Question about Malacca

[beanstalk6]

Thanks. Planning to reach larkin latest by 830am but have to depends on traffic.

Like what the others say, traffic to Larkin is only a small part of your problem these days. The traffic going into Malacca town is the bigger problem. If your bus from Larkin takes you to Sentral, you will still need the final leg to the Explorer. On bad days, even the roads getting to Sentral are jammed up. There are services that terminate at the hotels in central Malacca, but only from Singapore.

 

[cct75]

Dear Bros & Sis,

I am planning a short vacations to Malacca tentatively set to 16-18 October weekends (Friday to Sunday) with a pax of 4 namely My elderly wheelchair bound dad (he can do slow walking via walking aids), my elderly mum, my elder sis and myself.

My god sis and my ex colleague all recommended Hotel Equatorial which I did my own research and this hotel is classified as either 4 or 5 stars category.

My question now is if I book the Premier Room with bed configuration of 1 x King & 1 x Lay Bed, can I still request for additional Lay Bed in the room knowing the hotel room capacity is max of 3 adults. If can, then easy. I can request for 2 x Single Beds with 2 x Lay Beds configurations. Otherwise, would most likely be 2 connecting Deluxe Rooms (only main advantage is 2 toilets but 2nd room at additional cost).

My ex-colleague also recommended me a JB guide whom would be willing to drive all the way down south to pick us up from our block's carpark and drive us around during the 3 days period in Malacca although heard he charged a premium of S$200 per head to cover the "convenience, his own accommodation & meals" during the 3 days we were with him. We have to do our own itinerary planning to let him know where we wanna go.

I still yet to call him to discuss his pricing and his availability. Any advise?

 

[Habrosus]

Dear Bros & Sis,

I am planning a short vacations to Malacca tentatively set to 16-18 October weekends (Friday to Sunday) with a pax of 4 namely My elderly wheelchair bound dad (he can do slow walking via walking aids), my elderly mum, my elder sis and myself.

My god sis and my ex colleague all recommended Hotel Equatorial which I did my own research and this hotel is classified as either 4 or 5 stars category.

My question now is if I book the Premier Room with bed configuration of 1 x King & 1 x Lay Bed, can I still request for additional Lay Bed in the room knowing the hotel room capacity is max of 3 adults. If can, then easy. I can request for 2 x Single Beds with 2 x Lay Beds configurations. Otherwise, would most likely be 2 connecting Deluxe Rooms (only main advantage is 2 toilets but 2nd room at additional cost).

My ex-colleague also recommended me a JB guide whom would be willing to drive all the way down south to pick us up from our block's carpark and drive us around during the 3 days period in Malacca although heard he charged a premium of S$200 per head to cover the "convenience, his own accommodation & meals" during the 3 days we were with him. We have to do our own itinerary planning to let him know where we wanna go.

I still yet to call him to discuss his pricing and his availability. Any advise?

Unless you get someone from Malacca itself, you'll definitely see the expenses of that person's accommodation and meals being factored into the cost. I recall having seen a Malaccan highlighting his guide services here sometime back, so you might want to do a search to see if he's still doing it. Or you can get a quote from the couple of members here who provide such services to compare the rates.

With regards to accommodation, I'd suggest that you contact the hotel directly to see what arrangements they can do with your situation, citing that you prefer to only have 1 room. Some hotels may only have certain floors/rooms that's wheelchair-friendly, so no harm checking with them first.

On a side note, you might want to check Hatten Hotel to see what they can offer too, and compare from there. I've not stayed at either hotel before, but both are popular with Singaporeans and Hatten might just be a more convenient link to the nearby malls for food and such.

 

[cct75]

Unless you get someone from Malacca itself, you'll definitely see the expenses of that person's accommodation and meals being factored into the cost. I recall having seen a Malaccan highlighting his guide services here sometime back, so you might want to do a search to see if he's still doing it. Or you can get a quote from the couple of members here who provide such services to compare the rates.

Thanks for such a quick response. Hmm. Okay. Fellow HWZ members? Who are offering such mentioned Private Tours pick up all the way from down south Singapore and bring my family pax of 4 (with a fold-able wheelchair) tentatively planned on the 16th (Friday) to 18th (Sunday) October 2015? PM me so I can provide you with my email to further discuss and provide quotations?

With regards to accommodation, I'd suggest that you contact the hotel directly to see what arrangements they can do with your situation, citing that you prefer to only have 1 room. Some hotels may only have certain floors/rooms that's wheelchair-friendly, so no harm checking with them first.

Good point. Will call them up to check on the wheelchair-friendly floors/rooms.

On a side note, you might want to check Hatten Hotel to see what they can offer too, and compare from there. I've not stayed at either hotel before, but both are popular with Singaporeans and Hatten might just be a more convenient link to the nearby malls for food and such.

Hatten I heard is newer but the rooms are smaller than Equatorial if I am correct per told by my ex colleague. Other than that I am okay with either hotels as long as not too costly.

 

[globalcookie]

Pardon my asking. With a wheel chair needing family member, is it convenient going to Larkin and taking a coach from there, as compared to taking directly in Singapore?

May be a bit taxing on the wheel chair needing person to save some money. Maybe TS want to check out different hotels and check rates on Trivago to see if it is cheaper to book via this web.

 

[Habrosus]

As it is, there will be at least 6 times each way for the elderly to climb up/down for coach from SG-MLC direct, so I won't recommend going to Larkin in order to save some $.

