Topping Off Ceremony of G Hotel Kelawai

Come this last quarter of 2014, Penang is set to welcome another brand new addition to her already brimming list of hotels with the introduction of G Hotel Kelawai.

The brainchild of the stylish G Hotel facing the Gurney Drive seafront, G Hotel Kelawai is set to be another impressive brand of the modern contemporary hotel with a design defined by prestige and comfort along with a list of awe-inspiring features to boast in this new number.

Distinguished by its bold contemporary design, G Hotel has been the epitome of style and luxury since it opened its doors in the year 2007, and is an iconic name to the Penang tourism industry.
The strategic location of G Hotel made it one of the most favored hotel among the locals and tourists, and this is in the mind of the team as they paved the way for the brand new G Hotel Kelawai, which is also strategically situated between two trendy shopping malls; Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon, facing the busy Kelawai Road.

The 25th of April 2014 marked an important milestone for G Hotel Kelawai, with the Topping Off Ceremony taking place on the rooftop of the building still undergoing construction.
(Topping off ceremony was traditionally practiced by the Scandinavians and the builders as a form of practice to mark the placement of a last beam (or equivalent) during the establishment of the building, as defined by Wikipedia).



The Topping Off Ceremony of G Hotel Kelawai was officiated by the Guest of Honor, Penang Chief Minister, YAB Lim Guan Eng, in the presence of the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Development, YB Danny Law, the Directors of G Hotel, Mr Phuah Choon Meng and Mr Phuah Ken Lin, the General Manager of G Hotel, Mr Michael Harraty, Director of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Mr Harun Pilus, Penang Global Tourism, Mr Jason Sim among other dignitaries and the media.





Taking place on the rooftop set to house an infinity pool and a stylish rooftop bar, which offers a spectacular view of Penang island, the event gracefully marked the presence of G Hotel Kelawai which is set to take on the success of its predecessor, G Hotel; if not better with the introduction of its very own distinctive features to boast with its 5-star hotel facilities.

(Lobby)


Expected to be fully functional by the year end of 2014, G Hotel Kelawai will house a total of 208 rooms; comprising of 148 Deluxe rooms, 63 units of Executive rooms and 2 units of suites, graced by the touch of exquisite design and modern stylish furnishing.



G Hotel Kelawai strives to enhance their guests' experiences with a gymnasium equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, business centre and also a roof top infinity pool.
The pool offers a 360° view of Penang island, which includes the iconic Penang Bridge as guests enjoy a dip at the top of the hotel.

While its strategic location in the heart of Penang's most happening neighborhood promises walking distance to upscale shopping malls, Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon, and the popular Gurney Drive food haven promises a variety activities and selection of local savory delights, G Hotel Kelawai sets to impress and tempts the gastronomic appetites of its guests with its very own trendy and stylish food and beverage outlets - a coffee house, lobby lounge and a chill out bar on the rooftop, defined by its elegant and innovate design to give the guests a unique experience.

(Lobby Lounge)


(Coffee House)


With the many attractive features in this new addition to Penang's list of hotels, G Hotel Kelawai is indeed one to look forward to in the final quarter of 2014.

G Hotel Kelawai, with its tagline, Style Redefined will be yet another of Penang's pride when it finally opens its doors to the public this year and we look forward to welcome an iconic and stylish lifestyle brand to our shores~

(Attachements of the facts sheets for more detailed information on G Hotel Kelawai).

Hotel Review: JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur

Long known for luxury and comfort, Marriott hotels is no longer a newbie in the hospitality and tourism sector; with their hotels marking almost every major city and town in the world.
It is not hard to find a Marriott hotel in a city; much less in a metropolitan city which is the capital of the country and it is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur where Marriott stands on its turf.
Run by the YTL Corporation here, JW Marriott stands proudly on the high profile streets of Bukit Bintang in the booming area known as the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur city.
Its strategic location teamed with the prolific name of the luxury brand of Marriott, this was rightfully set on the path to success, attracting crowds from local travelers to international business/leisure travelers (and avid shoppers), especially from the Middle East, to their doorstep.
JW Marriott, is surrounded by a few shopping malls and restaurants and all within walking distance.
Pavilion, Lot 10, Fahrenheit, are all within walking distance, and Starhill, one of KL (and Malaysia's) most premier and luxurious shopping mall is right within the building itself.
Flanked by the newly renovated Louis Vuitton store on one side and another luxury hotel, Westin on the other, this is unmistakably the best location for anyone to get to the heart of the city, without even worrying about transportation.

