Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kuala Lumpur. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Before our flight to Dublin via Dubai, UAE we had two nights in Kuala Lumpur. We've known where to stay on our last night - the Sama-Sama at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, because our flight was leaving early in the morning. Please see review.

The first night was unclear, but we definitely wanted to spend it in the city. He wanted to have a hotel near the Petronas Towers; I the Villa Samadhi, because I enjoyed our last stay very much. After agreeing we wanted to go to the Suria KLCC and see the fountain show, it was clear we needed a hotel that was centrally located, so we decided to book the Mandarin Oriental and a Twin Tower View Room, which had been on our bucket list for ages.

We arrived by taxi. The doorman and bell captain greeted us warmly. We were directed to the reception. The queue was surprisingly long, but waiting time was minimal.

The check in was quickly done and all important features of the hotel explained. We were then brought to the elevators.

Finding our room was easy and soon we were gazing out towards the Petronas Twin Towers, the park and the fountain.

Our room was large and held in different brown and beige tones. We liked it and didn't see any need of it being refurbished or renovated, because the furniture was in top condition and looked classic and timeless. We know, that's a personal taste thing.

We loved the comfortable bed and seating area. We also received two oranges as welcome gift. Free water was daily provided and replenished during turn down.

Reading material on the coffee table included the Mandarin Oriental Magazine, National Geographic, KL100, Vision KL and essential Kuala Lumpur.

There was a writing desk with two chairs and a complete set of office supplies, a credenza and flat screen TV with regional and international channels.

The minibar was stocked with Swell Juices, Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino water, Asahi Beer and different liquors, snacks and the obligatory pot noodles.

The wardrobe was spacious.

Our fully marbled bathroom was on the smaller side, but well equipped with a separate bath tub and shower and a sink. The toilet was in a separate room. The only critisism I might have is that the toilet room was slightly too tight and I banged myself a couple of times on the toilet tissue holder.

Amenities were by Senses, exclusive for the Mandarin Oriental KL. We liked them a lot.

We had in room breakfast on the day of our departure, but also went to the newly opened Aqua Restaurant & Bar beside the pool. A review about this is going to follow.

Beside 24 hours in room dining there are also The Mandarin Grill, Lai Po Heen, Mosaic, Casbah, The Wasabi Bistro, the MO Bar, the Sultan Lounge, Lounge on the Park and the Mandarin Cake Shop.

When we were staying a pop up restaurant Azimendi 88 by Eneko Atxa from Azurmendi Restaurant was also on offer for 88 days. Eneko Atxa holds three Michelin stars.

There is also a spa on the same level as Aqua.

We organized also Limousine transfer (Mercedes E-Class) to the Sama-Sama KLIA Hotel with the concierge. It went smooth and cost 375 MYR (ca. 81.15 Euro or 88.75 USD).

The wakeup call arrived punctual. We had the previous night thought about what we wanted to order for breakfast and were ready to order. Room Service advised it would be delivered within 30 minutes. My fiancé had ordered the Mandarin Breakfast and I had the Arabic. We both could choose a hot beverage and a juice of our choice. His included sliced fruits with berries, yogurt, a bakery basket and waffles. Mine included sliced papaya, honey and lime, Arabic mezzeh selection and Arabic bread, Shakshouka eggs (scrambled eggs with onion and tomato) and Ful Medames (mashed fava beans with onion and garlic). The breakfast arrived on time and the bill was correct. The amount was 170 MYR (ca. 37 Euro or ca. 40.25 USD). The waiter and I were chatting a bit and I learned that he is from Penang. The service was attentive. The breakfast was delicious, it was a lot on offer, all high quality. The Arabic pastries were a delight as were the different dips.

Before checking out we explored the lobby, bought a Mandarin Oriental branded polo shirt and took in the new design of the superb and memorable public spaces of this elegant luxury hotel.

Having visited the hotel before our stay, it was unrecognizable. We enjoyed the Chinese elements and the idea of a pop up restaurant.

As always check out came too fast. Everything was in order and the checkout was done efficient and friendly. Our limousine was already waiting and our luggage in the boot.

We would stay here again, when looking for a luxury option in the vicinity of the Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC, which is just a few steps from the lobby, when taking the right exit.

©2015

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Dome Cafe Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia

Before our return flight from Kuala Lumpur via Dubai to Dublin we had a meal at Dome Cafe at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The restaurant had a take away section and a seating area with waiter service. It was kept in dark furniture and felt colonial. We were brought to our table. After studying the menu we decided to have a regular and large chai latte and one portion of spaghetti aglio al olio.

