Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Black Page

How can I go back to Batam without feeling that atmosphere of the Formosa lobby? the smell in the corridors? the large bed and my room 265?
For me Batam is not Batam without all that
...
Where can I find the atmosphere of Formosa??

I am looking into how close it is in terms of ambiance similarities to Formosa hotel and as well as if it has a fridge/kettle, a proper work table (which you might probably need to have) and as well as room/bed size. Location isnt a priority in this listing but is still being factor in a little.

2nd place, under Utama Hotel (90%) number one ranking that holds similar ambiance like Formosa Hotel were :

1. Planet Holiday Hotel (75%)

You can get the same size basic deluxe room (28 m²) in Planet Holiday hotel as like in 265 (w/o breakfast) at similar price.

The reason why its only 75% similar like Formosa is becos its hotel exterior and design is quite different. But every other thing in-room is like 265. If you opt for breakfast, it is likely to cost more than 265. Plus point is, it comes with a balcony.

This hotel's exterior is closer to Goodway Hotel than Formosa hotel tho.

2. Biz Hotel (70%)

Moderate room and its superior room were way too small compare to 265. Only their Deluxe room comes close to 265 but still quite small compare at 24 m². 265 is at 28 m².

Reason why it is at 70% and not 75% is due to its room shape and size. And as for why it is even in my listing is becos of the reception's customer service level, the location and the convenient store downstairs. I feel like its Formosa Hotel on those few points.

Opposite this hotel is Nagoya Food court. Nice place to loiter around in the evening.

3. Harmony Hotel (70%)

Same as Biz, i rated it 70% similarity due to the bigger room size (32 m²) than 265 and shaped almost similar too.

Exterior of hotel is nothing similar to Formosa Hotel tho. Its a chain hotel, hence frontline customer service level is pretty much robotic. But for the similar price of 265, i can get a room there. And you will love its King sized bed,hehehe...

4. Harmoni Suite (70%)

Similar to Harmoni Hotel above, but their rooms all come with a Kitchenette which you probably dont need,hehehe...the reason why its in the 70% category is more becos of its room shape and size that are pretty quite similar to that of 265.

But like its sister hotel, Harmoni Hotel opposite Goodway, its exterior is far from Formosa Hotel. As like in other chain hotels service, front desk were more or less pretty much robotic.

5. Swiss Bel Harbour Bay (70%)

I guess you probably were quite familiar with this hotel. It fell under the same rating as Harmoni's chain of hotel due to its exterior. But basic room were rather similar.

Oh, and not forgetting almost everything in it, from room service food menu to laundry, massage etc were at least 50% more expensive than Formosa hotel of the same service. Quite surprising however, were that its not easy to get a room there. They must have done something right in their hotel marketing strategy to have kept their room occupancy rate relatively high, just like Formosa Hotel (often fully booked during Friday,Saturday and Sunday).

6. Swiss Inn Penuin (75%)

This is Swissbel's sister hotel. Nice cozy hotel but well, its in Penuin area, hence i suppose i do not need to elaborate much except the part why i gave this hotel 75% , an extra 5% more compare to its sister, Swissbel.

<no photo attachment>

Its a 3 star hotel,meaing to say the upscale level were closer to formosa than to her 4 star sister in their exterior. Basic rooms were pretty much similar and due to its key customer being mainly from Singapore (57% of them,if i didnt remember wrong), hence tho the frontline were robotically programmed to their sisters level, i see more human touch here than there.

7. Nagoya One (75%)

This is another hotel that has the image of Formosa Hotel, just like Utama Hotel. At least this is what their 1st impression has given me when i walk through its front door.

I would have easily given this hotel an 80% similarity if their corridors and room were carpet-ed. Location was quite odd, tho one can still walk to Nagoya Hill Mall (about 8 min plus minus) or take their shuttle service there. What i didnt like about it and key thing its only at 75% were becos there was no in-house massage and KTV/Lounge.

The front desk staffs has given me the Formosa feel tho.

8. Holiday Hotel (75%)

This is another 75% hotel. But unlike Utama hotel, this hotel gives me the Formosa after-renovation, instead of Utama Hotel's before-Formosa was being renovated. If it werent renovated, it will be closer to Formosa Hotel 7-8 years ago.

Photo above were taken from their Deluxe room and not their basic room.

One of the reason why this hotel is still standing tall was becos of its front desk staffs (especially after they renovated). People feel attached to the hotel during their stay (meaning they got many regulars). Technically, it used to be a 2 starred hotel, now a 3 star after its renovation and attaching an elevator (yes, they used to have no lift,hehehe...).

