If you wonder where is the most luxurious stay in Kuala Lumpur? The answer is simple. Carcosa Seri Negara.  Carcosa Seri Negara is a luxury five star hotel on two adjacent hills within the beautiful Lake Gardens. The hotel includes two colonial mansions, the Carcosa and the Seri Negara.

The road leading to Carcosa Seri Negara, surrounded by the lush greens of Lake Gardens.
The Carcosa mansion was built in 1896-97 as the official residence of Sir Frank Althelstane Swettenham. He was the first British High Commissioner in the Malaya. The mansion was designed by Arthur Charles Norman with a cost about $25,000 and it has more than eight bedrooms and eleven bathrooms.

The grand Carcosa Seri Negara

Seri Negara on the other hand was originally known as the Governor’s Residence when it was opened in 1913 as the official guest house of Governor of the Straits Settlement. It was later known as the King’s House and it was used as Guest’s Palace hosting many visiting dignitary such as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1987.

We recently attended our best friend’s garden wedding there and we stayed there for a night. The English high tea in Carcosa Seri Negara is one of the best in the city and having a garden wedding there is a dream to many.

The garden wedding of our best friends, Steph and Khai
The garden wedding was a memorable one. Everyone was dressed up for the occasion. We were so happy for them and it was a beautiful garden wedding. There is no other place like Carcosa Seri Negara for a grand perfect garden wedding in Kuala Lumpur.

The vow, the ring and the kiss…

The newly wed and us, can you spot us?

The English high tea set.
The English high tea was amazing. We had Smoked Norwegian Salmon-Croissant Sandwich, Cream & Cheese with Cucumber Sandwich and Egg Sandwich. All the sandwiches are homemade whole meal loaf, walnut bread and milk bread. The pastries were Apple Crumble, Chocolate Brownies, Fresh Fruit Tartlet, Traditional English Fruit Cake, Carrot Cake and Cream Brule.

The warm plain and Raisin Scones were served with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Rose petals jam.

Thus, the party continues with a dance party set on the foyer of the mansion.

Let’s not go detail on what happened after the dance party and let me show you how the room in Carcosa Seri Negara looks like. We bet you don’t want listen about our salsa dancing story.

The interior of the hotel, colonial English.

Let’s talk about the room we stayed. The room was enormous, easily can fit a dozen people inside. As the whole mansion is built by the British, the interior still remains similar up to today.

The King Size bed in our room.
There was a King size bed on one side of the room with classic table lamp on each side. The two wooden side tables are starting to tell their ages, I guess it is time for the management to do some touch ups and maintenances.

Classic English side table with the table lamp

In case we were hungry, there were always snacks for us in the room.

The sofa in case we have guests or another great place for reading.
The other side of the room was this comfortable classic 2+1+1 seater sofa. The area was lit up with two elegant table lamps.

The working desk and did I mention they provide FREE WIFI?
There was also a nice wooden working desk. Gosh did we mention how heavy the wooden chair was? Furniture made in the past was pure quality.

The antique TV cabinet with the antique TV, they should have upgraded it to a LCD or LED TV.

The turn off in the room would be the TV. Since the TV cabinet was built to fit the old style TV set, we believed it is time for them to change it to a new LED or LCD TV. We prefer watching TV channels on HD (high definition).

We thought we seen it all until we walked into the walk-in wardrobe.

Every women’s dream, a huge walk-in wardrobe

Gosh, it was huge! Rachel wished we have this kind of walk-in wardrobe in our house. Well, I also wished we could afford a place to have such a huge walk-in wardrobe too. We wish.

This really looks grand, combination of gold and white colour.

The water tap and most of the toilet accessories were gold colour plated and look at how beautiful were the two basins.

Can you see the “golden water tap”?
The bathroom was brightened up by the natural light through the frosted windows.

There were the bathtub, the toilet and the standing shower. As we mentioned, all the toilet accessories were gold colour plated but some show signs of aging.

The standing shower and the walk-in wardrobe

We had a late night sleep after our friends joined us for a great conversation cum drinking session with our newly- wed couple.

