Ever experience instant regret when you check into your hotel? The Haven at Ipoh was just such a feeling.

For a top rated luxury resort, it’s not a good start when you’re told to walk through the car park to find your building. Not great to find your keycard won’t operate the elevator. Then, when you finally get into the room, especially not wonderful to be sucker punched with a moldy odor and stained towels. Even the curtains are stained a disquieting splash of red, and scuff marks adorn the walls and floors.

While the room aired out, my wife and I headed down to the poolside, which is immensely better experience. Here, you can imagine it really is a luxury resort, rather than here overpriced identical high rise apartment buildings.

The staff, while at turns inexperienced or surly, quickly replaced the towels and sprayed deodorizer while we were enjoying the pool, giving the musky smell a nice overtone of lemon. At least there’s a nice big table for my wife to work her creativity and calligraphy.

It’s only Day One. Here’s hoping the rest of the trip gets better. Otherwise I’ll be kicking myself for not booking The Weil Hotel…