Sunday, 13 April 2014

Hotel review: Four Seasons Langkawi (Malaysia) | the Luxury Travel ... - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Hotel review: Four Seasons Langkawi (Malaysia) | the Luxury Travel ... - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Hotel review: Four Seasons Langkawi (Malaysia) | the Luxury Travel ...
GE lighting created a “home” atmosphere for the hotel in Malaysia ...
Minor Hotel Group Rebrands Hotel in Malaysia - Bloomcoach

Hotel review: Four Seasons Langkawi (Malaysia) | the Luxury Travel ...

Posted: 09 Apr 2014 01:19 PM PDT

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel and/or flight review.

TODAY: FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LANGKAWI (MALAYSIA)

With artful design and all-pervading serenity, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi presents a tranquil retreat in the Andaman Sea. Langkawi is an archipelago made up of 99 islands on Malaysia's west coast, where towering granite cliffs, UNESCO-protected mangroves and precitious rainforest showcase labrynthine adventures between land and sea.

In this review (more info below our slideshow and youtube clip):

Pros & things we like
Cons & things to know
Our verdict
Tips for future guests
Best time to visit
How to get there

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

PROS & THINGS WE LIKE:

The resort is located along a beautiful, wide, white sand beach, backed by limestone cliffs that are covered in dense tropical vegetation. The beach is definitely one of the best, if not thé best, on the island of Langkawi.

The Moroccan/Moorish resort architecture blends in well with the environment. The grounds itself are well kept and the gardeners (of which there are many) are constantly racking, planting and generally maintaining the lush gardens.

As you would expect from a Four Seasons hotel, the service is excellent and all your needs will be catered for. The staff and management are well trained, courteous at all times, and eager to make one's stay enjoyable. The attention to detail is flawless and by the end of the second day the entire staff will know your preferences and names, and will anticipate your needs perfectly.

The resort faces the west, so you can watch gorgeous and romantic sunsets from the beach, your villa, or the sunset bar.

There are two pool areas: one family pool (actually 4 pools in one) and an absolutely stunning adult quiet pool. The latter is a blissful retreat for those guests desiring additional tranquility and privacy, and comes with 8 private walled cabanas for couples to hang out. Amenities at both pools include sunglass polishing, suntan lotion and iced water. Cool towels, freshly sliced tropical fruit and water spray are offered on regular intervals.

There are three restaurants on property: their signature restaurant Ikan Ikan (our favorite) serves delicious Malaysian food, the Kelapa Grill is ideal for fresh seafood and steaks, and Serai features Italian cuisine. Meals were delicious and were prepared with fresh quality ingredients. Breakfast buffets are impressive with several food stations where you can find everything you want.

Accommodations are housed in pretty stunning Melaleuca pavillions or private pool villas, which both seamlessly blend Arabian influences with tropical woods and marble. The expansive marble bathroom are especially impressive, offering "his and hers" wash basins, a walk-in wardrobe, a curtained shower alcove and an bathing area featuring a terrazzo soaking tub for two.

The resort has a wonderful Geo spa offering lots of treatments. Do check out the spa even if you are not booking a treatment. It's a very tranquil area and they allow guests to relax in the 3 gazebos and lounge area inside – even if you not doing a treatment.

CHECK IN AREA

WELCOME DRINK AND COLD TOWEL

LOBBY

RECEPTION

LOBBY

LAWN

SPA

ADULT POOL

ADULT POOL CABANA

ADULT POOL

BEACH (TOWARDS NORTHEAST)

BEACH

BEACH (TOWARDS SOUTHWEST)

BEACH

SUNSET BAR

LOBBY AT NIGHT

SUNSET

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW:

A lot of reviews on the internet complain about a cement factory that is facing the beach and ruins the view at the horizon, while others state that is hardly noticeable from the resort unless you are intentionally looking for it. The truth is somewhere in between. The factory sits to the southwest at a distance, whereas the resort is primarily situated to the northeast. While the factory is not an issue in the northeastern part of the resort (watch the youtube clip above), you can't really miss is from the southwestern part of the resort and at sunset from the Rhu bar. So the message may be to request a room/villa in the northeastern part of the resort.

At certain times of the year, jellyfish are the in the waters around Langkawi and they may cause serious health and safety issues. The watersports staff flags for ocean conditions.

The (imported) sand is a little rough (not powdery white sand) and waters are not clear (not good for snorkeling). This is not the Maldives or Seychelles after all, but nevertheless, it does feel like a tropical paradise.

The property is very large and spread out. You can hire bikes (complimentary) to get around the resort during day time. At night, bikes are not recommended due to safety. The very efficient buggy service is always a phone call and 3-4 minutes away.

Some "partial sea view rooms" are tucked away deeply into the Malaysian jungle, allowing only limited views of the Andaman sea through the vegetation.