After spending a night at Carcosa Seri Negara, we woke up late as we expected. It was a good sleep and we rested well. This was what we needed after months of long working hours.

There was a little drama when the control panel went haywire after one of the light bulbs exploded. However, the hotel staffs managed to rectify the problem within minutes. The service of the hotel staffs had been excellent.

This is where we had our breakfast at the cafe.

The cuppa of coffee to kick start the day.
We went down to the café for our breakfast as the rest of our friends had already finished theirs. We were awfully late.

The English breakfast was a set of two sunny sides up eggs with fried hash brown, chicken sausage, mushroom and tomato.

Or we could have the scrambled egg with ham, sausages, fried hash brown and tomato.

Breakfast was served with a variety of fresh fruit juices, coffee or tea. We had no complains on the breakfast.

After our amazing posh stay at Carcosa Seri Negara, you might be wondering how much a night cost? The published rate for the cheapest room at Carcosa Seri Negara was at least US$ 400 per night. Room stay might inclusive of breakfast or high tea, depending on room packages.

We stayed like the royals and lived like one for one night and it was memorable. The stay was made more unforgettable with our best friends’ garden wedding. We were heavy hearted to leave the hotel as it was one of our best stays for some time. We hope the management would do a bit of refurbishment and maintenance to keep the hotel in tip top condition.

Was it worth the dollars for the stay? It was not up to us to judge but it was definitely worth a try.

Congratulations to Steph and Khai and thanks for everything, we wish may there be a generation of children, on the children of your children.

Carcosa Seri Negara Address and Contact:

Jalan Kebun Bunga  50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2295-0888

Yesterday, I was invited to the Best of Malaysia Awards 2011 Ceremony. This showpiece event, organised by Expatriate Lifestyle, Malaysia’s number one expatriate magazine, took place this evening at View, GTower in central Kuala Lumpur. Around 250 of the top names from the Travel and Hospitality industry in Malaysia, including General Managers from the top Hotels, Resorts & Spas, joined the celebration, eager to find out whether their properties were among the successful few.

After 10 weeks of voting in 16 categories, thousands of expatriates have spoken and the results were unveiled tonight at the Official Ceremony for the Best of Malaysia Awards 2011.

Best City Hotel was won by Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, with Excellence Awards for Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur and One World Hotel. The Excellence Awards are given for outlets who have achieved a significant proportion of the vote and only narrowly missed out on winning the category.

Other notable winners include Hilton Kuala Lumpur as Best Business Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur for Best Weekend Break, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi for Best Romantic Stay, Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La, Penang for Best Family Stay, and Tiger Rock in Pangkor as the Best Boutique Stay.

It was the first time Tiger Rock had won a Best of Malaysia Award and they followed it up with further success in the Best Eco-Resort category. The popularity of this quaint, elegant property demonstrates how Malaysian-based expatriates are discovering more of the country and how impressively the tourism sector is developing in this country.

George Town, Penang won the Best Authentic Malaysian Experience Award, while Pavilion KL was voted Best Attraction, proving expatriates love their shopping.

There were more winners from outside of Kuala Lumpur than ever before in this year’s Best of Malaysia Awards, with nine of the sixteen winners coming from beyond KL, further proof that expatriates are more familiar than ever with life beyond the capital.

There were also a record number of awards given away, with 58 Excellence Awards across the sixteen categories. This reflects an extremely competitive voting process where the lead changed hands many times. In fact, in two of the categories the eventual winner achieved fewer than five votes more than the property in second place.

The Best of Malaysia Awards (#BOM2011 on Twitter) are the awards where the people’s vote on all things travel and leisure are counted, where the vox populi decides the Best of Malaysia! The awards take an overview of the Malaysian hospitality industry from hotels, beach resorts, attractions, spas and more, providing a 100 per cent public-driven award system, the only one of its kind in the country.

Winners were chosen from shortlists in 16 categories over a 10-week voting period until September 1, 2011 on www.expatriatelifestyle.com

At the glittering award ceremony at View, GTower the MC’s of the evening, Amanda Ting and Matt Bellotti, presented each of the delighted representatives with their certificates and iconic trophies for the winners.

