Category: Travel experiences

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Hotel Review – Tune Hotel KLIA, Kuala Lumpur

Before my flight to Australia, I spent one night at the Tune Hotel KLIA, a very short distance from the Low Cost Carrier Terminal.

I booked the hotel in order to obviate the need for a very early start from my city hotel.

The hotel was very easy to find and included free parking for my rental car. This, along with the convenient location for the airport, was a deciding factor in my final choice.

I booked a single room, which was tiny but included a single bed, an en-suite shower and toilet, and a small breakfast table which doubled as a desk.

My room opened out onto an open air walkway, from where I was able to watch the planes coming in to land. It was also a convenient place for a crafty cigarette.

There is a small cafeteria style restaurant at the front of the hotel, offering oriental dishes, most of which are priced around $4 or £3.

Breakfast the following morning was picked up from reception and consisted of chicken sausages, potatoes, turkey cold cuts, scrambled egg, baked beans and bread.

A shuttle bus to the airport terminal is offered, but I didn’t use this as I still had my rental car.

Overall, I was very pleased with my stay at the Tune Hotel.

It is a very basic hotel, aimed at travellers spending a short overnight layover, who just want a basic meal and a few hours of sleep. It served this purpose very well.

The room was spotlessly clean and very quiet, and the hotel had everything I needed for a one-night stay.

For the price of $22 or £17, including breakfast and WiFi, this is superb value. I would not hesitate to book this hotel again for a flight layover.

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Flight Review – Air Asia X Premium Flatbed, Kuala Lumpur – Melbourne

Following a relaxing road trip to the Cameron Highlands, it was time to continue my travels to Australia to visit my family for the first time in eight years.

Having considered various options for the flight to Melbourne, I settled on Air Asia’s afternoon flight, with a late evening arrival.

I usually don’t mind flying in economy class on daytime flights, but a little research revealed that Air Asia X operates their A330-300 aircraft in a 9-abreast configuration, as opposed to the industry standard 8-abreast.

As this is one of the tightest configurations in the sky and I am not exactly the most compactly built person, this simply wasn’t going to work. Therefore, I decided to upgrade to the Premium Flatbed product.

My flight began at KLIA2, the low-cost terminal of Kuala Lumpur Airport. Air Asia X does not offer lounge access with its premium product, so my travel day started at the Plaza Premium Lounge, which is accessible with Priority Pass. To my surprise and delight, breakfast was still being served at around 11:30am.

Boarding commenced around 40 minutes before the departure time. There was no priority boarding, but this didn’t bother me as I am often among the last to board anyway.

The Air Asia X Premium Flatbed product occupies the first two rows at the front of the aircraft and is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. Despite the name, the seats do not in fact recline to a fully flat position. Rather, they are angle-flat seats.

As always in a 2-2-2 arrangement, I chose a seat in the centre pair, which allows direct aisle access for both passengers.

I was allocated seat 2G, but it transpired that one of the pair of seats in front of me, 1D, was designated as inoperative. As a couple had been allocated to these seats, I was asked to switch to 1G in order that they could sit together. Of course, I readily acquiesced as this meant I had extra room and a guaranteed empty seat next to me.

There was no special catering in the premium section, but my ticket included a choice of meal and a soft drink from the buy-on-board menu. I chose one of the chicken and rice dishes.

As unappetising as it looks, it was actually rather tasty and was perfectly adequate after my brunch in the lounge.

A little later in the flight, I was also offered a light snack.

Air Asia X does not offer any WiFi, and I am not a fan of in-flight entertainment, so I semi-reclined my seat into a La-Z-Boy style position and dusted off a book I had been meaning to read for some time.

I also took advantage of the 3-for-2 offer on Tiger beer at 40MYR ($9 or £7) for three cans.

Later in the flight, I decided to try the angle-flat position, more through curiosity than any overwhelming fatigue.

A blanket and pillow were provided.

At first, the position seemed comfortable enough, but I quickly found that it wasn’t conducive to restful sleep, and I only managed to doze fitfully for around an hour.

With a couple of hours of the flight remaining, I realised that with a midnight landing in Melbourne, sleep was going to take priority over a room service dinner.

In order that I could go straight to bed at the airport hotel on arrival, I purchased another one of the chicken and rice concoctions from the on-board menu.