9. Grand I-Hotel (70%)

This one is 4 star hotel. Another chain hotel but when it was 1st started, the room were build more or less similar to that of Formosa's room and was pretty close to 265. I can say this hotel is not any younger nor older than Formosa.

Between Nagoya Hill Hotel and Grand I-Hotel ,having both relative close pricing in terms of basic room rate, i will pick Grand i-Hotel anytime. Another reason why i pick this hotel rather than Nagoya Hill Hotel was becos they have smoking rooms,hehehe...

Note here that i am comparing 4 star versus 4 star and solely my walk in and staying feel. Price wise is about 25% to 35% higher on both hotel's basic room comparing with 265.

10. Ggi Hotel (75%)

This Ggi Hotel is directly outside Harbour Bay ferry terminal. And it holds the potential of being another Formosa-look-alike. BUT! You arent gonna like it becos of its bed size. Its mainly queen sized.

The whole entire structure of the hotel were like Formosa, from its appearance to the corridor to its front desk etc. Their basic room is already the size of 265.

Massage parlor, KTV/Lounge, provision shop etc were all in it. But why only 75% instead of more? Its becos of their location...and the inconvenient to head to places i wish to go to. Everywhere and anywhere i wish to go to, i will need to get a taxi. And taxi price there is 50k rupiah upward, not 30k/35k rupiah as in like Harbour Bay (and its just across the road).

It makes me feel like taking the online taxi's punishment of walking into Harbour Bay Taxi stand which takes about 5 to 6 mins (heavy traffic across the road) and still need to pay higher than online taxi fare.

Not everything is all bad tho, Ggi Hotel is technically a 4 star hotel cos of their swimming pool but has downgraded to 3.5 star for some reason. But the price for a night stay in their deluxe room with balcony is only around S$30,hehehe...their lower graded superior room-type cost even lesser.

A pretty good deal as i may have to pay more for certain things, but i do save in the room cost. But i have a feeling that if this Ggi hotel do not start getting innovative (eg, provide shuttling service,drop their taxi charges etc), it might just end up like their neigboring Amir Hotel, which has already close down for good.

Its other neighboring 4 starred hotels, like Travelodge and Pacific Palace hotel were already start providing shuttling service or be building food court/attractions/offers in the same area.

_____________________________________

As i wrote about the hotel reviews above, i also get a better idea what types of hotel i am looking for in Batam. And the hotel i stayed in Batam regularly were none of the above,hehehe...they were just back-up hotels,alternative to my favorite Formosa Hotel in events where my favourite hotels ran out of room/s.

I have chosen NOT to name those hotels i stayed regularly in, otherwise i might just end up with no more rooms whenever i visit Batam. Remember i said before, there is only 5 favorite rooms in WHOLE of Batam that best suits me. And they were mainly in Formosa Hotel. Room 265 being one of it,hehehe...and i already have many more than just Blackpage vying for that very same room.

I guess the similar can be said for overnight booking joint, and as well as massage place too.

The keyword to bro Blackpage here is still :

Originally Posted by nono1973

When you are about to hit Batam, drop me a PM. I can arrange to bring you (or make arrangement) over to one of those hotel/s i regularly stayed in nowaday.

Too early to talk about it now.

Above said hotel, is NOT Utama hotel nor any hotel i mention here.

Currently, i am STILL working on trying to make Utama a hotel which i can regularly stayed in whenever i visit Batam. But i will have to work on its air quality 1st and later see if i can one day i can turn myself into a "prince" in that hotel, just like i am already one in Formosa Hotel, hehehe... changing the environment to suit me? Where else but Batam.

Thats all the sharing i have for today.

* please do NOT quote the whole post if anyone is replying to it, thank you.

[fde83]

Originally Posted by siliconer

I am planning to go in late March to celebrate my birthday 🙈

Wish u happy birthday in advance and have a great time in batam

[Lingo]

The above hotel rooms seem to be comfortable and classy...but are they occupied or empty most of the time....hope they will slash the ferry prices...the 3 infected singaporeans help to reduce the prices for chonging in Batam...LT booking may be 30% down...hehe!!

[Lingo]

Even ah Kong , ah mah, dares not come...the penguin market is not congested any more....

[biostar]

Always wondered why Utama hotel was not a popular choice among the punters here even though it's so near the numerous booking joints and MPs.