Guests at the event at one of KL’s newest, coolest venues held on the balcony overlooking Kuala Lumpur City Centre, were entertained by Dulcet Rhytms , DJ Faith and enjoyed refreshments courtesy of GTower. There was also a lucky draw with luxury prizes from Bric’s (www.travelwithbrics.com).

Matt Bellotti, who is also Editorial Director for Expatriate Lifestyle was very excited about the awards, he said, “These awards are now in their sixth year and are the only award of their kind. The Best Of Malaysia is a celebration of tourism and hospitality experiences in Malaysia, which surely rank among the very best in the world. These awards were voted for by expatriates who never cease to impress me with their knowledge and opinions of the best places to see, stay, eat and enjoy. The field of winning properties this year is stronger than ever.”

Bellotti continued, “I have watched these awards grow over the past six years, during which time the landscape of the tourism industry in Malaysia has developed remarkably. New hotels, resorts, spas and attractions are opening all the time, making the country more enticing to overseas visitors and it is hugely satisfying to be able to acknowledge the hard work of the individuals and properties responsible for presenting the best of Malaysia to the world. These awards are not just about giving away a few trophies, but celebrating excellence across the industry and promoting the excellence in hospitality that makes Malaysia one of the preferred holiday destinations in the world.”

Best Of Malaysia Awards 2011 Results and Winners List

BEST CITY HOTEL

Winner

MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

SHANGRI-LA KUALA LUMPUR

SHERATON IMPERIAL KUALA LUMPUR

ONE WORLD HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL

Winner

HILTON KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

LE MERIDIEN KUALA LUMPUR

FRASER PLACE KUALA LUMPUR

PULLMAN KUCHING

TRADERS HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR

BEST WEEKEND BREAK

Winner

THE RITZ-CARLTON, KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

THISTLE PORT DICKSON

PARKROYAL PENANG

MARRIOTT PUTRAJAYA

CASA DEL RIO MELAKA

THE SMOKEHOUSE HOTEL & RESTAURANT CAMERON HIGHLANDS

BEST ROMANTIC STAY

Winner

FOUR SEASONS REOSRT LANGKAWI

Excellence Awards

CAMERON HIGHLANDS RESORT

JAPAMALA RESORT

TANJUNG SANCTUARY

PANGKOR ISLAND TIGER ROCK

BEST FAMILY STAY

Winner

GOLDEN SANDS RESORT BY SHANGRI-LA, PENANG

Excellence Awards

CLUB MED CHERATING

HARD ROCK HOTEL, PENANG

WESTIN LANGKAWI

PANGKOR ISLAND BEACH RESORT

BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Winner

PANGKOR ISLAND TIGER ROCK

Excellence Awards

BON TON RESORT, LANGKAWI

CHEONG FATT TZE MANSION, PENANG

CLOVE HALL, PENANG

LONE PINE HOTEL, PENANG

BEST BEACH RESORT

Winner

SHANGRI-LA RASA SAYANG, PENANG

Excellence Awards

FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANGKAWI

PANGKOR LAUT RESORT

TANJUNG JARA RESORT

THE ANDAMAN, LANGKAWI

WESTIN LANGKAWI

BEST SPA RESORT

Winner

PANGKOR LAUT RESORT

Excellence Awards

TANJONG JARA RESORT

TANJONG ARU RESORT & SPA, SABAH

THE BANJARAN, PERAK

BEST ECO-RESORT

Winner

PANGKOR ISLAND TIGER ROCK

Excellence Awards

BON TON RESORT, LANGKAWI

THE DATAI, LANGKAWI

MUTIARA TAMAN NEGARA

BEST ATTRACTION

Winner

PAVILION KL

Excellence Awards

KL BIRD PARK

AQUARIA KLCC

SUNWAY LAGOON THEME PARK

BEST AUTHENTIC MALAYSIAN EXPERIENCE

Winner

GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

Excellence Awards

JONKER STREET, MELAKA

SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

BEST CITY SPA

Winner

SPA VILLAGE, RITZ-CARLTON KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

HAMMAM, BANGSAR VILLAGE II

MANDARA SPA, SUNWAY RESORT HOTEL & SPA

SIAM BODYWORKS

ENERGY DAY SPA

BEST RESORT FOR REST & RECREATION

