Cool Retreat to the Highlands (2) - Accomodation

Here are the reviews on several accomodations around Cameron Highlands that are worth mentioning:


1. Cameron Highlands Resort, YTL Hotel - http://www.cameronhighlandsresort.com/

Beautiful hotel, elegant lounge, spacious room with balcony overlooking golf course. Worth the value and highly recommended by many.

Pros: Cleaniness, cosy room, excellent service (except for some occasion), food was mediocre to good

Cons: Lack outside leisure space, very noisy as it is just by the roadside, smaller bathroom with no bathtub but has comfortable walk-in shower , no lunch (except for high tea) served at the hotel from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Facilities: Free wi-fi and 2 PCs with internet access at common area, gym, spa

Tips: Rooms on 2nd (top) floor should have better view. Try and get a room as far down the hallway from the lobby (Karaoke will be nuisance especially when hotel is crowded)

Avg Rates: ~USD200 onwards (MYR700)




2. Century Pines Resort - http://www.thongsin.com/CPS.html

This is one of the newer resorts in Cameron and reviews are good. Within walking distance to Tanah Rata town, is spared from the noisy traffic although its quite close to the main road .

Surrounded by pine trees, the resort has nice gardens and kids would just love playing there. However, the hotel is located near a mosque and every morning, one could hear the morning prayers, so it would be irritating for light sleepers.

We did pay a visit to the lobby and the grounds around this resort and was delighted by the landscaping. This would definitely be the choice for our next trip to Cameron. Hopefully they maintain the place well

Pros: Location close to attractions, luxurious room, cleaniness

Cons: Buffet breakfast is only during public holidays and on Saturdays and Sundays, food is less than mediocre, poor front desk service, bar only open on Sat/Sun

Facilities: Spa, sauna, gym, pub

Avg Rates: ~USD70 onwards (MYR240)




3. Equatorial Resort - http://www.equatorial.com/


Situated at the peak of Cameron Highlands at 1628 M/5300 FT above sea level, this has to be one of the hotels with the best views. If you go during low peak season, front desk would offer you rooms with better views overlooking the valley, so don't forget to ask.

Comparatively, this is the one other resort that is slightly away from the main road. Unlike most of the hotels/resorts in Cameron, I hadn't come across a review complaining of traffic noise here. But you'll get occasional barking from dogs in the farms below.

We checked in to the deluxe room in the main tower towards late afternoon, and the first thing I normally do, is kick off my shoes and check out condition of the room.

At first glance, it seemed a pretty decent room, as you can see from the pictures inset. A closer look at the interior would reveal how run-down they are. The drapes are old and dirty looking, windows are stained, the furniture is discoloured. Bathroom was not cleaned at all, we can see wet stains on the toilet bowl and the floor from previous guest use. It wasn't a good start.

As I walk around in bare feet looking for the bedroom slippers, I realized how grossly unclean the carpet was when something black and sticky stuck to my feet...ewww...not once but at several spots!!! House-keeping obviously done no carpet cleaning. Should have expected that since one review tested housekeeping by leaving a lint on the carpet, tipped them to vacumm the room cleanly, and disappointingly, the lint was still there after that.

Even so, I'd expect them to at least provide bedroom slippers so guest can be more comfortable in the room, but apparently, they charge a fee for the slippers. Good thing I brought my slippers along!

Well, at least the room did not have a musty smell, and one part of the windows had a mosquito netting that prevented insects from flying in if you chose to leave them open. It can get stuffy since there are no air-conditioning in the room. Letting the cool and fresh air condition the room is just perfect temperature, that is if your nose can bear with the light nitrate smell of fertilizers from the farms below.

The sunrise and morning mists is most breathtaking and is probably the best you can get at this resort. Also I wouldn't miss having another relaxing walk around the quiet surroundings of the resort.

In short, I guess some rooms are more well kept than others as reviews gathered varies. But on the overall, most complain of the cleaniness.

For those who are not so particular about condition of the room, this is a decent enough hotel at a resonable price for a good night rest, peaceful at least. However, its a definite no-no for those who are particular about cleanliness.

Pros: Great views, front desk customer service, location close to several tourists hot spots

Cons: Cleaniness, house-keeping, run-down interior, spring of the king-sized bed too soft

Facilities: Tennis court, squash court (under renovation), pool table

Tips: Get rooms with balcony and ask for one with a better view.

Avg Rates: ~USD122 onwards (MYR390)

4. The Lakehouse - http://www.lakehouse-cameron.com/

The LakeHouse brings British touch to Malaysia and is well worth the price. Situated at Ringlet, LakeHouse has Tudor-styled settings, plush carpets, warm lighting, fireplace, four posters beds, etc....well, you get what I mean.

Most reviews of this place was superb having excellent service but of late, it seemed service level went down. Apparently, dining room requires a dress code so do call and find out the details. Tour packages arranged by Cameron Secrets is also worth mentioning as several reviews give 'em thumbs-up.

However, this resort is rather out of the way as it is pretty far off from most of the attractions and away from Tanah Rata and Brinchang town. But if you're just looking for a relaxing getaway, no activities, LakeHouse is perfect place for you.

