Found this news about Swiss Garden International Hotel. It seems they will be adding some properties in Ringlet Cameron Highlands. The news wasn't clear whether it will be hotel or apartment or both. Will wait and see.
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Swiss-Garden to manage sister hotel in Malacca
Saturday February 25, 2012
SWISS-Garden International Hotels, Resorts & Inns signed an agreement to manage the Swiss-Garden Hotel Malacca that is being developed by Kerjaya Hotel Sdn Bhd. Swiss-Garden International was represented by its presiden Andrew Wong, while Kerjaya Prospek was represented by its chief executive officer Tee Eng Ho. The signing ceremony was witnessed by chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam.
Showing posts with label hotels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hotels. Show all posts
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
YTL Cameron Highlands Resort Christmas
Walk along jungle trail part of Xmas at Cameron Highlands Resort
Wednesday December 8, 2010
TRADITION plays an important role in any festive season and Christmas is no different. This year, a group of media representatives and celebrities were given the opportunity to join in the celebrations, albeit a bit early, at YTL's Cameron Highlands Resort.
On Nov 20, legendary shoemaker Datuk Jimmy Choo hit the switch to light up the Christmas trees at the hotel and mark the beginning of the Christmas season up in the clouds.
The resort and its surroundings have been festively decorated and, with the flick of the switch, a spectacular display of lights burst into view, creating a magical display in the foggy evening.
YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter invited those present to sample some of the resort's Christmas delicacies before inviting them to join in the carolling by a crackling fireplace.
Wednesday December 8, 2010
TRADITION plays an important role in any festive season and Christmas is no different. This year, a group of media representatives and celebrities were given the opportunity to join in the celebrations, albeit a bit early, at YTL's Cameron Highlands Resort.
On Nov 20, legendary shoemaker Datuk Jimmy Choo hit the switch to light up the Christmas trees at the hotel and mark the beginning of the Christmas season up in the clouds.
The resort and its surroundings have been festively decorated and, with the flick of the switch, a spectacular display of lights burst into view, creating a magical display in the foggy evening.
All lit up: Visitors to Cameron Highlands will not miss these beautifullly litted X'mas trees at the YTL Resort in conjunction with Christmas.
YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter invited those present to sample some of the resort's Christmas delicacies before inviting them to join in the carolling by a crackling fireplace.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Learning about flora and fauna with YTL Cameron Highlands Resort
Learning about flora and fauna in Cameron Highlands
Thursday December 2, 2010
TRADITION plays an important role in any festive season and Christmas is no different. This year, a group of media representatives and celebrities were given the opportunity to join in the celebrations, albeit a bit early, at YTL’s Cameron Highlands Resort.
On Nov 20, legendary shoemaker Datuk Jimmy Choo hit the switch to light up the Christmas trees at the hotel and mark the beginning of the Christmas season up in the clouds.
The resort and its surroundings have been festively decorated and, with the flick of the switch, a spectacular display of lights burst into view, creating a magical display in the foggy evening.
YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter invited those present to sample some of the resort’s Christmas delicacies before inviting them to join in the carolling by a crackling fireplace.
Thursday December 2, 2010
TRADITION plays an important role in any festive season and Christmas is no different. This year, a group of media representatives and celebrities were given the opportunity to join in the celebrations, albeit a bit early, at YTL’s Cameron Highlands Resort.
On Nov 20, legendary shoemaker Datuk Jimmy Choo hit the switch to light up the Christmas trees at the hotel and mark the beginning of the Christmas season up in the clouds.
The resort and its surroundings have been festively decorated and, with the flick of the switch, a spectacular display of lights burst into view, creating a magical display in the foggy evening.
Informative: Madi explaining about wild flora and fauna to members of the media and guests.
YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter invited those present to sample some of the resort’s Christmas delicacies before inviting them to join in the carolling by a crackling fireplace.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
YTL Award Winning Resorts
YTL has some really luxurious premium resorts, and of course Cameron Highlands Resort is one of them. Here are some pix to whet your palate, eh?
YTL has some award-winning real estate. This includes Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort and Cameron Highlands Resort. His hotel brands are Ritz-Carlton, Spa Village, J W Marriott and The Majestic in Malacca.
The group also has Malaysia’s fastest growing cement company in the country. It is the first ready-mix concrete company and the second largest cement company in Malaysia with annual production capacity of 6.1 million tonnes.
And not to mention the ultra premium properties like those Sentul and those Pantai Hill Park, Kerinchi.
The Cameron Highlands Resort is one of the pieces of real estate owned by Tan Sri Francis Yeoh.
The award-winning Tanjong Jara Resort with its two swimming pools.
YTL has some award-winning real estate. This includes Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort and Cameron Highlands Resort. His hotel brands are Ritz-Carlton, Spa Village, J W Marriott and The Majestic in Malacca.
The group also has Malaysia’s fastest growing cement company in the country. It is the first ready-mix concrete company and the second largest cement company in Malaysia with annual production capacity of 6.1 million tonnes.
And not to mention the ultra premium properties like those Sentul and those Pantai Hill Park, Kerinchi.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands MATTA Fair Promotion
Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands Cash Voucher is back by popular demand! Yeah, just about every year they will have it and it is quite a deal too judging from the full bookings. In conjunction with the tourism Malaysia MATTA fair here's how it goes: The cash voucher is transferable and is refundable for 50% of the voucher's value if it is not utilized after the expiry date. There will be a further bargain if you purchase more than 10 vouchers at one go during the MATTA Fair from booths 3242 and 3243.
The MATTA Fair is held in PWTC Kuala Lumpur from 4-6 September, 2009 from 10 am to 9pm.
Equatorial Hotel has various vouchers but what we are looking at is the Cameron Highlands offer since this website is about this Malaysian Highlands.
At the Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands there is a RM88 Giveaway Deal. Discounted rates start from RM198++ per room/night with daily RM88 nett for food and beverage credit, on a per room per night basis. Unused credit will be refunded at 50% of its value upon departure. With the new Simpang Pulai route, travel time is shortened by one hour (whatever that means...) it is less winding hence making the drive easy and fun.
The Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands honeymoon package starts from RM888++. It is inclusive of two nights accommodation in a suite room, strawberryplatter with chocolate dip and welcome drink upon arrival and a candlelight dinner at the romantic Cricket Bistro.
Golf lovers can tee-off at the 18-hole public golf course 10 minutes away from Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands. Equatorial's Golf Package starts from RM205++ per person based on twin sharing. The package includes accommodation in the Superior room category and buffet breakfast, one round of 18-hole golf at Cameron Highlands Golf Course, souvenir for golfers, 10% discount on laundry as well as a welcome drink at the Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highlands upon arrival.
For room reservation call 1-800 88 1800
Cheers!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Hotel De La Ferns Background
Farmer Bala and friend open their fourth hotel in Camerons
Thursday August 27, 2009
By Priya Menon
Photos by Low Lay Phon
One man, simply dressed, with a smile on his face, walks daily from Brinchang to Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, calling out to anyone he meets on the road.
One look and you would never have guessed that the cheerful man is a millionaire farmer who worked hard to become who he is.
S. Bala Krisnen's is a story of rags to riches, of hardship and hard work.
Born into a family of seven, his mother, who plucked tea leaves for a living, could not afford to educate him after Form Three. So as the fifth son in the family, Bala began working in a vegetable farm to make ends meet.
Later at 27, he acquired his own farm and has never looked back since. As years passed by, he branched out into building townships and buying hotels but his first love is still farming.
"I started on my own at 27. I was a farmer then and I always will be," he said with a smile.
For Bala, he has come this far due to his friends who are partners in his hotel business.