Winner

SHANGRI-LA TANJUNG ARU RESORT & SPA, KOTA KINABALU

Excellence Awards

CLUB MED CHERATING

GOLDEN SANDS RESORT BY SHANGRI-LA, PENANG

SUTERA HARBOUR RESORT

PANGKOR ISLAND TIGER ROCK

BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT

Winner

PREGO, THE WESTIN KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

LAFITE, SHAGRI-LA KUALA LUMPUR

MAKAN KITCHEN, DOUBLETREE BY HILTON, KUALA LUMPUR

VILLA DANIELI, SHERATON IMPERIAL KUALA LUMPUR

BEST HOTEL BAR

Winner

SKYBAR, TRADERS HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR

Excellence Awards

QBA, THE WESTIN KUALA LUMPUR

BATUBAR, LONE PINE HOTEL, PENANG

ARTHUR’S BAR & GRILL, SHANGRI-LA KUALA LUMPUR

BEST SERVICE AWARD

Winner

SHANGRI-LA RASA SAYANG, PENANG

Excellence Awards

JW MARRIOTT, KUALA LUMPUR

MANDARIN ORIENTAL KUALA LUMPUR

PANGKOR LAUT RESORT

THE WESTIN KUALA LUMPUR

BEST BEACH RESORT

Winner

SHANGRI-LA RASA SAYANG, PENANG

BEST SPA RESORT

Winner

PANGKOR LAUT RESORT

About Expatriate Lifestyle

Launched in 2003, Expatriate Lifestyle is the number 1 quality lifestyle publication for expatriates living in Malaysia. Expatriate Lifestyle is read by over 100,000 affluent, active, well travelled expatriates and Malaysians and their visiting family and friends. Available at over 1,000 outlets across Malaysia, it features travel writers that write for guidebooks and travel supplements for internationally renowned newspapers and magazines such as The Sunday Times, The Independent, The Melbourne Age, GQ and Conde Nast Traveller.

Our stay at Beach Terrace Hotel Krabi was a joyful one. We enjoyed the convenience, their affordable room rates as well as their good services. We will be going to Krabi again next month and will be reviewing another resort.

Beach Terrace Hotel Krabi Address and Contact:

154 Moo.2, T.Aonang, A.Muang, Krabi Thailand 81000.

Tel: 66 (0) 7563 7181 – 3

Fax: 66 (0) 7563 7184 – 5

Email: info@krabibeachterrace.com, booking@krabibeachterrace.com

Website: http://www.krabibeachterrace.com/

At first, I was supposed to blog about a few recommendations on two restaurants in Philip Island. However, I felt it is better to blog about the accommodation in Philip Island first before I proceed with the dining places.

I have been encouraging people (friends and readers) to stay on Philip Island since my traveling experience there in January. Many people think of Philip Island as the Penguin Island where the truth is there are more things to see, to do and to eat!

The best way to travel to Philip Island from Melbourne is by driving. The accommodation that I am going to recommend is the best for group travellers whether traveling with your family or with your friends.

The Waves Apartments is located at the Esplanade Cowes, close to shops and restaurants and it is seafront.

Why Waves Apartments? Firstly, they are new, modern and best located on the island and most important of all affordable. Please check out their website for their latest rates and packages.

I was given the key to my apartment (I did not know it was an apartment as I thought I was just another hotel room) and to my surprise the apartment is insanely huge.

Mind my word but that is the proper word to describe the apartment, insanely huge!

There is a single bed with the dining table at the back section of the apartment near the entrance.

Yes, they have a kitchen there as well. It comes with induction hobs, microwave, kettle and a fridge.

There is a wardrobe on the corridor to the front section of the apartment.

There you have the bedroom and the living room. The huge King size bed that can fits two to three persons.

The living room comes with two comfortable two-seater sofas.

The working table with the LCD TV and Internet Access point. Please ask for internet access when you book the apartment.