Again, whilst not the most memorable meal I have eaten in the sky, it was perfectly tasty and obviated the need to organise dinner in the middle of the night in Melbourne.

In conclusion, it is difficult to know how to categorise this product. The hard product is a significant step up in comfort from premium economy and aligns with the low end of long-haul business class products. The soft product, however, is firmly in basic economy territory.

However, the main reason I paid for the upgrade was to avoid the tight configuration in economy class, and in that sense it served its purpose.

The catering was basic, but perfectly adequate, and I was more than happy reading my book and drinking my Tiger beer. I also saved around $800 or £600 against a business class ticket on this sector.

In order to assess the product fairly, it is necessary to consider the price point at which it is marketed. I paid $877 (£677) for this one-way sector, which is comparable to the premium economy price on the legacy carriers.

Honestly, the premium economy market is where this product is competing, and is likely to attract a clientele who is looking for a more comfortable experience without paying the often eye-watering prices of business class tickets.

With this in mind, I think this product provided, on balance, a better overall experience than a traditional premium economy product, at a similar price.

Whilst I would not be overly enamoured by the prospect of spending an overnight flight in the angled seats, this flight provided good value for money, and I would be more than happy to repeat the experience on a daytime flight.

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Hotel Review – DoubleTree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur

After my relaxing few days in the Cameron Highlands, I still had a few days before my onward flight to Australia.

Feeling more energised after the break, I decided to spend these days back in Malaysia’s vibrant capital of Kuala Lumpur.

As this would be a five-night stay, I opted to use my Hilton Gold benefit of the fifth night free on award stays.

Although I was staying alone, I booked a Standard Twin, as this was the only smoking room available at the time of booking.

The room was comfortable and well appointed, with two decent sized beds, a couch, a desk and wardrobe space, along with a safe.

The bathroom was a good size and well furnished, with bathrobes and slippers provided.

The room was also equipped with a small refrigerator, with mineral water and a fruit platter provided.

Yes, that is an ashtray on the table. This hotel is now one of the few properties affiliated with the major chains, which still offer customers this freedom of choice.

By virtue of my Hilton Gold status, I was offered the standard amenity of a full breakfast each morning. In addition to this, I was offered an upgrade to an Executive room, which came with access to the executive lounge.

However, since all the executive category rooms were non-smoking, an agreement was reached, whereby I would stay in the lower room category, but retain the executive lounge access.

A high quality and well varied buffet breakfast, comprising both oriental and western dishes, was served in the hotel’s main restaurant.

In the afternoons and evening, snacks and drinks were also offered in the executive lounge, which offered a balcony with a city view.

An evening cocktail hour (in fact, two hours) was also offered in the executive lounge.

The property also has a swimming pool, which is very inviting in Malaysia’s warm, tropical climate.

I was not able to photograph the pool myself, due to its constant use. The following picture is courtesy of the hotel website.

My five-night stay came at a total cost of 80,000 Hilton points, to which I ascribe a value of around $400 or £320. Considering the amenities and benefits I received, I thought this was outstanding value.

This is a very comfortable property, I had a very enjoyable experience. I would be more than happy to return if I found myself in the Kuala Lumpur area for a few days again.

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Destination Review – Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

After the vibrant Kuala Lumpur and the captivating Fireflies Park, I decided to slow my pace a little to enjoy the verdant landscapes of the Cameron Highlands.

My drive North into the Highlands took me past the picturesque Lata Iskandar waterfall, providing an opportunity for a short and serene stroll to break up the drive.

My next stop was the colonial tea room at the iconic Cameron Highlands Resort near Brinchang.

The afternoon tea is served in a classically English style, with cakes, pastries, finger sandwiches and fresh scones.

The fish pond was a nice addition, adding to the serenity of the ambience.

My next stop was the Lavender Garden, around a 20 minute drive North of Brinchang, for a peaceful stroll among the floral displays.

To round off my few days of repose in the Cameron Highlands, I enjoyed a relaxing stop at the Bharat Tea Plantations and the nearby Lakehouse, to take in the tranquility of the landscape.

My base for three nights in the Cameron Highlands was the Hotel Chua Gin in Brinchang, which proved to be a supremely good value option. It offered a clean, secure and air-conditioned room with a balcony and free parking, at the almost unconscionable price of $22 or £17.50 per night.