Service was quick and friendly.


The drinks were hot and both generous sizes. The spice mix was just right.

The pasta dish looked very upscale and colorful. It was delicious too. It seemed passersby agreed, because nearly all glanced at the plate.

The bill came in at 69 MYR (ca. 16.15 Euro or 17.65 USD).

In future we would return to this Dome outlet and others as well.

©2015 

Monday, August 10, 2015

Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia

When we planned our travel we wanted to stay at the Sama-Sama KLIA before and after our flights, because our previous experience ca. one and a half years earlier was very good. This review will include our 2nd, 3rd and 4th stay. If you want to read more about the facilities, please see the review from our first stay.

The hotel has also won Best Luxury Airport Hotel in Asia in 2013.

The decision what to book had been made for us, because the only room type available was a room on the Premier Floor with Premier Lounge access. One and a half years earlier it was the whole opposite and we were a bit disappointed, because we would have been even at that time interested in the Premier Floor.

Since there was no information available on the website about the inclusions at the lounge we sent an email to the hotel. We received a quick, courteous reply with all the benefits included.

We had three different locations for our check in. The first was at the baggage claim area of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. We received a map and directions to the buggy pick up point of the hotel and the room keys.

Another time we had check in at the Lobby Level of the Sama-Sama and once at the Premier Floor Lounge.

No matter where we checked in all staff were friendly and efficient.

Our rooms were located on the 9th floor. One had views over the entrance and the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATC) – like the lounge did on the same level -, the other two overlooked a soccer field and the runway.

We could also see planes arriving and taking off when we had views over the ATC, but there was much more activity on the other side.

The rooms seemed a bit larger than the standard rooms. The design was similar, though. The color scheme was black, red, brown, gold, modern Asian.

There was a large wardrobe, flat screen TV and credenza, a writing desk with a stylish lamp, a king sized bed and a chaise lounge.

The TV channels were regional and international. Our favorite was the Asian Food Channel.

The artwork was photographs of different islands and locations within Malaysia in selective colors.

There was also a coffee table with magazines, including Vision KL and KL100.

The decoration had Malay influences and colorful pillows added to the homey feel of the room.   

All lights and blinds work via an iPad or on the touch of a button.

In at least two of our rooms we had a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf coffee machine. It wasn’t as easy to handle as a Nespresso machine, but we worked it out quickly and the results were delicious. We tried the Chai and the Viennese blend.

A mini bar and 24 hours in room dining was also available.

The free WIFI internet access was quick and reliable.

Juices were priced at 19 to 28 MYR (ca. 4.50 Euro or 4.95 USD to 6.65 Euro / 7.30 USD), Evian or Perrier water at 20 MYR (ca. 4.75 Euro or ca. 5.20 USD) and Tiger Beer for 39 MYR, ca. 9.25 Euro or ca. 10.15 USD.

Free water was daily provided.

In room dining incl. international and local main courses started from 46 MYR (ca. 11 Euro or 12 USD).

Moving on to the bathrooms. They were slightly different. Our first bathroom had a bath tub and separate shower. The other two a large shower only. They were all white and orange tiled and felt spacious and modern.

Bathroom amenities were by Tanamera, a Malaysian company. The products were paraben free. We liked them very much, they smelled nicely and were of high quality.

All wake up calls we received were punctual – two were automated, one was personal.

The Premier Lounge was large with a classic interior and like the lobby festively decorated for Eid Mubarak. The artwork was contemporary and colorful.

There was an internet corner, a small library with books and travel and lifestyle magazines.

Guests could choose between restaurant and bar style seating.

The reception desk faced directly the elevator bank and added additional security and a warm welcome when arriving. Lifts were only accessible by entering the keycard in a slot.

During Happy Hour wine and other alcoholic beverages were served. We tried the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were very good and enjoyable.

There were three to four hot items available, some dishes were local others international, like the chicken burger sliders, Teriyaki beef skewers, chicken goujons or fish and much more.

Guests could choose from a cold selection as well, like crudities, cold cuts, cheese, salad, antipasti, different types of bread, fruits and cakes.

At the entrance of the lounge is also a mini fridge. Guests can take soft drinks and water for free away. It doesn’t have to be consumed in the lounge.

The Premier Lounge offerings could easily replace dinner.

Breakfast was served buffet style for cold items and egg dishes, pancakes and French Toast were made to order.

The quality was high and everything delicious.

The staff was attentive and friendly.