I stayed two nights there, loved it. At night time, I could see the stars clearly as it is quite dark on the island. For that, I stayed on an hour outside of the apartment took a few pictures of the dark sky. Check out the picture HERE.

My apartment I had was facing the sea, I have no complains of the view.

Lastly, if you intend to stay in Philip Island with your friends or family, do consider The Waves Apartments. Great location, convenient and good room rates are the things that you can consider for. Oh yeah, did I mention that they gated parking spaces for guests?

The Waves Apartments Address and Contact:

1 The Esplanade Cowes
PO Box 108
Cowes Vic 3922

P +61 03 5952 1351
F +61 03 5952 3144
info@thewaves.com.au

http://www.thewaves.com.au

Check out my other Visit Victoria days experiences by clicking the link below:

Visit Victoria Day 1: Causeway 353 Hotel, Federation Square, Chinatown, SouthBank, Eureka Skydeck 88, Tutto Bene and Crown Casino

Visit Victoria Day 2: Dandenong Ranges, On Puffing Billy, Olinda, Sassafras, Miss Maple’s Tea Room, Yarra Valley, Domaine Chandon, Sebel Lodge Hotel and Balgownie

Visit Victoria Day 3: Global Ballooning, Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley Dairy, Rayners Stonefruit Orchard, Giant Steps, Koala Conservation Centre, Waves Apartments and Phillip Island Nature Park

Visit Victoria Day 4: A Maze N Things, San Remo’s Fisherman’s Co-op, Heritage Farm at Churchill Island and Dinner at Taylors Waterfront Restaurant

Visit Victoria Day 5: Panny’s Chocolate Factory, Mornington Peninsula, Max’s at Red Hill Estate, Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm, Gordon Studio Glass Blowers, Brooklands Best Western and The Rock

Visit Victoria Day 6: Horse Riding at Gunnamatta Equestrian Centre, The Baths, Ashcombe Maze & Water Gardens, Peninsula Hot Springs and Dinner at Hotel Sorrento

Visit Victoria Day 7: Sand Sculpting Exhibition, St. Kilda, Dinner onboard the Colonial Tramcar, Bar tour With Michelle Matthews of Deck of Secrets.

Visit Victoria Day 8: Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, Coffee Tour, Shark Walk, Victoria Market and Chinatown

Visit Victoria Day 9: Gold Class Limousines and Goodbye Australia

It took me more than a year to write about this place but it is never too late. I personally stayed there for a few days and a few of my friends actually stayed there for weeks in a few occasions.

I stayed in 2 places in Buenos Aires, the luxurious 5 star Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel and Manekineko. Manekineko means the Japanese “lucky charm” cat which brings good luck, business and good fortune. Most shops in Japan or even most Asian shops have a Manekineko.

Bed & Breakfast or B&B is never popular in Malaysia but it is very common in Europe and Americas. Manekineko is run by Pepe, the owner and his wife. Pepe and his wife had been very kind to me during my stay there, I loved the place. I love to chat with Pepe, even though he can speak a little bit of English, the rest were mostly hand signals. I hardly speak Spanish and yet I survived my four weeks stay in Argentina, somehow.

Manekineko is a lovely terrace house with a small garden. It is a homestay style B&B near the heart of Buenos Aires. The place is very convenient, just a few min walk to the subway station and also to a few nice restaurants. They even have a few “Mercado” (supermarket) nearby and one of them owned by Chinese.

The room I had was the single room. Clean and it comes with a small working desk and a closet.

Everyone shares the huge bathroom. During my stay there, I had a Japanese lady staying beside me. She has been staying there for months.

During night time, I usually go down to their small private garden.

At that time, Pepe fell and broken his arm so he stayed in his room most of the time.

The kitchen is huge and there is always food around. I can use the kitchen but I decided to dine out.

During the last few days, a group of Spanish girls checked in. I had a chat with them as a few of them speak fluent English. Too bad I had to come back to Kuala Lumpur early, if not I might party with them.

The house is situated near the center of the city, just two blocks from the subway so you can get to most places very soon.

It is surrounded by many well-known “tanguerias” as it is a “tango-neighborhood”; only a few blocks from our house you can find some of the most famous ones: “Anibal Troilo’s”, “Osvaldo Pugliese’s” and “la esquina de Homero Manzi”.

