Tune Hotels, Kuching

It is of no coincidence that when Dato' Tony Fernandes envisioned Air Asia as a no frills, budget airline, Tune Hotels was also developed with the same vision in mind.

So to build a budget hotel, what do you need? A cost-conscious client, who wants to spend as little money as possible to build this project, and expects the best results from the parties involved in its conception.

The building for the current Tune Hotel was originally an old office block, and what was required was to replace some structural members, completely gut out the old interior, and paint it with a new coat of white paint, which makes it quite economical to construct.


And thus the match begins, between a relatively modest newcomer to the Kuching hotel scene and the long time veteran, Hilton Hotel. Both were designed by my firm.

Its as if the newbie Tune Hotel is saying to Hilton Kuching: "Take me on!" And surprisingly, Tune Hotels is performing extremely well.


To enter the hotel, you walk up a set of stairs which leads you to the lobby.


The hotel lobby looks deceptively empty, but this hotel is in fact fully booked due to the Rainforest Music Festival and the Rulers' Conference which is due next month.


Everyone seems to be preoccupied with the H1N1 virus, so the hotel staff are playing it safe by wearing masks. I'm not sure if doing so is such a good thing for business, because i don't see any staff in Hilton Kuching wearing masks.


This is a relatively simple environment, with a few chairs / sofas to relax on. The red table in the corner is a ''bar'' where you can order some tea / coffee.


Oh.. if you're expecting a swimming pool, meeting room, gyms and many other conventional facilities, forget it. This hotel has none. Hey, its all in the name of minimizing costs and maximizing profits, so its fine.

At least they have a small corner for internet usage, for travellers who would like this service.


Welcome to the cosy and neat Tune Hotel guest room. Just some things to note here though. The accommodation services here are very basic, aka. TV's, towels, bathroom cosmetic, air conditioning and wireless internet access are provided for as an extra. [some other budget hotels in Kuching which charge the same rates provide air-conditioning by default!] By comparison, the Tune Hotel rooms in west Malaysia look more decorative and elegant than the ones in Kuching.


The bathroom is clean and usable, albeit its small size.


The white washed paint and tiles adorn the corridors while the doors to the rooms are located to each side.


There is a small outdoor cafe terrace , presumably for customers to drink coffee.


My colleague was quite happy with the way how the stairways were handled with a some what industrial aesthetic.


So there you have it folks, Tune Hotel Kuching. For some of you, this may not be your cup of tea, but at least do drop by and have a look.

cheers.

Note:

1. My sincere appreciations to the staff and management of Tune Hotel Kuching for allowing and assisting me to photograph the interior of this project for my architectural firm's portfolio.

2. This is not an ad. If by any chance Tunehotels.com or any parties would like to use these images, please contact me personally at my email address above.

Waterfront on July 1st, 2009

Yesterdays' weather looked quite promising, so I paid a visit to Waterfront after work. The sun's rays bathed the buildings a beautiful golden hue.


Its a pity to note that conservation works aren't valued here ; its much easier to tear down an old structure and build it up again rather than keeping it for the generations to come.


Not many people were utilising the facilities along Waterfont, other than a few lonely joggers and stall -owners setting up their wares for dinner time.


A handsome number of people were rowing their canoes in preparation of the upcoming dragon boat festival.


The Sarawak River cruise ship typicaly returns to port around this time of the evening.


When the lights are switched on, a lovely sheen of colors are reflected in the river.


I won't be in Kuching for long. Hopefully the weather will still hold up before I return to Melbourne.

cheers.