Cheap Apartment Stays In Johor Bahru

GREAT VALUE AT D'INSPIRE RESIDENCE

Sandwiched Between Aeon Bukit Indah, Sutera Mall, Danga Bay & Legoland - Perfect!

I know of many relatives and friends who live in Singapore make day trips into Malaysia, Johor Bahru for their Rest & Relax days.  They would come bright and early in the mornings and then by early evenings, they would be making a beeline either at the vehicle crossings into Singapore, or at the respective CW bus stations whose buses ply several parts of JB to pick up day trippers back into Singapore.

But why rush back to Singapore when you had already taken the trouble to get to JB, especially after those horrendous customs queues? Why not spend the night and make it a full two-day trip? I guess the logical answer is that most want to save on the hotel rates, which have been steadily rising with the advent of day-trip-in-Johor-Bahru concept taking root in value-seeking Singapore residents.

If my supposition is correct, then why not stay at a cheaper serviced apartment instead of spending on pricier hotels at Puteri Harbor or Danga Bay locales?  There is a proliferation of serviced apartments or condo hotels in Johor Bahru and day trippers are now spoit for choice should they choose to stay the night.  One such serviced apartment I always bring my friends or relatives to stay is D'Inspire Residence by KSL Resorts.  Not only do I trust the quality of the developer, the location is fantastic as it truly sits at the heart of Johor Bahru action.

Kids Will Go Buck Wild Over The Huge Pool

D’Inspire Residence is located in the prime district of Nusajaya and is close proximity to the shopping belt at Nusajaya and surrounded by major tourist attractions, and eateries.  At the rate my partner drives (zippy!) you can be Aeon Jusco in 5 minutes, Sutera Mall in 10 minutes, the new Downtown Puteri Harbor area in just 15 minutes and the old Downtown Danga Bay area in under 20 minutes!

They offer daily rates like a Condotel, as well as short stay packages if you (like me) would love to experience how life is spent in relaxing Johor Bahru. 

• 2-3 Minutes Drive to Nusa Bestari Giant / Tesco Hypermarket
• 10 Minutes Drive to Legoland Malaysia Themepark
• 20 Minutes Drive to Johor Premium Outlet

Be Inspired By D'Inspire Family Suite

It also has a huge 4 Bedroom fully furnished apartment built from 1238 square feet and comprises a master bedroom with 1-king size bed with attached bathroom, second and third bedroom with 1 queen-size bed and the fourth bedroom with 1 single-size bed. Great for families, leisure and business travelers who may have brought their family members along to soak in all JB has to offert.  If that is not good reason enough to stay at D'Inspire, check out its amenities:

• Fitness Station
• Pool
• Wading Pool/Child Pool
• Children Playground
• Jogging Track
• Sauna Room
• Lockers / Shower Facilities at Poolside
• Golf Simulator (charges apply)
• Multipurpose Hall
• Coach/Bus Parking Area
• BBQ Pit (charges apply)
• Complimentary WiFi is available at The Lobby Reception Area

Do give Johor Bahru a chance the next time you plan your trip here.  By staying a night or two, you would be able to explore more of the night markets, late night eats and not forgeting the glorious brunches at Taman Pelangi.

Call the number in the photo below for their promotional rate! Daily rates start from MR238 and if you stay beyond 14 days in a stretch, it starts from just MR150 a day.  Monthly rates can be negotiable if you are staying mid to long term.  Happy Jalan Jalan!

D'Inspire Serviced Residence by KSL Resort

Taman Nusa Bestari
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Tel:  +607 288 2999   +607 570 1333

Love You Long Time

LOVE FOR BANGKOK - ASOKE SUKUMVIT 

Our No. 1 Boutique Hotel

Many friends and relatives I have spoken to about Thailand Bangkok, indubitably stay at Siam Square or Sala Daeng areas where each locale offers shopping, luxe cafes, street food and night bazaars in their unique ways. 

At Siam Square you will find throngs of Singaporeans and Malaysians plying the shophouse district opposite Siam Center for shopping bargains and local food treats.  The famous Som Tum Nua (to which tourists the world over flock for their famous local-spiced and fried chicken wings) is tucked away at a street corner of Soi 5 Siam Square, near the equally popular Siam Novotel Hotel.  If you chance to visit Siam and would like to savor the Som Tum chicken wings, be sure to go to the original birthplace of the wings.  They have a new branch at the swanky Siam Center opposite its Food Republic food court, but I find sadly they were not able to replicate the deliciousness of the wings you find at its less opulent parent.

