Tag Archives: butterfly bloggers

Hotel Tamara, Melaka

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

As usual, I booked this room through AGODA. COM. The tax rates are palpable nowadays. On top of the room rate, there is an additional 5% service charge, 8% tax (no mention what) and 10% tax (also, no mention what). So my total was RM272.67 per night after a cashback reward of RM22.67. It is carrying itself as a 4-star hotel. We will see how it is for many years to come.

This stay was for our 14th wedding anniversary. Since I was not able to take leave on the 31st due to ‘quota cuti MO per day‘ issues, I thought we’d celebrate it a bit later during dinner. Nowadays, I have decided to take on the ‘NVM, What to do’ approach to all things that do not go my way. I cannot bend the rules, I can only control the way I react to it.

Hotel Tamara just started its services in September 2024. It is hidden in a residential area near Kampung Tujuh. It turns out that it shares the same compound with an apartment complex, Kenanga Residence. I had to go through security as it was a gated residence. Parking was plenty at the hotel grounds. Check-in was a breeze. I did have to pay a deposit of RM50 and a Melaka tourist fee of RM2. There is a FREE WIFI. There is also a mini fridge and a hairdryer in the room. I like that they provide soap too.

The air-conditioner took its time to cool the room. I tried my best to be calm and patient in waiting for the air-conditioner to take its effects. It finally did after an hour. Initially, I wanted to enjoy the Xmas buffet but perhaps due to a less enthusiastic response from the public, it has been suspended. So, I ordered our dinner from Zikgu Burger, had it delivered to our home first and then packed it to bring to the hotel.

I loved the breakfast buffet. Especially, the sambal ikan bilis for the nasi lemak. The selection of pastries and food on the menu is adequate for hotel standards and multicultural Malaysia. Insya-Allah there is something for everybody. The pool is open to the public. I had no idea they had one. I would have brought extra clothes for that. However, there is no staff or lifeguard on duty. Hence, parents with small children need to be careful.

Overall, I enjoyed our little staycation. My husband gifted me perfume and I bought him the Pua Kumbu tumbler from ZUS for our wedding anniversary presents. It has been a year full of kesabaran on my part. I pray that Allah will grant me more patience and resilience as I sail through this marriage.

My all time insights on WordPress

Posted in Good Things by

I had a good year with my blog in 2024. It has yet to reach 1K views per month but I am pleased with the statistics. Of course, big-time bloggers or influencers have way more readers per month. They worked hard to get their numbers by crafting beautiful posts and jumping on trends with their unique online presence. It is something that I plan on learning for this coming year. Writing in better sentences and capturing beautiful photos.

Wish me luck in 2025.

GBW Hotel, Johor Bahru

Posted in Everyday Life, Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

This is what I said on Google Reviews. Mr Husband booked a room here during the Deepavali holidays. Coincidentally, school is also out so we get to go for a staycation at Johor Bahru.

My daughter was really looking forward to our stay here. She said it’s been a while since we went for a holiday. Although I believe we’ve just had a weekend stay at The Everly Putrajaya a few weeks ago.

Kids waiting at the lobby while Mr Husband checked us in.
Little fashionista going up the lift with her new hat and Anya

The moment I stepped into our Premier Suite, I immediately loved it. It was a lovely room that had a kitchenette equipped with a microwave, a fridge and a kettle, a dining space, a living area and a separate bedroom. There were two writing desks which is great. I could continue doing my assignments in the room and he could do his work in the living area. My daughter enjoyed the bath tub of course and the son just loved being in an air-conditioned room. Staying in a dorm means that he is deprived of life luxuries. This room probably cost us roughly between RM250 – RM270 per night through Agoda.

Free WIFI is available but only 4 gadgets are granted access. There’s an ironing board with iron as well. The pool is on the 7th floor. We wanted to have a look but then we got stuck in the lift. Hence, the mission was aborted.

Breakfast for 2 adults is included in our room rate. So we paid extra for the kids. The breakfast menu was top-notch for a 4-star hotel. As mentioned, I loved their nasi lemak paru. The restaurant is also not overly crowded making it a pleasant experience in the morning. If you prefer having breakfast outside, either order a GRAB and have it sent to the lobby or walk across to the R&F Mall.

