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GodAtum Jun 15, 2023 3:14 am

Malaysia 2023
 
Welcome to my Malaysia 2023 trip report which will consist of:

Heathrow VIP
Qatar Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur
Cameron Highlands Resort
Pangkor Laut Island Estate
Weil Hotel & Ipoh
Eastern & Oriental Hotel & Penang
Mandarin Orential Hotel & Kuala Lumpur
Qatar Kuala Lumpur to Heathrow
Bonus: Food

GodAtum Jun 15, 2023 7:43 am

Heathrow VIP
 
Booking process: I booked through their website which was unfortunately not very straightforward. The design is quite confusing and it broke so I had to phone them up so i could continue the booking process.

It was early start to our holiday with a 0545 pickup in a BMW i7 (this was included in our package). An amazing car with touchscreen controls at each seat and a dropdown TV. I could even put the seat in a nearly flat position! On a 30C day the in-seat cooling was a godsend too. On arrival at Heathrow T5 we where dropped off at the exclusive Windsor Suite.

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We were greeted my a porter and manager who warmly welcomed us and escorted us to our private room. There are a few private rooms here, luckily for an AV geek ours looked out onto the tarmac! Our passports were taken to check us in and shortly returned along with paper boarding passes.

The menu is designed by Jason Atherton so I had high hopes and was not disappointed. I had the pancakes and lemon tart with earl grey T2 tea. There was champagne and wine but as it was still 8am I skipped that!

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In no time at all our personal assistant escorted us through a private security room. I was taken aback as the staff there all had smiles on their faces, not the usual grunting and tutting! They had a normal bag scanner but the new 3D one will be put in next year (so one doesn't have to take out laptops etc).

After security we went straight onto the tarmac and driven in a 2 BMW i7 motorcade (one of us and one for our assistant) to our plane over in T4. We had some amazing views of the apron! Once we arrived at our plane our assistant escorted us onto the jetbridge and handed us over to the purser who escorted us to our seats onboard.

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Would I use their service again? IMO this is the only way to travel through the hell that is Heathrow, as PS Suites in the only way to travel through LAX (according to the SFO777).

SanDiego1K Jun 15, 2023 8:43 am

I'm going to be very interested in your review of Pangkor Laut as I am considering it for a stay later this year. I'd appreciate it if you cover how you get to the island - did you use a car service or a rental car, and if a rental car, where did you park it while on the island.

I'm also considering Eastern & Oriental where I stayed many years ago.

offerendum Jun 15, 2023 10:09 am

The i7 is a great chauffeur car. I wanted to buy the new 7 for myself but didn't, as it's totally unpractically for me. 5,40 m is simply too long. Nevertheless I drove it and it's without question well done. The technology id amazing.

T8191 Jun 16, 2023 3:17 am

Looking forward to the Cameron Highlands element. Stayed there in 1969 during mid-tour R&R leave from Singapore.

BRITINJAPAN4 Jun 16, 2023 7:26 pm


Originally Posted by T8191 (Post 35336680)
Looking forward to the Cameron Highlands element. Stayed there in 1969 during mid-tour R&R leave from Singapore.

Agreed, I also used to visit in my Singapore days, a wonderful place and often neglected

chongl Jun 18, 2023 5:37 pm

Looking forward to KL as we're looking to head there next summer

GodAtum Jun 23, 2023 12:29 am

Cameron Highlands Resort
 
We chose this place as it's a YTL property and we have high expectations. We were warmly greeted upon arrival and quickly checked in while being offered a cold tea and hot towel. I had booked the 2 bedroom suite which was well appointed but a bit noisy as the hotel is next to a main road.

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All the staff were very friendly with impeccable service as expected and they addressed us by name. The food was pretty good but pricey. The best meal was the hotpot we had one night which was amazing (go for the tom yum soup if you like a strong spicy flavour). I'd also strongly recommend the fish and chips which was delicious!

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The spa is also excellent. I had a hot stone massage and facial. But before the main event there was a complimentary tea bath which was a nice experience.

In terms of activities, I booked a tour of the area through Viator. Our guide, Jim, was amazing and showed us around 2 tea plantations, a plant and flower centre and local market. I love tea so to see how the tea is grown and processed was fascinating for me.

