Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca

It has been ages since I last set foot in Malacca so I was super-excited when we decided to make an overnight trip to this historical city.

As usual I had turned to my BFF, Agoda.com to find suitable digs for our stay. Since Malacca is a hot spot for tourists, there are numerous hotels in this city, but the 4-star Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca tickled my fancy, mainly because it’s new (built in 2014) and its strategic location. Close to the city center and various must-see attractions (Malacca River Cruise, Jonker Walk, Taming Sari Tower, etc.) the hotel is adjoined to The Shore Shopping Gallery.

Finding the hotel from the PLUS Highway Ayer Keroh exit was a breeze. If you are not a fan of Waze, just look out for the signage to The Shore and you’ll reach the hotel within 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. Parking was available free of charge in the mall with direct access to the hotel from Level 3A where we parked.

There were only 2 counters opened at the time so it was quite a long wait in the queue for check-in

I had booked the Deluxe Room at RM254.55 (without breakfast) from Agoda for our 1 night stay. Note that hotels in Malacca are required to collect a RM2 Heritage Charge per room per night which is to be paid directly to the hotel at check-out.

The standard check-in time was at 3 p.m. but we had reached the hotel earlier than expected and wanted to see if our room was ready. Unfortunately, the room I had booked was still being prepared but it was a blessing in disguise since we got upgraded to the Deluxe Plus room which came with a bath tub. Yeayy!

Our room was on the 16^th floor with a balcony overlooking the Malacca River and Kampung Morten, a traditional Malay village which is also a tourist attraction.

The view from our balcony where we could see the Malacca River Cruise boats going up and down the river. The red roofed houses are part of Kampung Morten.

Love the warm earth tones that offered a relaxing ambiance

The glass wall in the bathroom – pull the blinds down for complete privacy

The edges of the glass top working desk may be a potential hazard especially to families with young children

LED flat-screen TV (with satellite channels) and DVD player. The DVD player has a USB port so you can bring along a USB drive pre-loaded with your favorite movies. In-room Wi-Fi is also available free of charge

Coffee/tea-making facilities cleverly tucked away 

How many hotel rooms you know come with a bathroom scale!

The water playground on Level 9 – kids (adults included) will simply love this!

Guests enjoying the mini Jacuzzis. The glass-paneled cube overlooking the pool is the fitness center - cool, right?

One of the 2 swimming pools - also on Level 9

For dining options, there are 2 restaurants in the hotel - Garden Terrace Coffee House and the Sky Garden. 

There are also a few restaurants in the mall including Nando’s, Seoul Garden, Sushi Zanmai and La Bodega. We didn’t get to try any of the restaurants in the hotel or the mall since we wanted to have our lunch at Asam Pedas Selera Kampung Restaurant in Mahkota Square, which is known as THE place to go to for authentic Malacca-style “asam pedas” (fish cooked in sour and spicy gravy). 

For dinner, we headed to Medan Ikan Bakar Muara Sg. Duyung which is a haven for delicious fresh seafood dishes especially grilled fish. You need Waze to find this place which is about 20-30 minutes drive from the hotel but totally worth the trip! When you return to the hotel and if you are not completely pooped after a long day out, soak up the evening air and take some nice photos against the backdrop of the colorful fountain right outside.

Our room did not come with breakfast so the next day, we bought some pastries from Starbucks which is located on the ground floor of the mall. The mall does not open until 10 a.m. but you can get to Starbucks (which thankfully is opened by 9 a.m.) by following the sidewalk right outside the hotel lobby. There’s also a ‘mamak’ restaurant (Seri Sahabat) within 5 minutes walking distance from the hotel – just ask the friendly and helpful hotel staff for directions.

After breakfast, you can burn off the extra calories by taking a stroll on Boardwalk – a pedestrian footpath for visitors to walk along the riverline. Just be mindful of your steps since the timber boards are not that well maintained with broken or uneven areas.

Within the mall, there is the departmental store TANGS and other outlets if you fancy to do some shopping. You can also check out The Shore Oceanarium or go for a Sky Tower experience.

The world’s longest aquarium tunnel, longest coral reef aquarium and also South East Asia’s first 360-degree view aquarium tunnel. You wouldn’t want to miss that!

