Shahzan Inn, Kuantan - Our stay, September 2012

The Shahzan Inn is a 3-star hotel in the heart of Kuantan town. Located right beside the town football field on Jalan Mahkota, it provides panoramic views of Kuantan ranging from Bukit Ubi to the town centre, Pahang State Mosque, Jalan Teluk Sisek, the Riverfront, Taman Gelora beach and Tanjung Lumpur.

The Shahzan Inn has had a new lick of paint recently and looks great at first sight.

The lobby is no less impressive. It's spacious, has comfortable seating areas, a small fish pond, Tourism Malaysia brochures and a lovely winding staircase which spirals up from the entrance to the next two floors. A chandelier hangs down from the top of the staircase.

First impressions count, which is why I can't be overly critical of the rooms. We were given a room on the 10th floor and we enjoyed wonderful sweeping views of Kuantan. We even watched a couple of football matches on the pitches below.

As far as the room was concerned, it was average at best, but overall satisfactory for a 3-star hotel. Importantly, the bed was comfortable and we had a good sleep despite the air-conditioning being a little loud.

We opened the cupboard door to find the fridge missing, and we had to laugh at the outrageous prices on the list of very mediocre items for sale as souvenirs from the room!

The bathroom was okay, the wooden mirror frame in need of a replacement, and no plug for the sink. The shower did have nice magnetic closing doors which kept the cubicle warm while showering.

The swimming pool is nice but small. Unfortunately for us it was raining in the afternoon, so we didn't use it. I did take Lauren down there for a look around though.

Breakfast in the Coffee House was very good. A variety of tasty food was on offer, and the tables and chairs were beautifully laid out too.

It seems that Shahzan Inn has created a great first impression hotel with a luxurious lobby and Coffee House, but possesses rather average and neglected guest rooms.