After our second stay the experience got tailor made. We were recognized by the buggy drivers, the bell captain, the receptionist and the staff of the Premier Lounge.

Somehow the hotel figured out we preferred the view over the runway and a coffee machine over a bath tub, so the second and third room fit us better, or that we wouldn’t have additional spend in the hotel, because all our needs were covered.

We will definitely stay here again in the future and recommend this hotel to anyone who's looking for a superior experience at KLIA.

We like many aspects at the Sama-Sama, from the friendly and efficient service, the food, the free buggy rides from the airport to the hotel and verse visa, the comfort of the rooms, the beautiful gardens and the pool, the check in facility at the luggage claim area of KLIA and the bathroom amenities.

I think the Sama-Sama has improved since our first stay in November 2013. There was a time when the hotel was known to be the Pan Pacific Hotel KLIA but this was before our first stay. The hotel changed over from being a Pan Pacific to the local Sama-Sama brand in early 2013.

©2015

Thursday, June 5, 2014

GOBO Upstairs @ The Traders by Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Before travelling to Malaysia we reserved a table for two at GOBO Upstairs. It was our second visit to the Traders Hotel by Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur. During a previous holiday we've been to the SkyBar with stunning views over the PETRONAS Twin Towers.

This time around we decided beforehand we wanted lunch at one of the Traders' restaurants. Studying the menus online we picked GOBO Upstairs. Setting on a date we heard it was a bank holiday in Malaysia and the restaurant hadn't open, so we had to book our reservation for a different day. It wasn't a big problem, because we were flexible. It worked out for our second date.

The interior was modern and had high ceiling windows.

The staff was attentive and friendly.

The polo shirt I was wearing was a talking point.

It was newly bought at the DoubleTree by Hilton (see also review) and since the Traders is a competitor to the DoubleTree it garnered attention.

We were joining GOBO Upstairs during the week for lunch. We weren't the only ones. GOBO was buzzing with a large mixed business group (some were Malay others were Chinese and Thai), a few couples and a lonely business man.

There were different set menus and an a la carte menu available.

We chose a la carte.

Our drinks were a large bottle of Acqua Panna to share, a mango lassi and a Thai Collins Mocktail.

A fresh bread selection was also served.

The main courses were cod and sea bass with a side dish of green asparagus and parmesan cheese for both of us. We love this combination and the flavors. 

The desserts were of course the highlight. The presentation of each dish was done beautifully, but the most interesting was the berry sorbet. It was shaped like a cone. The tiramisu was also very good.

We were happy with the ambience, the staff and the quality of the food. There's is no reason why we shouldn't go back yet again when in Kuala Lumpur.


 ©2014

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The PETRONAS Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

As always when in Kuala Lumpur we visited the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world. This was our third visit.

We booked our tickets online. During our previous visits entry was free based on first come first serve basis with limited tickets available. Now it cost 80 MYR (ca. 18.30 Euro / ca. 25.00 USD) per person. There was something else new too.

A month before our visit the 86th floor was also opened for the public. Before we had only access to the 42nd floor double-decker bridge. We were curious what the world looked like from the 86th floor.

We arrived around 30 minutes before our chosen time and found the E-Ticket Counter closed. We asked a member of staff where we could go to now. He was also surprised the counter wasn't open and brought us to the one for immediate purchase.

We could jump the queue to the dismay of the waiting customers. We didn't keep the others too long. Within a minute we had our tickets in hand.

Shortly before our time slot our group was called forward. We received visitor badges and had to go through a metal detector. Soon afterwards we were whisked up to the Sky bridge.

We were given fifteen minutes, which is in our opinion too short, especially when you're there the first time. We noticed other members of our group were a bit unhappy about the amount of time too. Otherwise we enjoyed the views and noticed some changes of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. The KLCC Park is unfortunately smaller now. There is also a huge building site around the mosque and another one for the planned Four Seasons hotel.

When our time was up we had to get into the elevator again and ended up at the 86th floor. There was an exhibition about the progress Malaysia has made in the last 50 years, Dr. Mahatir, Petronas and Kuala Lumpur. It also gave a glimpse what the future plans for the country are.

The views over the city were a bit hampered by fog and clouds. If the weather is good, the views should be stunning and far reaching.

The twenty minutes flew by, but were more appropriate than the fifteen minutes at the Sky bridge.

Of course no visit to the PETRONAS Twin Towers would be complete without having a browse at the gift shop. We ended up with a watch for him.

Would we return? Yes, we love this landmark and enjoy the views from the Sky bridge and the 86th floor.


