First of all, the media (TV, movies, books) and advertising marketing really has done a great job in portraying Paris as the most romantic city in the world. No wonder it ranks as the top tourist destination.
But is Paris truly as what you see and hear from the media? Have you heard the term "Paris Syndrome"? It is a transient mental disorder in describing an extreme cultural shock to some tourists that Paris is absolutely nothing like what they expected it to be.
Here's the truth, not everyone smells like Chanel No.5, not everyone dressed like they walked off a ccatwalk on the street, and not all the places are clean.
Even the Parisians complain about their own city, so what do you as a foreign tourist expect the city to be like with millions of tourists flocking to the capital of France? Paris, just like any other city in the world, has its share of homeless people sleeping on the street or park, pickpockets in tourist spots, people trying to scam you with roses, hand bracelet in exchange of some money from you.
The metro and buses are old and dirty, not every metro station is new, most of the tunnels are dark, unlit with lights, some with graffiti on the walls and inside the train. When I was there, I have experienced metro breakdown, smoke coming out resulting in sudden stop and all passengers have to step out to the platform, the labour union strike making no train available, and many more.
These are the things that you will only experience first-hand if you're there. Honestly, every city in the world has its beauty and ugly side to it, so my advice is, don't go to Paris expecting it to be all romantic and classy or you'll be disappointed when the truth hits you.
Paris has many beautiful historical architecture, great food, huge park for you to walk and relax, and the locals that I met are very helpful whenever I'm lost asking for direction. On the first day after reaching the city centre from the airport, the metro that I was supposed to take to my hostel was not running so I had to take a bus but I didn't know where's the bus stop and what bus number to take. A local woman took me to the bus stop and told me to wait for bus number 31 and my destination is the 4th stop.
It was so kind of her and I'm so grateful and thankful for her help. So, like I said, there are always both sides to everything in this world. If you're planning to visit Paris, just go with an open mind and enjoy every moment with a positive mindset.
Thursday, 28 June 2018
Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Countries That Malaysian Do Not Need Visa To Visit
In a news article published by The Star on January 2018, Malaysian passport ranked the 4th most powerful in Asia and no. 12 in the world according to The Henley Passport Index which allows Malaysians to travel to 166 countries visa-free.
LIST OF COUNTRIES THAT MALAYSIANS MAY VISIT VISA-FREE
LIST OF COUNTRIES THAT MALAYSIANS MAY VISIT VISA-FREE
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra*
- Anguilla
- Antigua/Barbuda
- Argentina
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh (visa on arrival, fee USD 51)
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia (visa on arrival)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina/Sarajevo
- Bostwana
- Brazil
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde (visa on arrival)
- Cayman Islands
- Chile*
- Colombia
- Comoros (visa on arrival)
- Cook Island*
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador*
- Egypt*
- El Savador
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guam
- Guinea-Bissau (visa on arrival)
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Italy (Official Visit requires visa)
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya*
- Kiribati
- Kish Island
- Kosovo
- Kuwait (visa on arrival, fee KWD 3)
- Kyrgystan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon (visa on arrival, must NOT have Israeli visa or stamp in the passport)
- Leeman Islands
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Madagascar (visa on arrival, must have return/onward ticket)
- Malawi
- Maldives (visa on arrival, must have hotel reservation)
- Malta
- Marshall Islands (visa on arrival)
- Mauritania (visa on arrival)
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Montserrat
- Mozambique (visa on arrival, must have onward ticket)
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal (visa on arrival, fee USD 15)
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niue*
- Norfolk Island*
- N. Mariana Islands*
- Norway
- Palestine
- Palau (visa on arrival)
- Papua New Guinea (visa on arrival, must arrive through Port Moresby (POM) or Rabau (RAB) airports)
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Rwanda (visa on arrival)
- Samoa* (Entry Permit on arrival)
- San Marino
- Senegal*
- Seychelles (Visitor's Permit on arrival)
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia* (visa on arrival)
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka (visa on arrival)
- St. Kitts-Nevis
- St. Lucia (visa on arrival)
- St. Vincent & Grenainnes
- Sudan* (visa on arrival)
- Surinam
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tanzania*
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (visa on arrival)
- Togo* (visa on arrival)
- Tonga (visa on arrival)
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Tuvalu (visa on arrival)
- Uganda* (visa on arrival, e-visa may be obtained online before departure)
- Ukraine (visa on arrival, Visa on arrival for business or tourism purposes is available at Kyiv Boryspil Airport, Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) and Odessa International Airport)
- United Arab Emirates (Dubai & Abu Dhabi) (visa on arrival)
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen (visa on arrival)
- Zambia*
- Zimbabwe
*COUNTRIES CLASSIFIED UNDER YELLOW FEVER INFECTED/ENDEMIC
REMINDER: The countries listed here are correct at the time of publication. You are encouraged to check again with the embassy of the country you want to visit to know if you need to apply for a visa to enter prior to departure.