After bro nono's explanation and photos, i could understand why. it feels like it's still stuck in the late 80s era and ciggie smoke can be smelt everywhere. Carpets do trap smoke smells too and over the years the accidental ciggie butt drops have increased the intensity of the odour and stain the carpets more.

[BFOMF5]

Used Utama during Newberry time until Hotel 18 comes up. To me I hv no complaints about the location, the king size bed, the bath tub, and Breakfast lay out.
FYI there are some old man still like the hotel.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by nono1973

As for Da Vienna, your friend stayed in the wrong room. Your friend should be staying in at least in their Grand Deluxe room and/or above. Price-wise should be close to 265.

Outstanding review of Batam hotels. I am going to bookmark your report for future reference.
I have only one remark: I tried to check prices of Da Vienna for a random week, and I found that for a rate on the order of the membership rate at Formosa (say, 600k) I could book the Junior Suite. This looks definitely interesting.

The main problem now is the coronavirus. I am in Europe, and now we are the main "infector" of the world: we are in full exponential growth phase, and nobody knows when the increase exponential rate will start to lower (currently around x2 (doubling) every 4 days). This will stop, I hope, in few months.
But in Batam, I bet that the virus is silently spreading. Simply, nobody may notice it, since nobody without money goes to hospital for a check unless very serious, and people is used to be sick and recover or not. Imagine ONE sick person who goes to Newton: how many are infected that night?
So, once spread, it cannot be put back in the box. One day this virus will be endemic in many countries, but before then just moving to a different country is extremely risky, for who travels and for those who welcome. I will wait some months to see how all this will settle.

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Yea, he ran away. And it also leave nearly everyone puzzled.

Its one of the most money-making hotel in Batam.

Many may ask, since making money, how come runaway?

There are many guesses among some of my friends.

Some of which are, that old man Jerry (in his 70s or coming to that age already) is thinking of retirement since a year ago (which is why the advertisement to sell away Formosa is over one year ago) and he wasnt able to sells it. Son no plans to take over his father. Running away seems like not a bad choice and especially so it was done after CNY 2020.

Paying his workers is really nothing but paying up to the governing body can be a major issue. Let's not forget, when he runs, he also leaves behind more than 111 LCD TVs, more than 111 beds, and other equipment like gym set, CCTV cameras, computers etc. Which after selling away should be sufficient to pay his workers. I pity those staffs who has worked in Formosa for many years. They are really hardworkers (and loyal) under a super strict boss.

.

Formosa hotel has been around since the 90s and bring back alot of old memories when queen9833 and dynasty99 booking joints were still around.
The hotel was the number one choice for most cheongsters because it provided all the services (KTV,massage,alishan booking,24hr restaurant,etc) under one roof and its superb location, personalise service, affordable price and warm hospitality. No hotel come close to it.

I have been staying in Formosa Hotel for the past 10 over years.

I used to book formosa hotel using traveloka hotel booking previously at average about $30 per night for year 2017 & 2018 compare to using my member card at 480,000rp.

But when traveloka stop offering good promotion, I book formosa hotel through agoda at average about $40 to $42 per night still cheaper than using my member card at 480,000rp. (S$48)

The Taiwanese boss of Formosa Hotel was well respected by all his employees, although he tends to be very strict on the hotel rules.

Example, any masseuse came late for work or absent will have to pay penalty to king massage, and any masseuse fail to complete 40 hours of massage per month, her service will be terminated. According to the staff, he is a good pay master, never late to pay employee salary.

Over the years, he has transformed Formosa Hotel from a girl friendly hotel into a one station enjoy all service type of hotel. He has kept up with technology from time to time by providing the hotel rooms with many improvements, examples were:

1) Remember there was a period when the room was provided with many different brand/type of handphone charging cables from the wall socket like nokia, sony ericson, samsung, iphone,etc (this was during the period when touch screen phone not yet popular)

2) Change all the lights in the room and toilet to LED lights

3) Refurbish the toilets from old bath tub to standing shower.

4) Install wifi booster along corridor to improve signal

5) Renovate some rooms and change old furniture

6) Provide a safe for customers to keep their things in their office

7) Provide seats at level 2 & 3 lobby for hotel guest to sit while waiting for lift.

8) Installed a foam bath/shampoo dispenser in the toilet in year 2019. Previously was given 1 bottle of foam bath & shampoo.

9) The opening of tea story for people to relax and the sale of kue lapis.

10) The introduction of membership cards to reward loyal customers.

