Sights and Sounds: Legoland Hotel - Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Figur8 - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Sights and Sounds: Legoland Hotel - Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Figur8
Magnificent Malaysia @ Swez Brasserie, Eastin Hotel Penang.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Accelerates Footprint in Malaysia
Victory for hotel employees - Minimum Wages does ... - Charles Hector

Sights and Sounds: Legoland Hotel - Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Figur8

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 10:48 AM PDT

We finally took our Legomania kids for a visit to Legoland and stayed at the Legoland Hotel. According to the boys, it was…

AWESOME!!!!

Thanks especially to Fitri, Nabila, Aqilla, Eddie and Syida – the friendly staff at the Legoland Hotel – for making it such a memorable experience.

My boys had such an awesome time that they wanted to stay there "forever". Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and there were teary eyes when we made our departure. We had no plans for a sequel but it's looking like a "Return to Legoland" is already heavily in demand…

If we're waxing lyrical about this place, it's because this is the stuff that our boys' dreams are made of.

Legoland Hotel

As you approach Legoland, the structure you will notice is the hotel which looks like a building made out of giant Lego.

Photo Credit: Legoland

In the foyer, while the parents are checking in, the kids can be kept entertained by two Lego structures – a child-sized Lego castle, and a Lego ship surrounded by "Lego" water that they can play with to create anything their minds can imagine.

For the younger children, there is another play area with Duplo blocks and giant Lego bricks to build life-sized structures with.

If that's not enough, there is always the dance area for the kids to get up and boggie.

Behind the registration counter is a wall containing what looked like every Lego character ever in existence.

The check-in time is 4pm but you can sign in earlier and leave your luggage in the luggage room while you go off to visit the Theme Parks. The hotel will contact you around about 4pm when your room is ready and you can collect your room key at your leisure.

The entire hotel is a Lego feast for the eyes with themed carpets and wall-paper, and Lego constructions of all kinds.

In the elevators, there's a disco ball and music – Dancing Queen, Staying Alive, YMCA, We Are Family - that will get the kids jigging and jiving all the way to the level of your room. Once you get out of the elevator, be prepared to be greeted by the theme of your choice – Pirate, Adventure, or Kingdom – and boy have they really gone to town with the decorations!

Adventure Theme

Photo Credit: Pinterest – Tourism Malaysia Australia

Kingdom Theme

Photo Credit: XINMSN Lifestyle

Pirate Theme

Photo Credit: Agoda

Inside the hotel room – aside from the TV – are more activities to keep the kids occupied. They have a Duplo play set (not for taking home) that the children can play with for the duration of their stay at the hotel, and they have a treasure chest with a combination lock and a clue sheet that the children have to work out if they want to get to the treasure inside…

The rooms and the hotel amenities are also very child-friendly with their children's sized toilets and sinks.

Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

Breakfast is at Bricks Family Restaurant and the buffet spread on offer is pleasingly sizable with lots of choices. Just a word of advice on breakfast… get there early in the morning or you will have to queue for a table (if the hotel is fully booked, like it was in our case).

Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

Oh yes, let's not forget… if, after the Theme Parks, you're still looking for more, there is also a swimming pool on level 4…

Seriously, this hotel is a child's Lego Haven – and I'm not just talking about the little kids… This is just the hotel and we haven't even started the serious fun! Stay tuned for the details of our adventures at the Legoland Theme Park!

Magnificent Malaysia @ Swez Brasserie, Eastin Hotel Penang.

Posted: 28 Jul 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Buffet fanatics will be glad to know that the culinary team of Swez Brasserie (Eastin Hotel Penang) plans to take diners to a gastronomical gourmet adventure, showcasing some of the thoughtfully chosen Malaysian delicacies. Diners can expect to see a buffet spread featuring some traditional dishes of the Malay, Chinese, Indian or even Eurasian specialties. The aforementioned buffet theme will be made available from 1st of August 2014 until 31st of August 2014.

Many Thanks to Eastin Hotel Penang for extending the invitation.

Prices for the buffets are as follow:

Lunch: Monday - Friday

12:00pm - 2:30pm

Rm 50++ (adult) Rm 25++ (child)

Hi-Tea: Saturday and Sunday

12:00pm - 4:00pm

Rm 68++ (adult) Rm 34++ (child)

Semi Buffet Dinner: Sunday - Thursday

6:30pm - 10:00pm

From Rm50++ per person

August Credit Card Promotions:

American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, UOB Bank, OCBC Bank, CIMB Bank, Citibank, Maybank and MasterCard Worldwide card members, guests can enjoy 15% discount for Semi Buffet Dinner (Sunday to Thursday) and Weekend Buffet Dinner (Saturday) from 6:30pm to 10:00pm.

