myTravel: April 2012

Artikel Dwi-Bahasa

This article is also written in ENGLISH after the Bahasa Kebangsaan version.

Idea untuk membuka HomestayU1 sebenarnya berputik dari pengalaman-pengalaman percutian keluarga pemilik HomestayU1. Perkara pertama yang dirancangkan sebelum memulakan percutian adalah tempat penginapan untuk seluruh ahli keluarga yang menyertai percutian.

Selalunya, hotel adalah yang mula-mula terfikir sebagai tempat menginap. Tetapi, apabila memikirkan kos penginapan dan terpaksa pula menyewa dua atau tiga bilik sekaligus, terasa tidak berbaloi pula kerana apa yang diperlukan hanyalah sebuah tempat tidur, refresh dan tempat meletak barang-barang semasa keluar berjalan-jalan di sesebuah tempat percutian itu. Semakin tidak berbaloi apabila awal-awal pagi lagi sudah keluar dan hanya pulang ke bilik setelah lewat senja atau malam.

Kecualilah sebahagian besar dari masa percutian itu hendak dihabiskan di tempat penginapan itu sendiri di mana tempat penginapan itu perlulah lengkap dengan segala kemudahan dan hiburan seperti taman tema, contohnya penginapan di Genting Highlands.

Untuk percutian keluarga yang sebenarnya hanya memerlukan sebuah tempat penginapan i.e. tempat tidur, maka pilihan selain dari hotel adalah penginapan bertaraf motel/hotel bajet, di mana tidur malam yang selesa serta kos penginapan yang lebih ekonomi dapat direalisasikan. Bajet percutian yang ada dapat dimenafaatkan kepada perkara-perkara lain yang merupakan tujuan sebenar percutian, dari (sebahagian besarnya) digunakan untuk membayar kos penginapan. Percutian adalah untuk berjalan-jalan dan bukannya duduk berperap dalam bilik hotel.

Walaupun demikian kos hotel bajet masih agak tinggi atau agak tidak berbaloi apabila ia melibatkan lebih dari 4 orang ahli keluarga yang bercuti. Dan juga, tidak banyak pilihan yang ada untuk memuatkan keseluruhan ahli keluarga di sesebuah bilik di hotel bajet, kecualilah kalau sanggup berbelanja lebih untuk menyewa sebuah apartmen dan seumpamanya.

Alangkah baikya kalau ada tempat penginapan untuk seluruh ahli keluarga yang bercuti, di mana kos penginapannya tidaklah tinggi tetapi dapat menyediakan banyak kemudahan-kemudahan keluarga seperti yang ada di rumah sendiri dan juga, tidak begitu risau tentang kos untuk penginapan yang lebih lama.

TAPI INI TIDAKLAH BERMAKNA SESEBUAH HOMESTAY ITU LAYAK DIPERLAKUKAN SEBAGAI SEBUAH HOSTEL/ASRAMA UNTUK MEMUATKAN BERPULUH-PULUH ORANG. HomestayU1 HANYA MEMBENARKAN PENGINAPAN MAKSIMA 10 ORANG SAHAJA UNTUK SETIAP PENGINAPAN, JADI BERTIMBANG RASA SERTA BERBUDI BAHASALAH DALAM MENYEWA SEBUAH PENGINAPAN YANG DISEDIAKAN BUAT ANDA!

Di sinilah terletaknya peranan rumah inap ataupun "Homestay" yang rata-ratanya berkonsepkan penginapan rumah layan diri. Kelengkapan-kelengkapan asas untuk percutian keluarga ada tersedia, malahan dapat menandingi apa yang disediakan oleh hotel bertaraf tiga atau empat bintang sekalipun! Bezanya, hotel menyediakan kelengkapan penginapan sebuah bilik dan 'housekeeping' dilakukan setiap hari tetapi Homestay menyediakan kelengkapan penginapan sebuah rumah dan 'housekeeping' tidaklah setiap hari, bergantung kepada jumlah hari penginapan.

Di homestay, selalunya kita akan lebih terasa macam duduk di rumah sendiri di mana, sekiranya mahu, kita boleh memasak, mencuci pakaian sendiri dan sebagainya terutamanya apabila ianya melibatkan percutian yang panjang serta ramai ahli keluarga.

Sebenarnya pemilik HomestayU1 telah lama berkira untuk membuka HomestayU1 ini. Ia sepatutnya dapat dimulakan operasinya sejak 2 tahun dahulu lagi.

Apa yang menghalang pemilik HomestayU1 dari membukanya lebih awal lagi?

Kerana pemilik HomestayU1 sebenarnya tidak begitu berminat untuk melibatkan diri dalam akviti-akviti yang semata-mata bersifatkan komersil. HomestayU1 dibuka bukan untuk tujuan komersil, tetapi hanyalah untuk mempelbagaikan akviti-akviti sampingan pemilik. Senang cerita macam suatu akviti memenuhi masa lapang seperti hobi.

