mario33

There is a tour company at the Kuching Hilton, and I believe the organised day tour costs something like RM150 per person.

Doesnt sound like a good idea. I believe jungle day trips are more organised in Kuching. And while its hardly painful, its no fun being bitten by a leech

derpelikan

hi

we want to jump over to kuching for 3 days from BKK.

does anybody know how to go there with a staralliance carrier?

or may be a LCC?

or how do you access kuching?

dp

mario33

Star Alliance : I am not sure whether you are able to redeem a flight on Silk Air, but MI has flights from SIN to KCH. You may be able to fly BKK-SIN-KCH on SQ/MI.

Budget Airlines :Air Asia also has flights to KCH from KUL & JHB. You can fly both sectors BKK-KUL and KUL-KCH by Air Asia. You can also fly the first sector BKK-KUL on TG and KUL-KCH on AK.

MH : You can also travel all the way on MH, BKK-KUL-KCH

opushomes

Looking for any updated information, considering mid-feb stay. Rate for 3 nights, pay with Visa is $24U.S./night.

Pets

Can someone say, how this resort near Hilton Kuching is so cheap? Rates are from 90 MYR, or less than 20 EUR. I doubt it is a mistake, so what is the story here?

Tempting to get a flight from KL this December to Kuching for a little mattress run, to renew my HH Diamond...

mario33

No story, its cheap because not many guest stays there !

From Kuching its a 4hr ride in a van, followed by a boat ride across the lake to get to the resort. If you factor in the cost of getting there (and back) from Kuching, its not really that cheap and there isnt much to do there. I have done what you have in mind and its just not worth it.

Just stay in Kuching (which has so much more to offer) and requalify by nights, or move over to the nearby CP/HI to breakup your stay if you still wish to requalify by stays.

Pets

I was thinking of getting a few nights cheaply in a nice surroundings. But maybe not worth it, if nothing to do there. And the trip there and back sounds pretty painful.

How is the lounge at Hilton Kuching?

derpelikan

you will be upgradedto a nice suite.

dp

Koala

Staff at KCH Hilton are really great. The location is great, and Kuching is a very nice town to explore.
Koala

guybaxy

I am a diamond and was upgraded to the Governor'e suite at 2am! I guess its the equivalent of the Presidential Suite (has no room no on the door).I rattled around in it for three nights - wasted on me, gold taps spa pool, steam room, amazing views of Sarawak river, lounge was fantastic great food etc.

Notenut

I stayed in Kuching last May and would agree with the above. Compared to other exec lounges, this one is OK, not great. The staff, however, was outstanding, in the lounge, the front desk, and concierge. Even the doorman who wears a 'native' sort of uniform treated us like we were his family. On several occasions as I walked into the hotel the women at the front desk seemed to stare at me just waiting to make eye contact so as to say hello.
And there is so much to see and explore in Kuching proper as well as its environs.
I also want to add however that the level of service was similar in both Hiltons in KL, and their exec lounges are magnificent!

mario33

As a local (if you consider KL natives as locals) I had to "push" very hard for a better room, and one particular staff tried to charge me for the upgrade
Looks like the days of the White Rajah still lingers on in Kuching ....

Lounge is ok with a nice view of the river, but not at the same level as the KL Hilton. They have improved on the breakfast and the spread is now almost as extensive as the full ABF found at many 4 star hotel restaurants in the region (you are now also given the option to have your breakfast at the restaurant in the basement which has an even more extensive spread). Not much hot food during evening cocktails though.

My greatest disappointment with the lounge is that they allow smoking which makes it impossible for me to have breakfast in there. Also I was not impressed with the conduct of some of the local businessmen who use the lounge (loud conversations, big groups, smoking etc) During my last stay, I hardly ever use the lounge except to use the internet access late in the evenings when the atmosphere was more civilised.

Rooms badly need refurbishment but are clean. The location is excellent for tourists (across the road from the Esplanade and tourist shops) and the river view is nice (though its now slightly marred by the construction of a massive government building across the river). For the price I cant complain, if they give me a nice room

opushomes

Having been to both the Kuching and Batang Ai Hiltons and returning to Kuching mid-January, I can echo many of the comments. It is 4 hours each way to Batang Ai, once you get there there is little to do unless one is a honeymooner. One night was more than enough and the cost of the transfer does drive up the cost to that of a normal hotel.

The Kuching Hilton treats gold members exceedingly well. The staff is great. I believe this is the 19th year for the gentleman who serves as lounge attendant. The desk staff go out of their way. Unfortunately, my favorite desk person has moved on to school in KL. She recommended 24 for dinner. No ambiance, but great inexpensive seafood served at picnic tables on the top floor of a parking garage.

BTW: as a gold I ended up in a very large suite on one of the non-executive floors.

ff100

We have just spent two days at the Batang Ali. It has been a great experience.

Our driver from Kuching, Joel, was quite informative and a cautious driver. The drive was long but the views of the extended housing areas, the agriculture, and jungle were all part of the experience. The roads are all paved and generally vary from moderate to excellent (excluding the last mile to the dock).

The resort is in a beautiful setting and the grounds are wonderfully laid out and maintained. At first there is no other sign of inhabitation visible. If one looks closely there is an occasional house along the lake shore. As the lady at check in said "we have one bar and one restaurant (and obviously there are no alternatives down the block). Dinner buffet was RM 50.00 (about US$15), wine RM 120.00. You can also order from the menu. There was a wide variety of food and most of it was quite good. I have never had sweet corn ice cream before, don't think I want to have it again, but they had it.

No acknowledgment was made of my Diamond status, but we were given a two story suite with a large living room and bath on the main floor and large bedroom and bath on the second floor. The AC was turned off when we arrived ut rapidly cooled the room when we turned it on. Most of the other buildings appeared to be single story. When I asked she said that our breakfast was included and that the waiter would know it. Yes the longhouse style is unique and absolutely delightful in this location, but would not want all Hiltons to be like this.

There are a variety of activities; from nature hikes to difficult all day hikes, longboat excursions to longhouses and up the river as far as navigatible and then a stop for a swim and lunch, fishing, sea kayaks, games, etc.

All in all a unique Hilton experence in the heart of headhunter country. By the way there are small charges when you visit the longhouses and extra charges if you want to see a head, watch a cock fight, a blow pipe demonstration or dancing.

mapu

Hi, we will be in Borneo in August and think of going to Batang Ai for a few nights. We were wondering how much the activities cost? Someone in this thread mentions MYR360 for a longhouse visit by boat. What about the nature hikes, kayaks, etc.? Thanks!