ROOM PAVILLION

STAIRS TO ROOM

BEDROOM

BATH

BATHROOM

BED- AND BATHROOM

ROOM TERRACE

BEDROOM

OUR VERDICT:

Location: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Rooms: 9/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Overall experience: very good: 8,5/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS:

Request a hotel room/villa in the norteastern part of the resort.

Read our tips on how to book a room at a luxury resort like Four Seasons Langkawi.

Read our tips on how to prepare your trip in time.

BREAKFAST BUFFET

BREAKFAST AREA

BEST TIME TO VISIT:

Langkawi has one of the more stable climates for an island in Malaysia. Located on the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the Malaccan Straits, it is shielded from major winds and storms by the mainland on one side and Sumatra on the other. This makes Langkawi suitable to be visited all-year-round, with never too drastic weather. The rainy season is from September until mid November, during which time on average, there are about two hours of rain per day. Note that an hour of this precipitation usually comes during the night time. Even during rainy season, the mornings are usually filled with sunshine, with the rain coming during overcast afternoons. The mid-season (neither dry nor rainy) is from mid April until August. The mornings are again sunny, but the afternoons can be overcast. The dry season is from mid November until mid April, during which time there is very little rain.

HOW TO GET THERE:

The following airlines (click here for direct links to their websites) serve the small Langkawi airport (a 20 minute drive away from the resort):

Malaysian Airlines: via Kuala Lumpur
Malindo Air: via Kuala Lumpur, Penang
Fire Fly: via Kuala Lumpur, Penang
Silkair: via Singapore
Tigerair: via Singapore
Air Asia: via Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuching, Singapore

GE lighting created a “home” atmosphere for the hotel in Malaysia ...

Posted: 31 Mar 2014 06:56 PM PDT

GE team's goal is to create a warm and comfortable hotel environment for guests to relax in the Tune hotel.The LED tube light were installed in the elevator lobbies, hallways, bathrooms, rooms and pelmet of three stores in Malaysia.

LED tube

LED tube light is mainly used for ambient lighting. Compared with the original traditional fluorescent, LED tube light is known as more uniform distribution and saving more energy while the brightness meet customer requirements.

GE LED tube is elegant and compact,which can bring unique soft LED lighting experience for customers. Its lifespan is 15,000 hours, significantly reducing maintenance and replacement costs. Special optical design can provide customers with a more uniform illumination. In addition,the integrated design makes installation more easy, and LED tube light with different mounting bracket is for easy multi occasions. LED tube light is widely used in a variety of stent indoor lighting environment, such as supermarkets, underground garage, home and display occasions.Browsing www.ledclan.com for more information about LED tube light.

Article from http://www.lighting-ledlight.com/index.php/ge-lighting-created-a-home-atmosphere-for-the-hotel-in-malaysia/

Minor Hotel Group Rebrands Hotel in Malaysia - Bloomcoach

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 11:31 PM PDT

Minor Hotel Group Rebrands Hotel in Malaysia
Avani Hotels & Resorts, the upscale brand launched by Thailand-based Minor Hotel Group in 2011, has added its fifth property – Avani Sepang GoldCoast Resort in Malaysia. The resort is located on the country's west coast in the state of Selangor, close …
Read more on ASIATravelTips.com

Former Malaysian construction magnate dies in Brisbane
Yeoh, who was inducted as a Fellow of the Faculty of Building (FFB) in London in 1982, migrated with his young family to Australia in 1985 and started the YTY Group of Companies with interest in property investment and management. Since arriving in …
Read more on The Star Online

Malaysian construction magnate dies in Australia
Peter Yeoh migrated with his young family to Australia in 1985 and started the YTY Group of Companies with interests in property investment and management. He leaves behind wife Alice Mah Kam Moi, son Zak and daughters Patricia, Yvonne and Peggy.
Read more on The Star Online

Thursday, 10 April 2014

Where to Stay: Empire Hotel, Subang (Malaysia) – Review | The ... - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Where to Stay: Empire Hotel, Subang (Malaysia) – Review | The ... - Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Where to Stay: Empire Hotel, Subang (Malaysia) – Review | The ...

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 11:38 AM PDT

INTRO

Subang Jaya is a city 21km southwestern of Kuala Lumpur. It is a city well-connected with the surrounding cities and can be accessed via the highways, KTM Komuter trains and the upcoming Kelana Jaya Line LRT service. As such, it is an ideal place for travellers and businessmen to stay at even if they have a morning meeting in Kuala Lumpur. One of the prominent hotels in Subang Jaya is the Empire Hotel.

The view of the Federal Highway with the usual morning jam from the hotel's restaurant.