 ©2014

Monday, June 2, 2014

The Cascade Restaurant & Bar, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Before we arrived even in Malaysia we made a reservation at the Cascade Restaurant & Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. The first contact made a good impression.

The Cascade Restaurant was located on the Spa/Pool level and easily accessible via elevator from the lobby.

The Mandarin Oriental has changed a bit since our last visit, where we went to the Lounge on the Park.

The Cascade was easy to find. It is outdoors and offers views over the stunning pool over the KLCC Park, the Grand Hyatt, where we stayed (see review) and the city.

The staff was welcoming and let us choose our table.

It wasn't busy.

We had watermelon juice, Arabic Kebab and Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, sticky rice with mango and Segafreddo Affogato. All was delicious, light and healthy.

The kebab, spaghetti and the sticky rice were MO signature dishes.

The spaghetti were definitely differently than the one we had in South Korea. There were different vegetables added like courgette and peppers.

The sticky rice was also unusual, because it was deconstructed.

We also chatted a bit with Mohammed, the restaurant manager.

We had a very pleasant time and the price was average for the type of hotel restaurant. The quality was high and the staff was attentive, so we would return again.


©2014

Monday, January 27, 2014

Villa Samadhi Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


When studying the Relais & Chateaux catalogue from 2012 we saw the Villa Samadhi and thought this would be a unique property worth staying at. Of course we knew by 2013 most Asian Relais & Chateaux properties had left and joined Secret Retreats, local competition to Relais & Chateaux. Villa Samadhi was not an exception. We were still interested, though, and booked it for one night via Hotels.com.

Secret Retreat could be the right name for this property. We took a taxi from the Grand Hyatt (see also review). Our driver had a general idea where the hotel was located, but had difficulties finding it. We had to ask for directions. Finally we arrived after ten minutes searching. Lesson learned. My advice would be to go to the website and print out the directions to avoid any problems.

Samadhi is Sanskrit and means journey. We definitely entered a different world. The compound was completely walled in and had a high gate with a discreet Secret Retreats plaque. There was a security hut with a guard. The guard had a list of guests and only those on it were allowed into the sanctum. Having established we were rightfully there, the gate opened.

The taxi parked right in front of the entrance. The hotel was stunning and completely different of anything we've ever seen in a city location. The building was completely made out of bamboo, salvaged timber and dried grass for the roofs. The hotel states on their website it's modern Asian design, I thought it was Chinese inspired, while my better half thought Thai.

The security guy was adamant he needed to take our backpacks and suitcase. Amused we humoured him. Inside we were greeted by the manager Cherrie. She is very capable, making sure guests are well taken care of.

We were invited inside. which meant using a few steps up. Underneath them was flowing water, leading to a small pool with Koi. There were also large vases as decoration at the side of the steps. Cherrie didn't ask us to sit down at reception, but brought us to the outdoor terrace, where we had beautiful views over the stunning pool scape, cabanas, loungers and the Mandi Mandi, the restaurant.

There were magazines on the salas waiting for us and soon Cherrie served us cold ginger tea as welcome drink. We relaxed while she took care of the check in formalities. She also brought us to our room, a Luxe Crib - there are only 21 rooms in total. Cherrie explained how to lock the door from the outside and inside (There are real keys, a lock and a key card for the air conditioning), how to use the TV, which drinks and snacks were for free and which ones weren't. She showed us the Jacuzzi on our large balcony and advised that we could use the bath salt in the Jacuzzi if we wanted to, but not the shampoo or the liquid soap/shower gel. If using them it would foam like mad and cause chaos, so it's understandable not to put any of those in the bubbling water. After having explained all the features, she left us alone.

The room was huge. There was a throne bed, a rocking chair, a very large wardrobe (suitable to move in permanently), a TV on a credenza in front of the bed, a mini bar and a safe. All the furniture was antique or second hand and made from dark wood.

There was a remote control for the air conditioning, another one for the TV and one for the receiver. There was a lot of zapping involved to find a program and it was only a small selection of channels but it was sufficient.

There were some holistic magazines, but no telephone.

The mini bar wasn't filled with your usual things. It was stocked with organic soft drinks and snacks. They were very good.

There were also dried fruits, bottled water and biscuits for free.

The bed was super comfy and we had a restful sleep.

The bath room was as large as our room with toilet, bidet, the largest shower ever - I would say there fit in four people easily - with a huge rain forest shower head and double sinks.

The amenities were made in house and were ginger based. We liked the smell and that it didn't dry out the skin.

