Tag Archives: 3 star hotel

Lakeview Terrace Resort, Pengerang

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Places to Eat, Reviews by

After the stay at Kluang, we made our way to Kota Tinggi. On the way there, we stopped at this place for a quick lunch. The food pricing was cheap and most importantly, the dishes were prepared deliciously. It is like one of those everyday places people go to for lunch and have their nasi campur.

The Lakeview Terrace Resort

This resort is located at quite an isolated area. You will need to drive a bit to find a restaurant. I believe that this place was promising when it initially opened. A resort is supposed to have everything to accommodate your stay. Visitors rarely have to leave the place. I saw a reel on it, recorded a year ago. It surely gives off a different vibe as to how it is now. It did made me question what could possibly went wrong. Later, I found my probable answer.

Mr Husband booked two rooms. Each room has a double bed and a single bed. Our Family Room is roughly about RM 180/night before the tax and fees. Yup, the price has dropped tremendously due to it’s service falling short. The rooms were located in front of it’s main attraction, the swimming pool. My husband enjoyed the gym. He was on the treadmill for at least an hour in the evening while watching over the kids swimming in the pool. I was able to get my 10K steps in as well by walking around the area.

Most of the area has been shut off with tapes surrounding the units. The ones open were situated much closer to the pool and cafe. I thought it was a shame that such a beautiful place is quietly becoming out of business. Until I figured out why. I saw a tiger toy on one of the bins and in front of one of the units, that is probably rented out to long term tenants working at Pengerang. I knew that some people use these toys to deter monkeys. Indeed, I saw the monkeys. But they were further away from where the guest were staying.

I suppose before this, wildlife imposed a threat to visitors. By going into the rooms and going through the trash.

Find the monkey

Breakfast was included in the room rates for 3 pax/each. The options were very sad though. The basic cereal and milk for kids were not even there. Only sausages. I felt sorry for the staff though. It was only one lovely lady who had to manage the front desk and also setting up the breakfast buffet. I hope she is paid well and is allowed her time off if she asks for it.

We had lunch at Dee Pondok Desaru cause it looked pretty from the roadside. This place serves the usual lunch dishes. I ordered nasi penyet with ikan keli. I believe the rest ordered the chicken dishes. It was OK for a family lunch. Most of the time we just lounged around in the room and played in the pool. We checked out after a 2 night stay and went back home to Melaka. The road trip was what I needed after a few hectic weeks at the workplace. I ws ready to return to work after my leave. Looking forward to my next long break in December. Insya-Allah.

Road trip to Kluang, Johor

Posted in Everyday Life, Food and Drinks, Leisure & Travel, Places to Eat, Reviews by

Once my husband and kids came back from their holiday in Aceh, we went on a road trip to Kluang. On the way there, we stopped at one of the best asam pedas place in Muar, Asam Pedas Kak Yah. They had a lot of dish options with thick, flavourful gravy. Despite its bright reddish hue, it was not spicy at all. If you haven’t tried a dish called asam pedas before, now is the time.

After a hearty lunch at Kak Yah, we continued our car ride to Kluang. Since it was the school holidays, Kluang seemed like a good choice for a low-key family getaway. The main objectives of this road trip are to enjoy good food and a swim in the pool, especially for the kids. We soon reached Prime City Hotel. Mr Husband booked one room for us and another for his mother and nieces.

Prime City Hotel

This is a 3-star hotel that may look non-promising from the outside. However, it gets really cosy and hospitable once you step into the room. The air-conditioning was working fine, and it had the basic amenities. Though the swimming pool area may not look luxurious, the kids still enjoyed it. Just make sure they are under adult supervision. Check-in time is 3 PM. We managed to get our room at about 230PM. The bus station is just beside this building, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. This place reminds me of Jasin.

The breakfast buffet has an adequate spread. It was very basic, yet we are thankful for the great food that was offered. As long as the nasi lemak served is delicious, nothing else matters.

We stayed here for 2 nights. The hotel is located near Ngepot Kabin, an outdoor eatery that’s like a food court. It has a variety of food stalls. I did not take any pictures there. Basically, you scan the QR code and tap in your order. We had dinner quite early on the first day, as we needed a good night’s sleep after that drive from Melaka. Even as a passenger, it is still tiring. Ha ha ha.