Check this out only if you are not scared of heights

Overall, our stay at the Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca was very enjoyable. The only downside we experienced was the long wait for the lifts. At 42-storeys, the hotel is the tallest in Malacca, but there were only a limited number of lifts to cater to guests. Since we were there on a weekend, we sometimes had to wait for at least 10-15 minutes before the lift arrived and when it did, we could hardly get in (imagine the stress of trying to cram into one tiny space alongside a family with young children, a baby stroller and a few pieces of luggage!). 

Apart from this, our stay at the Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca was a fantastic one and we will not hesitate to recommend this hotel to our family and friends.

Overall Verdict:

Location: 9/10
Hotel Ambiance: 9/10
Room Comfort: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca

Add: T2-4, The Shore @ Melaka River, Jalan Persisiran Bunga Raya, 75300 Malacca, Malaysia

Tel: +606-288 3131
Fax: +606 288 3377
Email: resvns_sghrm@swissgarden.com
Web: www.swissgarden.com/hotels/sghrm

Lotsa Luv

Unboxing the Beaba Babycook Solo

Hi Everyone!!

First solid is a very important baby milestone and is one that I look forward to. I enjoy cooking for my husband and now I can start cooking for my little one, too! Like any other overly-excited first time mothers, I was in search for the perfect steamer/blender. Note that if you have a steamer and a blender separately in your kitchen already you may not need this. I just like the fact that I have a dedicated cooking equipment for my baby. I researched and reviewed a few Steamer/Blender for baby food in the market, such as the Avent Steamer/Blender, The Little Bean Multi Function Food Processor, The Cherub Natriblend and a few others  but, this Beaba Babycook seems to top the charts. 

I got mine from jumpingbabyjacks, my favourite go-to place when it comes to buying stuffs for my baby. Did price comparisons from a few online stores, and jumpingbabyjacks seems to give the best offer.

The Beaba Babycook Solo retails at RM699 with a choice of one out of two free gift - the Beaba Bento Box or the fill& squeeze food pack. I chose the Beaba Bento Box worth RM123. On top of that they throw in free shipping via Skynet, too. I told you, jumpingbabyjacks always have the best deals. Plus, their customer service is superb. I was in touch with Joanne through Whatsapp and she was very helpful in giving recommendations and patient in answering all of my queries. 

The Beaba Babycook Solo and Beaba Bento Box in their respective boxes

Unboxing my Babycook

Currently , they have 2 colors in stock and I chose red. The other color that's currently available is Gipsy (white with purple/green handle)

It comes with a jug lid and spatula

The Steamer Basket that can be taken out 

The Manual and Recipe Book

The Free Bento Box

The Cutleries

The inside of the Bento Box

The Key Features of the Beaba Babycook:

• 4-in-1 functions: steams, blends, defrost and re-heat

• Large capacity: 1100ml (this is the biggest compared to other brands)

• Fast: Cook in less than 15 min!

• Ingenious: Open and close the lids with one hand thanks to the Easy clip system

• Healthy: Preserves vitamins and nutrients

• Auto shut-off feature

• Sound signal at the end of the cooking cycle

• Backlit screen

• Descaling indicator will turn red to indicate that descaling is required

• Removable cable for easy storage

• Includes:  Recipe booklet (created by a nutritionist for babies from 6 to 24 months old), cooking basket, spatula to lift the baskets and scraping out the bowls, mixing lid/smoothie filter.

I am very happy with my purchase. It is definitely a good addition to my kitchen gadgets. I guess once my baby has outgrown baby food, I can still use this Babycook for normal cooking. I am planning to use this Beaba Babycook for my baby's first solid this weekend and I will post another review on its functionality. I shall end this post with this cute summary video of the functions and usage of the Beaba Babycook Solo and it comes with recommended recipes too!

Till Then, Happy Puree-ing!

Liv

Liv & Luv at Lunch - A Harrods Lunch

Hi Everyone!

It has been quite some time since the two of us went out for an episode of Liv & Luv at lunch. And after a 4-month hiatus, we decided to visit Harrods Cafe, KLCC for lunch.

There are two different Harrods outlet in KLCC, one is Harrods Restaurant which is attached to the Harrods World Signature Shop at Level 1 and the other is Harrods Cafe located at Ground Floor, opposite Melur & Thyme.

Harrods Cafe has a semi-alfresco concept. It has a very relaxed ambiance which is perfect for a girly brunch, a casual business lunch or for family dinner. The menu is not very extensive with a selection of sandwiches, limited main course and dessert. I guess Londoners don't really fancy variety.

