Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Leoric

Namii hotel quite good, other than the part it has no elevator & that their better were all at the higher floor.

Thank you for sharing, just touch on a little, Namii hotel and Namii Massage, both belongs to the same organisation,hehehe...and they are "clean" massage.

Now you know better what to look for huh?

Originally Posted by nono1973

I will be compiling up all my favourite Grab-food in Batam soon,hehehe...

I will touch on Namii Hotel (and the other Utama area of hotels) at a later time.

Remember i said i was trying to look deeper into those hotels around Utama area?

I got 2 or 3 new base in Area B, now looking at another base in Area A. Which is suppose to sort of replace Formosa Hotel ,if not at the least, have other alternative for myself to choose from.

Getting overly-reliant to Formosa Hotel is NOT healthy.

Originally Posted by nono1973

I will be looking deeper into :

1. Pagoda Hotel

2. S Hotel

3. Namii Hotel

4. Romance Hotel

5. Maybe Hotel 18 too, which i am keeping in view.

Hehehe...to be continued.

What i learned so far...

1. Pagoda Hotel, what i find out so far is that this hotel is even more popular than Utama Hotel. And in terms of popularity, Utama hotel can only comes in 2nd place. On the December peak period, i learned that Pagoda Hotel gets fully booked faster than Utama and other hotels in that same area. I know what you are thinking.But i do not think its becos Utama Hotel is a bigger 3 star hotel hence they got more rooms, therefore took a longer than usual to be fully booked.

Its a hotel that i wouldnt bother to take a 2nd look few years ago. But i am curious why are people still returning to this hotel again and again. What are its good points that keeps their customers from returning. I am keen to find that out soon,hehehe...

2. S Hotel, not as close to Utama Hotel as compare to both Pagoda Hotel and Namii Hotel. Its the actually furthest away from Utama among the 5 listed. But its really not that far out in terms of walking distance. I try walking from Utama Hotel to S Hotel before (entrance to entrance walk),and its roughly only about 8 mins walk away.

Price wise were exceptionally low too. But then again, i am often looking at their better room but still, its pretty much quite low base on a 2 star versus 2 star comparison, eg Zest Hotel versus S Hotel. They sell most of their rooms to Red Doorz tho, hence usually it would appears online that their rooms were sold out but the fact is Red Doorz is selling their room instead. And its price is about S$15.83 for their premium room with windows and bath tubs.

( Click to show/hide )

And their family room only at S$13.11,with an extremely small toilet.

( Click to show/hide )

Their most expensive room is about S$16.18..with big window. So i dont mind a smaller than usual toilet, probably half of Formosa hotel's toilet size, i might pay this hotel a visit.

Much often, i enjoy reading the lower than average pointer review in agoda booking.com and there was complain on cockroaches, poor wifi, below par facilities,mosquitoes,centipedes and those smoker-stench scents on beddings etc. There were also talks about raid by local polisi too. More important of it all, if i could bear with all the mentioned bads or able to find solution/s counter them all.

Not forgetting, i am the type of Batam travelers who would bring my own mobile wifi along, portable humidifier/ionizer/air-freshener and even insecticide,hehehe....

3. Namii Hotel, already hear-read your review on this place and a few more others who has PM-ed me. Not bad a place other than they have no elevator for their good and better room.

Plus point, they are just almost directly opposite Utama Hotel, they are new, hence nearly every in-room facilities were working well. More importantly, they are from the same organisation as Namii Massage at Harbour Bay, hence they also has a reputation to upkeep.

Minus point, no elevator to their better rooms, no breakfast option, no good view windows. Meaning to say, they only have a small windows for outside view, and their bigger window has a poor view. Small toilet is not good either as it probably gonna wet everything inside, including tooth brush, cups, flooring etc. No toilet paper provided,hehehe...this is really one of its kind. Maybe their targeted customer were locals?

4. Romance hotel. Location is the best as it is directly opposite DC Mall's bad door. This hotel sold most of their room to OYO and were selling at a pretty low price, i would say its as low as S Hotel.

The bad would be pretty much similar to S Hotel as well and like S Hotel, runs the risk of getting raid by the local polisi. One review from a Taiwan tourist caught my attention on this hotel tho.

https://sbf.net.nz/showthread.php?p=... post19612021

Hmm...why am i even talking about this hotel after i have already strike it off my list. Its just a reference.

5. Hotel 18. Its a small 1 star hotel with small room, small bath area but super good location. Its the closest hotel to Utama Hotel. In fact, its just directly behind Utama Hotel where all the fun place were location. Surprisingly, it provide breakfast too, but just the very basic ones like in Lumba Lumba Inn hotel. Who needs breakfast anyway when Hai Kee coffee shop is just less than a min walk away from its front door,hehehe...on top of it, they have a family room too.

