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Tune Hotels Expands From Shore to Ship

Where: Malaysia

If you're a cost-conscious traveler with a penchant for far-off lands, adhering to your budget is about to get much easier--in about three years, which, if you're really that frugal (or broke) is about how long it takes to afford that plane ticket to Phuket anyway.

Tune Hotels, the á la carte budget hotelier, is currently expanding its inventory from three to about 100 hotels in the coming years, with properties planned in places like Phuket, Jakarta, Bandung and Bali. The Bali property is expected to open by 2009 and will be Tune Hotels' first property outside of Malaysia, according to The Edge Daily, an online Malaysian business site that sat down with Tune Hotels CEO Mark Lankester earlier this year.

The paper also learned that the hotelier is looking to make its debut in Singapore, but interestingly, not on land:

When asked if this meant the acquisition and refurbishment of a cruiser or a partnership with cruise liners, Lankester said: 'I would not say this concept is too far off.'

We say, money savings ahoy!

Tags: VIP Hotel Reviewer Series / Charles Ogilvie / TuneHotels / Budget Hotels / Hotel Technology / → All Tags

Airline 2.0 Rock Star Reviews TuneHotels

We now present you with our VIP Hotel Reviewer Series in which we hand-pick experts in the travel and media worlds and beyond to tell us what are their favorite hotels and why. Once a week, we'll feature a hotel review from said VIPs about their favorite leisure or business hotels. Pay attention: These VIPs are experts at what they do and they don't mess around when it comes to their hotels.

The next VIP in the series is Charles Ogilvie, in-flight entertainment director for Virgin America. Charles is always on the go checking out new cities and new products. His latest travels have landed him in Kuala Lumpur where he stayed at the budget TuneHotels. Enjoy.

I am writing this VIP hotel review using my in-room WiFi connection at a "no-frills" hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia called TuneHotel.  I just came in today from Singapore on AirAsia's new SIN-KUL flight (I'll tell you about the experience a different time, but it was great!)  
 

"Malaysia" is buzzing in Singapore this week at the Singapore Air Show, as the country is both a hot regional and international destination and a growing international hub.  Too bad I can't stay very long, otherwise I'd love to explore this country a bit.

However I did get to pop into a newly renovated building called Central Plaza earlier that houses a mighty and growing list of international carriers' downtown offices.

But back to TuneHotels.

more ›

Tags: Malaysia Hotel Reviews / Singapore Hotel Reviews / Hotel Openings / Tony Fernandes / TuneHotels / → All Tags

Tune Hotels In-Tune With No-Frills

Where: 316 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 50100

This week we decided to take a look at some of the newer hotels that have opened up in Malaysia and Singapore, which we know is bit of a random decision. But we're always trying to broaden our hotel coverage, so if you know of a can't-miss hotel in either country (or really, anywhere for that matter), hit us up on the tipline with your suggestions or questions.

First up is Tune Hotels chain, which is expected to open next month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and with four other locations in the country expected to open by 2008.

The man behind Tune Hotels is Tony Fernandes who helped bring low-cost aviation to Malaysians through AirAsia. His vision for Tune hotels centers around the capsule hotels (popular in Japan) and the idea that everyone should be able to afford a clean, hip and comfortable hotel stay at low prices. Indeed these prices are low, ranging from US $3- $30.

Yet keep in mind that the hotel will operate on the "no-frills" level to keep those prices low.

Tune Hotels.Com operates a "no frills" concept, therefore there are no telephones, television, radio, safe, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms.

You may also be subjected to some advertisements from other companies displayed in the hotel (We have no doubt there will be some AirAsia cross promotion.) Something to look forward to? All rooms have their own bathrooms and housekeeping cleans on a daily basis. However, one thing to note is that Tune Hotels will not provide refunds for any bookings made.

So far, Tune Hotels look like they will have a lot of personality to make up for the amenities they lack inside. The company's colors are bright red and white which they have used for the hotel's exterior so you will always know where the building is. Their web site is engaging with each aspect of the hotels' information depicted in a different manner, such as the "Vision" page in the comic book style (minus the pows! and ka-booms!) We particularly like the tabloid theme for the "Mangament Bares All" aka the "About Us" page.

Our only question is, if these are capsule hotel rooms how come the web site keeps showing a father and a son in a pillow fight? Can there really be that much room?