The property did not offer breakfast, a restaurant or a bar, but there were plentiful options within a two to three minute stroll at similarly negligible cost.

This property is one of myriad options in the region, with most being concentrated around the town of Brinchang. In all honesty, most of them seem to be similarly priced and more or less interchangeable. However, I was perfectly happy with the Chua Gin, and for the sake of convenience I would be more than happy to return there.

The Cameron Highlands provided me with the perfect opportunity to relax and slow my pace, amid a somewhat hectic schedule of travelling.

If you find yourself in Malaysia during your travels, I recommend taking a few days to enjoy the serenity of this beautiful region.

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Hotel Review – Sealion Firefly Concept Hotel, Kuala Selangor

In order to visit the charming Fireflies Park in Kuala Selangor, I stayed one night at the Sealion Fireflies Concept Hotel.

The Fireflies Park is accessible from Kuala Lumpur, but having a rental car meant that it was more convenient to stay overnight in the area.

Being ready for a fairly late night and planning an early departure in the morning, I didn’t need much in the way of hotel facilities. With this in mind, I decided to book a simple hotel.

I chose the Sealion for the convenience of the balcony attached to the Family Terrace rooms.

The room I was allocated was simple, but had everything I needed for the short overnight stay.

The balcony allowed some fresh air into the room, as well as an opportunity for a late night beer and cigarette in the warm, tropical air.

The star effect lighting on the ceiling was a nice little touch.

The hotel also offers a small outdoor pool, which I unfortunately didn’t have the time to try out.

In conclusion, this was a very good option for the overnight stay.

The room was spotlessly clean and secure. The bed was comfortable and the shower was hot. The hotel even offered free parking. For the price of $51 (£41), I had no complaints.

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Trip Review – Fireflies Park, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Following on from my city break in Kuala Lumpur, I took to the road to explore some more of the highlights of the Malayan Peninsula, beginning with the coastal town of Kuala Selangor.

My trip began with a roughly one-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, pausing briefly at a service station to watch marauding monkeys raiding the litter bins.

Kuala Selangor is renowned for its Fireflies Park, which is accessible by boat along the Selangor River.

I booked a three-hour cruise, beginning at the Sky Mirror Jetty and Boat Café.

The cruise headed out along the Selangor River, passing stilted houses and continuing into the mangrove forest, where dozens of native eagles feed.

After sunset, it was time for the highlight of the cruise, the famous Fireflies Park.

As the boat meanders along the Selangor River, the fireflies appear as thousands of tiny pinpricks of light coruscating in the darkness.

The insects need no coaxing to approach the boat and even land on the patrons.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to capture any publishable images of this enchanting spectacle, but it is a truly unforgettable experience and well worth making the trip.

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Destination Review – One Day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

After spending Christmas in Cairo, my next destination en-route to Australia was Malaysia’s vibrant capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The first place I visited was the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, a huge open aviary, where birds fly freely in an environment close to their natural habitat.

A natural segue from the Bird Park is the KLCC Eco Park, a rainforest preserve with a canopy walk, as well as the Menara Tower, offering panoramic views of the city.

The perfect way to round off a day is a visit to KLCC Park, which as the name suggests is located in the heart of the city centre. The park offers a view of the iconic Petronas Towers, as well as a nightly light show.

Naturally, this lively metropolis offers much more than can be experienced in one day, so I have chosen a small selection of the many attractions to cover in this review.

My next destination reviews will cover Kuala Selangor and the spectacular Cameron Highlands.

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Hotel Review – Holiday Inn Express, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Malaysia

After an evening arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I picked up my rental car and headed for the Holiday Inn Express in the centre of the city for a four-night stay.

This would allow me to spend New Year’s Eve in Kuala Lumpur, which I will address in a separate review.

The late night drive from the airport was very easy and I was quickly settled in my room.

My room was small, but functionally furnished with a double bed, mini-fridge, safe, tea and coffee making facilities, shower room and international and USB power sockets.

The room rate included a buffet breakfast, which greatly surpassed the range and quality found at Holiday Inn Express properties in Europe and North America.

