Booked an ocean front conceirge floor room (non-smoking, king) since it was only slightly more than a normal room. Spent 2/23 and 2/24/06. Upon arrival at around 1500, room was not ready. Conceirge told me that it would not be ready until 1700. She tapped around on the computer and made a quick phone call and handed me the key card for room 540, certainly not on the conceirge floors since they are 12, 13 and 14. Clubroom is on 13.

Anyway, bellman and I make our way to 540. Hotel is U-shaped around an atrium. Elevators on one end of the "U" and 540 on the other end. We trudge all the way to the end of the third corridor. Certainly cannot get further from the elevator and finally reach a door with a sign next to it. Open the door and enter a living room with 1/2 bath off the entry. Bellman schleps the bags thru the living room, through the bedroom, makes a right hand turn and another to the walk-in closet and sets my 2 bags on the platform provided. Then shows me the bath, all marble, including tub and shower. Two sinks. Separate toilet room in marble with bidet and toilet. Now this is a "tanda". Fact is that this is larger than our master bedroom and bath and family room, and they are not small.

This certainly was a great upgrade for someone with no status at Hyatt. There was a glitch on my second night. I get back from rafting and take a shower. Ready for a nap and the phone rings, "we need your room now and will move you to one on the conceirge floor, now." This is pretty unusual that you get dumped from your room in the middle of the stay even if it is a hugely upgraded room. My experience is that once in a room, you stay there for the duration. It is also unusual to be told to move "Now!". So I explained that I was not dressed, was looking forward to a nap, and it would take a while to comply with the order. Person on phone said that they would call me to make key card arrangements. So, I start packing it all up including wet clothes and athletic shoes and get another call from reservations stating that I can come down to the front desk to get my new key. I suggest that that they send a bellman to help out and bring the key-I'll call them when I am ready. I call them a few minutes later and tell them I am ready. There is some confusion as to why I am calling so I have to explain that I am complying with their order.

The bellman arrives and loads up the luggage, dripping wet stuff and all. He even comments that water is dripping out of the laundry bags. As we are walking the long walk to the elevator, he tells me my new room is _ _12. Now I have walked the three corridors enough to realize that anything ending in 12 is a so-called city view, not the seaview reserved. So rather than going to the new room, bellman in tow we go to the club room. The same person who checked me in is working. I explain, calmly, quietly, that I reserved a seaview and certainly expect that. She states that all seaview rooms are now occupied on all three floors. A quick phone call is made and I am handed a new key card-for, of course room (suite 540).

Later, I go to the lobby to try to book an activity for my final day. The person who works at the desk in the lobby (it is a concession-not part of the Hyatt) is on their break. Actually they spend most of their time on break. As I am sitting in front of the desk waiting, a desk clerk had offered to find the offending concessionaire and had returned to tell me that they were on break, a very personable, competent member of the hotel staff approaches and starts a conversation. She essentially tells me that I can easily do what I want to do on my own for considerably less ringat. We move to another desk to discuss my plans and she hands me her card, "Sonja Peter, Front End Manager". I tell her the story of suite 540, which she does not find amusing. She is quite apologetic and without my suggestion thinks some serious staff retraining is in order.

Bottom line about this hotel is that it is excellent. It does compete with 2 Shangra La's. Staff are quick and handle problems with grace. Throw out all the extra space, does one person really need two tv's, 2 dvd's and 2 CD players plus all that marble, the bed was as good as any in a major chain. Duvet was a big plus. Good amenities, good maid service. Water bottles exchanged as they were used. Bellman did a good job and was apologetic about the screw up. Poor guy got to make the trudge twice with the dripping bags. Sonja is as good as any employee of any hotel that I have met in dealing with a problem. She even followed up the next day both on the move and on my excursion. Club room staff are good. Some of them are somewhat tentative in terms of service during the happy hour from 5-7 pm. Some quirks exist in terms of service but they are minor and are more amusing than irritating. Example, I drink diet coke (coke light in Malaysia) with ice. Each time I had one a dish with cubes was provided along with the can and a glass. After all this is a pretty small city in Borneo so I did not expect great service.

One negative laundry is outrageous, over $4 for a shirt and $5 for a pair of jeans.

The Hyatt KK is a pleasant find for about $65/night ++, Unfortunately, I never got to see a normal room to compare.