Among his close friends is Datuk Yee Shan Kon, a familiar face in the highlands and who also worked his way up despite his father's influence in society.
Yee's father, who was in construction, fell ill in 1973, leaving Yee to run the business at the age of 20.
Bala and Yee's friendship is almost 20 years old and they ventured into development in 1987.
However, their most notable collaboration was in 1990, when Yee and Bala developed the Bandar Baru Brinchang township. A year later they opened up their first hotel, the Rosa Pasadena, and thus became hoteliers.
Today, they are proud developers of a fourth hotel owned by Bala but managed by their company.
Located just three minutes away from Tanah Rata, Hotel De' La Ferns is a boutique hotel and the latest addition to the town's growing wonders.
Although Bala and Yee are simple men, their ideas and designs for the newly opened hotel says otherwise.
According to them, the English Tudor themed hotel was inspired by their travels abroad.
The architecture of the building is to be marvelled at as it takes the shape of a fern leaf just like its name suggests.
"We wanted to build something different so people would want to come back," Bala said.
The entrance is quite unique with a chandelier and the parking lot is spread around the hotel with bricks resembling a grand red carpet.
As you proceed into the hotel, the sofa set with arm chairs often found in English homes gives the place a warm and cosy feel.
The place is lit with specially designed rose lamps and the Fern restaurant has timber resembling heavy beams often found in old Irish bars. The al fresco dining area is set before a wall of Vietnam marbles that sparkles in daylight.
The restaurant is popular for steamboat for dinner and scones for high tea.
Each floor has a theme, be it summer, winter, autumn or spring and the five-storey hotel personifies the themes with coloured carpets, lighting and fixtures.
The 75 rooms are a luxury by itself with ample space for an extra mattress and with beautiful views of the countryside or golf greens.
Apart from that, the room has beautiful furnishings to complement the hotel. No two room is alike, whether in architecture, the fittings or the furniture. Each room has its own appeal.
There are also two pent suites, the Cameron Ferns and the Highland Ferns which cost RM1,800 each per night.
There is a lounge area on the lower floor to greet guests and a more intimate cosy lounge with bed and sofa upstairs. The bathroom has a powder room.
"We wanted to give the hotel one year to see its progress but the hotel including the pent suites have been full every weekend since it was opened three months ago," he said.
The rooms are equipped with HD LCD TV, satellite television and movie channels plus broadband facilities. There is also a private electronic safe deposit box, an integrated coffee and tea making set and a fully stocked mini-bar as well as ironing facilities.
The hotel can accommodate 200 people for meetings at its largest meeting rooms and smaller rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi services.
Like true Cameronians, both Bala and Yee have displayed pictures of various Cameron Highlands landmarks, flora and fauna along the corridors and in the rooms.
"What better way is there to promote the Highlands than by displaying pictures with the names of places so tourists would be interested in visiting these?" asked Bala.
He also prefers employing locals, especially from the orang asli settlement, to help them earn a living.
For Yee and Bala, there is no end to their work and they want to continue bringing new things to Cameron Highlands and its people.
He hopes his three children would some day be able to take over his business and make Camerons's a better place for everyone. His eldest son Saravana Kumar, 23, is already involved in the business.
The other three hotels in Cameron Highlands are Hotel Rosa Pasadena, Casa De La Rosa and Hotel Rainbow. Room rates for Hotel De' La Ferns ranges from RM380 for the Superior Double and Superior Twin to RM 780 for the Family Suite that can hold a family of five.
> For details on Hotel De' La Ferns, visit www.hoteldelaferns.com.my or call 05-491 4888. For enquiry on the other hotels visit www.cameronpremierhotels.com.my.
-- The StarMetro
Thursday August 27, 2009
By Priya Menon
Photos by Low Lay Phon
One man, simply dressed, with a smile on his face, walks daily from Brinchang to Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, calling out to anyone he meets on the road.
One look and you would never have guessed that the cheerful man is a millionaire farmer who worked hard to become who he is.
S. Bala Krisnen's is a story of rags to riches, of hardship and hard work.
Born into a family of seven, his mother, who plucked tea leaves for a living, could not afford to educate him after Form Three. So as the fifth son in the family, Bala began working in a vegetable farm to make ends meet.
Later at 27, he acquired his own farm and has never looked back since. As years passed by, he branched out into building townships and buying hotels but his first love is still farming.
"I started on my own at 27. I was a farmer then and I always will be," he said with a smile.
For Bala, he has come this far due to his friends who are partners in his hotel business.
Among his close friends is Datuk Yee Shan Kon, a familiar face in the highlands and who also worked his way up despite his father's influence in society.
Yee's father, who was in construction, fell ill in 1973, leaving Yee to run the business at the age of 20.
Bala and Yee's friendship is almost 20 years old and they ventured into development in 1987.
However, their most notable collaboration was in 1990, when Yee and Bala developed the Bandar Baru Brinchang township. A year later they opened up their first hotel, the Rosa Pasadena, and thus became hoteliers.
Today, they are proud developers of a fourth hotel owned by Bala but managed by their company.
Located just three minutes away from Tanah Rata, Hotel De' La Ferns is a boutique hotel and the latest addition to the town's growing wonders.
Cosy touch: Each floor has a theme like this Autumn splash on the ground floor
Although Bala and Yee are simple men, their ideas and designs for the newly opened hotel says otherwise.
According to them, the English Tudor themed hotel was inspired by their travels abroad.
The architecture of the building is to be marvelled at as it takes the shape of a fern leaf just like its name suggests.
"We wanted to build something different so people would want to come back," Bala said.
The entrance is quite unique with a chandelier and the parking lot is spread around the hotel with bricks resembling a grand red carpet.
As you proceed into the hotel, the sofa set with arm chairs often found in English homes gives the place a warm and cosy feel.
Plush: The interior of one of the suites.
The place is lit with specially designed rose lamps and the Fern restaurant has timber resembling heavy beams often found in old Irish bars. The al fresco dining area is set before a wall of Vietnam marbles that sparkles in daylight.
The restaurant is popular for steamboat for dinner and scones for high tea.
Each floor has a theme, be it summer, winter, autumn or spring and the five-storey hotel personifies the themes with coloured carpets, lighting and fixtures.
The 75 rooms are a luxury by itself with ample space for an extra mattress and with beautiful views of the countryside or golf greens.
Apart from that, the room has beautiful furnishings to complement the hotel. No two room is alike, whether in architecture, the fittings or the furniture. Each room has its own appeal.
There are also two pent suites, the Cameron Ferns and the Highland Ferns which cost RM1,800 each per night.
There is a lounge area on the lower floor to greet guests and a more intimate cosy lounge with bed and sofa upstairs. The bathroom has a powder room.
English Tudor theme: The Hotel De La Ferns.
"We wanted to give the hotel one year to see its progress but the hotel including the pent suites have been full every weekend since it was opened three months ago," he said.
The rooms are equipped with HD LCD TV, satellite television and movie channels plus broadband facilities. There is also a private electronic safe deposit box, an integrated coffee and tea making set and a fully stocked mini-bar as well as ironing facilities.
The hotel can accommodate 200 people for meetings at its largest meeting rooms and smaller rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi services.
Like true Cameronians, both Bala and Yee have displayed pictures of various Cameron Highlands landmarks, flora and fauna along the corridors and in the rooms.
"What better way is there to promote the Highlands than by displaying pictures with the names of places so tourists would be interested in visiting these?" asked Bala.
He also prefers employing locals, especially from the orang asli settlement, to help them earn a living.
For Yee and Bala, there is no end to their work and they want to continue bringing new things to Cameron Highlands and its people.