REMINDER: The countries listed here are correct at the time of publication. You are encouraged to check again with the embassy of the country you want to visit to know if you need to apply for a visa to enter prior to departure.
Sunday, 24 June 2018
How Much Is Food and Public Transport in Europe?
Since I just came back from my Europe trip, I can share the price of food and public transport fares with you. The price in RM is based on the currency exchange rate of €1.00 = RM4.765
FOOD
FOOD
- Pasta: range from €7.50 -- €18 / RM35.80 -- RM85.80 (depending on the whether it's a small shop by the corner or a fancy restaurant in the city centre)
- Sandwich at supermarket: €2.30 -- €5.30 / RM11 -- RM25.30 (depending on if it's a ham sandwich, tuna sandwich, chicken and egg sandwich, etc.)
- A bottle of mineral water (1.5L): €0.62 -- €2.00 / RM 2.95 -- RM9.53 (depending on which brand you're buying)
- A can of Coke (300ml): €1.50 / RM7.15
REMINDER: Always remember to bring along your own bag or reusable/recycle bag when you buy groceries or food in supermarket because they charge you around €0.15 / RM0.71 for one plastic bag.
Metro/Subway ticket is valid for one hour on that day only. If you're taking the metro to go back to your hotel after one hour from your first purchase, you have to buy another ticket.
- Paris: €1.90 / RM 9.05
- Brussels: €2.10 / RM10
- Amsterdam: €3.00 / RM14.30
- Milan: €1.50 / RM7.15
- Express train from Paris CDG Airport to city centre: €10.30 / RM49.08
- Express train from city centre Amsterdam Centraal station to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: €5.30 / RM25.25
- Express train from city centre to Milan Malpensa Airport: €13.00 / RM62
REMINDER: All tickets in every city need to be validated. Some are validated by the ticket machine when you purchase it, in other cities, you have to validate the ticket by touching the sensor in the metro, tram, or bus and others are validated when you insert the ticket into the gate barrier to get through it.
In Amsterdam, the public transport there is going towards a cashless movement where you cannot buy tickets inside the bus or tram anymore. You cannot buy when you board the bus, tram, metro. You MUST buy from a ticket machine or at the ticket counter in advance and ticket machines DO NOT ACCEPT CASH. The machine only accepts coins, credit/debit card. So, it's safe to bring along your credit card and please make sure it can be used overseas without your bank blocking the transactions.
Saturday, 23 June 2018
My Expenses and Hostel Reviews From My Recent Europe Trip
Hello everyone!
I'm back from my Europe trip. This is actually my second trip to Europe. The first one was in year 2015 where I travelled to 8 cities: Berlin--Dresden--Munich--Vienna--Venice--Florence--Rome--Vatican City.
This time, I went to 4 cities: Paris--Brussels--Amsterdam--Milan. I took a flight by Oman Air from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Paris CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport. After spending 3 nights in Paris, I took a bus (Flixbus) to Brussels and from there, I took another bus from Brussels to Amsterdam and from Amsterdam, I took a budget flight (Vueling Airlines) to Milan and lastly, from Milan, I took Thai Airways back to Kuala Lumpur.