Kluang Rail Coffee, Bandar Kluang

What is a trip to Kluang if we’re not going to visit at least one of their viral restaurants? Initially, we went to the Kluang Railway Station itself. The authentic, OG place where everything starts. The winding queue seemed impossible to wait in. After taking a few photos at the station, we headed to their other branch in town. We still had to wait, but it was more bearable. I ordered their Laksa Johor. And of course the coffee. I had an iced cham. It is a drink that blends strong black tea with coffee and milk. You could find it in any good kopitiam.

The portions were acceptable. Not too huge. I also ordered their Kaya Toast. I mean, how could you not order Kaya Toast when you’re in a Malaysian kopitiam? It is almost disrespectful. Ha ha.

Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut

After a scrumptious brunch at Kluang Railway Coffee, we had dinner at Nasi Lemak Wak Kentut. I get that people are saying, ” It’s just nasi lemak, how special can it be?” Indeed, it is just nasi lemak. But if you’re looking for a delightful staple dish worth your money, this is the place to go. The place is tucked in a quite isolated area. A friend told me that I should go to the one at Kota Masai. Even then, the food is still good, although the owner appears a bit nonchalant in his business approach. The rice portion is huge. I could actually divide the rice into 3 portions. The sambal and the fried chicken were nice. The chicken was super crispy and juicy at the same time. My MIL was unable to come with us as one of my nieces was already fast asleep, so we tapau-ed one for her to eat in her hotel room.

Apart from eating, swimming in the pool and sleeping in the room, we did not do much at Kluang. That was pretty much the point of our staycation. We certainly did not plan for a trip to a nearby zoo or theme park. Everything was just low-key, and I pretty much enjoyed it too. I did have to complete my 10K steps in the hotel room, but it wasn’t an arduous task. It forced me to become creative in finding ways to achieve my goal. After 2 nights in Kluang, it was time to hit the road again. Our next destination was Pengerang.

Kuching trip with my daughter – Abell Hotel and Jawhara Palace

Posted in Good Things, Leisure & Travel by

My daughter and I went for a 3D2N weekend trip to Kuching to attend my cousin’s wedding at Jawhara Palace. For this particular stay, we booked a 3-star hotel called Abell Hotel. As usual, I did my hotel booking through Agoda.com. I picked the Superior Queen Room with a city view. Total payment was RM 429.53. Breakfast was included for 2 people.

The room has the usual amenities. FREE wifi, hot shower, a mini fridge and complimentary bottled water + beverages. I am most pleased with the Sarawak Hospitality. Everyone is so soft spoken and polite, from the reception to the housekeepers and kitchen staff. Check-in was a breeze as I had paid in full online. NO deposits were collected. I like that we don’t have to tap our cards to use the elevator. That is very convenient. I really love the room. It was so comfortable and cosy. The air-conditioning was really cold, but since I am Elsa, I don’t mind.

The location is superb as well. If you choose not to have breakfast at the hotel, there is the 24-hour Atmosferah Restaurant (mamak) located just in front of the hotel. Whereas to the hotel’s right is the RJ CAFE, which becomes so lively at night. Of course, this hotel is within walking distance to Topspot, The Reef and the many eateries at Padungan. If we had stayed longer, I would have been able to get my chicken panini from Bing and enjoy mi belacan from IG Ais Kacang, manok pansuh from Lepau, cheese naan from that famous place that I haven’t been to!! The landmark Waterfront, Cat Statues, and Darul Hana Bridge are all easily accessible. We were thrilled that the Borneo Cultural Fest was ongoing during our visit. Oh my, so little time with so many things to do!

The breakfast selection at Abell Hotel was adequate. I am delighted that they serve Sarawak Laksa too. That is a must. On the first day, we went to the restaurant at 0630H. We were early because the akad nikah at Jawhara Palace is at 0830H.

The Wedding at Jawhara Palace

Jawhara Palace is a house that people can rent for weddings or events. After breakfast, I ordered GRAB and arrived there within 15 minutes. The groom’s side of the family is in pink, whereas the bride in green. Haneem and I have shopped for our attire a month in advance. My daughter was really excited. The akad nikah ceremony was simple. Lunch was served by 1030am and the wedding ended by noon.

The next exciting part of my trip was getting some souvenirs, visiting the Borneo Festival and enjoying the Regatta at The Waterfront. This will be in my next entry.