He hopes his three children would some day be able to take over his business and make Camerons's a better place for everyone. His eldest son Saravana Kumar, 23, is already involved in the business.
The other three hotels in Cameron Highlands are Hotel Rosa Pasadena, Casa De La Rosa and Hotel Rainbow. Room rates for Hotel De' La Ferns ranges from RM380 for the Superior Double and Superior Twin to RM 780 for the Family Suite that can hold a family of five.
> For details on Hotel De' La Ferns, visit www.hoteldelaferns.com.my or call 05-491 4888. For enquiry on the other hotels visit www.cameronpremierhotels.com.my.
-- The StarMetro
Friday, July 24, 2009
New Accommodation in Bukit Larut
A cosy slumber up a hill
Friday July 24, 2009
Bukit Larut, one of Perak's famed tourist destinations, is set to welcome more visitors looking to stay overnight on the hilltop in Taiping.
A spanking new two-storey hostel capable of housing 70 visitors with relative comfort is set to be completed there by end of August. It will boast dormitories, guests rooms, four hotel-like executive rooms, a cafeteria, meeting rooms and a recreational room.
Perak Tourism Action Council general manager Rahmad Ithnin said the RM3.7mil hostel was an addition to the existing six hill-top bungalows managed by the district office.
"We will be able to accommodate more backpackers, tourists and groups of students at the hilltop," he said during a visit to the hill recently.
The Tourism Ministry and state government have been working to upgrade infrastructure at the 1,036m-high Bukit Larut, or Maxwell Hill as it is still fondly known.
Friday July 24, 2009
Bukit Larut, one of Perak's famed tourist destinations, is set to welcome more visitors looking to stay overnight on the hilltop in Taiping.
A spanking new two-storey hostel capable of housing 70 visitors with relative comfort is set to be completed there by end of August. It will boast dormitories, guests rooms, four hotel-like executive rooms, a cafeteria, meeting rooms and a recreational room.
Jeeps waiting to take visitors down from the top of Bukit Larut in Taiping, Perak.
Perak Tourism Action Council general manager Rahmad Ithnin said the RM3.7mil hostel was an addition to the existing six hill-top bungalows managed by the district office.
"We will be able to accommodate more backpackers, tourists and groups of students at the hilltop," he said during a visit to the hill recently.
The Tourism Ministry and state government have been working to upgrade infrastructure at the 1,036m-high Bukit Larut, or Maxwell Hill as it is still fondly known.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Strict rules for Tourism Malaysia Homestay
Strict rules for homestays to ensure true Malaysian experience
Tuesday June 9, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: Homestay operators will have to follow a set of strict guidelines to ensure visitors will get the real experience of local living.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said all homestay operators must occupy and cannot rent out a house to tourists under the homestay concept.
She said the operators must interact with their guests, teach them at least one local song and dance, and a special local delicacy so that tourists would get the real taste of the Malaysian experience.
"There are many tourists who want to experience more of Malaysians' lives than having just a leisure and recreation visit," Dr Ng told reporters on her first official working visit to Sabah where state officials gave her a briefing on tourism.
Tuesday June 9, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: Homestay operators will have to follow a set of strict guidelines to ensure visitors will get the real experience of local living.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said all homestay operators must occupy and cannot rent out a house to tourists under the homestay concept.
She said the operators must interact with their guests, teach them at least one local song and dance, and a special local delicacy so that tourists would get the real taste of the Malaysian experience.
"There are many tourists who want to experience more of Malaysians' lives than having just a leisure and recreation visit," Dr Ng told reporters on her first official working visit to Sabah where state officials gave her a briefing on tourism.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Homestay a good way to see country
Homestay a good way to see country
Thursday March 26, 2009
I AM all for the support of any initiative to bolster the rural economy, especially during this period of economic uncertainties. Thus the report, “Tourism Ministry pushes homestay concept” (The Star, March 17) is a welcome move.
Homestay for tourists as a tourism product and a Malaysian attraction should be given due emphasis as it does not incur a big sum of money. It does not need to construct any infrastructure, except for promotions to “sell” our fast disappearing Malaysian way of life.
Thursday March 26, 2009
I AM all for the support of any initiative to bolster the rural economy, especially during this period of economic uncertainties. Thus the report, “Tourism Ministry pushes homestay concept” (The Star, March 17) is a welcome move.
Homestay for tourists as a tourism product and a Malaysian attraction should be given due emphasis as it does not incur a big sum of money. It does not need to construct any infrastructure, except for promotions to “sell” our fast disappearing Malaysian way of life.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Keeping a vacation home (like in the highlands?)
Keeping a vacation home
Saturday January 24, 2009
By Thean Lee Cheng
Buyers are unlikely to sell their property as they are passionate about it
A year ago, Yen Chong, 47, and her husband bought a two-bedroom apartment of less than 1,000 sq ft in Silver Park, Fraser’s Hill. It set them back by about RM120,000 but the couple was thrilled about the weekly rendezvous.
Economic turmoil notwithstanding, it is a purchase they do not regret a jot.
Recalls Chong: “We were going up to Fraser’s Hill very often and were renting the three-bedroom bungalows which come with a housekeeper and cook for between RM500 and RM600 for the weekend.”
Saturday January 24, 2009
By Thean Lee Cheng
Buyers are unlikely to sell their property as they are passionate about it
A year ago, Yen Chong, 47, and her husband bought a two-bedroom apartment of less than 1,000 sq ft in Silver Park, Fraser’s Hill. It set them back by about RM120,000 but the couple was thrilled about the weekly rendezvous.
Economic turmoil notwithstanding, it is a purchase they do not regret a jot.
Recalls Chong: “We were going up to Fraser’s Hill very often and were renting the three-bedroom bungalows which come with a housekeeper and cook for between RM500 and RM600 for the weekend.”
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The best thing of Smokehouse Hotel and Restaurant
The best thing
By Clara Chooi
Saturday October 25, 2008
You can get a taste of ye olde England in Cameron Highland’s colonial-styled Smokehouse Hotel.
IT is not often that I am rendered speechless, least of all by a tourist destination in my own country, but the words failed me when I stepped into the Smokehouse Hotel.
I wondered if I had just stepped back in time.
By Clara Chooi
Saturday October 25, 2008
You can get a taste of ye olde England in Cameron Highland’s colonial-styled Smokehouse Hotel.
IT is not often that I am rendered speechless, least of all by a tourist destination in my own country, but the words failed me when I stepped into the Smokehouse Hotel.
I wondered if I had just stepped back in time.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Tea Time at YTL Cameron Highlands Resort
It's 3.30 pm in the Cameron Highlands, which rise some 5000 ft above sea level and are reached by a vertiginous four-hour drive winding up through the jungle from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The landscape up here seems otherworldly; with high ridges as far as the eye can see covered in strangely vivid, clipped bushes which at first resemble either a vast art installation by the likes of sculptor-in-nature Andy Goldsworthy or maybe a place J.R.R. Tolkien might have imagined for his orcs and elves.
Then the eye is drawn to a different silhouette atop one of the bright green slopes, which, as one gets closer, is revealed to be a table shaded by a vast parasol. Beneath it stands a waiter in a starched white uniform. Laid out on a damask cloth are bone china cups along with finger sandwiches and home-baked scones; all in all a spread that would not look out of place at the London Ritz. Behold the "afternoon tea picnic" prepared by YTL's the Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel and served on a working tea plantation. The hotel also offers tea planter guided walks and, before every treatment on its spa menu, a detoxifying, skin-softening bath in cold tea.