Oh yes, I have been here, and memorably so (again, not sponsored post, so I am not advertising but rather, just writing based on my personal experiences and throwing a couple of opinions along the way).

From the foyer on the residential floors as one approaches their hotel room



As you can see, most of the interior design of the place are inspired by the concept from the colonial eras; with the high emphasis on wood and brass on their rooms and furniture.

Alley leading to the guest rooms
(Apologies for the blurry image as I was maneuvering my luggage, and I was usually dead tired when I reached my hotel, hence I don't even have time to snap photos of the reception area - will take note for the next time)

Upon entering the room, one can find the wardrobe and a large mirror on one side and the two-doors opening up to reveal the bathroom and mini bar on the other.






Bathroom was brightly lit; which is a good thing for I always liked good lighting in the bathroom, and of course amenities were sufficient to keep the guests happy, and helped to take some weight off packing those toiletries which are all readily available and nicely arranged on the marble tab.






There is even bath salt; something like what they provided in Pangkor Laut Resort, for that DIY spa experience during bath time.



There is the bathtub on one side, and the other; was the shower room and the toilet next to it.
My only complaint is that the shower room was rather squeezed in its space, and does not seem to have much breathing room. It is just like a case of claustrophobic situation and I always felt like I was squeezed into a space with a thick piece of glass wedged to close the area, and I am not claustrophobic, mind you.
The glass door seems need to oiling on its hinges too; in some of the rooms I have stayed.
Besides that, the bathroom was just perfect :-)


Past the short alley leading into the bedroom and living area of the room (I don't have a good shot of it though), is my favorite part which is the inviting king-sized poster bed with soft fluffy pillows (always have a good number of pillows) for a good night's sleep.
A picture of luxurious comfort, and always makes me long to go to bed (inspired me to have this setting in my own bedroom) and just feels like staying in bed. Bummer when I am on business trips...



I loved the details they put in making the bedding area such a picture of comfort, can you see the number of pillows and the little bolster?
There is just something about hotels; and Marriott just does it best in their bed settings I must say.
Also, notice that the lighting have taken on a different tone in this area?

Then there is the comfy long sofa which just contributes to making it all a homey environment, to plonk in with a cushion to the chest while watching the television.
What a picture of a bumming potato couch, right? ;-)




Depending on the direction in which your room faces, sometimes you would be pleasantly surprised and awestruck by the breathtaking view of the magnificent KLCC Petronas Twin Towers, standing proudly, all lit up, playing her role well as one of Kuala Lumpur city's iconic landmarks.

Otherwise a view like this, of the typical traffic on the streets of the capital of Malaysia, is not too bad too, and can be quite entertaining when you see how the cars are lined up (in traffic jams). May be a sight, but not quite for those stuck in the traffic themselves...yeah, awful thought!

Perhaps one can just focus on the dimming of the lights in the city's skyscrapers?



Comfy setting and a glimpse of the city in a snapshot on the glass windows, is just good to set one to snooze mood and bids the city of Kuala Lumpur a good night~

Breakfast starts from 6.00am and is served at their Shook! Restaurant located on the lower ground floor of the building.



Though I don't have photos of their breakfast spread, there is not much less of an expectation of a 5-star breakfast in Marriott and service is just impeccable.

JW Marriott is truly a gem in the city, and if you are a frequent traveler, you can earn from your Marriott Rewards loyalty programme, or in Kuala Lumpur, I believe you can also use the YTL membership (not sure about that though).

Make your reservations early; it may be a luxury hotel but it is always, almost, fully booked.
This post is not sponsored nor intended for advertising for Marriott or YTL in any way and I am not associated with either corporation.

Looking forward to my next stay~ :-)

Hotel Review: The Gardens Hotels and Residences (Premier Deluxe Room)

By a stroke of luck, I ended up in the Premier Deluxe Room of The Gardens Hotels and Residences once, and I must say it was another enriching experience for me, to enjoy one of my last stay (before changing to a different hotel) on one of their finest rooms.
(Read about my earlier experience here)
Already, the Deluxe Room have made me feel at home, the Premier Deluxe Room, at a higher rate (of course) promised much more space and a devoted living area space and a larger bathroom, with of course, a dressing table by the side.













Besides the larger space which is already a perk in itself, the other perk is the exclusive option of tea breaks on the 26th floor which only permits access to their club members or those residing in the premier deluxe rooms, or perhaps the suites.
Guests can also opt to check in or out at this level rather than the usual lobby reception located on the ground floor.
Such was the privileges offered to the guests, and breakfast can also be taken either on this floor with more exclusivity or indulge in the international spread on the 6th floor.





