Try calling Twin Pines or their siter guesthouse KRS - Very clean and my current hotel whenever I;m there..chep most of the time below RM100

haha lotsa typo.. I mean I stayed there pretty often lor ..super clean but very basic room and wth attached bathroom. No TV inside the room but there are TV at each floors and you can have the TV wth so many astro channels on your own whole nite if no one watching haha

Aigooo u ask for budget hotel and those budget hotels in Tanah Rata is actually reasonable liao compare to those in Brinchang. Furthermore both of you are girls and not BF/GF or Husband/wife..why need a good hotel...Nxt similar hotels mostly than RM150 liao even no star.

Hidden gem hor..this KRS.

This post has been edited by stimix: Dec 15 2011, 10:49 PM

KRS is better than lotsa Brinchang so called >RM150 hotels Even better than the lousy expensive Rosa Pasadena in brinchang..except no Tv inside the room

From 13C to max of 23

13C during nite wth mild to strong wind..otherwise without wind should be ~ 16C.
Day time..peak hot sunny ~ 23C but Morining/cloudy time should be 19-21C

Anyway, it's a humid wet cool weather so abit diff from cold countries wth cold & dry weather. Cold+ wet can be chilly compare to cold+dry haha

Twin Pines having both backpacker style hostel dorm wth shared toilet and also attached bathroom. whereas KRS's rooms are 100% individual attached to the room you book. Super clean but also super basic. No TV inside the room but there will be one shared TV to every floor. The last I was there, they already offer free wifi in KRS

The room looks like this in KRS:


The website:
http://twinpines.cameronhighlands.com/

Now only i know they also having apartment units in Puncak Arabella

~ 7am I think no jam-lah..normally jam started ~ 9-10am. Normally ~ the roadside market in Tringkap, Kea Farm (2 locations) & Brinchang town.

If you are coming from KL, easier & confirm no jam is from Tapah. You bypass those jam area as Strawberry located right after Tanah Rata & b4 Brinchang. The only troublesome is slow lorries in front of you & winding road.

No If from Ipoh, take Spg Pulai. You did not mention where you from mah...Those from Penang, or North. Yes use spg Pulai.. no point spending toll & one big round via Tapah.

Only those from the South, going via Tapah is recommended to save toll, distance and even jam during certian hours.

Going to CH without own car really teruk. Anyway, you can book a full day package for those without transport..2-3 yrs ago ~ RM88/pax. including treking in Gua Musang, Lonjing searching for raflesia, mossy forest, Boh Tea, butterfly farm & etc

If package per room much better haha.. Triple meaning they will add additional bed inside the same room lor unless the room is wth 3 beds. Meaning if let say RM270/pax, you probably paying RM810 for 3 peron in a room. or per room basis is probably RM405/room/nite. If it's lousy hotel, paying RM405/nite is super expensive even if transport included.

For me, I will rather take a bus there for ~ RM80/pax return, Stay in triple room hotel in KRS for ~ RM120/nite/room, and book a CH Raflesia tour for RM98/pax.

Overall per pax for 3 D 2 N:
Tranport - RM80 + room RM80 + tour RM98 = RM258 only

Here's the website to book day trip around CH: http://www.cameronsecrets.com/Articles/Loc...Rafflesia-Tour/

BTW, Brinchang although more convenient bcos of more establishments but the food there are slaughtering houses. Tanah Rata is more relaxing, and food is much better and nicer than Brinchang.

KRS is a guesthouse. just call & book haha.. Pyt by CASH upon check-in. No CC facility.

It's very basic wan. and might not be suitbale for those wanting King Coil bed or TV inside the room bcos there will be no TVs eccept on each floor lobby. Anyway. comes wth clean attached batroom haha.

Not far. exactly 3450M from the main road or 261M from Maybank Tanah Rata & 193M from Twin Pine their sister GH haha (GPS measurement)

BTW, parking there abit susah bcos limited space. Sometime, you need to park outside the GH or even further near Twin Pine side bcos lack of parking space.

Twin pine is dormitory style and sharing bathroom wan wor. KRS having individual rooms

opss sorry..typo ther what I mean is ~340m from main road..I dun really recommend the twin pine..more like hostel. Go for KRS which is much more quiet and wth private room & bathroom.

Don't waste your toll going to Spg Pulai (Not Gopeng). No doubt the road better than Tapah & no need to tail-gating lorries/buses but not worth-it lor..Furthermore chances of getting jam near Tringkap & Sg Palas junction also very high.

Timing using both way also the same.. 1.5hr from Tapah till Equatorial using the old way Vs 1/2 hr driving xtra km to Spg Pulai & from Spg Pulai to Equatorial another 45- 1hr (Depending on jam)..I choose Tapah way

The tapah-ch road is ok. No pot holes except narrow and sometime trailing lorries and buses

Something like the old Gombak road to Genting Sempah lor haha

Tapah-lah..as I quoted earlier

All those recommending Spg Pulai for those from the South really 1st timer going uphill for sure haha

On;y for those worry about narrow but OK- Tapah road.. as earlier Chester mentioned.. using the bew road for thos from South is reaaly a waste of toll. fuel and most of the time esp weekend & Holiday, stuck in worst than Tapah jam. Those staying in Tanah Rata, better dun use Spg Pulai way during Holiday...You dunwan to be stuck in the similar jam as chester

Sometime not during Holiday and not wanting to stay overnite, If from KL, I use Tapah roa up for a steamboat lunch/early dinner at Tanah Rata b4 going down using Spg Pulai to Ipoh/North. And from North I will used Spg Pulai up jsut for the lunch/dinner b4 going down via Tapah haha.

On the question: I personannly prefer Boh plantation at Havu instead of Palas (Equatorial side). Much breathtaking view esp you climb up the summit of the telecom tower beside the rest stop. Furthermore..that Palas/Brinchang summit road..super narrow..certain area only can fit in 1.5car..so you hv to gostan abit or stop at any nearby opening..Lotsa ppl scretch the hillside trying to squeeze in that super narrow road...Others nice breathaking view: Bharat tea plantation-Habu, From the bus parking area on op of Strawberry park. and few more..Equatorial should be nice if not on the ugly farmers' houses & ugly plantation ~ Kea farm.

- Tracking- Try book the rafflesia tour..- Very nice. Once in lifetime close encounter wth rafflesia. Waterfall - Robinson fall easy track near Mardi of Tanah Rata - Anyway all the waterfall u can't swim wan bcos all polluted! Even Robinson fall, the water from Tanah Rata main drain!!