Tag Archives: staycation

A wedding weekend in Kuching

Posted in Good Things, Leisure & Travel by

It was my cousin’s wedding that weekend and he had extended his invitation at least 6 months before the date. I asked my husband if he wanted to come along but he said the Deepavali weekend was too short – so I went with my boyfriend. Kidding, I went with my sister and my dad.

I used Batik Airlines for this trip and I bought the ticket at least 2 months before the trip. It costs me a total of RM477.68 for the round tickets including all sorts of fees and charges. I had a 7kg hand carry allowance for the trip and that’s it. I did not buy extra cause I knew I wouldn’t have time to go shopping or anything.

Hence my carry-on bag was very light and minimal. I had to bring my laptop with me because I still have assignments pending submission. I deliberately bought this new backpack from Shopee. I believe it would be handy for someone taller cause, to be honest, it was quite bulky for a short lady like myself. It served its purpose but I am now left to contemplate whether I would like to use it for my upcoming MIRI trip.

I also bought the CUURA Travel pack. CUURA is a local brand and its skincare products are great. I bought the pack out of curiosity although I thought the price was quite steep. It was RM129.00 with a variety of petite products inside the plastic pouch. They could have gone for a more compact pouch although I understand that maybe they wanted other products to hop into the pouch during the travels. It is quite good as an introductory package as well for people who are CUURA-naive but if you intend to travel for more than 5 days, you would need backup. I was rationing mine. If they could market this for just under RM100, I think it would be great.

I only bought the essentials for my makeup as I knew no one would actually be that attentive towards me during the wedding. Plus, I intend to go light for my makeup on the plane. I bought two products from HYGR – a deodorant and a multipurpose lip balm in code Hibiscus. I thought it was a great local product to try and so with just the lip balm, I’ve got my eyeshadow, blusher and lipstick sorted. I brought with me Wawa Zainal’s mascara cause I loved its formula and then I packed together a mini Elianto perfume. I wore jeans with just enough tops for the stay including a set of Baju Kurung for the wedding reception. I did not bother with my shoes since the reception is in the masjid and we need to take off our shoes anyway once we are inside.

I stayed at my sister’s place the night before and my brother sent me to the airport the next morning. I had breakfast at KLIA1 minus the coffee because I fear I might pee too much. I had water instead. I checked in online the night before and since I did not want to risk it, I printed my electronic boarding pass as well. I could choose my seat when I checked in online but the only seat available for me was the 29F. LOL.

The flight from KLIA1 to Kuching International Airport took about 1 hour and 55 minutes. On arrival, I made the biggest rookie mistake. I took an unmetered taxi to Vivacity Shopping Mall which was less than 15 minutes away and was charged RM30 for the trip. My advice is to get a GRAB or a MAXIM. The MAXIM seems to be very responsive in Kuching. I used MAXIM for my trip from the mall to my hotel and later for my trip back to the airport.

TAKA PATISSERIE

Apart from lunch, my main objective going to Vivacity was to visit this bakery on the LG floor. I have seen it’s beautiful pastries on Instagram and I really wanted to try them. I have to say, the setup is so magnificent and the pastries were decently priced. The cakes were pretty and even normal pastries looked extravagant in the display cabinets. I ended up buying one of it’s speciality, the Sambal Laksa bun and a few others. I was tempted to get more but since I was planning to get coffee afterwards, I stopped myself from impulsive buying.

BING COFFEE, PADUNGAN

This is a very nostalgic cafe. I have been a fan of it since houseman-ship years. I really loved it’s chicken panini, cakes and coffee. I ordered the iced latte and the panini of course. I wanted to enjoy it in my hotel room which is just across the road. I like how the taste remains the same over the decades.

WEDDING

The wedding was held the next day at masjid Al-Abyad, Matang. We went there in my dad’s rented Pajero – man I hate the doors, it makes me claustrophobic because the only way for you to open the backseat door is for the front passenger to open theirs first. It was a seated wedding and I really loved the vibe of the wedding. I loved the food as well. It was also a very short and sweet ceremony. We arrived there by 1030am, ushered into the hall to our tables, he emcee made his opening speech at 11am, then the couple walked in, received some blessings, had their food, cut their cake and by the time it was 12pm, everything was done. Leaving just enough time for photos and the caterer to sort out the leftovers. We should do more itineraries like this. We were literally done by 1230pm.