Hasil dari pengalaman-pengalaman percutian keluarga sendiri yang juga dirasai oleh keluarga-keluarga lain yang bercuti dalam soal mencari sesebuah tempat penginapan, maka akhirnya pemilik HomestayU1 telah membuka homestay ini pada awal tahun 2012 setelah melakukan serba-sedikit pembaikan/pengubahsuaian/penyediaaan kelengkapan terhadap rumah mereka sendiri untuk dijadikan sebagai sebuah homestay.

Sebenarnya, pemilik HomestayU1 ini masih lagi menginap di rumah ini. Ia hanya dikosongkan apabila ada tetamu yang menempahnya untuk penginapan. Oleh itu, HomestayU1 serta kesemua peralatan dan kelengkapan di dalamnya masih lagi merupakan milik peribadi pemilik homestay, bukannya bersifat "pemilikan entiti komersil" seperti hotel/motel. Mungkin kerana inilah, pemilik agak cerewet dengan kesejahteraan HomestayU1 serta peralatan/kelengkapannya.Yang dilihat sebagai keuntungan kepada pemilik HomestayU1 adalah; mereka dapat mempelbagaikan aktiviti seharian di samping menimba pengalaman operasi sesebuah homestay. HomestayU1 bukanlah semata-mata kerana "ringgit dan sen".

Oleh kerana HomestayU1 ini tidaklah benar-benar bersifat "komersil", maka operasinya tidaklah juga 24jam sehari, 365 hari setahun sebagaimana operasi sesebuah hotel!

Itulah sebenarnya hasrat pemilik di sebalik memulakan operasi HomestayU1. Ringkasnya:-

ianya untuk memberi pilihan kepada sesebuah keluarga yang bercuti, yang selalunya berdepan dengan isu perkiraan penginapan untuk kesemua ahli keluarga yang bercuti bersama, terutamanya apabila ia melibatkan percutian yang panjang.
pemilik ingin menimba pengalaman-pengalaman (seperti yang ternyata di atas) dalam pada melakukan akviti-akviti sampingan seharian

Maka terilhamlah "HomestayU1" yang sebenarnya memberi maksud "Homestay You Want", sebuah penginapan percutian yang anda mahukan di mana pemiliknya bercita-cita untuk mengekalkan kos penginapan di HomestayU1 selama mungkin, tetapi dalam masa yang sama, berusaha untuk meningkatkan mutu penyediaan homestay, dari hari ke sehari.

Hasrat ini dapat direalisasikan dengan sokongan para tetamu yang menganggap HomestayU1 ini sebagai rumah sendiri apabila datang menginap dan berkongsi HomestayU1 ini dengan tetamu-tetamu lain serta juga pemiliknya sendiri! Sharing is Caring!

Memberi sokongan ini adalah senang! Ini adalah rumah kita sementara kita menginap di dalamnya. Jagalah kesejahteraan HomestayU1 serta peralatan/kelengkapannya. Ianya milik peribadi, bukannya milik sebuah entiti komersil. Gunakanlah secara berhemah dan bertanggungjawab, elakkan pembaziran elektrik dan air. Tutup suis elektrik dan pili air apabila tidak digunakan - sumbanglah kepada kehijaun bumi kita. Amalkan kebersihan untuk kesihatan kerana ini adalah juga saranan semua agama yang ada di dunia ini. Tidak lupa juga memberitahu saudara mara, rakan taulan yang lain mengenai apa yang anda suka tentang HomestayU1 ini semasa menginap dan memberitahu (maklumbalas) kepada pemilik tentang apa yang anda tidak suka semasa menginap.

Sokongan ini dapat menjamin pemiliknya menambah-baik mutu dari hari ke sehari tanpa melibatkan kos tambahan yang boleh menjejaskan kos atau kadar penginapan semalaman.

HomestayU1 – Rumah Inap Pilihan Anda
Tiada rumah selayak kediaman sendiri!

The idea of launching HomestayU1 originates from the owners' family vacation experiences. Accomodation for the whole family members is one of the major item to be considered during the family vacation planning.

Usually, hotel would first come to mind when deciding on accomodation. However, when the cost of accomodation for the whole family is "pitted" against the actual "usage" of the accomodation place, it becomes not "worth-it". The accomodation is actually needed for sleep, refresh and a place to leave things/luggages behind as we go outings. What more when two or more hotel rooms are needed to cater for all the family members. It is even more "not worth-it" when we are out almost whole day from early morning and only come back to refresh and sleep, much later in the evening.

Unless we are planning for a holiday to be spent with family, practically in one place where it is necessary to decide on accomodation place which is complete with facilities and entertainments such as theme parks, like the ones in Genting Highlands (Malaysia).

For a family vacation which just need "a place for a good night sleep" for the whole family, the next alternative can be a motel or a budget hotel where the accomodation cost is significantly cheaper than the average "full-fledged" hotels, but still provide a place for the whole family to have a good night sleep. The savings can be utilised for actual intent of the vacation i.e. to visit/sight-seeing instead of "staying in" the hotel's room.

But still the cost of accomodation is relatively high even so at a motel/budget hotel especially when it involves more than 4 family members. There isn't many choices either to "house" that many members in one large room unless one opts for even more expensive short-term apartment rental and the likes.

BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT A HOMESTAY IS PREPARED TO HOUSE SO MANY GUESTS AS IF IT WAS A HOSTEL/DORMITORY. HomestayU1 ONLY ALLOWS MAXIMUM OF 10 GUESTS AT ANY ONE TIME, SO BE CONSIDERATE AND RESPECTFUL WHEN YOU DECIDE TO RENT AN ACCOMODATION

How we wished to have our "own" house at the place where our family is having the vacation. If we want to, we can do our own cookings, washings etc. We can stay longer and don't have to pay that much to "feel" like home!

This is where homestay or "rumah inap" comes in handy. It is generally a "self-serve" accomodation place for families on vacation, away from home. Basic facilities for a "vacationing" family are provided and some homestays do give 3-star or even 4-star hotels a "run for their money"! The difference is, a hotel provides a room with everyday housekeepings while a homestay provides the whole house which its housekeeping will generally depend on how long the guests stay in.

We will feel "more like home" when staying in a homestay compare to staying in a hotel's room when we do our own cookings, washings etc especially when we are on an extended holiday together with many members of the family.

Stemming from the need for an accomodation place just to "sleep" during family vacation at the "right" price of "usage", the owner decided to launch HomestayU1.

The owner infact have been toiling with the idea of HomestayU1 for quite sometimes. It could have been launched as early as 2 years ago.

But what's stopping the owner from doing so back then?

The bare truth is, the owner do not like to see HomestayU1 as one commercial entity, or having a commercial intent. HomestayU1 isn't really for commercial purpose but rather, for the owner to have varieties in their daily activities, sort of, or almost "hobby-like" driven.

From their own family vacation experiences which, undoubtedly also faced by many "vacationing" families when it comes to deciding on accomodation places, the owner finally decided to launch HomestayU1 in early 2012 after doing some renovations and refurbishment to convert the house to a homestay.

The owner still reside in the house whenever there is no guest. Therefore, HomestayU1 and everything in the premise are still considered as private properties, unlike hotels/motels or any other commercially-intended property which belong to an (commercial) entity rather than an individual. Perhaps this is why the owner may seem a little bit fussy. "Profits" to the HomestayU1 owner are that; while they can have some varieties in their daily activities in managing the homestay, they also can derive some experiences in homestay's operation. HomestayU1 is not really driven for just simply "dollar and cents".

Because HomestayU1 is more "hobby-like" driven rather than "commercial-like" driven, it is not expected for HomestayU1 to run like a hotel where the operation is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

The above is the real intent of the owner, behind the scene, when they decided to launch, operate and manage HomestayU1. In summary:-

HomestayU1 serves as an accomodation alternative, for family vacation who undoubtedly will face the issue of choosing the "right-fit-for-purpose" accomodation for the whole family members, especially when it involves longer accomodation days.
the owner value the experiences gained from providing the homestay (as described above) while having the opportunity to have varieties in their daily activities

"HomestayU1" was coined from the owners' intent to provide the "Homestay You Want", an accomodation place "you want" during your family vacation. With that, the owner ambitiously want to keep accomodation cost at HomestayU1 as it is and as long as possible while they strive to continuosly improve the quality of HomestayU1.

This ambitious dream can be realised with the support of HomestayU1's guests where the guests will simply treat HomestayU1 as if, it is their own home whenever they stay in and responsibly share it with other guests, including the owner themselves, whenever they are not staying there! Sharing is caring!

Extending the support is actually very simple! This is "our home" whenever we stay in. Treat HomestayU1, all the facilities/furniture/equipment within the premises with respect and care! HomestayU1 is a private-property, owned by individual and it is not owned by a commercial entity. Be responsible in using it, do not waste the electricity and water. Switch off! turn off! when not in use - contribute to greener earth! Practise hygiene and cleanliness as all religions in the world call for it. And don't forget to tell others what you like about HomestayU1 but do tell us what you don't like about it so that the owner can take appropriate measures to improve it.

The support will surely help the owner to improve the quality of the homestay from time to time without unnecessarily compromising the cost of providing the homestay, which in turn will affect the day-rate which the owner wish to maintain as it is as long as possible.

HomestayU1 – A place to Stay
There isn’t a place like Home!

1. Shortest Street in the World, Ebenezer Place – Scotland

credited by the Guinness Book of Records as being the world's shortest street at 2.06m (6ft 9in)

2. The Narrowest Street in the World (Spreuerhofstraße) – Germany

It ranges from 31 centimetres (12.2 in) at its narrowest to 50 centimetres (19.7 in) at its widest.

3. Most Complicated Interchange in US, Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange – Los Angeles, USA

It is a 4 level interchange with a restricted access lane that can be used by high-occupancy vehicles

4. Most Crooked Street in US, Lombard St – San Francisco, USA

this part of Lombard Street was transformed into a switchback with eight sharp turns.

5. The Steepest Street in the World, Baldwin Street – New Zealand

At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is about 1:2.86 (19° or 35%) – that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation rises by 1 metre.

6. Widest Street in the World, 9 De Julio – Buenos Aires, Argentina