in the middle of Europe. The tidiness and efficiency of its Germain cousins to the north blends effortlessly with the relaxed and sunny nature of their Italian neighbours to the south. But the true jewel on the crown is undoubtedly her Alps. Visitors  have been arriving here for more than 150 years to appreciate this true wonder of nature. It’s odd to think that although tourists have been setting foot here for the past 2 centuries, the Swiss have clung on to their culture without selling out too much to mass tourism thus preserving their heritage.

Due to the difficult terrain of this country, airports are few and far between, so the only viable means to explore Switzerland’s astonishing natural beauty is through road and train. The Swiss have long since put trains and cable cars up the lush green valleys that separate these towering peaks and tourism has boomed as a result. There are 4 sightseeing panorama trains that criss cross the country’s most beautiful landscape. These plush, luxurious trains were designed with visitors in mind, For the most part, the trains have special over-sized viewing windows that extend up into the wagon’s ceiling. This allows travellers recline their seats, enjoy a warm meal, a glass of fine wine and soak in the varied landscaping that this country has to offer. Here are the 4 trains you might want to consider getting on the next time you visit.

• The Golden Pass
• William Tell Express
• Bernina Express
• Glacier Express

Most of you would have heard of infamous Avillion Port Dickson. The five star luxury resort at PD where rooms can start any where from RM300++ and above. About 2 years ago, my wife and I stumbled upon another Avillion in PD known as the Avillion Admiral Cove. This resort is relatively new and is sort of like a sister resort to the more poshy Avillion. We obviously couldn’t afford a stay at the poshy one so this was actually quite a good alternative. We’ve been back there twice.  The rooms are spacious and if you are the type that likes a little bit more privacy, there is a sliding wooden panel which you can close. Room comes with a wall mounted Flat panel TV, Astro, a pretty powerful aircon which could freeze your socks off and free internet (you need to get a LAN cable from the reception for a refundable amount of RM20). If you like yachts, this will be the perfect place for you cause it’s a yacht dock and you get to see a lot of it. We’d definitely recommend the place! Sometimes you can get pretty good deals through PYO Travel