For inquiries or reservations, kindly contact Eastin Hotel Penang, Swez Brasserie at +04- 612 1128.

The meal starts with an intimate dish- Chicken Satay with Condiments; the texture was pleasingly firm and not hard to the bite. The meat was carefully marinated as well but we thought the dish could be better with some Fats sandwiched in between, for a smoother and juicier bite. The dipping sauce, could be enhanced with more crushed Peanuts.

Deep fried food lovers will find it hard to stop at one bite, their Pasembur served with Peanut Sauce comprises Deep Fried Tofu, Deep Fried Egg, Deep Fried Fritters and Fish Balls. The Peanut sauce was veering to the sweeter side but it could taste better with a stronger chili kick. The Deep Fried Fritters were perfectly done, crispy with a faint aroma, inevitably greasy though. And we wondered why there were Deep Fried Fish Balls to go with the sauce.

As expected, Swez Brasserie never fails to impress me with their Sup Ekor Lembu. The hefty hunk of Beef was cooked till fork-tender, little effort was necessary to detach the meat from its bone. The ratio of juicy tender lean meat to pockets of creamy fats was perfect either. On the soup, it was flavorful, heightened with the deftly amount of Herbs and Spices. It would be perfect if it was not that oily.

Daging Rendang Tok was not my favorite of the day. In spite that the Beef was reasonably seasoned with an agreeable amount of Spices, I thought the Beef lacked of "personalities" or the extra oomph. It did not leave me a very strong impression. Also, I thought the meat could be more tender.

Ikan Panggang was nicely done. The Barramundi was pretty fresh and no unpleasant fishy smell could be discerned. The engaging sweet-spicy sauce complemented the fish perfectly, though I would prefer a hotter version. A dish that I would not mind a second helping.

Regular patrons at Swez Brasserie will not be new to the dish- Assam Prawns. The frisky sauce commingles the sweet, savory and sour notes, beautifully clung onto the fresh and succulent Prawns. We had a hard time to peel off the shells though but the reward spoke for itself.

Kambing Masala is a worth-savoring dish. The Lamb was well-executed and perfectly spooned over rice. The sauce was robust in flavor and jam-packed with the aroma of Herbs and Spices. Not all were tender, certain cuts were inappropriate that caused the texture to be a little harder than expected. We enjoyed this dish to the brim together with Nasi Briyani.

Ayam Percik was one of the much-lauded items on the menu that day. Not only was the sauce in the right consistency and flavorsome, the tender and juicy Chicken was at the right texture as well. One of us pointed out that the Chicken may fare better if it could be crispier on the edges. I agreed upon.

Tummy-filler was Nasi Briyani, skillfully cooked and brimming with flavors. The Anchovies debris added another layer of texture to the rice. Just perfect to go with the Curry dishes.

Ice Kacang

Assorted Nyonya Kuih

Counter the sweltering tropical heat with a bowl of hearty Ice Kacang, various toppings are to be added based on your own preferences. We topped ours with an additional scoop of icy cold Ice Cream for a smoother, sweeter and creamier texture. The extra touch of Dried Nutmeg has certainly enlivened the traditional Malay dessert as well. Other desserts available in the buffet spread are Nyonya Kuih and Goreng Pisang/ Banana Fritters.

Many thanks to Chef Ong (left) and Chef Fauzi (right) for preparing all the wonderful dishes.

Additional Information:

Address: Swez Brasserie Eastin Hotel Penang. 1, Solok Bayan Indah, Queensbay, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Contact Number: 604- 612 1128

Website: http://www.eastinhotel-penang.com/

Eastin Hotel Penang Facebook Page

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Accelerates Footprint in Malaysia

Posted: 12 Jun 2014 08:22 AM PDT

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has signed an agreement with IOI Properties Group to manage two hotels which will add 599 rooms to Starwood's robust portfolio in the country.

starwood-hotels The new hotels; Four Points by Sheraton Puchong and Le Méridien Putrajaya, are slated to open in the fall of 2014 and 2015, respectively. Puchong and Putrajaya are part of the Klang Valley area, which includes Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor.