In total, I spent 10 days for this trip, from June 11th to 20th, and if you're interested to know how much I've spent, look no further as I will break it down for you below.
Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris: RM 1,562
Bus from Paris to Brussels: RM 64.25
Bus from Brussels to Amsterdam: RM 54.47
Flight from Amsterdam to Milan: RM 225.08
Flight from Milan to Kuala Lumpur: RM 1,691.48
*Please note that prices varies according to the time you book the flight/bus tickets and the amount depends on the currency exchange rate.
Now comes the accommodation part......
Paris, France
Le Montclair Montmartre by Hiphoshostels
Address: 62, Rue Ramey, 18th arr., Paris, 75018, France
Contact no: +33146064607
Price: RM 357.89 (€74.43) €67.66 1 bed in 6-bed Mixed Dormitory + 10% VAT €6.77
*PAY €0.88 City Tax per night is excluded (€2.64 for 3 nights)
Website: Booking.com
Total for 3 nights: RM 370.50
Brussels, Belgium
ES Hostel
Address: Square de l’Aviation 22, Brussels 1070
Contact no: +3225270130
Price: €36 (RM 167) 1 bed in 3 twin bed bunk male only dormitory
*PAY AT THE HOTEL City tax: €8.48 for 2 nights
Website: Hotels.com
Total for 2 nights: RM 211.95 (€44.48)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hostel Centraal
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 19, Amsterdam-Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands 1018 S2
Price: 1st night: €65, 2nd night: €25.50, City Tax €5.43 = €95.93 (€65 paid by credit card = RM 306.50) remaining €30.93 paid by cash at the hostel 1 bed in 30-bed dormitory
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 453.88 (€95.93)
Milan, Italy
Babila Hostel
Address: via Conservatorio 2a, City Center, Milan, Italy 20122
Price: RM 285.90 (RM 130 per night) City Tax: €4 (RM 19.06)
Breakfast included
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 304.96
EXPENSES
Total for 3 flights: RM 3,478.56
Total of 2 Flixbus: RM 118.72
Total of 4 accommodations: RM 1,341.29
Food/Public Transport: €198.62 (RM 946.42)
GRAND TOTAL: RM 5,885
Most of my friends thought I would have spent at least 10k for this trip. Let's face it, when you talk about travelling around Europe countries, one would have expected to at least spend 10k but like I always tell my friends and relatives, that's one of the reasons why I prefer to plan and travel on my own.
Who would have thought you could visit 4 cities under 6k? Well, for one, I don't eat at those tourist areas, I don't go for fine dining restaurants. I eat cheap and don't splurge on shopping. I'm not those shopping type of traveller. I'm more into seeing how the life of the local people there, visit old historical architecture such as palaces, castles, cathedrals, churches, and some museums.
Now let's talk about what I think of each of the hostels I stayed. Let's start with Le Montclair Montmartre in Paris.
Room size: Small
Number of beds: 3 bunk-beds which can accommodate 6 people.
Level of noise: Quite noisy whenever people walking fast or running upstairs, you could hear it and when they talk, you could hear it too, so it's not a quiet place to sleep if you're a light sleeper. But for the cheap price, that's what you get. Every room in Paris is small for budget stay.
Reception: The staff was helpful and polite and speaks English well. They will try to help you in every possible way to make sure you're comfortable with everything.
Amenities: There is no bathroom or toilet inside the room. The whole building must share a common shower room and toilet which there are only 2 very tiny shower stalls, 3 very small toilets, and 2 sinks. There is a kitchen for anyone to use. You can even cook meals there but you have to buy your own groceries from a supermarket. They provide electric kettle, tableware: plates, bowls, cups, glasses, cutlery (forks and spoons), and even pans, and pots for you to cook.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Err... if you're just for 1 or 2 nights, I think it's fine but if you're spending more nights than that, I don't recommend because although it is very near to a metro subway station but it's not an ideal place for a long stay. For me, I don't mind going back if the price is cheaper than other hostels.