The bad, no elevator. 3 storey hotel, not too high to climb up 3 floor as compare to Namii hotel's 4 storey (in Singapore term ,as local term its 3 storey high). Better rooms were on the 3rd storey tho. Only their standard room cost below S$20 (include breakfast), the rest of the rooms all cost above S$20 and family room can go up to as high as S$27.65 (include breakfast). A bit high for a 1 starred hotel.Then again, one can still opt out breakfast for a little lower price for the stay tho,hehehe...and forget to mention, due to its the hotel size and limited rooms, its often full during weekends too.

I am making an apple to apple comparison, not on affordability.

Still keeping a lookout.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

bro, dun expect much help from these civil servants...

1st world going to 3rd, much often i would kept my expectation low for almost everything.

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

from my friends experience they rendered no help for any polisi cases...these buggers tot you committed crime...they are only good to issue temp passport with a fees...

...and one more thing they are also good at, if i die, i am kind of sure they will send my body back to Singapore.

Remember Samat, the security guard who has a heart attack in Batam and were send back to Singapore hospital whom i talk about years ago? He still die in Singapore hospital tho...

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Agree...
The aunty morning in Penuin.
And evening in A2. But now she no more helping in A2 any more.

The problem with her stall in penuin market is no sign board,hehehe...so i will tell my friends to go to Bai Long cha kue stall.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Not sure she go Nagoya FC or not.
Btw Satay Buaya got a store at NFC.

The Nagoya Food court, i pass by few times. May not wish to go there until 5th day of CNY onward. Every food court likely to be crowded on the 1st few days of CNY. But i have got Grab Food on my PC,hehehe...so i will just order what like from there.

I really got a very long list of food things i like to try out in Batam, but time doesnt permits hence i am taking CNY to do a step by step walk through. And over half a dozen of them looks something like the below pork/boar meat...

Really no time and no chance to try since few years ago, this year i kind of want to try them out as much as possible at every chance. The issue i encounter with these pork/boar meat seller is that...they close shop very early and rarely opens till evening time.

Where there is crowd, i try my best not to be there,hehehe...

Originally Posted by Ninja_Assassin

Not everyone from the Singapore Consulate or High Commission are civil servants. They do outsource certain jobs to agents and subcontractors.
I used to travel a lot and have on occasions been contacted by MFA to render assistance to their consular officers due to my familiarity with the locality or populace there.

This is interesting. And thank you for sharing.

Something learned.

[yuanswang]

Is it ok to travel to batam now? Any deep checking activity going for corona spreading? While going into batam or come back to sg?

[fde83]

Originally Posted by yuanswang

Any deep checking activity going for corona spreading?

As long u don't eat crocodile or dog meat in batam, u are pretty much safe.

[Naka_Timo]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

outside nagoya hill mall...

Thanks, maybe i go recee recee. Anything to take note when go in?

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by nono1973

...and one more thing they are also good at, if i die, i am kind of sure they will send my body back to Singapore.

I dun think so...your family had to come identify you before embassy asked undertaker to help send your body back...btw not free hor...your family will need to pay heavily...best can cremate there and then bring the ashes back...this way easier and cheaper...

For those who travel frequently...hope you guys tot of all these in case of emergency who to contact and how to go back...

Example...

Think I read this in PP Cambodia thread, a guy had a sudden heart attack...luckily guy was with friends...his friends send him to hospital and admitted...called the son from Singapore to bring in USD15k for the operations...then recover need to send home...all these are not cheap...

Another case...friend bang by motorbike and need to operate broken knee...immediately book ticket to fly home from hcm...then send to hospital for operations...need help in hcm airport and singapore airport to transfer...

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

For those who travel frequently...hope you guys tot of all these in case of emergency who to contact and how to go back...

A travel insurance for all travels to countries where our (our? I am European and I have one, but Singaporeans?) public health assistance does not provide coverage is a MUST.
Once I went to a clinic in KL because I had a blooding cut to close, and I was assisted and cured for 30 SGD. But the same in USA would have costed 1500 SGD!
In Batam, good health assistance can be expensive, if am not wrong, and if one wants to be evacuated to Singapore by helicopter (think about a serious car accident or heart stroke) then the final bill is not in the possibilities of any normal person.

[PowerBenz]

Originally Posted by Naka_Timo

Thanks, maybe i go recee recee. Anything to take note when go in?

yes..counter staff will for sure ask you to get their highest cost vip service which cost 600-800k...I had reject it and took one hour massage then she will ask wnt private room she can give 50%..btw the private room is the same as normal partition room...dont fall for her trick..Just opp for the basic will do..btw massuse you need to nego for special...