I have had the chance to stay at this hotel twice. The first time I stayed here was when I joined the #TSBreakaway program, organized by Tourism Selangor where I stayed at the Premier Essential room alone for 4 nights. For my second stay, I stayed at the Premier Essential Plus room, which I will review in this post.

This will encourage guests to fill in the feedback form.

Empire Hotel is a 'four-star boutique designer' hotel and it is strategically located at the heart of Subang Jaya city centre and within walking distance of the Subang Jaya train station. It is attached to the Empire Shopping Gallery, one of the shopping malls in Subang Jaya.

The access card to the room and to access the lift.

When I checked-in for my second stay, I was supposed to stay at the Premier Essential room but they upgraded my room to Premier Essential Plus without any charges. I accepted the offer happily and straightaway went to the room.

++++

PROS & AMENITIES

A nice workstation greets my entrance. Perfect for a quick meeting with clients.

My first impression of the room is that this hotel room is very comfortable and suitable to business and leisure travellers alike. I am right. Upon opening the door via the 'Open Sesame' card, there is a round table with 4 chairs set up as the work station. There is also a small desk which can be used as a laptop desk.

For extra comfort, we can use this sofa together with the small desk provided to do a personal workstation.

Moving along a small corridor towards the sleeping area, a wardrobe is smartly put there, thus reducing space use. 2 bathrobes, an iron and an ironing board is also provided, which means there is no need to worry of wrinkle-shirts while staying here.

A nice room for people who do works while travelling.

The room also provides for coffee-making facility, with 4 bottles of mineral water which can be chilled in the minibar provided. A safe is provided, in case there are expensive belongings which we want to put in extra security. However, I did not try the safe as during my both visits, I could not figure out how to use it. Yes, I am not that technology-savvy.

The wardrobe and the coffe-making facilities on the left. On the right is the bathroom.

As for the bathroom, the hotel provides soaps and body foams as well as shampoos. Shaving kit, hair dryer, cleaning kit, tooth brush, tooth paste, everything that you basically need are there. Anyone can check in and stay at the hotel just by bringing one self and a set of cloth to be worn during check-out. Yes, it is very complete that you don't really have to bring anything.

Coffee? Tea? Or just old-plain drinking water?

The best part for me is the bed. Super comfortable that every time I put my head on the pillow, I feel like dozing-off. Apart from that, the fact that the TV has a greeting with our name make it more personal. The view from the room is also nice, facing the Subang Jaya city and the always-busy Federal Highway.

Spotless bathroom.

Security to the hotel floors is also not compromised as visitors can only access the lift up to level 2 i.e. the reception area/main lobby if there is no access card. This is due to the fact that access card is needed to access to the other levels where the rooms are located.

Don't forget to take these home. Oh, except the hair dryer. Lol.

And not to forget, the parking is free for hotel guests.

CONS & SETBACKS

However, having a lot of praises does not mean that this hotel does not have its setback. The major setback for me is the lift service. There are only 2 main lifts servicing the hotel and another 2 supplementary lifts located near the staircase. Sometimes, when it is peak time or one of the lifts is being 'parked', I had to wait to get into the lift. Just like waiting for the train during peak hours.

The sleeping area with the all-glass-ceiling-to-floor window.

Apart from that, staying at lower grounds means that we have to bear the noises coming from the Federal Highway. It is now 1.43 am as I am writing this sentence and the sound of cars and motorcycles piercing the night along the Highway can still be heard.

This is so comfortable!

Besides that, the bathroom and the beds are separated by a layer of fancy glass and while it looks nice and artsy, the fact that you can see the shadow of the person inside the bathroom may make some people to be not too comfortable.

I love the personal touch on the TV system.

And while parking is free, it is quite a hassle as you will have to go to the reception area located on the 2nd floor to validate your parking ticket every time you want to take the car out.

A tip to get more mineral water. Put these inside the minibar and the housekeeping will add more bottles when they make your room.

Other than that, I would say that this is one of the best hotels that I have stayed in in recent years.

Power shower!

+++++

Empire Hotel Subang is situated at the Subang Jaya city centre, approximately 21 km from Kuala Lumpur.

For bookings and enquiries, do visit their website or contact them at:

Empire Hotel Subang
Empire Subang, Jalan SS 16/1
47500 Subang Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan

T: +6 03 5565 1388
F:+6 03 5565 1288
E: info@empirehotel.com.my

+++++

I would like to personally thank Empire Hotel Subang for making the stay possible and for giving me a complimentary stay as a prize for winning the Wolo Word Search Contest. Kindly note that all the reviews are of my personal views.

+++++

'Where To Stay' is the series for hotels/hostels/accommodations reviews by The Best Things In Life.

GE lighting created a “home” atmosphere for the hotel in Malaysia ...

Posted: 31 Mar 2014 06:48 PM PDT

LED tube

Hotel in Malaysia Blog

Sunday, 13 April 2014