KOTA KINABALU: When travelling, study not only the places of interest you will be visiting but also the accommodations where you will be staying, says Datuk Christina Liew.
In response to complaints about late check-in and early check-out times at some hotels, the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister urged tourists planning to visit Sabah to thoroughly check hotel terms and conditions before making reservations.
"Before booking a hotel, always review the regulations. Make sure the hotel's check-in and check-out policies suit your needs. If they don't, consider negotiating for more flexibility," Liew said during the Food and Hospitality Malaysia (FHM) Borneo Edition and the 24th Sabah Hospitality Fiesta at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) on Thursday (Sept 26).
Her comments follow mounting public dissatisfaction, particularly on social media, with some hotels requiring check-ins as late as 4pm and check-outs by 11am.
She also called on the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) in Sabah and Labuan to internally review these policies and consider offering more flexibility where possible.
MAH chairman Hafizan Wong said check-in delays are often unintentional and caused by staffing shortages or the time needed to prepare rooms between guests.
"Every hotel has different terms and conditions, but we aim to accommodate our guests. If there is a delay, many hotels compensate with room upgrades," Hafizan added.