When I reached the hotel, I actually managed to stop at Bing again to get coffee and cake. This time I settled on a caramel macchiato and a slice of carrot cake. It was delicious.

In my next entries, I will write about the hotel and what I ate whilst I was there.

The Pearl, Kuala Lumpur

Posted in Everyday Life, Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

We stayed at this hotel because my son had a National Scrabble Championship at the conjoining mall, Pearl Point over the weekend. The game is spread over two days and quite lengthy for someone like me, who doesn’t understand the rules. Since the whole family is going, we might as well have a place to rest so that my daughter would not get cranky. Therefore, The Pearl was a convenient choice.

Mr Husband booked a room for one night. the lobby was welcoming with it’s Hari Kemerdekaan Display.

It had all the expected amenities of a 4-star hotel: Free Wi-Fi, a mini fridge, a kettle, a tub and a comfortable king-size bed. Our room had breakfast included which was great. The spread was adequate with the usual mix of Western and Malaysian breakfast options. There is also a swimming pool but we did not bring any swimming gear. So, just a photo it is.

I like that we get two card keys because the husband obviously needs to go to and fro the mall and the hotel to check on our son who is playing. So he gets to keep one card and my daughter and I get to enjoy the big bed and air-conditioned room with the other card in the power slot. My daughter gets to soak in the bathtub as well. The elevators are easy. This means there is no need to put your card on a reader and press the floor number. It may be secure but that is so maa-fan.

Considering that it is joined to a mall, food is easy to access. There are so many nice stores under one roof at Pearl Point. While waiting for check-in, we get to eat McD for breakfast, Old Town Kopitiam for lunch and some takeouts for dinner. In between, I got Milkis from Jaya Grocers and my first Llao LLao. Now I get what the hype is with that green yoghurt thing. There’s even Zus Coffee at the mall which is something I would have loved to order but since I’d had too many sweets for the weekend – I will have it on a different occasion.

my first llao llao – had the pistachio sauce and biscoff crumbs

East Riverine Boutique Hotel – bringing Sarawak into KL

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

So.. is Chow Kit like a mini New York? Macam tetiba ada hotel tema Sarawak?

Hello East Riverine Hotel

Our little family arrived at the hotel near 9pm and the first thing that surprised me was the tribal pattern on the wall near the reception. Another family came through the door, speaking in the Sarawakian language headed to the lift. I was like, “OK… this is an interesting boutique hotel”. Soon after, I caught sight of some kek lapis inside the display fridge near the entrance and that kind of triggered me to have a quick swipe on Instagram and find out more about this hotel.

Apart from its very strategic location, it offers various types of rooms suitable for a family staycation and is priced from as low as RM 100/night. Ours is a Family Room with 2 double beds, and a cute living area with a mini fridge and an ironing board. They provide a safe, body soap and shampoo, a hair dryer and complimentary beverages. The hotel also has FREE WIFI but is only accessible via coupons. We received two coupons for our room. I guess it means that only 2 devices can use the WIFI at one time. It has a lounge area too but we didn’t have time to explore much of it as we were chasing time to go Genting.

Breakfast is provided at the Sugar Bun restaurant next door. It is served as an ala carte meal. You have to make your choices the night before and let the receptionist know. It has a very ‘mak-mak’ vibe to it cause it’s like those breakfasts you have at home where you just eat what your mom cooks for you. The coffee and tea are very basic with only sugar to taste. The cakes are nicely lined up on the plate – the usual bahulu and banana cakes that any Malaysian family would eat in the morning. Even the ‘American breakfast’ meal wasn’t American enough. Haha. The breakfast is fulfilling and decent considering the price you pay for your room. So yeah, not too bad. If you want a fancier breakfast – there are always other options available elsewhere. In fact, at night, this area is lit! There are so many things to see and eat.

We parked at a common parking area nearby the hotel as they don’t have this facility. However, you don’t really need a car to enjoy Chow Kit because the LRT is just around the corner and even on foot, there are so many things you could explore. Overall, the stay was pleasant. Would definitely recommend this place to those who are on a budget but still wants to make the best of their stay in Kuala Lumpur.

Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

This is a very accessible hotel using public transport. I travelled by bus from Melaka Sentral –> TBS (KLIA Transit)–> KL Sentral (Monorail) –> Sheraton (the Medan Tunku station). I had a moment of anxiety about choosing to use a private vehicle like Grab or public transport. I chose the latter. At least I don’t have to make small conversation with the Grab or taxi driver cause they like to ask questions like ‘where do you come from or ‘why are you here?’, ‘do you work’ or anything along those lines?

The fares:

Bus from Melaka Sentral RM14.40 + 0.70

KLIA Transit from TBS to KL Sentral RM6.90

MONORAIL from KL Sentral to Medan Tunku station RM3.40

I departed from Melaka at 1130AM. Reached the hotel (with lunch in between) just after 3 PM. Quill Mall may look like it’s just the opposite of the hotel. The thing is it is not as easy to go to the opposite side by going through the monorail station. There’s just no road passing through. Instead, you’d have to use the pedestrian traffic lights on a very busy road. So, do not be fooled. Plus, apart from the LG level where the food’s at, there isn’t really much to see in the mall. The boutiques are on the meh side. There are the Eco shop and Mr DIY but that’s just it.

The room was very comfortable though. Oh, man.. I really loved the space, the bathroom and the mini closet. It’s really relaxing. I had a workshop on Friday and I had planned earlier to bring my Minci family. Unfortunately, Mr Husband was not up for the idea which means that the kids are not going either. So, I have the room all to myself. I drank my coffee, and my tea, soaked in the bathtub, got naked and donned just the bathrobe instead since I forgot to bring my kaftan. My Deluxe Room with City view rate on Agoda totalled up to RM893.20 for a 3D2N stay. It is on the non-smoking floor with Free WIFI and breakfast.

The pre-conference workshop was great. After that, I was in a dilemma of whether to go to the Spa or enjoy my night at KL. I decided to brave the drizzling rain, in the monorail and head over to the hippest place in Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang. Bukit Bintang is where they have the Pavillion, Sephora, Fahrenheit, Lot 10, Sungei Wang Plaza and the viral wagyu sate. Of course, there are loads of places to eat once you get there. It is a very happening and touristy place. It’s where influencers go to show the urban lifestyle. Well.. something like that.

This monorail is an intercity link. Basically, if say I am not keen to shop at Bukit Bintang, I can stop at Imbi station to go to Berjaya Times Square, Hang Tuah station to Lalaport Bukit Bintang City Centre. Or just head to Nu Sentral.

At Bukit Bintang, I went window shopping at Pavillion. Made a short stop at Book Excess in Fahrenheit. Wanted to get a steak but the restaurants are full (Friday night), so I ate Kyonchon instead. I tapau-ed Krispy Kreme doughnuts so I could bring them back to my Minci family in Melaka.

I checked out on a Saturday and the journey back to Melaka was equally smooth.

Pulse Grande Hotel, Putrajaya

Posted in Leisure & Travel, Reviews by

I wish I could say I enjoyed my stay. Unfortunately, I didn’t.

I was prepared that the place wouldn’t be as gah as it would have been before the pandemic, but I wasn’t prepared for what ensued. The only commendable thing about the whole experience was the staff. The communication skills were superb, but the service and the facilities/layout, whatever you call it, are slowly going down the drain. It would be pretty sad for all these young skilled staff to go just because the place is unable to serve as an exclusive abode for travellers.

So, what could be improved?

Check-in ritual

Taking into account that the lady could be new, I just feel that there is certain information that must be conveyed automatically to the guest. Which should be included as part of the training if you are to man the check-in counter. Such as the WIFI password, breakfast time, breakfast area and highlights of the hotel such as access to the garden park, pool, and directions to the kids club room. I felt that the lady failed to recognize that I actually booked extra service from the hotel which included the birthday room decor and kids package. It would be helpful to advise guests early regarding payment and such activities.