Tea Tourism is a growing niche, confirms Caroline Grayburn, of Tim Best Travel, a London-based travel agent known for planning unusual, bespoke trips. "An interest in tea can take you to the exceptionally beautiful Darjeeling in the northeast of India, or to Kerala in the south, or even to Uganda and Malawi in Africa. Our clients are keen to get beneath the surface of a country and see how it works and of course being served afternoon tea in ravishingly lovely hill country, well, what could be more glorious?" she adds.
Joe Simrany, president of The Tea Council of the USA, who has also stayed on breathtaking tea plantations in China and Sri Lanka, agrees. "There's nothing like waking up at the top of the world, with only the noise of birds and monkeys."
Those who love tea are fortunate that the camellia sinensis, the plant from which all tea — whether black, green, white or Oolong — is derived (except of course peppermint, chamomile or fruit teas, which are not strictly teas at all) is inherently picturesque; especially when viewed from a cane armchair on a shady veranda.
As for the round-the-world rituals of tea, the precision of tea making is fascinating to observe — from the Chinese style to the wonders of Japanese tea ceremony. Even English-style Afternoon Tea — accompanied by finger sandwiches and freshly-baked scones — is enjoying a considerable revival. In modern Britain where workers sup their afternoon "cuppa" on the go, the tea break may be a thing of the past, yet going out for afternoon tea has, perversely, never been more popular. At Fortnum & Mason, the Piccadilly store which started selling loose leaf tea in 1707, the instore restaurants alone brew 40 kilos a week; that's 3,600 pots or about 7,200 cups.
"There's a certain ceremony to tea," says Simon Burdess, Fortnum & Msaon's trading director. "It's the absolute opposite to the morning shot of espresso. It has its protocols, it's about slowing down and taking a moment from the hustle of the modern world, which, these days, seems the ultimate luxury."
The French took to tea in 1636, eight years before it arrived in England and what were then Britannia's colonies in the Americas. Afternoon tea, French style, (accompanied by macaroons or madeleines, but never with milk) has been enjoying a considerable renaissance too, which some attribute to Sofia Coppola's 2006 movie, "Marie Antoinette", where the Queen and her friends taking tea was portrayed as an 18th century equivalent of the Carrie Bradshaw and the girls with their Cosmopolitans.
In India, the source of much of the world's tea, the ceremony of afternoon tea used to be considered a throwback to the Raj, "yet recently, my girlfriends and I have rediscovered The Willingdon Club in Mumbai for the full afternoon tea," says Sheetal Mafatlal, the president of Mafatlal Luxury, which has the Valentino franchise in India.
Such fashionability makes it tempting to call tea the new coffee, although this would be ridiculous from a historical perspective, given that an emperor in ancient China (or more likely, his servant) first threw boiling water onto plucked leaves some 3,000 years before Arabian traders decided to boil up the coffee beans they had gotten from Ethiopia. Worldwide, tea is far more popular than coffee (except in the US, where it also trails behind soft drinks, beer and milk). Yet while Arabica certainly has its aficionados and people all over the globe are now familiar with the "Tall, Grande, Vente" lingo of Starbucks, "there are literally thousands of different types of tea to discover, according to the Tea Council's Simrany.
The taste of the four main types of tea varies according to how the leaf is treated before it is dried: hence white tea, which comes from the tips, tastes different from black tea, where the leaves have been wilted, rolled and fermented and which is again different from Oolong, where the fermenting process is arrested half way through. Green tea leaves are dried fresh from picking. Add to this first and second flush, which refers to when the leaves were picked; then geographical origin from robust, malty Assam in India to light, bright Dimbula Ceylon, from Sri Lanka. There is leaf size to consider too and here, the term "Orange Pekoe" has nothing to do with oranges, but instead denotes whether the leaf is a bud, even the very tip of a bud.
Good tea, like fine wine, carries the character of the land where it is grown. The world's top traders employ tasters, who are rather like perfumers, except they must juggle with flavor as well as aroma to mix extraordinary blends. "We have two people here who can identify tea virtually to the hillside on which it was grown", says Fortnum & Mason's Burdess, "and that simply isn't possible with coffee where so much of the flavor comes from the roasting."
Source: http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=40723
Time Magazine. September 15, 2008 issue
Then the eye is drawn to a different silhouette atop one of the bright green slopes, which, as one gets closer, is revealed to be a table shaded by a vast parasol. Beneath it stands a waiter in a starched white uniform. Laid out on a damask cloth are bone china cups along with finger sandwiches and home-baked scones; all in all a spread that would not look out of place at the London Ritz. Behold the "afternoon tea picnic" prepared by YTL's the Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel and served on a working tea plantation. The hotel also offers tea planter guided walks and, before every treatment on its spa menu, a detoxifying, skin-softening bath in cold tea.
High Tea in Malaysia: Tea tourism attracts travelers to the Cameron Highlands Resort, where classic tea service is provided right on the plantation grounds.
Tea Tourism is a growing niche, confirms Caroline Grayburn, of Tim Best Travel, a London-based travel agent known for planning unusual, bespoke trips. "An interest in tea can take you to the exceptionally beautiful Darjeeling in the northeast of India, or to Kerala in the south, or even to Uganda and Malawi in Africa. Our clients are keen to get beneath the surface of a country and see how it works and of course being served afternoon tea in ravishingly lovely hill country, well, what could be more glorious?" she adds.
Joe Simrany, president of The Tea Council of the USA, who has also stayed on breathtaking tea plantations in China and Sri Lanka, agrees. "There's nothing like waking up at the top of the world, with only the noise of birds and monkeys."
Those who love tea are fortunate that the camellia sinensis, the plant from which all tea — whether black, green, white or Oolong — is derived (except of course peppermint, chamomile or fruit teas, which are not strictly teas at all) is inherently picturesque; especially when viewed from a cane armchair on a shady veranda.
As for the round-the-world rituals of tea, the precision of tea making is fascinating to observe — from the Chinese style to the wonders of Japanese tea ceremony. Even English-style Afternoon Tea — accompanied by finger sandwiches and freshly-baked scones — is enjoying a considerable revival. In modern Britain where workers sup their afternoon "cuppa" on the go, the tea break may be a thing of the past, yet going out for afternoon tea has, perversely, never been more popular. At Fortnum & Mason, the Piccadilly store which started selling loose leaf tea in 1707, the instore restaurants alone brew 40 kilos a week; that's 3,600 pots or about 7,200 cups.
"There's a certain ceremony to tea," says Simon Burdess, Fortnum & Msaon's trading director. "It's the absolute opposite to the morning shot of espresso. It has its protocols, it's about slowing down and taking a moment from the hustle of the modern world, which, these days, seems the ultimate luxury."
The French took to tea in 1636, eight years before it arrived in England and what were then Britannia's colonies in the Americas. Afternoon tea, French style, (accompanied by macaroons or madeleines, but never with milk) has been enjoying a considerable renaissance too, which some attribute to Sofia Coppola's 2006 movie, "Marie Antoinette", where the Queen and her friends taking tea was portrayed as an 18th century equivalent of the Carrie Bradshaw and the girls with their Cosmopolitans.
In India, the source of much of the world's tea, the ceremony of afternoon tea used to be considered a throwback to the Raj, "yet recently, my girlfriends and I have rediscovered The Willingdon Club in Mumbai for the full afternoon tea," says Sheetal Mafatlal, the president of Mafatlal Luxury, which has the Valentino franchise in India.
Afternoon Tea Picnic: An employee of the Cameron Highlands Resort prepares a table for classic high tea service. The hotel also offers guided walks of the plantation and a includes a cold tea bath as part of its spa menu.