Starwood currently operates 12 hotels in the country's key destinations, including Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Kuching. In addition to Four Points by Sheraton Puchong and Le Méridien Putrajaya, Starwood's Malaysian pipeline includes: The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, W Kuala Lumpur, Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel, Sheraton Desaru Hotel, and Four Points by Sheraton Kota Kinabalu.

Four Points by Sheraton Puchong

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2014, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong is strategically located in the heart of Puchong's developing new business district, Puchong Financial Corporate Centre (PFCC) at Bandar Puteri Puchong. Puchong is a major town in the Petaling district of Selangor, Malaysia and is situated midway between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital. The hotel is located about 32 kilometers from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport; and is approximately a 20-minute drive to the Kuala Lumpur city centre. The hotel will be conveniently accessible by public transportation, and only be a short walk from the LRT station due for completion in the first quarter of 2016.

Four Points by Sheraton Puchong will feature 249 stylish and contemporary guestrooms, including 12 executive suites designed for an unencumbered, comfortable stay. The hotel will also feature a total of 1,110 square metres of meeting space, including an 800-square- metre grand ballroom. Additionally, the hotel will have a swimming pool, two food and beverage venues including the brand's signature restaurant, The Eatery, a fitness centre, and a variety of other amenities such as free Wi-Fi, free bottled water and free coffee – all amenities that make the Four Points brand a favourite with travellers worldwide.

Upon completion, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong will be the fifth Four Points by Sheraton property in Malaysia, following the success of the brand in Langkawi, Sandakan, Kuching and the recently opened Four Points Penang.

Le Méridien Putrajaya

Strategically located in Malaysia's federal administrative capital, Le Méridien Putrajaya will be situated in close proximity to the city's commercial and retail areas, including the IOI City Mall, which is slated to open late this year. The hotel will offer 350 contemporary guestrooms, all outfitted with the signature Le Méridien Bed®. Le Méridien Putrajaya will feature two innovative restaurants concepts, fitness centre, spa facilities, and a swimming pool. The hotel will have more than 1,630 square metres of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom.

Le Méridien Putrajaya will also feature the signature Le Méridien Hub™, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place, and further builds on the brand's award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light; UNLOCK ART™ programme, featuring artist designed key card collections that offer access to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack by French Bossa Nova band Nouvelle Vague. The Hub features the signature Master Barista, a recently launched initiative to meet the growing demands of coffee lovers at every Le Méridien hotel worldwide. Master Baristas lead coffee-related initiatives at each hotel, serve as a coffee cultural ambassador, and maintain knowledge of current coffee trends within the destination.

Le Méridien Putrajaya will be the brand's third hotel in Malaysia after Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu.

Victory for hotel employees - Minimum Wages does ... - Charles Hector

Posted: 01 Aug 2014 12:44 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) applauded a recent landmark judgment handed down by the industrial court on a hotel's employee salary structure.

Its president, Mohd Khalid Atan, told theSun today that the decision made last month is a precedent which should be followed by others in the hospitality industry.

In the written judgment, the court held that an employee shall be paid the minimum wage, as per the Minimum Wage Act which came into effect last year, on top of the service charge imposed.

In addition, the court also decided that the hotel would retain 10% of the total service charge imposed on all its monthly bills and the remaining 90% will be fully distributed to all employees covered within the scope of the decision made.

The case arose because there was a salary dispute between the two parties – the hotel and the employees.

The employees had insisted that their salaries be structured in line with the Act and be separated from the 10% service charge imposed on billings to customers.

According to the written judgment, with effect from Oct 1 last year, every employee shall be paid according to the new outlined salary structure except for part-timers, temporary, casual and retired employees.

It also stated that the minimum wages should be implemented with immediate effect as the hotel is a member of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH).

The decision follows after the Act came into effect last year with the implementation of the minimum wages of RM900 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM800 in East Malaysia.

The union's industrial relations adviser Lim Chooi Phoe said he was glad because the employees are benefiting from the outcome.

He believes that currently there are 24 hotels nationwide facing the same problem regarding salaries which are being brought up to the industrial court.

At press time, MAH and Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (Maho) could not be reached for comments on the matter - The Sun Daily, 31/7/2014, Union wins landmark case for minimum wage - http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1128968

For background, see

Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Sunday, 3 August 2014

Sights and Sounds: Legoland Hotel - Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Figur8 - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Sights and Sounds: Legoland <b>Hotel</b> - Johor Bahru, <b>Malaysia</b> - Figur8 - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Legoland Hotel

Service Charge and employees of Hotel, Bar and Restaurants - Brief Introduction

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