The rooms

My room is on the ground floor because I chose the garden view. Plus point is that it is near the breakfast cafe. The minus points are that you will be walking through the hallway that has public toilets. If they are cleaned regularly, they will not smell. Otherwise, merasalah kau bau hancing sepanjang jalan menapak ke bilik. You could also feel this damp, musty feeling as you walk through the hallway and also as I entered our room. Macam bilik yang tak pernah dapat cahaya matahari sort of thing. Lembap semacam. It is honestly very uncomfortable. The room lighting is also so malap with the switches macam haywire. Like, OMG.. porque? porque?

Not only that, my room is directly beside an open hall area where activities are held. So, be prepared to have people standing outside your hotel room door during the day. It’s like dah kenapa ko bersidai tepi pintu aku.

I was also very disappointed with the gifts that my kids get from the extra room package thing. I mean, how is a puzzle that has a tank at a dataran picture spells out cute for kids? Even if you give a standard, white embroidered towel with cute animals or flowers, the type that they can bring to the pool pun budak akan suka. But puzzle? Who’s great idea is that?

Thankfully, the birthday room decor was ACCEPTABLE although I was like, why is the Happy Birthday balloon decor in black? What happened to happier colours? I would suggest the fruits to be cut up though. Guest bukannya bawak pisau nak potong epal, oren bagai untuk kongsi dengan semua. Please don’t say something like, boleh gigit kan epal tu.. haih.. hempuk jugak lah.

Husband’s 37th birthday – yep, he is younger than me

Housekeeping

As of most 4 or 5 star hotels, you wouldn’t see a water dispenser anywhere. Hence, you would depend on the complimentary mineral water and kettle in the room for drinks. Can you imagine the horror when you realize that in the room tetiba no remote control for the TV, no kettle and there is only ONE cup to drink your hot beverage. Itu pun, bila tengok supplies tu macam, kau ikhlas ke nak terima aku as guest ni? Seriouslah.. I have never been so pissed. So we called room services and had these problems sorted out.

sedihnya housekeeping macam ni

Room service

Room service is supposed to be convenient. People order room service because they do not want the hassle to leave the room to eat. They are willing to pay extra just so they could attend to their matters in the room while having a nice, hot meal. This hotel does not have the usual hard copy menu in the room. Instead, we have to scan a QR code. Only, they did not tell where the QR code is. Jenuhlah aku mencari dlm laci, at the check in card and all for this QR code. Only later did they say they will send the QR code to the room and to call 0 to place an order.

Eh.

Might as well you give me the physical menu and take my order at the door, kan? Tapi takpe.. I will take that QR code, call O and place the order before 930pm. Now, a wait of 30 to 40 mins to me is acceptable but to wait for nearly an hour – is just ridiculous. Lebih me-ridiculouskan is that the staff said they are still busy with the buffet. Well lady, I don’t give a shit. I have kids who is having trouble to stay awake but hungry at the same time.

The food finally came. My initial order was a set of chicken briyani, honey bbq club sandwich, tomato arabiatta from the kids menu, 2 cans of Sprite and 2 additional bottled mineral water. They did not provide me with the mineral water, reason being, there’s already water in the room (masalahnya aku nak extra, and I am paying for it, part mana yg tak faham tu?) My problem with the meal was the spaghetti. They should put a chilli picture next to the menu to indicate the level of spiciness. Since it was under the kids menu, mestilah kita tak expect it wouldn’t be THAT spicy kan? Well no, it was damn spicy. Thankfully, the briyani saved the day.

Final verdict

This hotel has a really nice location. The garden park is wonderful. Cuma tuhlah.

I can imagine it’s majestic reputation at one point in time. I believe it could be what it was once again with time and a bit of improvement to the facility and service. You’ve already got the people. Until it buckles up, I have to say, it is not an option for my hotel stay in the future.

We checked in at 8pm, after hadap terrible traffic on the highway for hours, and I had imagined a night where everything is in place. I imagined a night where I could take my hot shower, hair in a turban, sipping hot coffee at the desk while eating my hot meal and watching TV. I’d imagined the kids be sleeping restfully after the meal while my husband and I have a chat. But no, it did not happen. Room service was so lambat that the kids were already asleep.

ntah berapa kali aku angkat tepon, call for this, call for that.. haih.. stress sangat. I am not paying for 280 per night taw.

I am paying RM360/night with an additional RM120 for decor (&cake) and RM125 for room service meals. Can you sense the disappointment?

In short, don’t waste your money here until you read a better review this year.