Such fashionability makes it tempting to call tea the new coffee, although this would be ridiculous from a historical perspective, given that an emperor in ancient China (or more likely, his servant) first threw boiling water onto plucked leaves some 3,000 years before Arabian traders decided to boil up the coffee beans they had gotten from Ethiopia. Worldwide, tea is far more popular than coffee (except in the US, where it also trails behind soft drinks, beer and milk). Yet while Arabica certainly has its aficionados and people all over the globe are now familiar with the "Tall, Grande, Vente" lingo of Starbucks, "there are literally thousands of different types of tea to discover, according to the Tea Council's Simrany.
The taste of the four main types of tea varies according to how the leaf is treated before it is dried: hence white tea, which comes from the tips, tastes different from black tea, where the leaves have been wilted, rolled and fermented and which is again different from Oolong, where the fermenting process is arrested half way through. Green tea leaves are dried fresh from picking. Add to this first and second flush, which refers to when the leaves were picked; then geographical origin from robust, malty Assam in India to light, bright Dimbula Ceylon, from Sri Lanka. There is leaf size to consider too and here, the term "Orange Pekoe" has nothing to do with oranges, but instead denotes whether the leaf is a bud, even the very tip of a bud.
Good tea, like fine wine, carries the character of the land where it is grown. The world's top traders employ tasters, who are rather like perfumers, except they must juggle with flavor as well as aroma to mix extraordinary blends. "We have two people here who can identify tea virtually to the hillside on which it was grown", says Fortnum & Mason's Burdess, "and that simply isn't possible with coffee where so much of the flavor comes from the roasting."
Source: http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=40723
Time Magazine. September 15, 2008 issue
Saturday, December 22, 2007
A cool respite
A cool respite
Saturday December 22, 2007
By Revathi Murugappan
For a relaxing retreat combined with spa treatments, drive up to the Cameron Highlands Resort.
The largest hill resort in the country, Cameron Highlands is a popular holiday getaway for families and couples. There is lodging to suit all budgets but if you’re looking for luxury with a bit of pampering, a good choice is Cameron Highlands Resort.
Unlike its sister resorts in Pangkor and Tanjung Jara, Cameron Highlands Resort is small and resembles a typical English colonial home. The resort exudes English elegance and tropical chic.
The 56-room boutique hotel, formerly called the Merlin Inn, was taken over by YTL Hotels and Properties Sdn Bhd just last year and already it is drawing in the crowds. Recently, the resort was voted amongst the five best tea plantation hotels in the world by UK’s The Independent newspaper.
So, off we went on a three-day invitation to enjoy the cool climate of the highlands and bask in opulence. We had a speedy Gonzales of a driver who drove us from Kuala Lumpur to our destination in slightly less than two hours!
The usual check-ins and whatnots followed before we explored the place at our own pace. For a truly sensational experience, they treated us to one of their signature tea plantation experience one morning – a visit to a tea centre.
Typically, such a day starts with a 4WD picking up guests and taking them to the Boh Sungai Palas Tea Centre. A tea sommelier will lead you on a tea appreciation tour before explaining the intricacies of tea tasting. You’ll get to enjoy your cuppa while overlooking the valley.
Once you have warmed up, the adventure begins as you hop into the vehicle and drive deeper into the valley. Amidst rows of fragrant tea bushes, a picnic table is set up under a large white umbrella. A personal Nepali butler awaits with a delightful brunch spread and choices of wine, juices and hot beverages.
The view is simply gorgeous but if it rains, then you can scurry for shelter at the nearby “bus stop”.
After binging, we skipped lunch and opted for tea, which incidentally is the new rage all over the world now. Food, food and more glorious food! If you’re a tea lover like moi, you must try the English afternoon tea at the Jim Thompson Tea Room.
The homemade scones, pastries, finger sandwiches and fresh strawberries topped with sinful chocolate might affect your waistline, but hey, when you’re on holiday, calorie-counting goes out the window. Besides, you can always work off the pounds later.
Bellies expanded and breathing heavy, we decided it was time for a snooze in the king-sized four-poster bed. The deluxe rooms are comfy and feature a seating area with French doors opening out to the balcony. Polished timber flooring has replaced the musty carpets of the old Merlin Inn, while the bathroom is in old-fashioned black and white marble.
All rooms either overlook the golf course or the lush forest.
The only drawback was that my room faced the main road (golf course) and the traffic was noisy. I kept waking up annoyed from the car honks and loud chatter of pedestrians, even with the windows and shutters closed.
A visit to any of YTL’s luxury resorts is incomplete without the spa treatment, for which the group has garnered many international awards. I was recommended the Fresh Strawberry Escapade, which includes a tea bath, a body polish and a massage – all using fresh strawberries, which have properties to soften skin and reduce inflammation.
The tea bath was supposedly a sensual experience. The tub is filled with tea leaves and warm water, and you jump in. You can place cut cucumber on your eyes, rub sugar to exfoliate your hands, and sip ice lemon tea to cool yourself while listening to meditative music on the earphones.
While I loved the soaking, I found it uncomfortable as the tubs were not meant for tall people! I couldn’t find a comfortable position to place my long legs and relax.
The body polish, made of strawberries, yoghurt and crushed oatmeal was delightful, although the chilled concoction initially sent shivers down my spine. My therapist ended the treatment with a massage using soothing, long strokes and medium pressure. I would’ve fallen asleep but dinner was calling.
Plans were made for us to dine under the stars but since it rained, we headed indoors for a specially prepared steamboat dinner. Guests have a choice of three restaurants to choose from, one being the Gonbei, an offshoot of the Japanese restaurant at Feast Village in Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
After dinner, guests can head back to the tea room to enjoy the delightful piano tunes played by Uncle Stephen or try a game of snooker. Or if you’d rather be outdoors, and the weather holds up, take a stroll along the main road to the nearby night market.
The next day was spent leisurely hiking along the Jim Thompson Mystery Trail with Shahril Kamarulzaman, the resort’s naturalist, who specialises in wild orchids.
Thomson, the American Silk King, mysteriously vanished on Easter Sunday in 1967 after going for a walk in the surrounding forests.
There are many theories regarding his disappearance, some plausible, others ridiculous.
“He is believed to have walked around the vicinity but I’m not sure of the exact trail,” quipped Shahril as he showed us endemic plants and flowers in the botanical paradise. The pleasant walk was marred by the appearance of many illegal water pipes in the forest due to poor enforcement by the authorities.
The walk ended at the fringes of an Orang Asli settlement and, after a quick lunch, we parted ways.
Cameron Highlands Resort
Tanah Rata
Cameron Highlands, Pahang
Tel: (03)2783 1000
E-mail: travelcentre@ytlhotels.com.my
www.cameronhighlandsresort. com
Room rates begin at
RM670++ per night.
Saturday December 22, 2007
By Revathi Murugappan
For a relaxing retreat combined with spa treatments, drive up to the Cameron Highlands Resort.
The largest hill resort in the country, Cameron Highlands is a popular holiday getaway for families and couples. There is lodging to suit all budgets but if you’re looking for luxury with a bit of pampering, a good choice is Cameron Highlands Resort.
Unlike its sister resorts in Pangkor and Tanjung Jara, Cameron Highlands Resort is small and resembles a typical English colonial home. The resort exudes English elegance and tropical chic.
The high life: This is Cameron Highland Resort’s treat for guests — tea amongst tea bushes in the Boh Sungai Palas Tea Centre
The 56-room boutique hotel, formerly called the Merlin Inn, was taken over by YTL Hotels and Properties Sdn Bhd just last year and already it is drawing in the crowds. Recently, the resort was voted amongst the five best tea plantation hotels in the world by UK’s The Independent newspaper.