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by Black Page

A travel insurance for all travels to countries where our (our? I am European and I have one, but Singaporeans?) public health assistance does not provide coverage is a MUST.
Once I went to a clinic in KL because I had a blooding cut to close, and I was assisted and cured for 30 SGD. But the same in USA would have costed 1500 SGD!
In Batam, good health assistance can be expensive, if am not wrong, and if one wants to be evacuated to Singapore by helicopter (think about a serious car accident or heart stroke) then the final bill is not in the possibilities of any normal person.

Thanks for highlighting travel insurance...this is good but no good for immediate...travel insurance cannot give you immediate medical care...you need to deposit cash...travel insurance is good after you recovered and claim the expenses...

Many foreign hospital do not provide any medical assistance if they do not see cash deposited into the hospital during admission for foreigners...

In many places, you must know what kind of med is available so you do not need to panic...also the nearest clinic or hospital...

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by Black Page

In Batam, good health assistance can be expensive, if am not wrong, and if one wants to be evacuated to Singapore by helicopter think about a serious car accident or heart stroke) then the final bill is not in the possibilities of any normal person.

I believe Nono did mention some time ago. Wonder wats the outcome?

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by fde83

As long u don't eat crocodile or dog meat in batam, u are pretty much safe.

Mas...ini bisa?

[yuanswang]

Originally Posted by fde83

As long u don't eat crocodile or dog meat in batam, u are pretty much safe.

Nola. It spreading through air too.

[PowerBenz]

Latest update here for mask and sanitzer mall and paramacy all out of stocks...i just back ytd...but for your info hbb terminal there are still stocks for mask n sanitzer...i know its not related to this forum but for our health just to let you guys know can get some for prevention..

[Naka_Timo]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

yes..counter staff will for sure ask you to get their highest cost vip service which cost 600-800k...I had reject it and took one hour massage then she will ask wnt private room she can give 50%..btw the private room is the same as normal partition room...dont fall for her trick..Just opp for the basic will do..btw massuse you need to nego for special...

Ok, thanks

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Mas...ini bisa?

This is scary, especially not cook one

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

Latest update here for mask and sanitzer mall and paramacy all out of stocks...i just back ytd...but for your info hbb terminal there are still stocks for mask n sanitzer...i know its not related to this forum but for our health just to let you guys know can get some for prevention..

They are more kiasu than us.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Thanks for highlighting travel insurance...this is good but no good for immediate...travel insurance cannot give you immediate medical care...you need to deposit cash...travel insurance is good after you recovered and claim the expenses...

You are very wrong on this.
It depends on the travel insurance. Some refund expenses, some other advance all expenses directly to the hospital, ambulance service, etc.

My travel insurance (I pay 400+ SGD/year from my own pocket, and my company does not refund it because they have another insurance, but I prefer to be double covered rather than being unsure) gives me:
- coverage in all countries of the world except USA/Canada (because there hospitals are among most expensive in the world);
- for as many trips per year as I wish
- direct payment to hospitals, ambulance, helicopters, flight, whatever, up to maximum 2 or 3 millions SGD (I do not remember exactly);
- 24/24 emergency call center, to coordinate assistance, contact hospitals, call local doctors, decide for evacuation, etc. etc. (without calling the number and their coordination, advance payment to hospital and assistance is not given).

Please note that it is possible also to get an insurance per each single trip, but if you travel more than 2-3 times a year it is not convenient. To give an idea, a similar insurance for a single trip to Singapore/Batam/Malaysia lasting say 10 days would cost me on the order of 100-150 SGD.

I must say that so far I must have paid this insurance for, say, the last 5-10 years, but fortunately I have never needed it, except once when in Ecuador I fell very sick for some flue or food poisoning. I called the 24/24 number, they provided me medical counseling via phone, offered to take me to an hospital if the situation would have got worse, advised what medicine to take. Fortunately the situation solved in a couple of days. One week later I was back to my country, and they called me again to be sure everything was fine and if I needed anything else.

It is not an exception. Most travel insurances by major insurance companies offer the same. The difference is on the prices, max coverage, countries, etc.

I do not know what to recommend to a Singaporean who, at most, travels to Batam, but in case of repeated travels abroad a good insurance is a must.

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Many foreign hospital do not provide any medical assistance if they do not see cash deposited into the hospital during admission for foreigners...

Cash deposit, credit card with enough capacity, or a travel insurance which guarantees direct payment.