You can get to “Abasto” (Carlos Gardel’s neighborhood), Puerto madero, Recoleta, San Telmo, La Boca, important museums, cinemas and historical sites in around 10 minutes.

If you are a budget traveler looking for B&B homestay style, Manekineko is the place to stay. Please do check out their website for current rates (they are affordable). Most important thing of all, the place is near the subway station and just a short walk away to supermarkets and restaurants. The place is not really that far from airport as well. I loved the hospitality from Pepe’s family. If I would backpack to Buenos Aires, this will be my ideal choice!

Manekineko Address and Contact:

CATAMARCA 967 – CAPITAL FEDERAL – BUENOS AIRES – ARGENTINA /

(0054) (11)4 9431183

http://manekineko.com.ar

Paya Serai offers over 100 sumptuous local delights to satisfy all taste buds

This year, I started off with my Ramadhan food review at Ramadhan Bazaar at Paya Serai, Hilton Petaling Jaya. This is my first time reviewing their Ramadhan buffet at Paya Serai.

What do you look for in a buffet? In Paya Serai, they serve an extravagant spread over 100 local as well as international delights. With100 local delights, of course I was spoilt for choices.

Start your “Buka Puasa” experience by sampling some of the scrumptious salads and appetizers like Buah Jeruk, Acar Rampai, Kerabu Pucuk Ubi, Kerabu Nangka, Taufu Sumbat, Popiah Basah, Otak-Otak and soups like Sup Ekor “Tongkat Ali” and Szechuan Seafood Soup.

Take your pick of salad ingredient and dip with a wide selection of dressing from sambal belacan to Italian dressing.

For the main course, feast on local offerings such as Ayam Kandar, Rendang Minang Daging, Fish Head Curry, Beef Rendang, Udang Berlada, Mutton Rogan Josh, Prawn Asam, Roasted Duck, Sweet & Sour Flower Crab, Portuguese Baked Fish, Ayam Pongteh, Nasi Lemak Kukus among many more. There are various side dishes and accompaniments namely Lemang, Ketupat Palas, Serunding Daging, Kacang Botol, Masala Vada, Vegetable Platter, Assorted Dim Sum and much more.

Not to leave out too, zest up your palate with the succulent Fresh Oyster, Fresh Mussel and Boiled Tiger Prawn.

In addition, the “a la minute stalls” feature an interesting dining experience with spark and flames where one can catch exciting cooking action.  To ensure the freshness of the dishes,  Kambing Panggang, Roti Canai, Putu Mayam, Putu Piring, Roti Jala, Assorted Tempura, Assorted Satay and Grilled Fish, just to name a few, are made to order.

Apart from that, refresh yourself with an invigorating drink from the “Drinks Corner” that includes Soymilk, Air Sirap Bandung, Sugarcane Juice, Barley Water, Ice Kacang, Cendol, and of course, the must-have Teh Tarik.

A perfect ending to this hearty meal is plenty of mouth-watering desserts that you simply must leave some room for, such as Durian Serawa, Bubur Pengat Pisang, Bubur Lambok, Buah Kurma, Mango Pudding, Tapai Ubi, Pisang Emas, Pulut Hitam and Apam balik with variety of fillings. Also available are cosmic selections of Malay Kuih, French pastries, ice creams, jellies and many more.

The buffet dinner was amazing. I also enjoy the company of other bloggers like KY, Tian Chad, Audrey and Cik Lily Putih. We had a great evening with our tummies full. Please book in advance to avoid disappointment, the details are as below.

The abundant buffet is available from 7pm to 10.30pm. On the first three days of Ramadhan, the buffet is priced attractively at RM79++ per adult and RM49++ for child below 12 years of age. For the next one week the price is at RM119++ per adult and RM60++ for child, and the following weeks the buffet is priced at RM129++ per adult and RM70++ for chil

Advanced booking is essential top avoid disappointment. For Ramadhan Buffet reservations, please call 03-7955 9122 extn 4567/4261/4096.  Visit Hilton PJ’s F&B blog, www.ZestPJ.com for the latest F&B promotions and entertainment scenes.   Also, visit www.petaling-jaya.hilton.com for more information on Hilton PJ’s other products and services.