After having invested so much in the hotel, nobody will ever guess that he will abandon his business empire. Very sad to have lost such a nice place on earth. According to source, the occupancy rate of the hotel has fallen to 20% before the corona virus. And after the virus has taken place, the business became worst

But I doubt the information is accurate as my last stay was in late January 2020 and I always have to wait till noon time for rooms to check in because reception told me all rooms taken up the previous day.

News also reported that there are 3 options for the hotel management to consider:
1) Try to contact Jerry and persuade him to take over the hotel. So that the hotel continues to operate and employees can still work. It was known that this option cannot work as it was reported that Jerry had tried to borrow money from his taiwanese friend in Taiwan but was being rejected.

2) Propose to sell all existing hotel assets and the money to pay the employees salary based on years of service.

3) Since Jerry has already establish a standard system of hotel operation, in fact the employee can follow the SOP to continue to run the hotel. Just need a company or individual who is willing to take over the business, everything can still run as per normal.

I was told by the Formosa staff that Jerry has appointed a local indonesian chinese from kalimantan to help him manage the business operation in Formosa hotel which means that he is the 2nd man incharge. So if this person manage to find a investor to take over the business, with his experience can help run the hotel business.

Alternatively if another hotel willing to take over the operation, Formosa can still operate..

[Gaze]

Originally Posted by funboi

CNA version

Oh dear, that is bad

[BFOMF5]

Come come come
Ferry not yet but
Look like Batam hotel are starting to give discount

And this is the first time that the discount can go up to 70%

[Lingo]

5 stars hotel, 100k/a night, ferry 200 k return...LT booking 500k....this may only may make people come.....very soon , only those who work here will come...this is doomday.....hehehe...

[BFOMF5]

Originally Posted by Lingo

Even ah Kong , ah mah, dares not come...the penguin market is not congested any more....

That's good news to batam residents...
In the pass, especially during weekends/Holiday the seafood mongers will not budge on their price. Because they know that these visitors can afford it.
it's buyers market, Now .

[m600]

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Come come come
Ferry not yet but
Look like Batam hotel are starting to give discount

And this is the first time that the discount can go up to 70%

Wow good news man

[nono1973]

Hehehe...long time no movie catches my attention. And all of a sudden, there are 2 in Batam that is currently screening.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Have been eyeing on this movie since 3 quarter of last year 2019 and it is finally here in Batam.

Better still, its screening in Grand Batam Mall. By the way, Harbour Bay Mall is closed, even the theater no more. So sad...as thats one of my favourite shopping mall, especially its theater.

The next movie-to-watch would be...

THE INVISIBLE MAN

The storyline :

When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

Why this movie? Becos this is a cheap 1 million USD production but earns its keep. Its a thriller tho, and thrilling almost everyone who watches it....hehehe....

Review was not bad too. And i had a feeling this movie (the invisible man) is gonna be well worth my time in Batam, especially so if there is a girl beside me,hehehe....

So much to do, and so little time. So much hell and so little heaven.

Welcome to heaven.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by funboi

CNA version

Thank you for sharing, read those before (and no less than twice). The infected person/s have had corona virus (w/o knowing) BEFORE heading to Batam. Which is why Singapore side categorize them under one of its group cluster (Wizlearn Technologies in Science Park).

I have been reading and tracking (trying to) which ferry this few people is taking and alighting and boarding at which ferry terminal in Batam. But the news not been providing those much needed information (for me). So i am looking at news from Indonesia Batam instead.

Originally Posted by Lingo

...the 3 infected singaporeans help to reduce the prices for chonging in Batam...LT booking may be 30% down...hehe!!

Short time to me has all along been at about 350k rupiah and/or lesser. Last month (February 2020) few of the field reports sent to me by some of the honorable reading bros here via PM was 300k rupiah for short time. One of them even manage to bargained down to 250k rupiah.

I hope to see 200k rupiah in time to come,hehehe...who knows, Batam may eventually goes back to the 600k/700k rupiah LT pricing of yesteryear?

Just a thought.

Originally Posted by biostar

Always wondered why Utama hotel was not a popular choice among the punters here even though it's so near the numerous booking joints and MPs.

A lot has not been updated on Utama Hotel online, eg its being renovated, air con used to be like Formosa, but is not in split unit etc. And their MOST popular room were the Deluxe room. Most of its guests werent I.T savvy, i guess...hehehe...its a value for money hotel. But thats only if only one can find their 265 as in like Formosa.

I havent find it yet and still keeping a close watch. But becos i already found my alternative, hence this will takes me some time.