Our balcony was long and narrow. We could overlook the upscale residential area and an embassy.

Access was possible through the bedroom and the bathroom.

We had two seating areas; one was a bench, the other two chairs with a coffee table.

After we had settled an employee knocked on our door to deliver an afternoon snack. It was sticky rice and tasty. It was a surprise and not expected.

Of course we used the Jacuzzi and enjoyed it tremendously.

We also went to explore the grounds.

While exploring we met the gardener, who noticed we were interested in the sign at one of the ponds with a warning not to put in hands or feet, because a snapper turtle lived in the pond. He asked if we wanted to see T-Rex as the turtle is named. Naturally we wanted, so he stuck his hands in the murky water and soon he was struggling with T-Rex, who had reacted to the movement. We were surprised how big and aggressive the turtle was. He had his mouth wide open, made hissing noises and tried to bite. We thanked the gardener, and T-Rex was released again.

We loved strolling along the pool and spying into Madi Madi, which means dip in Malay.

We encountered our favourite security guy again. I told him I liked watching the Koi, so he offered to show us what they eat. He went into the security hut and returned moments later with fish food.

Later we went down for dinner. A new employee was at reception and suggested: "Why don't you go up to the top floor to our bar Bumbung? We serve complimentary drinks... I'll also let the restaurant know you are on your way." We followed her advice.

We went up the stairs, since there weren't any elevators. The property might not be suitable for fellow travellers with walking difficulties or breathing problems.

The hotel also recommends to bring children from 12 years. I personally believe it is best for adults only as it is more of a retreat - very peaceful and quiet - and doesn't offer any amenities children might be interested in.

Staying here with small children could also pose a danger to them, like drowning, since some rooms have direct pool access and nearly all have a Jacuzzi.

During our stay we encountered only couples (One was same sex.) of different ages and nationalities.

The climb up was worth it. The Bumbung bar is directly under a grass roof and offers stunning views over KL and the Petronas Twin Towers. The Villa Samadhi is on the one side very secluded but on the other hand not too far from the action. Taxis can be easily arranged.

The space was open air, made of wood and offered a small bar with bar stools in the centre and a seating area along the walls.

We were handed a menu by Cherrie and advised we could order as many drinks as we liked. My better half had an alcoholic cocktail. I choose an alcohol free, because I took medicine against my cold. Both were very good.

We then moved on to dinner at Mandi Mandi. There was a selection of three or four starters, main courses and one dessert.

The decor was minimal and the tables were widely spaced, so it was very private even though everyone was visible.

We had fillet steak in cream sauce and chicken fricassee. Both were extremely delicious.

We shared the cake as only dessert available on the menu. It was very large and satisfying. The restaurant and bar are not open to the public.

The staff was very attentive, ready to give advice and interested in the guests.

There was no bill to sign. The dessert was free, so we had to pay only for our drinks and the main  courses, which came in at 150 MYR (ca. 33 Euro or 45 USD).

After a good night’s rest we went to breakfast at the Mandi Mandi. It was included in our rate.

All cold items, tea and coffee were served buffet style, while hot items were made to order. Nothing was signed, so it was a bit difficult to make out what was coffee and what was tea. Both were in the same pots and had the same colour. We wanted coffee but ended up with tea. It wasn't a big problem since we like both and this one was really strong black tea.

There was a wide selection of fresh fruit, cheese, pastries, yogurt and others.

We choose French Toast and omelette from the a la carte menu. It was delivered promptly, hot and with a smile.


Soon it was time to check out. The check out was pleasant and Cherrie and I chatted about how we found out about the hotel and other guests. It seems to be rare that first timers of Kuala Lumpur are staying at the Villa Samadhi and most stay only for a few days. Cherrie recommended that we should stay next time at the sister property Japamala. She also encouraged us to write a trip advisor review. She was very personal and friendly. This was our third visit to Kuala LUmpur.

Our taxi arrived on time as ordered and brought us to KL Sentral, where we took the KLIA Ekspress to the airport and checked into our last hotel the Sama Sama KLIA, which was known in an earlier time as the Pan Pacific KLIA.

The stay at the Villa Samadhi left us relaxed and calm.

We loved that every employee had time for us and was responsive to what we told them, i.e. showing us T-Rex or feeding the fish, recommending hot ginger tea for my cold and other things.

We also like that it was totally different from anything else we had ever experienced in a city location, the good food and the comfort of the room, plus the overall resort setting.

Next time we are going to stay one or two nights longer.


©2014

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ever since we heard the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur was going to open we wanted to stay there.