Let's move on to the hostel in Brussels, Belgium.
Room size: A normal standard hotel room
Number of beds: 4 single beds
Level of noise: Quiet. Very nice.
Reception: The staff doesn't look friendly or warmth because he doesn't smile and doesn't try to engage in a conversation with guests but he's not arrogant or what. Just doesn't seem easy to approach.
Amenities: There is a big bathroom inside the room but on the downside, the bathroom door has no lock, but that's fine because they will arrange all male guests to stay in the same room and female guests in another room. The bathroom is very clean. I am impressed. On the downside, there is no kitchen area for guests to use. So you cannot cook or even boil hot water to have a cup of tea/coffee. The lobby area is very classy, elegant, and you don't expect to see such design and furniture in a hostel. It definitely looks more like a hotel than a hostel.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. Although the room has not much space for you to walk around after putting 4 beds but it is quiet, clean, with a bathroom inside the room and the overall feel is nice. I would definitely stay there again if I ever go back there.
Next is the hostel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Room size: Big
Number of beds: 15 bunk-beds which can accommodate 30 people. Yes! All 30 beds in one huge hall and you feel like you're an immigrant sleeping with other immigrants in a locked up area. Hahaha! The bed is very small and you may fall off if you're those who turn around a lot when you sleep.
Level of noise: Can be noisy if you have noisy guests who talk and laugh so loud with no consideration of other guests who sleep early. All males and females in the same room.
Reception: Quite friendly. I suspect they're originally from Arab country or Middle-East because they speak in Arabic among themselves. The young guy was very kind and helpful although they don't talk much to the guests.
Amenities: There are 2 shower stalls, 2 toilets, and 2 sinks in the same room but in another partition, away from all the 30 beds.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Definitely NO! It is noisy, bed too small, too many people in one room, and it's not cheap!
Lastly, the hostel in Milan, Italy.
Room size: Normal queen size hotel room
Number of beds: 4 bunk-beds which can accommodate 8 people.
Level of noise: Quiet.
Reception: Very helpful and friendly. I couldn't connect to the free Wi-Fi so the girl used my phone to connect to their private internet line so that I can get online. It was so thoughtful and kind of her to do that.
Amenities: There is a nice middle size bathroom with 2 shower stalls, 1 toilet, and 2 sinks. Breakfast buffet was included in the price when I book. The breakfast spread were mini croissants, some very delicious jam type of pies, toasts, butter, cheese, cold cut meats, fresh tomato juice, orange juice, milk, cereal, granola, coffee and tea. This hostel has a chef which you can order dinner from their menu and dine in the dining area next to the lobby. There is bar and a kitchen on the 3rd floor for you to use. When you arrive for check-in, you're given a key to your own locker in the room and a coupon for you to get a free drink at the bar (wine or beer).
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. It's nice although it's 10 mins walk from the nearest metro station but it's easy to locate if you use Google Maps for direction.
Overall, I like the hostels in Brussels and Milan. It's comfortable, clean, quiet, great vibes, friendly staff and good amenities for the guests.
I'm back from my Europe trip. This is actually my second trip to Europe. The first one was in year 2015 where I travelled to 8 cities: Berlin--Dresden--Munich--Vienna--Venice--Florence--Rome--Vatican City.
This time, I went to 4 cities: Paris--Brussels--Amsterdam--Milan. I took a flight by Oman Air from KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) to Paris CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport. After spending 3 nights in Paris, I took a bus (Flixbus) to Brussels and from there, I took another bus from Brussels to Amsterdam and from Amsterdam, I took a budget flight (Vueling Airlines) to Milan and lastly, from Milan, I took Thai Airways back to Kuala Lumpur.
In total, I spent 10 days for this trip, from June 11th to 20th, and if you're interested to know how much I've spent, look no further as I will break it down for you below.
Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris: RM 1,562
Bus from Paris to Brussels: RM 64.25
Bus from Brussels to Amsterdam: RM 54.47
Flight from Amsterdam to Milan: RM 225.08
Flight from Milan to Kuala Lumpur: RM 1,691.48
*Please note that prices varies according to the time you book the flight/bus tickets and the amount depends on the currency exchange rate.
Now comes the accommodation part......
Paris, France
Le Montclair Montmartre by Hiphoshostels
Address: 62, Rue Ramey, 18th arr., Paris, 75018, France
Contact no: +33146064607
Price: RM 357.89 (€74.43) €67.66 1 bed in 6-bed Mixed Dormitory + 10% VAT €6.77
*PAY €0.88 City Tax per night is excluded (€2.64 for 3 nights)
Website: Booking.com
Total for 3 nights: RM 370.50
Brussels, Belgium
ES Hostel
Address: Square de l’Aviation 22, Brussels 1070
Contact no: +3225270130
Price: €36 (RM 167) 1 bed in 3 twin bed bunk male only dormitory
*PAY AT THE HOTEL City tax: €8.48 for 2 nights
Website: Hotels.com
Total for 2 nights: RM 211.95 (€44.48)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hostel Centraal
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 19, Amsterdam-Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands 1018 S2
Price: 1st night: €65, 2nd night: €25.50, City Tax €5.43 = €95.93 (€65 paid by credit card = RM 306.50) remaining €30.93 paid by cash at the hostel 1 bed in 30-bed dormitory
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 453.88 (€95.93)
Milan, Italy
Babila Hostel
Address: via Conservatorio 2a, City Center, Milan, Italy 20122
Price: RM 285.90 (RM 130 per night) City Tax: €4 (RM 19.06)
Breakfast included
Website: Agoda
Total for 2 nights: RM 304.96
EXPENSES
Total for 3 flights: RM 3,478.56
Total of 2 Flixbus: RM 118.72
Total of 4 accommodations: RM 1,341.29
Food/Public Transport: €198.62 (RM 946.42)
GRAND TOTAL: RM 5,885
Most of my friends thought I would have spent at least 10k for this trip. Let's face it, when you talk about travelling around Europe countries, one would have expected to at least spend 10k but like I always tell my friends and relatives, that's one of the reasons why I prefer to plan and travel on my own.
Who would have thought you could visit 4 cities under 6k? Well, for one, I don't eat at those tourist areas, I don't go for fine dining restaurants. I eat cheap and don't splurge on shopping. I'm not those shopping type of traveller. I'm more into seeing how the life of the local people there, visit old historical architecture such as palaces, castles, cathedrals, churches, and some museums.
Now let's talk about what I think of each of the hostels I stayed. Let's start with Le Montclair Montmartre in Paris.
Room size: Small
Number of beds: 3 bunk-beds which can accommodate 6 people.
Level of noise: Quite noisy whenever people walking fast or running upstairs, you could hear it and when they talk, you could hear it too, so it's not a quiet place to sleep if you're a light sleeper. But for the cheap price, that's what you get. Every room in Paris is small for budget stay.
Reception: The staff was helpful and polite and speaks English well. They will try to help you in every possible way to make sure you're comfortable with everything.
Amenities: There is no bathroom or toilet inside the room. The whole building must share a common shower room and toilet which there are only 2 very tiny shower stalls, 3 very small toilets, and 2 sinks. There is a kitchen for anyone to use. You can even cook meals there but you have to buy your own groceries from a supermarket. They provide electric kettle, tableware: plates, bowls, cups, glasses, cutlery (forks and spoons), and even pans, and pots for you to cook.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Err... if you're just for 1 or 2 nights, I think it's fine but if you're spending more nights than that, I don't recommend because although it is very near to a metro subway station but it's not an ideal place for a long stay. For me, I don't mind going back if the price is cheaper than other hostels.
Let's move on to the hostel in Brussels, Belgium.
Room size: A normal standard hotel room
Number of beds: 4 single beds
Level of noise: Quiet. Very nice.