If you read about our Bali Honeymoon Day One and Day Two, it was packed with activities and we visited quite a number of places. However, the third day of our honeymoon in Bali was rather relax and lazy.
We stayed at Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa for our first two nights and yet we didn’t have time to enjoy the facilities so our third day is mainly chill in our private villa. Since we paid so much for our stay in the villa, it would be ridiculous for not experience it to the fullest.

We can always go to the café for our complimentary breakfast or we can order it to our villa. They will come early in the morning, set up the breakfast in the gazebo. However, we need to book a day in advance for it. A typical breakfast meal in Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa looks like a feast.
We spend half day in Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa before we checked out and check in to our second villa, Le Beau Kunti Villa in Seminyak.

La Beau Kunti Villa adapts a more modern design and the villas available are lesser than Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa. Budget wise it is relatively cheaper than Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa.
The advantage of staying in Seminyak is it is located near Kuta town and relatively near the airport. The closer we stay to the airport it is better for us because we can avoid unnecessary traffic jams.
For a full review of La Beau Kunti Villa, check out my previous blog post named La Beau Kunti Villa Review, Seminyak, BALI: Beauty of Private Villa.
We spent remaining half of the day enjoying our sweet time at La Beau Kunti. In the villa, we have private open concept kitchen as well as sofa for guests. Even the toilet is open concept.

For dinner, our guide took us to a Japanese buffet restaurant. The place is called 168 Japanese Buffet Restaurant.

It is a steamboat (hot pot) or shabu shabu type of restaurant. It is quite typical buffet restaurant. The restaurant is huge and most of the patrons there were from tour groups. At least half of them are Chinese from China. We had a good chat with few of them, promoting Malaysia (again) and we chat about some the places we visited in Bali.
168 Japanese Buffet Restaurant Address and Contact:
Jl. Sunset Road No.168 Kuta, Bali – Indonesia
Phn./Fax : +62 361 977565

After the heavy dinner, we went back to La Beau Kunti. We rest early before another hectic day. Please do check out our Honeymoon Day Four in the next few days.
We will be away this weekend for our first diving trip. Thank you for reading!

Check our other Honeymoon in Bali adventures below:

Honeymoon in Bali Day One: Uluwatu Temple, Klapa Beach Club and Dreamland Luxury Villa and Spa

Honeymoon in Bali Day 2: Kintamani Mount Batur, Tirtha Empul, Babi Guling at Ibu Roka, Ubud Market, Tegalalang Rice Paddy Terrace, Bebek Bengil at The Pond, Spa at Dreamland Luxury Villa

Honeymoon in Bali Day 3: Dreamland Luxury Villa & Spa, La Beau Kunti Villa and 168 Japanese Buffet Restaurant

Honeymoon in Bali Day 4: Water sport and Snorkelling at Honeymoon Beach Club in Nusa Dua, Turtle Island Visit, Jimbaran Sunset Dinner and Partying at Kudeta

Honeymoon in Bali Day 5: Spa in La Beau Kunti Villa, Shopping at Kuta Market and Goodbye Bali!

Melaka Peranakan food or they called it “nyonya food” is a unique heritage food from Melaka. It is getting harder to get good Peranakan food due to its rarity. Paya Serai restaurant of HiltonHotel Petaling Jaya proudly invites Celebrity Chef Florence Tan to share her knowledge in Peranakan food cooking with guests.

Malaysian Ethnic Dance entertaining the guests

The history of Peranakan of Melaka goes back to the 15^th and 16^th century. The mix marriage of Malays and Chinese immigrants back then creates a new type of food that is the best of both worlds. It is called the Peranakan food or the Nyonya food. The Nyonya food is not only different in its taste but it recognised as the statement of one of the most important culture in the region.