My Idea Of "Luxe" On A Budget

 At SalaDaeng area - or my kids would call "the area with a lot of gay things" - you will also find plenty of boutique and luxe hotels alike lining the Silom streets.  Why my kids would label the area "gay" beats me, but we suspect its due a night market experience there where they witnessed lots of phallic-symbol paraphernalia near Patpong and guys-only massage palors lining the main thoroughfare that left an indelible impression on the young minds.  No matter how hard we try to expplain to them that the area is as touristy as the other areas of Bangkok and that those tourist souvenirs were purposely shocking to invoke purchase - SalaDaeng will forever be a "happy" place to the kids (the other being the Sathorn area).. 


Cozy & Conveniently Located At Asok BTS

So it is no surprise that in our last years of back and forth between Thailand and Malaysia/Singapore, we find ourselves staying at the Asoke / Sukumvit area.  We do so whenever our tenant in Bangkok is not travelling and hence would not be able to cede our condo to us for the few days we are in Bangkok (our lease agreement provides for this arrangement, and wherefore the tenant would be duely reimbursed based on a pre-agreed daily rate - part of my 3-Pronged Retirement Living Strategy). 

Money Is No Object - Then Terminal21 Is Your Bet

The reason why the Asoke - Sukumvit area is attractive to us is because my partner and kids absolutely adore Terminal21 shopping over the Singaporean favouraite Siam Paragon and Siam Center.  Sure the latter two are very swanky - but are they not a dime a dozen in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur?  But Terminal21 is different perhaps of its themed shopping and a certain ambience of je ne sais quoi.  As for me, I like the fact that it is near to Little Italy - my Italian cuisine haunt few Singaporeans and Malaysians know existed - which is just at the opposite Terminal 21.  And in the mornings, I have to go for the Cafe Chu breakfast that makes me a very happy travel companion through the day.  And in the evenings, we always have the option of going for a good massage at Urban Retreat near the Asok BTS before retiring. It's these endless selection of body & soul pampering coupled with restaurants, cafes and street hawkers down the street of Soi 23 near Little Italy that make Asoke / Sukumvit one of my favorite area to stay whenever we go back to Bangkok.

Pullman - Stylish & Modern Just steps from Sukumvit MRT

There are plenty of luxury hotels and serendipitous boutique lodging in this area.  Some of the ones we had stayed and liked are:

PRICEY DECADENCE  BY “ASING IN JB” STANDARDS (And 50 Steps To Hotel From Train Stations - By My Partner's Standards)

Grande Centerpoint Terminal 21 (sheltered Train-To-Shopping-To-Hotel for the sun averse)

Pullman Grande Sukumvit (ultra modern luxury experience)

The Continent (near Little Italy and Soi 23 - my favorite)

AFFORDABLE  LUXE  BY “ASING IN JB” STANDARDS (And 50 Steps To Hotel From Train Stations - By My Partner's Standards)

S Sukumvit Suites (walk half a minute to Cafe Chu)

Sacha's Uno (the French Cafe "Chez Charlie" breakfast just opposite the hotel is DIVINE! I will feature another time)

S15 (just beside Asok BTS and Terminal 21)

OR BE EN-CAPSULATE-LATED IN BANGKOK

Take a walk on the wild side, let your hair down, break from tradition, whatever you want to call it, we had a memorable experience staying at a Capsule Hostel in Bangkok.

You can click here to Booking, Agoda or TripAdvisor for their best promotional rates.  Sabai Sabai Kup!

Leisure Farm

Sprawling Vistas With Varied Homestyles

 



Bungalow Homes with ready built swimming pools

Equestrian Club for the riding enthusiasts

In my previous posts I had featured some noteworthy properties which I thought you should look into if you are looking at properties in Malaysia, and specifically Johor.  You can read more on Forest City, East Ledang & Country Garden developments by clicking on them.

 

Leisure Farm must have been the first major developer who saw the potential of building an upscale residential cum golf resort near to Singapore in Nusajaya to attract the high net worth retirees and expatriate community to live and play in Malaysia, while working in Singapore.  In the last 20 odd years when I lived and worked in Singapore, we must have visited (and then contemplated buying a villa in Leisure Farm) the resort living development umpteenth times for its Leisure Farm villa stays - an initiative which we thought was very innovative in marketing its products to would-be buyers.  Alas, given that it is an upscale precinct, our bank account just was not fat enough to buy into Leisure Farm - but all's well that ended well - as we are very happy with our kampung home nearby.

 

What is different in Leisure Farm is it caters to the rich's varied home configuration preference - from acre-lot homes with sprawling backyard and flowing creek to townhomes with lake views.  We stayed in several of the model homes leased from our very friendly sales manager Ms Poreen - as we were then seriously contemplating living in Leisure Farm.  Our weekends were spent lounging by the poot or having teas at the Equestrian Club while the kids rode on Dolly the mare.