Then again, like Formosa Hotel. This Utama hotel has no lack of business. Meaning to say, like Formosa..its one of the hotel in Batam that can still make profit.

Originally Posted by biostar

After bro nono's explanation and photos, i could understand why. it feels like it's still stuck in the late 80s era and ciggie smoke can be smelt everywhere. Carpets do trap smoke smells too and over the years the accidental ciggie butt drops have increased the intensity of the odour and stain the carpets more.

To me, there is no such as a perfect girl nor a perfect hotel anywhere. I am so tired of complaining and complaining to those hotels which DO NOT fit my staying criteria when i visit Batam. (if i use Formosa Hotel as a benchmark, no hotels in Batam will suit me)

So one fine day, i decide i will change my staying environment instead to make my stay more comfortable. Environmental issues like room no windows, toilet flush always break down, no hot water in bath room etc, those things i cannot change. Only solution is to get change to better room.

BUT environmental issues like cigarette smell, dirty linen/curtains, in-room flying insects (not cockroaches), poor wifi connectivity, no kettle, poor housekeeping respond etc, i CAN change those.

Over a period of a few years, i create few rooms in some certain hotel in Batam to best suit my comfortability. Takes time, and so far can only create 2 such hotel's room to fit my bill ,thats after 5 years. Hehehe...and i get to play "prince" there too, just like i am in Formosa Hotel. Not as perfect as in like Formosa, but comfortably good enough as alternatives.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Used Utama during Newberry time until Hotel 18 comes up. To me I hv no complaints about the location, the king size bed, the bath tub, and Breakfast lay out.

I am guessing, not every room has the hot water issue. As in, the bath room water were often NOT hot enough during the evening.

Dont know who go and complain of Hotel 18 bath room water NOT hot enough...now, its so damn hot that it can even boil an egg in it.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

FYI there are some old man still like the hotel.

Most of their guest were either Malay families or some older Chinese man,hehehe...usually accompanied by some SYTs or younger MILFs.

Understanding some points of Hotel culture in Batam, it is no wonder why hotels like Lai Lai, Hai Hai, Hai Hai 2, Pagoda hotel can still survive,hehehe...and Formosa, Nagoya Plasa and Utama actually belongs to those same generation of hotels.

Originally Posted by Black Page

Outstanding review of Batam hotels. I am going to bookmark your report for future reference.
I have only one remark: I tried to check prices of Da Vienna for a random week, and I found that for a rate on the order of the membership rate at Formosa (say, 600k) I could book the Junior Suite. This looks definitely interesting.

Finally you are looking in the right direction.

Out of the more than half dozen times i stayed in Da Vienna, only once i stay in Grand Deluxe and once in their Executive room. The rest of the time, i am in their Junior suite.

Since their Junior suite price were pretty much unstable (sometime high,sometime low). Its often good to have alternatives.

Originally Posted by Black Page

The main problem now is the coronavirus. I am in Europe, and now we are the main "infector" of the world: we are in full exponential growth phase, and nobody knows when the increase exponential rate will start to lower (currently around x2 (doubling) every 4 days). This will stop, I hope, in few months.

If we are talking about just Batam alone, then Singaporean (like myself) would probably be more worried than you.

By the way, the Indonesia government is cutting its airline fare (by 20% to 50%) pricing to boost tourism. And Batam being one of the destination,hehehe...

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/...-19-scare.html

Encouraging huh?

Indonesia government on one side says encouraging tourism by pouring tons of rupiah to help its people, but on the other side?

(photo words)

The full links of what was said and why it was being said that way is below.

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/...-in-batam.html

Above photo were send to me via email from a bro in this forum. From appearance it do sound contradicting with the main governing body in Jakarta, arent it?

The photo words above of what was being said were cut out a little between the lines tho, hence to get a clearer picture please do read the complete article (on the link stated).

Can i call it fake news? No, they are obviously not. But they are words cut out in between the whole context and posted it in public meant for the purpose to confuse.

So, do read everything online with care, and double check its source.

Originally Posted by Black Page

But in Batam, I bet that the virus is silently spreading. Simply, nobody may notice it, since nobody without money goes to hospital for a check unless very serious, and people is used to be sick and recover or not. Imagine ONE sick person who goes to Newton: how many are infected that night?
So, once spread, it cannot be put back in the box. One day this virus will be endemic in many countries, but before then just moving to a different country is extremely risky, for who travels and for those who welcome. I will wait some months to see how all this will settle.

I am keeping tab on the listings below :

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Just for reference.