Casuarina@Meru

The hotel is highly regarded for its spacious rooms and its distinctive location directly facing the Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah, a prominent roundabout and park that serves as a vibrant hub for recreational activities. This makes it an excellent choice for families seeking leisure, business travelers attending conferences, and those on short trips or needing a convenient stopover due to its proximity to major transport links. Guests consistently commend the hotel's cleanliness, the friendly and helpful staff, and the quality of its breakfast offerings. To enhance your stay, it is advisable to be aware of potential parking challenges, especially during peak event times, and consider requesting a room on a higher floor for better views of the surrounding area.

Facilities & Amenities
While the hotel does not feature a swimming pool, it does offer a gym for guest use, though some visitors have noted that the equipment can be in disrepair or not fully functional. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the premises, but its signal strength is frequently reported as poor, impacting connectivity. For convenience, ice machines and vending machines are provided. Guests looking for comprehensive wellness facilities might find the options limited, as the gym's condition is a recurring point of concern among reviewers.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
Guests generally find the rooms to be spacious and clean, contributing to a comfortable stay. The beds are often described as comfortable, ensuring a restful night's sleep, though some guests have found the bed frame design to be problematic, leading to accidental bumps. Room and bathroom lighting are frequently mentioned as being too dim, making certain activities challenging. While overall cleanliness is praised, some reviews highlight specific bathroom issues such as mold, dirty sinks, or poor drainage. The air conditioning can sometimes be slow to cool or experience functional issues. In-room amenities like TVs are often noted as outdated with limited channels, and the availability of power sockets can be limited.

Dining & Food Quality
The breakfast at the hotel receives widespread acclaim for its variety, deliciousness, and wide spread of options, with many guests finding it to be a highlight of their stay. The buffet dinner is also frequently praised for its quality and taste. The hotel's restaurant food is generally well-regarded for its flavor. However, some guests have noted that the breakfast menu can be limited at times, particularly during specific periods, and a few have mentioned issues with food temperature, such as cold porridge.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel boasts a strategic location with convenient access to the highway, making it easily reachable for travelers. It is situated close to the bus station, a large Mydin supermarket, and various local shops and restaurants. Its position directly facing the Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah, a prominent park and roundabout, offers unique recreational opportunities. However, guests frequently point out that the hotel is quite far from Ipoh town, requiring a 15-20 minute drive. Parking is a significant concern, often described as limited, not spacious, and primarily open-air with no basement option, making it challenging to find a spot, especially during events.

Staff & Service
The staff at the hotel consistently receive high praise for being exceptionally friendly, helpful, attentive, and accommodating. Many guests highlight the quick check-in process and the overall efficiency of the service. Housekeeping is frequently commended for its thoroughness, ensuring rooms are spotless and well-maintained, sometimes even with creative towel arrangements. While the majority of interactions are positive, a few guests have reported isolated negative experiences with specific reception staff, citing inefficiencies or perceived rudeness during check-in, which caused delays.

Additional Information
The hotel is widely recognized as a conference/business hotel, frequently hosting events. While generally described as old but well-maintained, many guests suggest that the property is due for refurbishment to update its facilities. Guests should be aware that there is an extra charge for additional towels. A recurring complaint is the design of the bed frame, which many guests find to be a safety hazard due to its protruding edges. Some visitors have also reported experiencing mosquito bites within their rooms.