 Source: Leisure Farm

 Over the years, we had also organized many a gatherings and parties at the above facilities - from our anniversaries, birthdays to festive holiday get-togethers like Christmas and New Year's Eve coutdowns - at the upscale Bale clubhouse.  The staff mostly speak English as the expat community there is rather large - and they are very helpful and diligent in getting all the facilities and equipment in place within a short notice.  However, you would need to go to the venue at least once or twice before the event to ensure what they are offering tally with what you need and expect - email communication or phone conversation may not work so well in terms on both parties being on the same page.

 

USEFUL INFORMATION

Going there is best by driving your private car or rental vehicle.  From Singapore Woodslands Causeway, take the new Coastal Highway towards Nusajaya or Legoland.  Look for Gelang Petah and follow the "Leisure Farm" signs to destination. 

 

From Singapore Tuas 2nd Crossing, it is just 10 minutes' drive after the Malaysian toll.  Look for the Gelang Petah exit on your left (it will be just after the Rest Stop as you pass the toll) and then follow the "Leisure Farm" signs to destination.

 

If you are not buying into Leisure Farm - do go Jalan Jalan there, your idea of lux living will be sublimed by this haven.

 

Chicks Galore

KAWAN KAWAN means FRIEND FRIEND

If you chance to be staying or be around Good Hope Hotel - there is hope for good food just around the corner. Restoran Kawan -  just steps across from the old but quaint hotel - offers morning spread of local fried bee hoon with their famous home condiments such as runny & sunny side ups, bean curd skin, tofu, the nine yards. 

What we find different is that the condiments to go with the bee hoon are more fragrant and tasty - perhaps due to the stall's home-made ingredients and food being fresh-cooked in the kitchen out back. 

By 7am, local folks rushing to work are already making a bee line for the delicious fare, while those who have more time to enjoy a lazy morning cup of coffee and breakfast - could chow down their food al fresco at the shady and breezy sidewalk.

Whenever we visit this neighborhood, we have to pair our been hoon with the chicken, char siew and roast pork rice - sinful but you only live once!  The plates are just MR4 or S$1.40 each - how divine is that to find traditional fare cooked to perfection, and served quite appetisingly if I may add - at Singapore prices of yesteryears?

I had mentioned before that my mornings are never complete without a good local cup of kopi.  Here at Kawan Restoran they serve the Ipoh White Coffee which I had also learned to cherish - so each time we are here, I would pair the scrumptious food with their white coffee - served piping hot in a mid-size glass mug....sedap (delicious) !!!

Thank you Kopi Soh (I was told to call her that and it means Coffee Aunty) for making my mornings with that delicious mug of white coffee!

Go Makan & Jalan!

Kawan Restoran is opposite Good Hope Hotel on Jalan Ronggeng 11.
GPS Coordinates: 1.529863, 103,664882
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 7am until food runs out around early afternoon.

You can stay at Good Hope on a budget at Agoda or Booking.

PENANG Luxe Hotel

THE E & O PENANG

The Easter & Oriental Hotel in Penang is like what The Raffles Hotel in Singapore represents - Grandeur and Elegance of yesteryears.  Both architectural styles hark back to the colonial days when Malaysia and Singapore were subjects to the British Empire.

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we last visited Penang, Malaysia, we were upgraded to the Tanjung Suite for some reason.  The room given to us was expansive to say the least.....i.e. it expanse from a bathroom with big marble & wood cased tub, to having His & Hers vanity corners, enclosed toilet for private business and a luxurious standup shower!

Our Bathroom Reminds Me Of The Raffles




















Then it expanse into a huge walk-in closet which we did not even use only because the room itself was already so large and our few pieces of luggage were just left on the sofas - our old habit inculcated by too many stays at lower end boutique hotels!

Can You Imagine This Is Our Walk In Closet?

And the swanky bathroom I could live in there forever!

The suite comes with 2 Queen size poster beds - which suited us a family of 4 - with a separate living area, dining area and a office area - all overlooking the sea - so that I can always watch out for a Tsunami should an earthquake strike offshore.

 

Then there was the welcome drinks at the lobby area.  What a delicious concoction for the hot balmy sea air.  It was as quenching as the plush furnishings were exquisite - I feel I did not deserve such opulence.

You can visit Booking, Agoda or the E&O link at the top of this article for special offers on the E&O stays.  Remember to Jalan Jalan in Penang's Gurney Drive which I will feature later!

Luxe E&O Hotel Penang II

The Morning After Tanjung Suite

We have never slept better in a hotel in recent memories - the Tanjung Suite beddings were plush and super comfortable - my partner mumbled inaudibly about wanting to change our home linens to the same over 1000 threadcount quality.  Okay she did not mumble and it was quite audible, it was just my ears refusing to internalize what's going to cost mega dollars. My point is the hotel room's creature comfort galore made our stay truly memorable.   The room came with buffet breakfast for the family.  What can I say...when Breakfast at Tiffany's is not available, you settle for Breakfast At Sarkies!  Presented by the E&O Hotel and by the fabulously breezy Andaman sea !