Sandwich and Desserts Bar - View from where we were sitting

I have been here many times since its opening in 2013 and I have been a fan of the Harrods ribs and that was exactly what I recommended to Luv since it was her first time at Harrods. We both decided that getting two orders of ribs would be too much for the both of us so we decided to share the Mixed Platter and order a starter and a dessert.

The Starter:

Potato and Leek Soup RM24.50

The Potato and Leek Soup did not disappoint. It was served with a slice of grilled toast and butter, the portion is perfect - not too little or not too much for a starter and the soup was creamy and tasty.

The Main Course:

Mixed Platter RM88.50

The Mixed Platter boasts of a combination of grilled sausages, ribs and chicken served with a side of salad. I'd like to highlight that this platter is definitely not for sharing. The portion is just nice for one person. Sharing this plate was a bad decision, we were both left hungry after we have wiped the plate clean.

The Dessert:

Cherry Brownies RM14.00

The Cherry Brownies has a strong dark chocolate taste to it. Though very tasty, we both agreed that it would be nicer if the brownies was served warm with a side of vanilla ice-cream. There's essentially nothing to shout about with this one, we suggest giving it a pass, and perhaps opt for the cheesecake instead.

Our Drinks:

Cafe Latte RM17.50

Strawberry Iced Tea RM21.00

Our Overall Verdict:

Taste:8/10

Service: 9/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Presentation: 7/10

Value for Money: 6/10

You can visit Harrods Cafe and have the Harrods experience for yourself, details as follows:

Harrods Cafe KLCC

Ground Floor G03J-03K

Tel No: 03-2165 1111

Things I Don't Regret Buying for My Baby

Hi Guys!

It's me! I am back from my 4-month maternity break and is now ready to share my still very limited experience on motherhood.. so here goes...

5 Things I Don't Regret Buying for My Baby

• Stokke Flexi Bath and Newborn Body Support

If you’re a first-time mom like me, bathing your newborn baby can be a daunting experience. I mean, she’s tiny and fragile, and using soap and water on her will make her skin very slippery. Having to hold her firmly whilst also needing to wash her will make you feel like you want to grow octopus hands. Of course, the last thing you wanna do is to hurt her while you’re trying to bathe her. The best way to bathe a newborn baby is to place her on a sturdy yet comfortable body support and have both your hands free to do all the things you need while bathing her. I find the Stokke Flexi Bath and Newborn Body Support very useful. My baby is comfortable when placed on the body support even during her first week as it follows the natural curve of the baby’s body making bath time a very enjoyable experience for both mommy and baby. Almost 5 months down the road, my baby absolutely loves bath time. She loves it the most when I trickle water down her face! Recently, we have started using the swimtrainer and let her swim in our bath tub once a week and it is without a doubt, our favourite time of the week!

The body support attaches quite easily on the tub. The tub folds compactly for easy storage and is great for traveling too. Stokke Flexi Bath and Newborn Body Support retails are sold separately, available at Mothercare outlets. 

• Mothercare Diaper Pail

A baby wets and soils her diapers like nobody’s business. On average you will have to change her 6 times a day. Weather you use disposable or reusable diapers, a diaper pail will help you keep the odor at bay, preventing the dirty diaper smell from wafting through your home. I know there are some diaper pails in the market that are very high-tech, with stainless steel exterior and carbon filters and whatnots, but they also come with a hefty price tag. This particular one I got from Mothercare is easy to use, perfect in doing the job to control the smell, good in size, not too big and not too small; enough to contain 1 or 2 days’ worth of soiled diapers and it is affordable too. The only downside is that it doesn’t have a foot pedal for hands free usage.

• Fisher-Price Discover 'n Grow Kick and Play Piano Gym

We first introduced our baby to the activity gym when she was about 4 weeks old. She totally loves her gym time! She will start kicking the piano, gazing at her reflection from the mirror and try to grab the hanging toys. This activity gym is good to strengthen baby’s motor skills, enhance eye-hand coordination as well as help baby understand the magic of cause and effect; the piano will play different music at every kick. I find that this activity gym keeps my baby entertained for at least 15-20 minutes. I normally use it two to three times a day and it gives me enough time to do a round of laundry or steal a quick power nap while my baby is happily distracted playing with the gym!,This activity gym can be used multiple ways - whilst lying down during her newborn stage and as the baby grows the arch can be easily moved down and the piano can be swiveled up for play during tummy time or sitting down.  Something that is multifunctional and could grow with your baby is definitely worth the investment!