During our stay there, we were out and about mostly until after lunch. We would just order our dinner through GRAB but that is when an unfortunate incident happened. Our Kacang Pool and rice meals were stolen by a fellow hotel visitor. The hotel cooperated by giving access to their CCTV. Mr Husband had a good look of the culprit’s face, requested a refund from GRAB and was hoping to confront this guy during breakfast time. We didn’t see him. Most likely he enjoyed our meal as breakfast. HA HA HA.

Since this hotel is near the main road, we could hear motorcars honking almost every 30 mins during rush hour. It’s almost normal to see some shameless car owners cutting the queue. I understand the frustration.

Overall, it was a very comfortable stay. I would definitely repeat a stay here although I’d be more likely be trying out other hotels if we are ever going to JB again. It would be nice though if the big windows were cleaned as the view seems amazing at night. Minus the smudge.

Zoo Johor

Posted in Good Things, Leisure & Travel by

Zoo Johor had a makeover. The first time I went there was when I was heavily pregnant with my daughter in 2017 and the second time around was when she turned 3 years old. Now, the zoo looks more modern although it is way smaller than Zoo Negara and Zoo Melaka. Of course, the fees have gone up but it was still a great place to spend the day out with the kids. Tickets can be bought online or at the premises using the kiosk. The zoo will be closed every Tuesday starting November 1st.

I liked the part where we hovered over the Gladiator-like rings to see the lions, tigers and bears.

Another great feature is that visitors get to snap photos with the birds and snakes (in a glass box) without concerns about paying extra or being in a queue. I would say it is a minimalistic zoo that is equally entertaining. As it doesn’t have the ritual photography sessions at the front gate or the ‘come here buy your fridge magnet‘ salesperson at the zoo exit. It’s just a place where the family could hang out and get excited over the animals at a small cost. I like that. Animals should be accessible to all classes of citizens. Rakyat Johor sangat bertuah.

We spent roughly an hour at the zoo and managed to put in about 5K steps into our daily walk routine. Afterwards, we made a quick stop at Mid Valley South Key Mall for lunch. We had Nandos and even ordered the bottomless drinks and yoghurts. The vanilla yoghurt had a smooth taste and not too sour. My husband loved it. He also shopped for new work bags and a luggage bag for his sister. I didn’t get anything. I am being very mindful of my spending lately because I have a bigger financial goal in a few months to come.

The beautiful posh mall
Thankfully with Deepavali decor instead of Halloween
Our bottomless yoghurt

During this staycation in Johor Bahru, we stayed at The GBW Hotel. I will blog about it in another post.

Cafe Chef Wan, The Shore

Posted in Food and Drinks, Places to Eat, Reviews by

The price range for most of their meals is between RM20 to RM40. Loved the atmosphere and the service.

The initial plan was to eat Mi Tarik. However, the branch near The Shore was closed. So, the visit to Cafe Chef Wan was an unprecedented move. I do not know whether to laugh or feel blessed by the twist of fate. I don’t think Mr Husband had this cafe in mind for dinner. Interestingly, I did experience a strong gut feeling that I would be having my meal there, only that I had no idea that this cafe wasn’t the first choice.

As usual, I entertained my own thoughts that this would be my birthday dinner celebration. Even though no one actually said that it was. Ha ha.

When I was younger, birthdays meant that we got to eat fast food. This is because I ate home-cooked food most of the time. Nowadays, guiltily, fast food has been incorporated into our daily diet so much so that it’s not special anymore. Hence, to some, celebrations have been brought up a notch by bringing them to fancy restaurants or hotels. Of course, the best birthdays are always the ones when you feel noticed, loved and appreciated.

We ordered a duck pasta dish, spaghetti bolognese, Nyonya Laksa and margarita pizza. It’s good restaurant food although the portions to me, a 4ft10 lady, seem huge. My husband with the better palate rated the spaghetti and pizza as a solid 9 over 10. My daughter scored everything as 100! The pizza could have tasted better if the crust was burnt just a little bit more. I don’t really know how to taste food. I eat for energy and to live for just another day.

I have no idea what the total cost of our meal was. After all, the husband paid for everything. I would say that the prices are ‘atas’ though so be prepared to dine like royalty.