So, off we went on a three-day invitation to enjoy the cool climate of the highlands and bask in opulence. We had a speedy Gonzales of a driver who drove us from Kuala Lumpur to our destination in slightly less than two hours!
The usual check-ins and whatnots followed before we explored the place at our own pace. For a truly sensational experience, they treated us to one of their signature tea plantation experience one morning – a visit to a tea centre.
Typically, such a day starts with a 4WD picking up guests and taking them to the Boh Sungai Palas Tea Centre. A tea sommelier will lead you on a tea appreciation tour before explaining the intricacies of tea tasting. You’ll get to enjoy your cuppa while overlooking the valley.
Once you have warmed up, the adventure begins as you hop into the vehicle and drive deeper into the valley. Amidst rows of fragrant tea bushes, a picnic table is set up under a large white umbrella. A personal Nepali butler awaits with a delightful brunch spread and choices of wine, juices and hot beverages.
The view is simply gorgeous but if it rains, then you can scurry for shelter at the nearby “bus stop”.
After binging, we skipped lunch and opted for tea, which incidentally is the new rage all over the world now. Food, food and more glorious food! If you’re a tea lover like moi, you must try the English afternoon tea at the Jim Thompson Tea Room.
The homemade scones, pastries, finger sandwiches and fresh strawberries topped with sinful chocolate might affect your waistline, but hey, when you’re on holiday, calorie-counting goes out the window. Besides, you can always work off the pounds later.
Bellies expanded and breathing heavy, we decided it was time for a snooze in the king-sized four-poster bed. The deluxe rooms are comfy and feature a seating area with French doors opening out to the balcony. Polished timber flooring has replaced the musty carpets of the old Merlin Inn, while the bathroom is in old-fashioned black and white marble.
All rooms either overlook the golf course or the lush forest.
Resident naturalist Shahril Kamarulzaman with some guests on the Jim Thompson trail. — Ong Soon Hin/The Star
The only drawback was that my room faced the main road (golf course) and the traffic was noisy. I kept waking up annoyed from the car honks and loud chatter of pedestrians, even with the windows and shutters closed.
A visit to any of YTL’s luxury resorts is incomplete without the spa treatment, for which the group has garnered many international awards. I was recommended the Fresh Strawberry Escapade, which includes a tea bath, a body polish and a massage – all using fresh strawberries, which have properties to soften skin and reduce inflammation.
The tea bath was supposedly a sensual experience. The tub is filled with tea leaves and warm water, and you jump in. You can place cut cucumber on your eyes, rub sugar to exfoliate your hands, and sip ice lemon tea to cool yourself while listening to meditative music on the earphones.
While I loved the soaking, I found it uncomfortable as the tubs were not meant for tall people! I couldn’t find a comfortable position to place my long legs and relax.
The body polish, made of strawberries, yoghurt and crushed oatmeal was delightful, although the chilled concoction initially sent shivers down my spine. My therapist ended the treatment with a massage using soothing, long strokes and medium pressure. I would’ve fallen asleep but dinner was calling.
Plans were made for us to dine under the stars but since it rained, we headed indoors for a specially prepared steamboat dinner. Guests have a choice of three restaurants to choose from, one being the Gonbei, an offshoot of the Japanese restaurant at Feast Village in Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
After dinner, guests can head back to the tea room to enjoy the delightful piano tunes played by Uncle Stephen or try a game of snooker. Or if you’d rather be outdoors, and the weather holds up, take a stroll along the main road to the nearby night market.
The next day was spent leisurely hiking along the Jim Thompson Mystery Trail with Shahril Kamarulzaman, the resort’s naturalist, who specialises in wild orchids.
Thomson, the American Silk King, mysteriously vanished on Easter Sunday in 1967 after going for a walk in the surrounding forests.
There are many theories regarding his disappearance, some plausible, others ridiculous.
“He is believed to have walked around the vicinity but I’m not sure of the exact trail,” quipped Shahril as he showed us endemic plants and flowers in the botanical paradise. The pleasant walk was marred by the appearance of many illegal water pipes in the forest due to poor enforcement by the authorities.
The walk ended at the fringes of an Orang Asli settlement and, after a quick lunch, we parted ways.
Cameron Highlands Resort
Tanah Rata
Cameron Highlands, Pahang
Tel: (03)2783 1000
E-mail: travelcentre@ytlhotels.com.my
www.cameronhighlandsresort. com
Room rates begin at
RM670++ per night.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
YTL's hotels and resorts great escapade
Packages for great escapades
By Chow How Ban
Saturday December 2, 2006
THOSE looking for holiday packages can check out The Great Escape, a showcase of YTL's hotels and resorts that is being held until Dec 10 at Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
The showcase features award-winning properties like The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu, Cameron Highlands Resort and The Spa Village.
At a press conference held recently, YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd brand communications executive vice-president Kevin Tromp said while visitors found out more about the packages, masseurs from The Spa Village would be around to offer them mini-massages.
“With the purchase of any of these packages, they will get a free one-year YTL Platinum Plus membership which is a fabulous award programme offering things like beauty products and luggage within Starhill Gallery and spa treatment and vacations at Tanjong Jara Resort and Pangkor Laut Resort,” he said.
Tromp then briefed the media on the latest offerings and development at The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort and The Spa Village.
Tromp (right) and Cokkinias posing with a model of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
“The Cameron Highlands Resort is doing very well. Many executive groups are choosing it as their retreat to get away from Kuala Lumpur as it has a nice environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tanjong Jara Resort, he said, had made it into the top five of the Best Overseas Hotel Spas in Asia and top 100 spas worldwide in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2006.
He said the resort had launched The Spa Village which housed five new treatment pavilions, each of which featured an outdoor sunken bath and a designated Malay flower bath facility.
He said the spa facility at the resort offered guests an authentic spa treatment using traditional Malay techniques and recipes handed down from generation to generation.
“We have a strong brand in the making. At the moment, we have The Spa Village at Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort, Pangkor Laut Resort and The Ritz-Carlton.”
At the internationally acclaimed Pangkor Laut Resort, he said, the hill villas would be upgraded in time for Christmas and a few more restaurants offering Thai cuisine would be opened.
“Pangkor Laut Resort is a product that we are all proud of. We are taking the resort to another level and at the same time keeping its position for many years to come,” he added.
He revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony for the Majestic Hotel in Malacca had been held and the would be include a heritage building.
The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur general manager Steve Cokkinias said the hotel was departing from its traditionally classic image and transforming into a contemporary hotel catering for a younger market.
“The guestrooms were renovated recently. The new tower of suites was completed last year and we now have The Spa Village,” he said.
He added that the guestroom layout had been reorganised with iPod docks and other communication ports, enhanced lighting, new bedding, flat panel TV, CD and DVD players, marble bathrooms and flooring. - The Star
See additional info:
YTL Cameron Highlands Resort and Spa Village
Pulau Pangkor
By Chow How Ban
Saturday December 2, 2006
THOSE looking for holiday packages can check out The Great Escape, a showcase of YTL's hotels and resorts that is being held until Dec 10 at Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
The showcase features award-winning properties like The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu, Cameron Highlands Resort and The Spa Village.
At a press conference held recently, YTL Hotels & Properties Sdn Bhd brand communications executive vice-president Kevin Tromp said while visitors found out more about the packages, masseurs from The Spa Village would be around to offer them mini-massages.
“With the purchase of any of these packages, they will get a free one-year YTL Platinum Plus membership which is a fabulous award programme offering things like beauty products and luggage within Starhill Gallery and spa treatment and vacations at Tanjong Jara Resort and Pangkor Laut Resort,” he said.