Sarkies Breakfast Spread was delectable

Our table overlooked the sea and the morning breeze coupled with the aroma of breakfast delights had left an indelible impression which until today I believe was part of the motivation to live partly in Malaysia (the rest of the time I am in Thailand and Singapore). 

 Back to the morning spread.  I am always a sucker for fresh bread and there was fresh bread galore at Sarkies.  Then there was a wide array of fresh made jams from strawnberries, kumquats to local fruits like banana and pineapple.  Pair that with a great barristered coffee - I am set for a lazy morning brunch.  Of course there was the whole nine yards of the usual  breakfast items expected of a luxe hotel - which my family thoroughly dug in, but for me, quality bread, spread and coffee are my simple indulgence.

The Rascals In The Pool Right After Breakfast

It was a pleasant surprise that the E&O did not chase away the furry visitors below at the poolside.  Then we saw a wandering peacock as well!  It was such simple but creative thoughts of the hotel management that makes the E&O so memorable even until today.

Mother & Child

Luxe Boutique Hotels Penang

Blue Mansion Vs G Hotel

My previous post on the E&O hotel chronicled our fabulous stay at Penang's grand old dame for a night.  The reason for our nomadic hotel stays is that my family and I like to try out different hotels of a city - especially when it is our first few trips there.  This way we get a feel of which are the ones we would stay in the future - and of course for me to highlight on this site.

So after a night's fantastic stay at the E&O, we were looking forward to the Cheng Fatt Tze Boutique Hotel.

The Awe-Inspiring Blue Mansion

"The Blue Mansion was named after its owner,  Cheong Fatt Tze who maintained mansions in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China, besides the one in Penang. But although each of his far flung homes amply reflected his high station in life in terms of scale and luxuriousness, it would appear from all accounts, that the Leith Street home was the favoured one. The Blue Mansion was certainly his most elaborate and lavish - its detailing and artisan works more refined than even those in his native home in Tai'pu; and it was reputedly one of only two such buildings of its size outside China.

   The Mansion's construction began before the end of the 19th Century, and it was said that Cheong Fatt Tze had hoped to house nine generations of his descendants there. The plot of land was chosen after heavy consultation with the era's preeminent feng shui masters, and while all his Hakka friends and relatives chose to build very modern, Anglo-Indian houses in and around the area, Cheong Fatt Tze gave the go-ahead for the construction of a traditional Chinese home. Artisans were shipped in from Southern China expressly for the project, and building materials were imported from as far away as Scotland.

The paradigm two-storey courtyard house, incidentally, was built in stages - the centre bay was constructed first, while the wings were added at a later stage (clear indications of after-thought are found in the corridors that lead nowhere and originally external windows opening out into covered verandah ways).  Towards Cheong Fatt Tze's later life, the mansion acted as the base for his commercial enterprises and housed the Chinese Vice-Consulate - not to mention his favoured 7th wife.  All significant activities were concentrated in the centre of the mansion, with front halls for business meetings, the administration of the Vice-Consul Generalship and formal greeting of guests. The rear halls were for ancestral prayers, dining and family; while areas on the first floor housed rooms for significant family members -  preferred family members were housed in the Centre Bay, while those who had lost favour, as well as lesser relatives, were moved to the wings "

SOURCE: BLUE MANSION HOTEL

I mused to myself - is that not just the same way a Chinese Emperor housed his consorts?   

 Anyways musing gave way to hilarity when we were supposed to check into the Blue Mansion the next day after E&O.  On the way there, our taxi driver pleaded with us not to go as it was "Not Clean". My partner told me that was local speak for "paranormal". I was all excited by the notion of staying at a hotel with grand history and one which locals are all spooked about.  My partner pooh-poohed the notion, and she quickly went on Booking.com,  and in just a few minutes, we were on the way to the G Hotel. You could also book direct at the hotel link I have provided or click Agoda. Luck has it that there is only one executive studio suite available, and we booked it... .the hotel G stands for GORGEOUS, at least in my book, see below:

Not Exactly Blue Mansion...But G is Gorgeous

The G Suite  was big and bright.....sea views from the bed and in the bathroom!

G Suite Was Big and Comfy

Our exclusive breakfast area at the executive floor was cozy and a bit upperty up for my noisy family of four....so being the hoi polloi that we are, we opted for the G Cafe on the ground floor to dine with the rest of the hotel guests instead.  The more the merrier when you are on a family vacation.

G Suite Executive Floor Dining

So whether you want to attempt to Ghost Bust at the majestic Blue Mansion, look trendy at G Hotel, or simply Jalan Jalan on Gurney Drive, Penang is one of your next destinations for a short getaway.