T8191 Jun 23, 2023 2:44 am

yum! How did you get to Tanah Rata? Our military R&R was night train Singapore to KL, then a small regional train up unto the hills.

GodAtum Jun 23, 2023 4:19 am


Originally Posted by T8191 (Post 35355529)
yum! How did you get to Tanah Rata? Our military R&R was night train Singapore to KL, then a small regional train up unto the hills.

We booked a taxi from KLIA to the Cameron Highlands resort. Took about 3 hours.

GodAtum Jun 24, 2023 10:30 am

Qatar Qsuites Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur
 
This was the most nerve-racking flight I've ever booked, even more so then waiting for the all clear from my Doctor! Wanting to travel on Qsuites, I had to change my flight about 5 times in the space of a few months! TDLR: both legs were amazing, the seat is fantastic, the crew was lovely and the food delicious. But could I recommend it to others ... not if you want to retain your sanity. I won't go into detail on the Qsuites as there's plenty of videos on the subject.

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How would I compare to other products?
  1. Emirates F
  2. Qatar Qsuites
  3. Emirates A380 business
  4. BA Club World
  5. Virgin Upper Class
  6. Emirates old business
  7. Qatar old business
The 1st leg they didn't load any of their signature lemon mint drink which was weird considering it's their flagship route :rolleyes: but on the 2nd leg it was delicious!

On the 1st leg to Doha I started with the Trio of seafood followed by the halibut and finally the Afternoon tea and chocolates. The food was delicious but I was disappointed at the lack of dessert choices which is why I went for the afternoon tea. The pastries and scones were good, nicer than in BA F.

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I was shocked to find we arrived at a bus gate :mad: For one of their flagship routes, that's completely unacceptable (however their is a business class bus). Luckily transfer security was quick and easy but we got lost looking for the newly opened Garden Lounge. Once we found it, it was a nice pleasant environment with a reasonable choice of food and drinks. But most impressive was the view, much better than the main business lounge.

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On the 2nd leg to KL I went for the Curry soup (which was more like a Tom Yum), Angus beef and ice cream. Again I was disappointed at the dessert selection but the food was delicious, especially the soup. I was also very disappointed with the breakfast selection. Departing for Doha I thought there be choices such as omelettes, pancakes, waffles etc. But is was a poor excuse for a croissant and some gloopy yogurt!

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I was dreading the arrival into KL, but luckily there was no queue at the Business/First immigration counter and we were landside in under 30 minutes after collecting our luggage (the Qatar VIP tags seemed to work and ours came out first!). FYI there's a few places after exiting airside were you can buy a local SIM, so I'd recommend doing that before the queue builds up at immigration, rather then getting one at the kiosks before immigration.

hugolover Jun 24, 2023 8:26 pm

The hotel room looks like a big downgrade from the way you started your trip.

Schwann Jun 25, 2023 4:49 am


Originally Posted by GodAtum (Post 35358986)
This was the most nerve-racking flight I've ever booked [......] But could I recommend it to others ... not if you want to retain your sanity.

What do you mean if you don't mind me asking?

GodAtum Jun 25, 2023 6:06 pm


Originally Posted by Schwann (Post 35360635)
What do you mean if you don't mind me asking?

It's not guaranteed to get qsuites on a route and Qatar kept changing the plane so one could end up with one of the worst business seats in the sky.

SanDiego1K Jun 30, 2023 6:22 pm

I am impatiently awaiting your report on Pangkor Laut Island Estate. I am considering it for pre yearend holidays and want to know your opinion.

GodAtum Jul 2, 2023 4:23 am


Originally Posted by SanDiego1K (Post 35376563)
I am impatiently awaiting your report on Pangkor Laut Island Estate. I am considering it for pre yearend holidays and want to know your opinion.

Thanks, I’ll be editing the photos and hopefully posting my report up Tuesday.

dodgeflyer Jul 4, 2023 10:35 am


Originally Posted by SanDiego1K (Post 35376563)
I am impatiently awaiting your report on Pangkor Laut Island Estate. I am considering it for pre yearend holidays and want to know your opinion.

Stayed there years ago. Wasn’t needlessly impressed. Depending on budget, would say better options exists.