Our chance came when we planned our Malaysia trip. We stayed four nights on points.

We had just returned from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, and were near the end of our vacation.

The Grand Hyatt is located near the KLCC and in the Menara Darussalam, a thirty nine story high skyscraper. The owner is the Brunei Investment Agency, hence the name of the building. Which is controlled by the Sultan of Brunei.

On the ground level is a huge lobby with the concierge desk and the JP teres, serving Malay and international meals.

We received a warm welcome from the concierge. He also brought us to the elevators and advised us that the reception was located on the 39th floor.

The first thing we noticed when the elevator doors opened was the stunning views over Kuala Lumpur including the Petronas Twin Towers. We were roughly the same height as the twin bridge of the Petronas Towers.

The reception was to the left. Check in was friendly and efficient.

Our room was located on the 32nd floor. We had to take a different lift to access our floor. It might be a bit unusual, but we had already experience with the same system at the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Park Hyatt Seoul.

Sometimes it can be a nuisance, like on a few occasions we wanted to go up to the lobby, but had to go down to the second floor spa with a few stops in between to finally reach our desired destination. Overall being secure weighs out the inconvenience, though.

The room was large and modern with dark furniture and had views over the KL Tower. The bath room was integrated into the room. There was a walk in closet, a Japanese wet room and a separate room for the toilet. The sink was to the right side behind the bed. There was also a small nook with a mirror, small desk and chair for applying make up.

We loved the June Jacobs Spa amenities.

The Japanese wet room was enclosed in glass, so one could watch TV or look over the city. Privacy was also provided, when using a switch the glass turned opaque.

We also had a writing desk, large TV with a wide selection of regional and international channels, a mini bar with Sunraysia juices, a sofa and coffee table. Since we had booked a Grand Club Room we also received free chocolates as welcome gift and 2 free items of laundry for the entire stay. It wasn't as generous as the DoubleTree by Hilton (see also review), but still welcome. We had more than two items to launder, but since the cost wasn't too high, we gave more and paid 66 MYR (ca. 14.80 Euro or ca. 20.10 USD) for the four additional pieces.

There was also 24 hour room service and the "Hyatt has it" service, in case you have forgotten something or didn't care to bring it with you, like a yoga mat, tea kettle, razor, mouth wash and other things. They are either free, can be borrowed or bought.

Overall the room was very comfortable, luxurious and of thoughtful design.

We also had Grand Club lounge access, which is one of the largest we have seen so far and located on the 37th floor. There are different areas; one was set up restaurant style, the other like a lounge.

 There were newspapers and magazines. A meeting room is adjacent to the lounge and can be used by Club lounge guests. There was never a problem finding a seat.

Only seats at the windows could be in hot demand, because they also had views over the Petronas Twin Towers and the KLCC Park. We watched the fountain show numerous times from the club lounge.

The food selection was so large we had no problems making a meal out of it during happy hour. There were Asian specialties and Western dishes. The desserts were a highlight for us. We enjoyed the chocolate mousse, the mini tartlets (every day changing) and berry compote very much. We also like the live Jazz music drifting down from the restaurant Thirt8.

We could have had breakfast at Thirt8 on the 38th floor, but again the breakfast in the Club Lounge was large and varied and we liked the quiet. At the end of our stay the staff did know what kind of beverage we wanted.

There was also the Poolside Restaurant and fitness center.

Every member of staff was courteous, efficient and friendly.

We went to the JP teres even before we stayed at the hotel, because we were checking out how to get to the hotel from the Suria KLCC. The ceilings were really high and there were a few open air kitchens. The waitresses and waiters wore jeans uniforms, which looked attractive and casual. We had the chance to follow the preparation of roti.

We ordered Teh Tarik (local milk tea), a water melon juice, chicken curry toast and Bebola Ayam, chicken balls with dip.

The toast slices were larger than usual and the portion of chicken balls was generous. All was delicious. The value was reasonable with 71.90 MYR (ca. 16 Euro or 21.80 USD).

During the last few days of our trip including the Grand Hyatt stay I was having a cold with fever, so I stopped taking notes, not feeling well enough to do so. Sorry, if I can't give more detailed information about in room dining prices, but I remember we had sandwiches, Malaysian chicken soup (very large) and ice cream. Everything was delicious and prices seemed to have been in accordance with the other hotels we stayed at. If it would have been much more expensive or less, I would recall it.

We received late check out at 2 PM without problem. The check out was efficient and a taxi was organized to bring us to the Villa Samadhi, a Secret Retreat member.

