Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Address: Batu Ferringhi, 11100 Penang, Malaysia. About a 45 minute drive from the Penang airport, and about a 20 minute drive from Georgetown. Value Luxury Rating: (out of 3) Features: The 5-star Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa is set on 30-acres of beachfront and boasts gardens featuring over 133,000 varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs. Regional artwork can be found located around the grounds and interior spaces. Accommodations are situated in two wings, the family friendly Garden Wing (189 rooms) and the exclusive Rasa Wing (115 rooms). Decor in both is a traditional Malay style blended with contemporary chic, with every modern convenience worked in. Rooms feature the expected upsale amenities (bath products from L’Occitane), air conditioning, wifi, and more. The resort has three swimming pools (one adult only), a par 3 pitch-and-putt golf course […]
Read MoreCategory Archive: Destinations
Hotel Review: Yokohama Royal Park Hotel
Yokohama Royal Park Hotel Address: 2-2-1-3 Minatomirai, Nishi-Ku, Yokohama, Japan Value Luxury Rating: Features: The Yokohama Royal Park Hotel is situated in the Minato Mirai 21 area, a cosmopolitan development area of Yokohama which combines a variety if sights and attractions, including an amusement park and the Cosmo 21 Ferris Wheel, shopping, over 200 restaurants, museums, theaters and entertainment venues, and more. The lobby and other public areas of the hotel are lovely – inviting, filled with beautiful floral displays, and offering seating and gathering areas that are well placed and don’t clutter things up. I’d call it an elegant Zen vibe, with a nice dash of upscale luxury. Hotel features and amenities include: fitness center, indoor pool, 9 restaurants, spa, business center, tea ceremony room, gift shop, and concierge service. Located on floors 52-67 of the building, every one of the Royal […]
Read MoreTalking About Belfast on The Amateur Traveler
I love talking about travel with friends, and recently Chris Christensen gave me the opportunity to talk about my trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a lot of people as a guest on his podcast, Amateur Traveler. Take a listen. Amateur Traveler Episode 396 – Travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland Now, head on over to subscribe to the Amateur Traveler so you won’t miss any of the great guests and topics Chris features on his show. I subscribe by iTunes and get automatic updates of new shows, but there are plenty of options for you to choose from.
Read MorePostcard from Kuala Lumpur
The Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest in the world and dominate the skyline in Kuala Lumpur — by day they are a shiny focal point, and a night they seem to glow and light up the sky. They contain offices for Petronas and other tenants. If you seen a movie or photo of Kuala Lumpur, you’ve likely caught a glimpse of these towers.
Read MorePostcard from Ipoh, Malaysia
I had never heard of Ipoh before this trip to Malaysia. The town once known for its thriving tin mining industry is now staking its claim in other ways, including spa and wellness tourism. This water lily was in the gardens at The Banjaran, Malaysia’s first natural hot springs wellness retreat, providing peaceful bliss after a week on the road.
Read MorePostcard from The Blue Mansion, Penang
The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also called the Blue Mansion, dates back to the 1880s and is a private residence as well as a 16-room guesthouse. It gets its distinctive blue color from mixing lime with a natural blue dye made from the indigo plant. Tours are offered, giving visitors the chance to peek behind the scenes and take a look at how the wealthy lived.
Read MorePostcard from James Bond Island, Thailand
James Bond Island is officially known as Khao Phing Kan, and is a part of Ao Phang Nga National Park just off of Phuket, Thailand. It would most likely have remained an obscure area were it not for the James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun, where it was Scaramonga’s island. Do you recognize it?
Read MoreNorthern Ireland: Malmaison Belfast Hotel
Malmaison Belfast Address: 34-38 Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland Rating: Features: Located in two old seed warehouses, the Malmaison Belfast has retained some of the original features, including iron pillars, beams, and carved stone gargoyles. The boutique hotel has 64 luxury rooms and two suites. The rooms feature mood lighting, flat screen plasma televisions, upscale toiletries in generous sizes (you’re encouraged to take them with you), and FREE wifi. Giving a hat tip to Belfast’s maritime connection, the Malmaison Belfast features subtle shipbuilding décor features in its common areas. The hotel has a restaurant (Brasserie) and bar (MALBAR) on site. Price Range: Typical boutiques rates here, and with the dollar to pound exchange rate, it can add up fast. The best price we found was by taking advantage of one of their several promotional packages, resulting in a pre-paid […]
Read MorePostcard from Bangkok
It took me over 24 hours to get to Thailand and my first day was full of delicious food. Like this classic , and delicious dessert of sticky rice, coconut milk (to pour over it ), and mango. Lunch at Sala Rattanakosin in Bangkok.
Read MorePostcard from Kihei
Kihei, on the island if Maui, was the first place I went to in the islands. It’s changed in the past few decades, but it’s still a great beach.
Read More