GodAtum Jul 4, 2023 10:36 am

Pangkor Laut Estates
 
My family and I where coming back here for the 2nd time. Our previous visit was in 2016 were we stayed in Estate 5 and we stayed in the same estate this year. You can watch a video tour of Estate 5 here

Unfortunately they have cut some services such as the luxury yacht transfer, private driver and the stationary seems cheaper, but essentially everything else remains the same. We had a dedicated butler, cook and housemaid. The driver was shared between the Estates.

Upon arrival at the Pangkor Marina, we were warmly welcomed and given a cold juice and towel. After formalities were completed we took the speedboat to the island (this was private). Unfortunately no-one was waiting for us on the jetty so we had to wait a few minutes for the estate manager to show up and drive us up to the estate. Throughout the stay I found his luxury customer service skills lacking compared to what we had before. However things picked up as our staff were waiting for us at the estate entrance just like in Downton Abbey!

In Estate 5 there are 3 villas, an outdoor pavilion, an indoor dining room and kitchen, a large pool and jacuzzi. Our butler was excellent and very helpful, but I felt she didn't go above and beyond in the same way our butler did in 2016. The chef's food was amazing and the rooms were always spotless.

The highlight of the trip was the Chef's Experience, where we had a guided tour of the main island by the Executive Chef who was very enthusiastic and a great guide. We went to the fish market, the fishing port and caught our own fish at the fish farms. Afterwards we cooked the fish we caught in the main hotel restaurant along with several other dishes with guidance from the chefs. The Experience also includes the Spa Bathhouse experience which involves:


This starts with a soothing footbath and an invigorating Chinese Foot Pounding, previously only enjoyed by the concubines of feudal China. From there you will be escorted to the Bath Houses to enjoy the traditional Malay 'circulating' bath, and a Japanese-style cleansing with a 'goshi-goshi' cloth, followed by a dip in the heated Rotenburu pool. Our professional spa staff will then give you a gentle exfoliating wash with our signature Shanghai Scrub. In Shanghai, this is traditionally offered exclusively to males. After your scrub, enjoy a cup of calming tea in our tranquil surroundings before you begin your spa treatment.
All the food we had in the estate was excellent with us having mostly Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes. On our last night we had a BBQ with lobster, crab and locally caught fish.

Overall it was a great experience but I'd like to compare it to the Datai in Langkawi. Compared to the Maldives, the Estates are excellent value for money (we paid about £6000 for 4 nights, compared to something similar in the Maldives which would be $20,000/night).

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SanDiego1K Jul 4, 2023 1:06 pm

GodAtum your return is a high recommendation for the property. You said:

In Estate 5 there are 3 villas, an outdoor pavilion, an indoor dining room and kitchen, a large pool and jacuzzi.

How many were in your party? There are only 2 of us, there for 2 nights.

You said

we paid about £6000 for 4 nights

Was this an all inclusive price? What services did it include?

What is the difference between the rooms and the Estate villas? Is it the number of bedrooms?

Did you book directly on the Pangkor Laut website or did you book via Hyatt?

GodAtum Jul 4, 2023 1:22 pm


Originally Posted by SanDiego1K (Post 35385870)
GodAtum your return is a high recommendation for the property. You said:

In Estate 5 there are 3 villas, an outdoor pavilion, an indoor dining room and kitchen, a large pool and jacuzzi.

How many were in your party? There are only 2 of us, there for 2 nights.

You said

we paid about £6000 for 4 nights

Was this an all inclusive price? What services did it include?

What is the difference between the rooms and the Estate villas? Is it the number of bedrooms?

Did you book directly on the Pangkor Laut website or did you book via Hyatt?

There where 5 of us.

It's an all-inclusive price.


Includes:
• Accommodation in an exclusive and private estate
• Return private speedboat transfers to and from Marina Island Pangkor
• Daily meals prepared by a personal chef within The Estate or dine at any available restaurant on Pangkor Laut private island, inclusive of non-alcoholic beverages
• Personal butler on call
• Private car transfer on Pangkor Laut
• Complimentary replenishment of minibar soft drinks in The Estate
• In-room wireless internet access
• Private swimming pool and all the highlights of a private estate

Terms & Conditions:
• Minimum 2 nights stay is required
• Maximum occupancy is 2 adults and 1 child aged below 11 years old for each bedroom within every Estate
• Daily meals are not inclusive of private dining experiences within the main resort
• Full pre-payment is required at the time of booking
• Rates are subject to change without prior notice
• Other terms & conditions apply
I booked via Trailfinders as booking on their website does not accept Amex.