It was a memorable experience, and I did think that the exclusivity and the comfort did come well with the tag. Whether it was for business or for pleasure, I would have enjoyed my stay very much either way.
The Gardens Hotels and Residences, though more intended for the business travelers, have also offered domestic conveniences in the design and the location next to Asia's premier and one of the largest shopping malls do well for the families accompanying the businessmen.
Besides Gardens Hotel, the other two in the CHM group of hotels are the Cititel Mid Valley and the Boulevard Hotel which I have not tried before.

The Gardens Hotels and Residences was the only one I have stayed in, and have proved to be one of the most memorable stays I have had in a hotel while on a business trip.

Hotel Review: The Gardens Hotels and Residences

The Gardens Hotels and Residences is part of the CHM hotels group; and is part of the trilogy hotels under the group located in the strategic location of the Mid Valley City.
A luxury hotel located right next to the elegant settings of new and exclusive Gardens Mall, this hotel is a favorite among the business travelers and also the enthusiastic tourists looking for a good location in the midst of the hectic metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur.
There is plenty to offer from this hotel; from the strategic location to the 5-star ranking and the comfortable environment within the premises, one can only enter and leave without feeling like they have left home at all.

This became my second resident when I was taking short business trips to the city; and though I was a local myself, the hotel made it all welcoming and with the comforts (or luxuries) of home, sometimes I wished I did not have to rush off to meetings or back to the other site for work.
The Deluxe rooms were just welcoming, with the neatly made king-sized bed plopped in front of the flat screen television perched on top of a long and wide working table with drawers and a swivel chair, it was a combination of business and a little peek of leisure all in one.

Mainly serving business travelers, the design of the hotel rooms were more suited for work yet at the same time not compromising the comforts of home in that little aspect.



The design was well thought of; with ample space for moving around and there were sufficient lighting in the room; and there were side tables next to the bed with most of the switches available should one make themselves comfortable in bed.
There is also a telephone beside the bed, with a notepad and a pen, while on the other side of the bed is a digital alarm clock to serve its purpose of waking the busy workers to get to their business destinations on time after a long day at work.



Interior design was simple and kept to a minimum; which was good, for me, as I prefer minimalist style which makes it easier to unwind and relax, or get quickly down to business.

The bathrooms were also designed to be spacious; though it may not be the same depending on the type of rooms or the location of the rooms due to the building space itself. However, in general, I can say, based on my personal experiences after being a regular here, that most of the bathrooms will make even the claustrophobic happy with the amount of space and contemporary design.



One of the key criteria to rating a hotel's rank is the facilities and of course, the availability of the amenities for the comforts of the guests.



While some hotels have failed to live up to their expectations, I was impressed at the details which ran through the thoughtful minds of this hotel where they have provided almost everything to make the guests feel at home.
Shaving kit, toothbrush kit, vanity kit with cotton buds, shower caps, lotion, shampoo, bath gel, hand soap, face soap, hand towels, floor mats, face towels, bath towels, hair dryer, weighing scale, sewing kit, tissue box are all available in the room without having to call for housekeeping or paying anything extra.
This truly captured my heart, and I must say it was a job well done by the team at this hotel.

In some of the rooms, there are even dedicated dressing tables within the bathroom or next to the bathroom itself. I loved the thought of a dressing table as it was more convenient for me to make myself up on a proper dressing table rather than standing inside the bathroom (well, that's the conventional me!)



Glimpse of a room in a corner location



After a few visits, I was starting to be a regular at this hotel and I was surprised by the warm greetings by the hotel staff who could remember me.
I was even treated to goodies as part of the returning guests/loyalty rewards programme, and a special and kind gesture was the surprise goodies box I received in my room :-)



Thank you, I enjoyed my stay.

For more information, you can check out their website.
While the hotel rooms were comfortable, the breakfast buffet at The Spread, located on the 6th Floor of the hotel, serving international style buffet every morning from as early as 6.00am until 10.00am.

Security was also well-maintained, with the installation of CCTVs around the premises, and the controlled entries to the hotel rooms via access cards at the elevators.
Everything is automated and the design of the hotel is conceptualized to ensure the comfort and ease of mind of their guests, while keeping up with the modern technology.

I will share another post to review their other type of room soon...

The Gardens Residences, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +603-2268 1188