Celebrity Chef Florence Tan having a chat at Paya Serai

As the legacy continues, I had the chance to taste the Nyonya cuisine at Paya Serai a few weeks ago. Celebrity Chef Florence Tan’s masterpieces like Udang Masak Lemak, Ayam Pong teh, Itik Tim, Ikan Chuan Chuan, Vegetarian Chap Chye, Gerang Assam, Pong Tauhu Dengan Sengkuang, Ayam Cincalok, Kangkung Masak Lemak dengan Keledek, Ketam Goreng Kari were the Nyonya cuisine available. I was spoilt for choices so I decided to take my time to taste most of them.

Ikan Gerang Assam

Ayam Pong Teh

Sambal Tanjung Pisang

Pie Tee or “Top Hat”

Popiah

Acar-acar

The buffet is available for lunch at RM68++ (US 33++) for adult and RM45++ (US 15++) for child (Below 12 years old) and dinner RM75++ (US 25++) for adult and RM45++ (US 15++) for Child below 12 years old. Paya Serai at Hilton Hotel Petaling Jaya opens from 12 noon till 3pm for lunch and 7pm till 10.30pm for dinner.

Why you wanted to learn more about the Nyonya cuisine why not get up close and personal with Chef Florence Tan at the exclusive private dinners on 14^th, 15th and 16th June. She will be demonstrating her specialty cooking, introducing her cookbook, dines and mingles with the participants. Starting from 7.30pm, the event is priced at RM150++ (US 50++) per person. Make your reservation now as the seats are limited.

Paya Serai Address and Contact:

Hilton Petaling Jaya 2 Jalan Barat 46200 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7955 9122      extn 4060

www.zestpj.com

www.petaling-jaya.hilton.com

A few months ago, Rachel and I had the chance of our life time to step on 1kg of Credit Suisse Pure Gold Bar. It was in the Grand Emperor Hotel Macao. We were brought there by our guide to see the beautiful interior and also the 1kg of Credit Suisse Pure Gold Bar.

It is estimate 1 kg of pure 999.9 gold bar is around US$ 50,000 based on the market rate. There are 78 bars in total available for us to step. Since we couldn’t afford one right now, stepping on it is better than nothing. Visitors are not allowed to touch with your hands or bend down near the gold bars area, there are a few security guards manning it. On top of the gold bars, Grand Emperor Hotel Macao also offers outstanding gold colour themed interior and exterior designs.

Well, I believed the 76 1 kg of Credit Suisse Pure Gold Bar is a gimmick to make the hotel more prestigious and grand. On top of that, it gives its customers something to shout about at the end of the day. Why not?

Grand Emperor Hotel Address and Contact:

288 Avenida Comercial De Macau
Tel : +853 2888 9988    Fax : +853 2888 9933

http://www.grandemperor.com

My first trip to Hong Kong earlier this year was short and nice. I’ve heard so much about how small Hong Kong hotel rooms before by my friends and families.

Since property prices in Hong Kong are one of the highest in the world, it came no surprise to me. I had no idea where I was going to stay as my friend booked the hotel.

We took the bus from the airport to the hotel. It is just walking distance from the bus stop.

One thing is for sure, it is very convenient. McDonalds is just opposite of the hotel and not forgetting a row of pubs, restaurants and convenience shops.

The hotel lobby is huge for Hong Kong standard. Front desk boys were friendly.

Got the elevator up, nice corridor and can’t wait to see the rooms.

Room is huge. We booked the executive room. There is a huge King Size bed and a few small sofas.

The bathroom is big (for Hong Kong). It has a bathtub and it is clean.

Internet wasn’t free but it depends which package you take. At least there is a working desk to work on.

We stayed 3 nights at Guang Dong Hotel. Overall, the stay was good, no complains. One of the highlights of this hotel is the convenience. There are a few HALAL restaurants around the hotel. Somewhere Muslims can look forward to. The street is very lively during night time, you can really party around there. Eventually, we went party at M1 Bar which is located at the opposite of the hotel. There are a few 7-Elevens near the hotel. Remember to get the hotel cards if you intend to take a taxi back. They don’t call it Guang Dong Hotel in Chinese, the card will helps.

Guang Dong Hotel Address and Contact:

No. 18 Prat Avenue,

Tsimshatsui,

Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Tel : 852-3410 8888