The sea villas are nice but you don't get a private swimming pool, butler, chef etc. Think of the Estates as having your own private island with staff. Considering Necker Island is over $100k/night this is good value IMO.

SFO777 Jul 6, 2023 7:07 am

Wonderful report GodAtum. Very cool to see a country that doesn't get many trip reports on FT. Loved the review and pics of Heathrow VIP. I've been so spoiled by PS at LAX, that I'd really like to try Heathrow VIP. Presumably there is a maximum km pickup range. Wondering since we're going to a Man City match next year and this would be perfect for the drive back to LHR and to avoid the mess that is Heathrow. Hopefully I could book a Manchester pick-up and just pay an excess km charge?

GodAtum Jul 6, 2023 12:44 pm

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by SFO777 (Post 35390685)
Wonderful report GodAtum. Very cool to see a country that doesn't get many trip reports on FT. Loved the review and pics of Heathrow VIP. I've been so spoiled by PS at LAX, that I'd really like to try Heathrow VIP. Presumably there is a maximum km pickup range. Wondering since we're going to a Man City match next year and this would be perfect for the drive back to LHR and to avoid the mess that is Heathrow. Hopefully I could book a Manchester pick-up and just pay an excess km charge?

Thanks for your kind words. Yes Heathrow VIP looks very similar to what I've seen from LAX PS. Heathrow VIP offers hot food from Jason Atherton (menu attached) which was delicious. The included chauffeur pickup is within 25 miles of the airport, any extra is paid per mile. Driving from Manchester is very far, if it was me I'd take the train to Euston and get picked up[ from there.

GodAtum Jul 9, 2023 11:21 am

WEIL Hotel, Ipoh
 
We chose to stay at this hotel as it has decent reviews plus it's a great location (attached to a shopping mall near the center of Ipoh). The 1st room I stayed in was nice but the curtain didn't close fully because of the pillar so didn't get a great nights sleep. When we came back from Penang I was put in a different room (although same room category). This was smaller but suited me better.

Both rooms where on what they call the "Concept" floor (floor 19 at the top of the hotel). This gave me access to the lounge which served soft drinks, wine and tea/coffee. Also served was a very small buffet around 5pm-7pm. However being on the top floor I occasionally heard loud noises coming from the rooftop pool and bar but that didn't bother me too much.

One of the best features about this hotel is the view from the rooftop pool and bar, one of the best views in Ipoh IMO.

There are also 2 restaurants, a buffet style and a Chinese. The breakfast buffet each morning was extremely busy with a long queue. I tried one morning (the food was OK ... the usual congee, eggs to order etc) but gave up after that and got snacks from the brilliant Japanese shop in the mall. The Chinese restaurant was nice but they don't do dim sum wierdly.

Speaking about the mall, called Ipoh Parade, this was unexpected one of the best features about this hotel. Having plenty of places to eat right next door without even having to outside in the heat is fantastic. But be aware it's only open at 10am but closes late at 10pm. I highly recommend the 2 Japanese restaurants (Sushi King and Sushi Tei), Baskin Robbins, Secret Recipe, Salon du Chocolat, Born and Bread and Chateraise (who do amazing Japanese patisseries). Within the last decade, Japanese restaurants and bubble tea have become more popular in the UK so I don't find them as much as a novelty anymore, but I do love anything matcha!

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GodAtum Jul 14, 2023 11:13 am

Eastern & Oriental, Penang
 
Arrived early around 1pm so was unable to check-in but we left our luggage there while we went to the TOP and Aquarium. After checking in we went to our huge Corner Suite room. I was very impressed by the size of the suite and the benefits:
  • Included breakfast
  • Complimentary minibar
  • Complimentary evening canapes and cocktails at the Cornwallis lounge (I was unimpressed with this as the selection was small and they couldn't make cocktails)
  • Exclusive use of the Heritage Wing pool
  • 10% discount at any of the F&B outlets
The best thing about this suite was the massive terrace and fantastic view. The breakfast and dinner buffet in the Palm Court was great too with a wide selection of items. We also had lunch at the Planters Lounge which offered a delicious curry.