Pros: Cleaniness, spacious room, decor, honeymoon suite, tour packages, free car wash

Cons: Inconsistent service, overlooking a dirty muddy looking lake (though some enjoy the scenery of the lake), noisy traffic, expensive food, no TV in room- only in the lounge

Facilities: Free laptop and internet usage

Rates: ~USD170 onwards (MYR700)



5. The SmokeHouse - http://www.thesmokehouse.com.my/ch.htm

SmokeHouse has a charming English styled decor and is owned by the famous Anglo-phile Peter Lee. Nice gardens and is right next to a golf course.

They provide great traditional English meals but a little too pricey.

Pros: Location, comfortable bed
Cons: Overpriced, run down, cleanliness, poor water pressure, expensive food, leaks
Facilities: Pool table, games room
Tips: Have tea or drinks here and soak in the ambiance, but avoid the accomodation
Avg Rates: ~USD140 (MYR480)



6. Strawberry Park Resort - http://strawberryparkresorts.com/

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town, it has a quiet ambience and beautiful surroundings but it could be inconvenient for those without transport. Cab to downtown costs MYR12 during day and 15 during evenings.

The exterior looks very promising with well maintained landscape and nice gardens. However, rooms are very worn out, dirty, damp and mouldy. It is desperate in need of a make-over. Cobwebs, moth and spiders are visible everywhere.

Balcony doors did not shut properly so the nights can be very cold sometimes. Toilet tiles can be very cold too especially at night.

Hot water needs to be turned on in advance and is limited to tank size. Once it runs out, you need to wait, especially when there's many waiting in line to shower.


Pros: Friendly staff, nice gardens
Cons: Cleanliness, run down interior, yellowish tap water
Facilities: Sauna, swimming pool
Avg Rates: ~USD108 (MYR360)



Overall Tip:
a. Best time to visit - Low peak season (avoid Malaysian school/public holidays)
b. Accomodations do not include air-conditioning due to the cool atmosphere all year round
c. Flies are common at certain times of the year

Note:
- Rates may vary depending on season
- Based on reviews gathered from the Internet as at May 2008
- There are plenty other budget accomodations (hotels/chalets) around Cameron Highlands

See also:
Cool Retreat to the Highlands (1)
Cool Retreat to the Highlands (3) - Where to Eat
From Highlands to the East

Cool Retreat to the Highlands (1)

There's no better way to take a break from work than a cool retreat to the highlands. This time around, my family made a trip to Cameron Highlands situated at the Northwest of Pahang. Its one of the largest hill resorts in the country at 1,524m above sea level. Tea plantation, flower gardens, orchards, fruits and vegetable farms are among the common sights there.

The journey takes about four hours of drive from Kuala Lumpur, clocking approximately 300 kilometres. There are two routes to reach the highland but the better and less winding one is through Simpang Pulai which is the longer route at ~71 kilometres to hilltop. The route up from Tapah may be shorter at ~55 kilometres but the curves and bends are generally more challenging as well.

En route on the North South Expressway, you could opt to stop for lunch at Bidor and savour the well known Duck Noodles.

Stay tuned for more on Cameron Highlands accomodation, activities and recommended eateries...


How To Get There

Take the North South Highway and exit the Simpang Pulai toll. Take a right at the traffic light and then go straight.

Next would be a right turn at one of the traffic light junctions to get onto the Simpang Pulai highway. Keep a look out for the police station at the junction on the left. If you passed the police station, then you'd have missed the turn. There should be a sign that shows Cameron Highlands, but we missed it the last time round so I can't say for sure how easy it is to spot the sign.

Once you're on the Simpang Pulai highway, it would take you another 71km before you reach Brinchang. Proceed on to pass Pos Slim and it will bring you to the Blue Valley/Grik juncture. Take a right and follow the sign toward Tanah Rata.


Reference Sites
1. http://www.cameronhighlands.com/
An informative site with very useful maps of both Brinchang and Tanah Rata town.



See also:
Cool Retreat to the Highlands (2) - Accomodation
Cool Retreat to the Highlands (3) - Where to Eat
From Highlands to the East

Ikan Bakar anyone?

I'm sure you've heard of the famous "Ikan Bakar" (Grilled Fish) at Bukit Aman. No? You should really go give it a try. Everyone will tell you: once you've tried this "Ikan Bakar", there wouldn't be another one that you'd want to have.

Was it really that good ??

Went there for the first time yesterday for lunch. It was packed, and you see lines of fish on the grill, and people all over.

The grilled catfish (Ikan Keli) is a must try, you wouldn't want to miss that. The sauce that goes with the grilled fish was superb! It's slightly brownish like sauce with raw onions and chilli, slightly sour and tad bit spicy. Couldn't exactly figure what sauce that was but it was good. It complements the fish nicely. Your grilled fish would not be the same without it.

You can just have the fish alone or with rice and other dishes that you can get from the food court beside it.

On some days, it will be so packed that the catfish will be sold out.

We did try the grilled string ray as well, but it wasn't as good as the grilled catfish.

Price ?
Average: MYR6-15 (USD2-5)

How to Get There ?
On Jalan Parlimen from city centre, turn left at the traffic light before Lake Club into Jalan Cendrawasih.

Then take a left turn into Jalan Tanglin. Go straight until T-junction and turn right. Take another left into Jalan Cenderasari and follow the road to the right passing Tanglin Hospital.

Its located just beside Methodist Girls School, you wouldn't miss it.

You can park your car at the large parking area on your right and walk towards the food court like building. The "Ikan Bakar" is next to it.

My Blog! Coming soon... :-)