The selection offered westernised options, including scrambled eggs and chicken sausages, as well as oriental fare, such as spiced noodles.

The hotel also offered a cafeteria style restaurant, serving the customary staples for lunch and dinner.

The only complaint I had about this particular property was that no provision is made for smokers, and for this reason I would not choose to return. However I realise that this is simply a personal preference, which will not be an issue for the majority of readers.

If you are looking for a well located and utilitarian hotel at a reasonable and affordable rate, this is a solid option.

 

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Flight Review – Royal Jordanian Business Class, Amman – Bangkok

After a short stroll around Amman and a few hours of rest, I was ready for my overnight flight to Bangkok.

The experience began with a relaxing visit to Royal Jordanian’s Crown Lounge in Amman.

The lounge is in a pleasant setting on a mezzanine level, overlooking the terminal.

This is quite an expansive lounge and offers a variety of food options, including a pizzeria, bakery and ice-cream station.

The lounge also has shower suites at a cost of $20 (£16). As I had come straight from my hotel, I opted not to avail myself of this and headed instead to the serviced bar.

After a couple of hours relaxing in the lounge, it was time to board the Boeing 787-8 for the 1:40am departure to Bangkok, a flight time of a little over eight hours.

The business class seating on the Royal Jordanian Dreamliner offers a flat-bed option and is arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. As always with such a configuration, my preference was for the centre pair of seats, which offer direct aisle access to both passengers.

The footwells for these pairs of seats are at least separated and not angled towards each other, which was an improvement on my earlier Eurowings flight.

The seat adjacent to me was occupied for this flight. However, I was unconcerned by this, as there was sufficient space between the seats and adequate private screening when in flat-bed mode.

As it was now around 2:30am, local time, a light meal of hot and cold appetisers and dessert was offered, comprising both western and oriental options.

I chose the western menu of mozzarella salad, risotto and lotus mousse, all of which were fresh and tasty.

A variety of drinks are also offered.

The menu does not proactively offer alcohol, but beer and wine are available on request. Due to the late hour and relatively short flight time, I chose not to imbibe, preferring to maximise my sleep time.

After around four hours of reasonably comfortable sleep, I awoke around an hour and a half out of Bangkok.

Again, there were western and oriental options for the breakfast service.

I chose the western menu with a Spanish omelette, chicken sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes, served with a croissant and fresh fruit.

In conclusion, Royal Jordanian’s Crown Class, whilst not a top-tier business class product, provided a perfectly satisfactory experience for a relatively short overnight flight.

It was certainly superb value for money at £508 ($648) for a three-sector journey from Cairo to Kuala Lumpur.

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Destination Review – One day in Amman, Jordan

In between my Royal Jordanian flight from Cairo and my connection to Bangkok, I had an enforced layover of 17 hours in Amman.

Since this was a largely daytime layover, I decided to head into the city and take some time to get a taste of the local sights.

In view of the length of the layover, I chose to book a cheap hotel room for the day, if only to have somewhere to shower and rest for a while, as well as having access to power for charging purposes.

I chose the centrally located Hotel Pasha, at a cost of around $34 (£26). The hotel also arranged a private airport transfer for $21 (£16) each way.

The hotel was quite basic, but it was clean, secure and had everything I needed for a one-day layover.

After depositing my hand luggage in the room and taking a quick shower to refresh myself from my early start in Cairo, I was ready to begin exploring the city.

I began at the Nymphaeum, the ruins of a Roman fountain, a short distance from the hotel.

Moving on, I strolled around the city markets, located in the heart of the city and selling everything from spices to textiles.

A short distance from the markets, I stopped at a local bakery for a light lunch, trying some the delicious savoury flatbread.

I rounded this off with some of the local ice cream, which was definitely welcome after a couple of hours of walking.

Next was the Sha’aban area, with the colourfully decorated Rainbow Street.

I finished my short tour with a visit to the Roman Theatre, across the road from my hotel.

Feeling the effects of my early start in Cairo, I then retired to my hotel for a few hours of sleep, before my overnight flight connection.

In total, I spent around four hours meandering around the streets of Amman.

Obviously this is not nearly enough even to scratch the surface of what Jordan has to offer. However it proved to be a pleasant transition from the chaos of Egypt to the serenity of Malaysia, my next destination of the season.

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