Overall service was OK but not at the level of say a Mandarin Oriental or Ritz-Calton.

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GodAtum Jul 15, 2023 11:22 am

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
 
Upon arrival in a taxi we were greet and escorted up to the Club Lounge which has it's own private check-in. Given cold towel and juice drink. We stayed in the Park Suite which has many benefits:
  • Breakfast at the Club Lounge
  • Afternoon Tea at the Club Lounge
  • Evening cocktails at the Club Lounge
  • Laundry for 2 pieces per room per night
Plus as a Mandarin Member I got a welcome gift of a selection of macrons, a 120RM credit for use at the spa or dining.plus 2 free cocktails at the Aqua Bar. As you can see IMO this is very good value.

The food in the Club Lounge was decent and it's a pleasant place to sit and relax. The swimming pool is nice but very busy. Luckily I managed to find a chair in a quiet spot. Pool service was good and got free nuts and crisps with complimentary water.

The room was fantastic and a great size. Bed was the most comfy this trip! There was a free welcome drink of Tapping Tapir sparkling soda provided. The view was excellent and was able to the the fountain light show from the room which was special.

IMO this is one of the best hotels in KL and highly recommended.

Bonus post up next .... food :D

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jysim Jul 15, 2023 9:47 pm

Nice pictures of the E&O! I'm Penangnite and your photos of the Andaman Sea and rustic rooftops remind me of home.


Originally Posted by GodAtum (Post 35413252)

Anyone find having 2 showerheads in 1 cubicle interesting? We'd like to shower together, but not to the point of sharing my shower unit :D?

GodAtum Jul 23, 2023 8:49 am

Qatar Business Class Kuala Lumpur - Doha - Heathrow
 
Unfortunately this flight was at 8am so had to get up about 5am! Luckily the Mandarin provided some pancakes and pastries (although in takeaway bowls and not proper plates). Chauffeur C-class to the airport was quick and there was no queue at check-in. No queue at immigration either and the first security screening area was unmanned (not sure why as last time everyone's bag was scanned).

Qatar Business provide access to the the Priority Pass First lounge in the main terminal. I don't recommend it as the food selection is small and the lounge in tiny. Instead we took the shuttle bus to the satellite gates and used the MAS Business lounge instead. The food selection is decent and plenty of seating with windows overlooking the apron.

When it was time we went down to the gate and through security screening. I deliberately waiting until the last moment so there wasn't a queue. We sat down in a sectioned off area for business class which was a nice touch. I won't bore everything with the Q-Suite details but on both legs the food was good. The salmon was a little bit dry but the chicken was delicious.

Transiting at Doha, since we where the first to deplane there was no line at transit security for business class. Surprisingly the main Business class lounge was nearly empty! We had something to eat in the restaurant. I was impressed with the buffet selection although the a la carte menu was a lot shorter then Emirates. My highlight was the lemon meringue cake!

On arriving at Heathrow I was extremely concerned about the immigration situation, but luckily the e-gates were working and there was no queue. We were out airside after collecting our luggage in about 20 minutes.

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GodAtum Jul 23, 2023 8:54 am

Food photos
 
A selection of food we enjoyed during our trip! Thank you for reading. Any questions please ask :D

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lamphs Jul 24, 2023 4:18 am

I enjoyed this report!

Duck1981 Jul 30, 2023 8:34 am

Thanks for this report. Bus in Doha is for me more the rule than exception - but given in the bus shuttles I don't have a problem with. Allows nice avgeek pictures :)

injian Jul 31, 2023 10:33 am



omg all this delicious food - now i have to make a plan to visit Ipoh and the other locations some day.
even the food on QR looked fantastic - they rarely miss

thank you for sharing this TR! the beach brings back memories on langkawi. :)

GodAtum Jan 8, 2024 3:40 am

For those interesting, I found my video of the Heathrow VIP service car ride around the apron


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