Tromp then briefed the media on the latest offerings and development at The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor Laut Resort, Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort and The Spa Village.
Tromp (right) and Cokkinias posing with a model of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
“The Cameron Highlands Resort is doing very well. Many executive groups are choosing it as their retreat to get away from Kuala Lumpur as it has a nice environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tanjong Jara Resort, he said, had made it into the top five of the Best Overseas Hotel Spas in Asia and top 100 spas worldwide in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2006.
He said the resort had launched The Spa Village which housed five new treatment pavilions, each of which featured an outdoor sunken bath and a designated Malay flower bath facility.
He said the spa facility at the resort offered guests an authentic spa treatment using traditional Malay techniques and recipes handed down from generation to generation.
“We have a strong brand in the making. At the moment, we have The Spa Village at Tanjong Jara Resort, Cameron Highlands Resort, Pangkor Laut Resort and The Ritz-Carlton.”
At the internationally acclaimed Pangkor Laut Resort, he said, the hill villas would be upgraded in time for Christmas and a few more restaurants offering Thai cuisine would be opened.
“Pangkor Laut Resort is a product that we are all proud of. We are taking the resort to another level and at the same time keeping its position for many years to come,” he added.
He revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony for the Majestic Hotel in Malacca had been held and the would be include a heritage building.
The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur general manager Steve Cokkinias said the hotel was departing from its traditionally classic image and transforming into a contemporary hotel catering for a younger market.
“The guestrooms were renovated recently. The new tower of suites was completed last year and we now have The Spa Village,” he said.
He added that the guestroom layout had been reorganised with iPod docks and other communication ports, enhanced lighting, new bedding, flat panel TV, CD and DVD players, marble bathrooms and flooring. - The Star
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Hotel Equatorial Promotion
As the Ramadan fasting month draws near, there will be a flurry of promotion going on with the various hotels. Hotel Equatorial Cameron Highlands is no different and has tie-in with a Southern Bank Direct Access credit card.
I received this voucher together with my recent credit card statement. And it says here RM388 per room for 4 nights consecutive stay, but as usual there is a limitation, you can only stay during the weekdays from Sunday to Thursday.
These are the low visiting period that's when the tourist visiting Cameron Highlands are few and in between. Still at RM388 per room for 4 nights consecutive stay, that comes to about RM97 per night. That's not too bad considering that if you stayed at the shop house hotels like Jasmine Hotel, Parkland, Kowloon etc in Brinchang or Tanah Rata would be about around this price range already.
But wait, there is more! They are also offering:
• Simpang Pulai Toll Rebate - Enjoy a rebate off your one way Simpang Pulai entry toll receipt. Terms & Conditions apply (yea, yea as usual please read the fine print!) • Discount for Breakfast - Stay and enjoy a 20% discount on Food & Beverage at Coffee Shop.
But do take note that on the weekdays, the Brinchang night market will not be open except during the school holidays. So if you really enjoy going to "pasar malam", don't be disappointed that it is not available during your weekday stay. But I do know we Malaysians has the "shop till you drop" kind of syndrome, or even window shopping if you just take a look at the crazy traffic at the various giant malls that we have during the weekends!
Well you could carry out other healthy activities instead of just shopping! There are many sights and attractions and things to do in Cameron Highlands.
If you are a Southern Bank Direct Access credit card holder and plan to use your vouchers you can find out more about it at: http://www.equatorial.com/da or give them a call at 1-800-88-1800.
For more info check out Hotel Equatorial Cameron Highlands webpage.
Aw, not a SBB Direct Access credit card holder? Well you could check out the Cameron Highlands Hotels and Accommodation list which I have compiled.
Happy traveling!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Stay for free at Teluk Dalam Resort
Could this be true? Stay for free at Teluk Dalam Resort Pangkor? Not really. There is a catch; it says here just pay RM70 per person per night for breakfast and dinner. So if you are going on a twin share basis that comes to about RM140 per night. Not entirely free if I would say so.
The reason they are coming up with this promotion from 25th September to 20th October, 2006 is because of Ramadan fasting month. I guess it will be low peak season until the Hari Raya weekend begins from 21st till 25th October.
Well if you think this is a good deal you can call them and make a booking.
Oh, you may be wondering why I'm promoting Pulau Pangkor. Well, I'm just taking a break from my usual Cameron Highlands articles. But if you want to find out more about Pulau Pangkor you could check out Peter's Pulau Pangkor website.
But he is not here in Malaysia at this moment. He emailed me to inform that he is now in Laos for a short cycling adventure. Ah, he seems to have all the time in the world to bike around all day long! Well, not all of us mortals get the luxury to go for holiday whenever we like. Hopefully one day I will have the same kind of luxury.
Meantime, I owe, I owe, so off to work I go! :)
Cheerio!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Cameron Highlands Resort is now open!
Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel (formerly known as Merlin Inn) located opposite the Golf Course is now open! It looks really good after its refurbishment and renovation. I just can't wait to visit it but I will have to satisfy with the pictures for now until my next plan trip to Cameron Highlands.
Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel is now managed by YTL Corporation. Just to give you an idea, if you have been to JW Marriot Hotel, Starhill and lot 10 shopping center in Kuala Lumpur famous Sungai Wang shopping area, these buildings all belong to YTL Corporation. YTL Corporation has a tendency to do things in a grand fashion. So I suppose the brand new hotel will have a price tag to go with it if you intend to stay there.
Francis Teoh, the current MD and owner of YTL not only do things big, he does it with much pomp and fanfair. I was fortunate enough to attend his Russel Watson concert and celebration last year, it was done in such a fabulous grandiose.
So we shall expect Cameron Highlands Resort to be similarly of high standard and quality.
Below is more write up and info about the new hotel.
Kuala Lumpur, 25 April 2006
On March 27th 1967, an American businessman disappeared during a visit to the Cameron Highlands. The famous Thai silk king, Jim Thompson, was on a holiday in the highlands with some friends when he went for a walk. The mystery remains to this day and Jim Thompson's name comes alive again in the Jim Thompson Tea Room, set in YTL Hotels & Properties's brand new 56-room boutique property in the Cameron Highlands: Cameron Highlands Resort.
At the Jim Thompson Tea Room, the time-honoured tradition of English afternoon tea may be enjoyed in an elegant setting for the leisurely savouring of finger sandwiches, light-as-air pastries and home baked scones as well as fresh Cameron strawberries. Complementing this delicious spread is a wide-ranging selection of exquisite Cameron Highlands teas.
YTL Hotels & Properties, a leading luxury hotel developer and operator in Malaysia, today opens the doors to its third luxury resort in Malaysia. Cameron Highlands Resort is conceived to complement the luxury collection of world-renowned resorts such as Pangkor Laut Resort and Tanjong Jara Resort.
Located in the state of Pahang, approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands Resort is one of Malaysia's cool and picturesque hill stations, 1,467 metres above sea level, stretching along a plateau set high above the river valley.
Discovered by British surveyor William Cameron on a mapping expedition in 1885, the fame of Cameron Highlands grew during the colonial era. British expatriates would frequent the highlands to relax and escape the lowland tropical heat, and British planters soon realised the potential of its fertile mountain slopes for growing tea, then a prized commodity.
Today, Cameron Highlands is still home to many tea plantations, as well as strawberry and vegetable farms, jungle trails, cascading waterfalls and rose gardens. Much of the highlands' character remains unchanged, exuding an old English charm.
Set on a lush hillock fronting the golf course, Cameron Highlands Resort, with the tagline Trails, Tales and Tradition, is surrounded by flourishing greenery and rolling hills. The property embodies the charm, the adventure and gentility of that old world practised in the colonial lifestyle during the '40s and '50s.