Reception: The staff doesn't look friendly or warmth because he doesn't smile and doesn't try to engage in a conversation with guests but he's not arrogant or what. Just doesn't seem easy to approach.
Amenities: There is a big bathroom inside the room but on the downside, the bathroom door has no lock, but that's fine because they will arrange all male guests to stay in the same room and female guests in another room. The bathroom is very clean. I am impressed. On the downside, there is no kitchen area for guests to use. So you cannot cook or even boil hot water to have a cup of tea/coffee. The lobby area is very classy, elegant, and you don't expect to see such design and furniture in a hostel. It definitely looks more like a hotel than a hostel.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. Although the room has not much space for you to walk around after putting 4 beds but it is quiet, clean, with a bathroom inside the room and the overall feel is nice. I would definitely stay there again if I ever go back there.
Next is the hostel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Room size: Big
Number of beds: 15 bunk-beds which can accommodate 30 people. Yes! All 30 beds in one huge hall and you feel like you're an immigrant sleeping with other immigrants in a locked up area. Hahaha! The bed is very small and you may fall off if you're those who turn around a lot when you sleep.
Level of noise: Can be noisy if you have noisy guests who talk and laugh so loud with no consideration of other guests who sleep early. All males and females in the same room.
Reception: Quite friendly. I suspect they're originally from Arab country or Middle-East because they speak in Arabic among themselves. The young guy was very kind and helpful although they don't talk much to the guests.
Amenities: There are 2 shower stalls, 2 toilets, and 2 sinks in the same room but in another partition, away from all the 30 beds.
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Definitely NO! It is noisy, bed too small, too many people in one room, and it's not cheap!
Lastly, the hostel in Milan, Italy.
Room size: Normal queen size hotel room
Number of beds: 4 bunk-beds which can accommodate 8 people.
Level of noise: Quiet.
Reception: Very helpful and friendly. I couldn't connect to the free Wi-Fi so the girl used my phone to connect to their private internet line so that I can get online. It was so thoughtful and kind of her to do that.
Amenities: There is a nice middle size bathroom with 2 shower stalls, 1 toilet, and 2 sinks. Breakfast buffet was included in the price when I book. The breakfast spread were mini croissants, some very delicious jam type of pies, toasts, butter, cheese, cold cut meats, fresh tomato juice, orange juice, milk, cereal, granola, coffee and tea. This hostel has a chef which you can order dinner from their menu and dine in the dining area next to the lobby. There is bar and a kitchen on the 3rd floor for you to use. When you arrive for check-in, you're given a key to your own locker in the room and a coupon for you to get a free drink at the bar (wine or beer).
Would I stay there again or recommend you? Yes. It's nice although it's 10 mins walk from the nearest metro station but it's easy to locate if you use Google Maps for direction.
Overall, I like the hostels in Brussels and Milan. It's comfortable, clean, quiet, great vibes, friendly staff and good amenities for the guests.
Saturday, 9 June 2018
Airbnb in Japan Removes Many Listings Ahead of New Rental Law
More than 62,000 apartments, homes, and rooms were pulled out from Airbnb on Monday in response to Japan government's new law that requires all vacation rentals owners to apply for a registration number from the federal or local government.
The Japanese Hotels and Inns Act, a law that has been on the books since 1947 to home rentals, and were scheduled to take affect on June 15. Airbnb team has confirmed that, "Any reservation scheduled for guest arrival between June 15 and June 19 at a listing in Japan that does not currently have a license has been canceled." If you are booking a place that is still available on Airbnb in Japan, you have to make sure to contact your host and get their governmental license number to confirm.
The new law limits owners to rent up to 180 days only per year. At some places such as Kyoto, owners are restricted to rent out their homes during off-peak season, and at other places, some of the homes are not permitted to rent out to foreign tourists for the safety of local children who are on their way to school.
"Unfortunately, the Japanese government issued a sudden announcement on June 1 instructing any host without a license number to cancel upcoming reservations that were booked before June 15—even though many of these hosts are actively engaged in the registration process or awaiting their license," Airbnb said in a statement. "This announcement came as a surprise to us. It was contrary to the guidance our team had previously been given by the Japanese Tourism Agency (JTA) and put the travel experiences of thousands of visitors to Japan at risk."