 

[cct75]

Thanks for the advise. The "S$200" per head charging by that guide from JB is sort of a premium personal services that buy total conveniences though I have not yet call him to check out his availability and to discuss if to book his service or not.

We went for a RCI cruise last year and end up the Shore tour was using those standard coach and it was indeed very inconvenient for my dad and the whole passengers on board were so cooperative and understanding to allow my family the front seats and to wait patiently for my dad to board and alight from the coach. A nightmarish experience.

 

[unlimited_max]

Since that tour guide is coming from jb, and if u engage his service, he will hav to drive to malacca..so why not he pick u all up at jb and proceed to malacca? Since he needs to go to malacca anyway..

 

[Habrosus]

Actually I do find it a little strange that the quote go by "per head" since you don't intend to have any strangers in that one car. Sounds like one of those "private car" service from JB Sentral who go "Singapore lai, Singapore lai" - these people quote by "per head".

Anyway, that makes it $800 for the 4 of you, all-in for all transport? Might just want to make sure there's no one else in the same car, like his wife or "friend", unless for a good reason like helping to do something along the way. (A sudden thought that came to my mind. )

I was quoted $300 for one-way to Malacca over a year back, when we're in a JB cab and started chatting with the driver, after he said that he does transport between Singapore and the Peninsula too. You might like to gauge from there, if this guy is a recommended source and you think he's reliable/responsible enough to make sure your elderly parents don't get into any unnecessary inconveniences.

 

[cct75]

I just called him and check his availability and he (should be the boss) said is available for my booking and I negotiate for a cheaper rate end up he gave me discount to charge S$700 for the pax of 4. I told him I will commit once I can get my leave approve which would be Tuesday this coming week. Only when I got my leave settled that I will call him back.

He is recommended by my ex colleague whom said her Auntie used his services before and my ex Tea Ladies in the same company also used his services many times and gave good comments said his service is flexible.

Of course for the S$700 cost, it should be a private premium "buy your convenience" service and no 3rd party should be joining us. This S$700 should cover everything from either MPV or mini 7-12 seaters type excursion bus, the driver service, the petrol, the driver accommodation and meals. No further tipping should be required. This service will mean he will drive down all the way from JB to where I stay now waiting for us at the car park and bring us up to Malacca (I heard from my colleague there may be 2 stops for loo break etc but I will check when I wanna commit) and drive us around per our own destinations requests and end of the tour on Sunday fetch us and our luggages from the Hotel then send us all the way back to Singapore (I am taking 4 hours or so for the journey one way inclusive of the 2 look breaks?)

 

[Habrosus]

Great, if he's recommended by people you know who have used his service, then I guess you're good to go - once your leave is approved.

OK, $700 all-in means he's aware of the wheelchair-needs and arranges the appropriate type of vehicle. Toilet stops should normally be up to you, though twice is a good idea, since you've your elderly parents with you. More or less, he's at your disposal once he picks you up, so even if you need a makan break, I don't think he'll refuse, coz it will only mean reaching Malacca a bit later than usual - later traffic going into Malacca on a Friday should be alright.

Yes, about 4 hours point-to-point looks good.

 

[buswhiz]

Normal traffic condition is 4 hours, yesterday because of huge jam at custom, the journey from Singapore to Malacca takes 11 hours.. Gosh..

 

[Habrosus]

Normal traffic condition is 4 hours, yesterday because of huge jam at custom, the journey from Singapore to Malacca takes 11 hours.. Gosh..

So what happened on Labor Day is true! Morning coaches reached there in time for (early) dinner instead of lunchtime!

Moral of this Story: Avoid travelling to Malacca on a long (holiday) weekend unless you want to spend a (much) longer time on the road.

 

[orlengtao]

Pardon my asking. With a wheel chair needing family member, is it convenient going to Larkin and taking a coach from there, as compared to taking directly in Singapore?

May be a bit taxing on the wheel chair needing person to save some money. Maybe TS want to check out different hotels and check rates on Trivago to see if it is cheaper to book via this web.

This kind of money cannot save...

Infact i recommend you to book those van that fetch you from singapore to malacca and malacca to singapore...

This way it's much more convenient... passport chop also easy, no need to get out from bus..

 

[cct75]

Hmm .. if I wanna save, I would save on the Hotels and there are definitely some hotels or service apartments that can accommodate all 4 of us and is much cheaper but likely further away from the main area and may not be wheelchair friendly but since my family would have a private vehicle booked to bring us around, still do-able right?

 

[buswhiz]

those who travel frequently knows when exactly a good time to travel..

 

[Habrosus]

those who travel frequently knows when exactly a good time to travel..

I've been visiting Melaka every other month and other than trying to avoid SG school holidays and travelling during the long weekends, I go round the year.

 

[cct75]

I've been visiting Melaka every other month and other than trying to avoid SG school holidays and travelling during the long weekends, I go round the year.

I lost track when is School Holidays. Does the weekends of 16th-18th October fall in any School Holidays period?

 

[ablurcat]

I lost track when is School Holidays. Does the weekends of 16th-18th October fall in any School Holidays period?

Although I left sch long ago but I still remember sch long vacations is in June n dec..

 

[Habrosus]

I lost track when is School Holidays. Does the weekends of 16th-18th October fall in any School Holidays period?

Nope, you missed it!

http://publicholidays.sg/school-holidays/

I avoid school holidays to avoid SG's uncontrolled kids. Was there last June and it's the loud voices along the hotel rooms' corridor that made me realize it's SG's school holidays.