Interesting enough the lady at reception had heard of the Villa Samadhi, while the door man wasn't aware.

We can recommend the Grand Hyatt highly. The staff is genuinely interested in the well being of the guests and what they are up to while staying there. The value is good, no matter if paying cash or with points.

©2014

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Flight Aer Lingus / Malaysia Airlines

We booked our economy class flight via Expedia, because we liked the price, timing, route and had good experiences with Malaysia Airlines on short haul flights in the past.  It also gave us the opportunity to fly the Airbus A380, which would be our first time.

We had an early flight from Dublin to Paris Charles de Gaulles, arriving at 09.00 hours at CDG. It was pleasant and eventless. Our luggage was checked through to Kuala Lumpur, but we had to get our boarding passes for the leg between Paris and KLIA at Charles de Gaulles. We had tried the online check in the previous day, but it didn't function the way we wanted it. We were checked in, but didn't receive any boarding passes.

At Charles de Gaulles was a short confusion - we were sure we simply had to go to the departure gate of our next flight and receive our boarding passes there, but an airport employee tried to convince us it might be better to go through security and go to the check in desk. After some discussions with her the time was running out to go to the check in desk and we headed to our gate. It let us believe, if we had followed the employee's advise we would have had problems later on with the counter being closed while we were stuck in security or something along the line.

No Malaysia Airline staff was there yet, so we waited and when somebody arrived, asked for the print out of our documents. Unfortunately there were problems with the printing, so it had to be done for us and other connecting passengers off site. We had to wait until the very last moment. All other passengers had already boarded. Finally we were on our way to Kuala Lumpur.

We were located on the main deck.

The seat configuration was 3-4-3. Both of us were happy with the seats. The leg room was okay.

The in-flight entertainment system was a bit own minded and always froze, when we wanted to check what kind of meals were going to be served. As soon as a public announcement was finished, the system was working again. Having learned our lesson, we didn't use this feature again and waited until the flight attendant gave us the choice for lunch. Our neighbor had the same issue and was a bit impatient. She rang the bell to summon a flight attendant quite often, which in turn didn't make the stewardess happy having to explain again and again they would restart the program for the passenger as soon as we had taken off and reached cruising altitude.
Another problem was the remote control. It didn't work either, so I couldn't play games. The touch screen on the other side was working fine.

The interior was designed in a way we didn't feel like we were going to spend around 13 hours on board of the world’s largest plane. The red and dark colors were great and the mood lightning a nice feature.

The staff was friendly and efficient.

Two hours into our flight lunch or dinner (It was around 2 PM in Paris or 9 PM in Kuala Lumpur, so you can decide what it was we had.) was served, either spicy chicken curry with rice and vegetables or fish in a creamy sauce and potatoes. The starters, side dishes and dessert were the same for either main course. There was vegetable salad, camembert, crackers, Kitkat and vanilla chocolate cake. Beverages to choose from were wine, different juices and water. After lunch tea and coffee were also offered.

Soon afterwards the lights were dimmed to prepare for our overnight flight. The crew regularly offered more alcohol free beverages. If any one was thirsty or hungry in the mean time, the galley had always something stocked, including snacks.

While my better half managed to sleep for about four to five hours or so, I couldn't and napped for about two. At least I could use the in-flight entertainment to its full potential.

Between lunch and breakfast we also received a snack box, containing a healthy bar, roasted peanuts, cookies and a fish snack.

We definitely weren't left hungry or thirsty.

Breakfast was served 1.5 hours before landing. Choice was Nasi Lemak (Malaysia's national dish) or eggs with sausage, potatoes and mushrooms.

I also used the toilet. The floor was a bit scruffy, but over all it was clean, there were enough hand towels, toilet paper, soap, moisturizer, perfume for him and her and aftershave lotion no matter if it was at the beginning of our flight or near the end. Thumbs up for this.

Time was passing fast and soon it was time to land at 07.00 hours the next day in Kuala Lumpur.

Having spent 23 days in Malaysia, learned a lot and tried a few things it was unfortunately time to return home.

Our route was slightly different. Our connecting hub was London Heathrow. Having experiences there, we knew how it functioned.

As always our luggage was checked through to Dublin, but we had to get our boarding passes for the leg between Heathrow and Dublin at the connection center.

We had again an Airbus A380 and were seated on the upper deck. We liked the experience better, because it felt slightly more intimate and had a configuration of 2-4-2.
As always the staff was attentive and friendly.