In addition to the luxurious amenities and a level of service that symbolises the rich fusion of traditional English manners and discreet Asian hospitality, distinctive attributes of the boutique hotel include classic restaurants, a unique Spa Village with signature treatments based on ancient tea rituals and of course, the adjacent 18-hole golf course.
Designed and conceptualised to complement its highland setting, the hotel's interior resembles a genteel English colonial home, with welcoming fireplaces in the Reading Room and Highlands Bar. Its 56 rooms and suites boast a distinctive sense for style and comfort and look out to panoramic, unobstructed views of Cameron Highlands. Standard features include four-poster beds, seating areas with comfortable settees and armchairs, and luxurious bathrooms.
An array of dining experiences are set to attract locals as well as out-of-town guests. The Dining Room, with vista windows overlooking the golf course and an outdoor terrace, offers creative all day dining menus prepared using the freshest ingredients and local herbs and spices.
Gonbei, a spin-off of the exquisite traditional Japanese restaurant made famous in the ritzy Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, is open for dinner and serves sashimi, soba, tempura and bento sets. For leisurely evening cocktails over a game of snooker or the traditional stengah, the Highlands Bar is a warm and comfortable venue.
Cameron Highlands Resort also features the third wellness centre of the award-winning Spa Village, with a wide range of sophisticated treatments and healing therapies inspired by the restorative properties of tea. Each guest luxuriates in a signature tea bath before every treatment. The Cameron Highlands Spa Village offers tranquil indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, tea bath rooms and a fully-equipped gymnasium.
The hotel's Grand Ballroom will provide for intimate and exclusive social and corporate gatherings in an elegant setting for up to 200 persons. Complementing this facility is a range of seven other functions rooms. Professional banqueting and meeting planners are at hand to work with every organiser to ensure successful events held here.
With its magical hilltop location and cool refreshing climate, the boutique Cameron Highlands Resort will be the picture-perfect setting for the sophisticated traveller looking to escape humdrum routine and experience a sense of intimate country-style living with attentive yet unobtrusive service.
For reservations and enquiries, please contact YTL Travel Centre at (603) 2145 9000 or e-mail travelcentre@ytlhotels.com.my. For more information on the Resort, log on to www.cameronhighlandsresort.com.
Source article:
http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=22837
Want to know more about Jim Thompson?
See also:
The Mysterious case of Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson House in Bangkok
Cameron Highlands Resort
Looking for a place to stay in Cameron Highlands?
Look up the Cameron Highlands hotels, resorts, accommodations and apartments list.
Cameron Highlands Resort Hotel is now managed by YTL Corporation. Just to give you an idea, if you have been to JW Marriot Hotel, Starhill and lot 10 shopping center in Kuala Lumpur famous Sungai Wang shopping area, these buildings all belong to YTL Corporation. YTL Corporation has a tendency to do things in a grand fashion. So I suppose the brand new hotel will have a price tag to go with it if you intend to stay there.
Francis Teoh, the current MD and owner of YTL not only do things big, he does it with much pomp and fanfair. I was fortunate enough to attend his Russel Watson concert and celebration last year, it was done in such a fabulous grandiose.
So we shall expect Cameron Highlands Resort to be similarly of high standard and quality.
Below is more write up and info about the new hotel.
Kuala Lumpur, 25 April 2006
On March 27th 1967, an American businessman disappeared during a visit to the Cameron Highlands. The famous Thai silk king, Jim Thompson, was on a holiday in the highlands with some friends when he went for a walk. The mystery remains to this day and Jim Thompson's name comes alive again in the Jim Thompson Tea Room, set in YTL Hotels & Properties's brand new 56-room boutique property in the Cameron Highlands: Cameron Highlands Resort.
At the Jim Thompson Tea Room, the time-honoured tradition of English afternoon tea may be enjoyed in an elegant setting for the leisurely savouring of finger sandwiches, light-as-air pastries and home baked scones as well as fresh Cameron strawberries. Complementing this delicious spread is a wide-ranging selection of exquisite Cameron Highlands teas.YTL Hotels & Properties, a leading luxury hotel developer and operator in Malaysia, today opens the doors to its third luxury resort in Malaysia. Cameron Highlands Resort is conceived to complement the luxury collection of world-renowned resorts such as Pangkor Laut Resort and Tanjong Jara Resort.
Located in the state of Pahang, approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands Resort is one of Malaysia's cool and picturesque hill stations, 1,467 metres above sea level, stretching along a plateau set high above the river valley.
Discovered by British surveyor William Cameron on a mapping expedition in 1885, the fame of Cameron Highlands grew during the colonial era. British expatriates would frequent the highlands to relax and escape the lowland tropical heat, and British planters soon realised the potential of its fertile mountain slopes for growing tea, then a prized commodity.
Today, Cameron Highlands is still home to many tea plantations, as well as strawberry and vegetable farms, jungle trails, cascading waterfalls and rose gardens. Much of the highlands' character remains unchanged, exuding an old English charm.
Set on a lush hillock fronting the golf course, Cameron Highlands Resort, with the tagline Trails, Tales and Tradition, is surrounded by flourishing greenery and rolling hills. The property embodies the charm, the adventure and gentility of that old world practised in the colonial lifestyle during the '40s and '50s.
In addition to the luxurious amenities and a level of service that symbolises the rich fusion of traditional English manners and discreet Asian hospitality, distinctive attributes of the boutique hotel include classic restaurants, a unique Spa Village with signature treatments based on ancient tea rituals and of course, the adjacent 18-hole golf course.
Designed and conceptualised to complement its highland setting, the hotel's interior resembles a genteel English colonial home, with welcoming fireplaces in the Reading Room and Highlands Bar. Its 56 rooms and suites boast a distinctive sense for style and comfort and look out to panoramic, unobstructed views of Cameron Highlands. Standard features include four-poster beds, seating areas with comfortable settees and armchairs, and luxurious bathrooms.An array of dining experiences are set to attract locals as well as out-of-town guests. The Dining Room, with vista windows overlooking the golf course and an outdoor terrace, offers creative all day dining menus prepared using the freshest ingredients and local herbs and spices.
Gonbei, a spin-off of the exquisite traditional Japanese restaurant made famous in the ritzy Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, is open for dinner and serves sashimi, soba, tempura and bento sets. For leisurely evening cocktails over a game of snooker or the traditional stengah, the Highlands Bar is a warm and comfortable venue.
Cameron Highlands Resort also features the third wellness centre of the award-winning Spa Village, with a wide range of sophisticated treatments and healing therapies inspired by the restorative properties of tea. Each guest luxuriates in a signature tea bath before every treatment. The Cameron Highlands Spa Village offers tranquil indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, tea bath rooms and a fully-equipped gymnasium.
The hotel's Grand Ballroom will provide for intimate and exclusive social and corporate gatherings in an elegant setting for up to 200 persons. Complementing this facility is a range of seven other functions rooms. Professional banqueting and meeting planners are at hand to work with every organiser to ensure successful events held here.
With its magical hilltop location and cool refreshing climate, the boutique Cameron Highlands Resort will be the picture-perfect setting for the sophisticated traveller looking to escape humdrum routine and experience a sense of intimate country-style living with attentive yet unobtrusive service.
For reservations and enquiries, please contact YTL Travel Centre at (603) 2145 9000 or e-mail travelcentre@ytlhotels.com.my. For more information on the Resort, log on to www.cameronhighlandsresort.com.
Source article:
http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=22837
Want to know more about Jim Thompson?
See also:
The Mysterious case of Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson House in Bangkok
Cameron Highlands Resort
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