Kota Bharu is a beautiful city in the upper north part of the Peninsula Malaysia. The city is part of the state of Kelantan, a state known for its authentic Islamic vibe. In and around Kota Bharu are several excellent museums, typical local day markets and several beautiful Thai temples. The city is not very touristic compared to other cities of the same size. In the centre are a few 5-star hotels, and also some fine middle class hotels. Around the city are some nice resorts, and also a few popular home stays.
Tune Hotels
Tune Hotels is a popular hotel chain in Malaysia. A Tune Hotel is often centrally located, cheap and furnished according to the no-frills principle (nothing fancy; just good quality for little money). In Kota Bharu is also a Tune Hotel. It lies in the center of town, 15 to 20 minutes walk from several attractions (5 minutes by taxi). The hotel lies directly opposite the popular shopping mall KB Mall, one of the biggest and most popular shopping malls in town. KB Mall has, besides zillions of shops, a food court and several eateries (including various fast-food restaurants).
Tune Hotel Kota Bharu is eight stories high. On the first floor is an eatery where a mostly younger crowd hangs out.
Rooms
The rooms are all decorated in the same style. They are often a bit small, but thanks to the efficient decorations you will barely notice this. They always contain a double bed with a comfortable mattress. The rooms in the hotel in Kota Bharu showed some traces of old age (we think it will not take long before it will be renovated completely). Always take the package with internet and A/C (it comes with some towels and a remote control for the TV). The A/C is a nice feature because it can get quite warm in the rooms without it.
Parking at the front
Tune Hotel Kota Bharu has its own parking lot for RM3 a day (a RM10 deposit for the card). You can park in front of the hotel but then you have to put money into the meter. Drawback; time goes backwards and does not count for the next day, so do not forget to fill the meter at 8am the following morning.
Breakfast
There is no breakfast served, but you can have a light meal at the cafe on the first floor. However, you are better off visiting KB Mall (opens at 10.00, but the fast-food restaurants open earlier). Alternatively, you can take a taxi or walk to the central market, at the other rim there are quite a few popular places where you can enjoy a nice local breakfast.
Our final verdict
Tune Hotel Kota Bharu is a fine budget hotel. You pay little, while staying in a nice room. Do not expect too much of the hotel, because it is overall quite basic. They often offer good deals at Agoda.com. This is the main reason for staying here; the rooms are all right and they often do not cost more than RM40 a night per room. It is the perfect place to stay at if you want to explore the city of Kota Bharu in a day or so.