There was never a shortage of eating and drinking. The in-flight entertainment system was fully functioning and the flight took slightly over 13 hours.

There were slight turbulences over India, but otherwise it was an event less flight.

We were served two meals. The first was a choice of chicken or fish and served around two hours after reaching cruising altitude; the second beef or chicken arrived two and a half hours before landing. In between we also received ice cream and a snack box, containing the same as on the flight from CDG to KUL. Everything was tasty. We were stuffed at the end of the journey.

Having had a good experience on our connecting flight from Dublin to Dubai via LHR the previous year we thought this one would be also a breeze. Wrong.

After landing we at 16.15 hours the same day followed the signs for the connections and arrived at the transport center, where we waited for a few minutes before the bus arrived.

We had a long walk to security.
The queue wasn't too long, but somebody famous I won't name was in front of us and kept everyone up. The person didn't want to remove his electronic devices from his bags, when finally doing so, the lap top ended up on the floor. They also had an unbelievable amount of hand luggage with them, so it took ages. There were also constant reminders from security to have all liquids in sealable plastic bags and to remove all electronic devises. It started going on my nerves. Finally it was our turn. We were well prepared and weren't reminded or asked if we had anything in our pockets.

Then there was the passport control. The queue was very long and the whole process let me more feel like entering a fortress and was a marked contrast to our experience in Malaysia or Brunei, but I assume it is even there depending what nationality you are...

Finally having all security checks behind us we went to the connecting desk of Aer Lingus. We were wondering what was keeping the short queue from moving. After what felt like eternity it was our turn to have the boarding passes printed. The whole process from deboarding to finally hold our boarding passes in hand took over two hours. It was a bit frustrating.

The rest of the experience went flawless. Our flight back to Dublin was on time and eventless.

Would we fly again with Malaysia Airlines? Yes, we would.




©2013

Monday, November 25, 2013

Selamat Datang!

Dear Readers,

I'm back from Malaysia. This is just a short impression. More is going to follow soon.

The time flew by very quickly and we were really busy.

We split our time between Kuala Lumpur or KL as the city is nick named by the locals, Kota Kinabalu, short KK (Saba), and Miri (Sarawak) - both on the Malay part of Borneo.

It was our third time in KL, our second in KK and our first in Miri.

Malaysia is diverse and exotic.

We saw skyscrapers, visited a car and property show, the Petronas Twin Towers, the largest Taoist Temple in South East Asia, different mosques and Buddhist Temples, St. Mary's Cathedral at Merdeka Square in KL, tried the local cuisine and found our love for Parathi (Indian flatbread, filled sweet or savory). We also learned about oil, oil production and saw working oil fields in Brunei (day trip from Miri, including Bandar Seri Begawan - the capital of Brunei, organized by the tour operator based at the Marriott Miri).

We also used the public transport in KL. It's affordable, clean and easy to use.

All Malay - no matter if indigenous, Indian, Muslim or Chinese - were friendly and helpful.

KL and KK have changed a bit, but both were recognizable.

Our itinenary looked like this - It took us a year to prepare for it:

- 1 night at the Dublin Airport Hilton due to an early flight the next day.

- Flight from Dublin to Paris Charles de Gaulle with Aer Lingus, from there an overnight flight with
  Malaysia Airlines - another highlight the Airbus A380. It was our first time and we enjoyed it very
  much.

- 1 night at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur

- 8 nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur

- Flight from KL to KK with Malaysia Airlines

- 2 nights at the Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu

- Flight from KK to Miri with Malaysia Airlines

- 3 nights at the Marriott Miri

- Flight Miri to KK with Malaysia Airlines

- 2 nights Le Meridien KK

- Flight from KK to KL

- 4 nights Grand Hyatt KL

- 1 night Villa Samadhi - Secret Retreats

- 1 night Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

- Early flight from KL to London Heathrow - arriving the same day in the afternoon also with Malaysia Airlines.

- Evening flight with Aer Lingus to Dublin.

- Home, sweet home. :)


Here are some words we have picked up.

Selamat Datang                                  -                   welcome

Selamat Datang ke Kuala Lumpur     -                   welcome to Kuala Lumpur

Awas                                                   -                   caution

Bahaya                                                -                  danger

Tandas                                                -                   toilets/restrooms

Selamat Jalan                                     -                   Good Bye

Masuk                                                -                  entrance

Pintu                                                  -                 gate

Api                                                    -                 fire


Hope you liked my entry. If you would like to add something or share your experiences with Malaysia feel free to do so. :)


Your Writer1976


© 2013