HONG KONG trip – Air Asia, overnight stay at YouniQ Hotel

Posted in Good Things, Leisure & Travel by

Since I am in government service, I need to submit my application for overseas holidays 1-2 months earlier, including proof of insurance. Initially, we wanted to fly with Cathay Pacific. However, we missed our flight at 8 a.m. I did have a bad feeling about this. After all, early morning flights are never a good idea if you are commuting from Melaka at 430 a.m.


We missed our flight for Cathay Pacific

I was fuming silently when Mr Husband decided to return to Melaka and forfeit the whole trip. I tried to get my leaves signed and the suitcases packed nicely. He cited reasons for wanting to spend the holidays with his mother instead, and that our daughter was just unlucky for not being able to go overseas. The universe must have heard my silent screams, as it turns out that my MIL already has a holiday planned with her eldest son.

Now, if it were me, I’d probably book another flight to at least Langkawi or Kuching the same day. Some sort of trip to soothe the heartache. It did not happen initially. But the final innocent laments of the daughter to say, “What a waste to get all dressed up and not go for a trip!” did the trick. And just like that, another flight was booked using Air Asia to HK the following day.

The blessing in disguise is that, instead of lugging 2 big suitcases in HK, we repacked our luggage and brought only one. We later learned that it was easier to travel in the city that way.

The YouniQ Hotel

We stayed overnight at YouniQ Hotel near KLIA. Pretty comfortable and sufficient for travellers. There is a mamak nearby and plenty of kedai runcit. I believe the room rate is an average of less than RM100 per night, depending on room size. There’s a water dispenser, an iron and a laundry area on every floor. I also saw other budget hotels nearby – Sky Star Hotel, Qlassic Hotel and Sri Langit Hotel.

After a mamak breakfast, we checked out at 8am so that we wouldn’t miss the 1pm flight to HK.

Air Asia Flight

It was a 4-hour flight. Mr Husband ordered in-flight meals that consisted of roasted chicken, biryani, nasi lemak and chicken rice. Unfortunately, the only beverage available is an Americano. Haneem slept throughout the flight.

This time we were early and ready

Hello Hong Kong

The weather in HK is like Malaysia. So is the GMT. Just that the prayer times are similar to Sarawak, an hour earlier compared to Semenanjung Malaysia. Below is our basic itinerary for the week-long trip. Some people love a packed one, but given our budget and family stamina, this is what we came up with.

I will be writing separately on the hotels we stayed at, the food, Disneyland, Ocean Park, Kowloon and Madame Tussauds. So, keep a lookout for the posts for the coming few days. Maybe weeks. I don’t think I could write about it fast enough, considering my work commitments. ha ha.

D Gateway Perdana Hotel

Posted in Everyday Life, Reviews by

The plan is to attend my son’s Majlis Anugerah Pelajar at UKM Bangi. Since his event coincides with the ASEAN meeting, I thought I should stay somewhere nearby in case there’s heavy traffic coming my way. After all, I am not familiar with the whereabouts of places in Selangor and W.P. Kuala Lumpur. My husband had an outstation duty, which is why he couldn’t attend the ceremony. My daughter, on the other hand, has school the next day. So I left her in Melaka for a sleepover with her cousin. Thankfully, they are enrolled in the same school.

I brought my mini suitcase with me to work so that I could head straight to the highway after office hours. I chose D Gateway Perdana Hotel because it seemed close to UKM Bangi on the map. It is easy to find once I am off the highway, too. True enough, it was, and the location was superb. Although the layout of the hotel seems odd, there were so many places to eat nearby!

The hotel provides FREE parking. The reception is situated right in the middle of the quiet mall. However, it is very lively outside the mall. It is also particularly close to a shopping area and a park. I was able to do some brisk walking around the area and also on my designated floor, as the rooms were arranged to be in a giant loop. The quiet surroundings can be a bit eerie as a solo female traveler.

My Superior Queen room had an interesting layout. Upon entering, I was faced with a staircase leading up to my bed and bathroom. It was a unique experience for that one-night stay. I paid RM 92.38 for it, including taxes and fees. For dinner, I bought mi kolok from one of the stalls at the market just below the hotel. Then, I bought some bread and additional water for my breakfast in the room. I did get some coffee from Richiamo Mart the next morning, just before I checked out.

Overall, as a budget hotel, it certainly exceeded my expectations. I would love to bring my family for a stay here again as I feel that there are lots of other interesting restaurants and stalls that I haven’t tried yet. It would be a culinary adventure.

I will tell you about the Majlis Anugerah Pelajar in a different post.