Some tourists were quite disappointed for not being able to stay in a real neighbourhood as they would like to experience the life of a local by going out to a local cafe for morning coffee, buying groceries at nearby supermarket. The feeling of staying in a local's home and staying in a hotel is not the same.
Have you booked an Airbnb in Japan? Make sure you contact your host and ask for his/her registration number to ensure his/her home is approved by the government for rental or you could be staying illegally.
The Japanese Hotels and Inns Act, a law that has been on the books since 1947 to home rentals, and were scheduled to take affect on June 15. Airbnb team has confirmed that, "Any reservation scheduled for guest arrival between June 15 and June 19 at a listing in Japan that does not currently have a license has been canceled." If you are booking a place that is still available on Airbnb in Japan, you have to make sure to contact your host and get their governmental license number to confirm.
The new law limits owners to rent up to 180 days only per year. At some places such as Kyoto, owners are restricted to rent out their homes during off-peak season, and at other places, some of the homes are not permitted to rent out to foreign tourists for the safety of local children who are on their way to school.
"Unfortunately, the Japanese government issued a sudden announcement on June 1 instructing any host without a license number to cancel upcoming reservations that were booked before June 15—even though many of these hosts are actively engaged in the registration process or awaiting their license," Airbnb said in a statement. "This announcement came as a surprise to us. It was contrary to the guidance our team had previously been given by the Japanese Tourism Agency (JTA) and put the travel experiences of thousands of visitors to Japan at risk."
Some tourists were quite disappointed for not being able to stay in a real neighbourhood as they would like to experience the life of a local by going out to a local cafe for morning coffee, buying groceries at nearby supermarket. The feeling of staying in a local's home and staying in a hotel is not the same.
Have you booked an Airbnb in Japan? Make sure you contact your host and ask for his/her registration number to ensure his/her home is approved by the government for rental or you could be staying illegally.
Monday, 4 June 2018
My Booking Got Cancelled
I received an email at 6:30pm today from the website I booked my hotel for my upcoming Europe trip, and according to the content, I was informed that my booking cannot be honoured due to the hotel closure situation.
My first reaction was like... WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Why is this happening to me? Why now? Why so last minute? I'm flying next week and now you're telling me this? What do they mean by hotel closure? Why is the hotel closed all of a sudden? What is happening? How can they just close the hotel? What will happen to all the other guests? If you know you're going to close the hotel, then you shouldn't have allow anyone to book your hotel in the first place, right?
The customer support agent gave me two options; ONE, they can book a room from another hotel for me at no extra cost but the alternative hotel is 4km away from my original hotel, OR OPTION TWO, I can decline the option one and get a full refund.
My decision? I decided to take the option two where I ask them to cancel my booking to get my full refund because I do not want to stay so far away from the city centre. I quickly went online to book another hotel on my own which is nearer to the city centre. Although it's a bit more expensive than the inital booking but I'm glad I found a place in such a short time before my flight.
Have you ever met with such incident before?
My first reaction was like... WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Why is this happening to me? Why now? Why so last minute? I'm flying next week and now you're telling me this? What do they mean by hotel closure? Why is the hotel closed all of a sudden? What is happening? How can they just close the hotel? What will happen to all the other guests? If you know you're going to close the hotel, then you shouldn't have allow anyone to book your hotel in the first place, right?
The customer support agent gave me two options; ONE, they can book a room from another hotel for me at no extra cost but the alternative hotel is 4km away from my original hotel, OR OPTION TWO, I can decline the option one and get a full refund.
My decision? I decided to take the option two where I ask them to cancel my booking to get my full refund because I do not want to stay so far away from the city centre. I quickly went online to book another hotel on my own which is nearer to the city centre. Although it's a bit more expensive than the inital booking but I'm glad I found a place in such a short time before my flight.
Have you ever met with such incident before?
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