• Medela Freestyle Breast Pump

If you’re a planning on breastfeeding, I cannot stress enough the importance of investing on a good pump. I like the Medela freestyle for many reasons. First and foremost, I like the Medela freestyle because it is compact and lightweight so it is very easy to lug around. Next, it has a rechargeable battery. It takes a couple of hours to charge the battery to full and depending on your usage, the battery could last about 2-3 days! If you buy the complete package, two sizes of breast shields will be provided – 23mm and 27mm. I use the 27mm and it fits perfectly. I started using the pump as early as when my baby was one week old. I know that most breastfeeding textbook will tell you that you should not introduce bottle too early as it will inhibit the baby’s desire to direct feed. Well I believe that statement is not entirely true. Every baby is different in character and you have to really experiment to understand your baby. I am lucky enough that my baby does not prefer one over the other; she takes both bottle and direct feeding just the same. So mothers, do experiment. I am not encouraging bottle feeding, don’t get me wrong. I agree that direct feeding is always the best and in the perfect ideal world, every mother should direct feed. But in the real world, especially with working mothers, exclusive direct feeding is absolutely impossible. Some reviews in the internet mentioned that the suction of Medela Freestyle is not as good as hospital-grade pumps, and I really can’t compare as the freestyle is the only breast pump I own, but I can assure you this pump is the winner if portability and functionality are the two qualities you look for in a breast pump. 

• Ring Sling Baby Carrier

I am not a big fan of baby wearing, to be honest, but I was desperate. My baby hates the stroller. Whenever we go out we always ended up using the stroller as a trolley for our shopping bags and having to carry her as well, which was a pain to our shoulders and arms. The ring sling baby carrier was our savior. Our baby is happy in the ring sling, most of the time sleeping or enjoying the view and the closeness to the parental unit. Also we have both our hands free and it gives support to the baby’s weight, enough to not give us a backache after a full day outing. It is also lightweight, and easy to carry around. Just fold it and store it in the diaper bag when not in use. Now that our baby is almost 5 months old and could sit down assisted, we have started to train her in the stroller again and she has started to enjoy sitting in her stroller, so phew! However, we will still use the baby carrier for when we go out to busy areas where pushing a stroller would be an inconvenience.

Till Then, Happy Buying!

Liv

Moon's Kitchen

Moon’s Kitchen began its humble beginnings as a hawker stall serving Western dishes in Pandan Indah 18 years ago. After a successful run, the family decided to open their own restaurant in Putra Heights, managed by young couple Aizuddin and Atikah.

Since the early days, Moon’s Kitchen’s specialty has always been their meat dishes, ranging from lamb to different cuts of halal-certified Australian beef. Today, they have expanded their menu to include lobsters, although these are only available on a seasonal basis and were unfortunately out of stock during our visit.

The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a shop-house with plenty of street parking available. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and welcoming and the walls charmingly decorated with mural paintings of iconic buildings.

The menu is divided into various sections and each dish within a sub-section is given a brief description. Everything sounded yummy and I had a hard time deciding what to order. 

BBQ Braised Beef Brisket - RM49.90++

I finally settled on the Braised Beef Brisket in BBQ Sauce from the BBQ Wagon section and it was a wise choice indeed. The Australian lean beef brisket was braised in Moon’s Kitchen home-made Chipotle BBQ sauce, then quickly oven-roasted to get that delicious caramelized taste. The rich flavors of the fork-tender meat were enhanced by the sauce which was so lip-smackingly good I simply wanted more! A serving of coleslaw and fries complemented this exceptional dish.

Chicken Chop - RM16.90++

If you prefer chicken to beef, the Chicken Chop from the El Classico section is a must-try. The breaded boneless chicken is well-seasoned and deep fried until it becomes crispy. The generously portioned chicken is served with salad, coleslaw and fries.  There are 4 choices of gravy - sweet & sour, black pepper, mushroom and brown sauce. We had the mushroom gravy but I’m sure the other choices are equally as good.

Fish & Chips - RM16.90++

Non-meat lovers need not despair; Fish & Chips is available from the El Classico section and it is absolutely yummy. The crumbed Dory fish fillet is deep fried until the batter becomes golden brown. The result is a piece of fish that is crispy on the outside but moist and flaky on the inside.  Served with salad, coleslaw, fries and tartar sauce, Moon’s Kitchen’s version of this classic English dish did not disappoint.

Lil Marco Polo - RM11.90++

The kids simply loved their choice of dishes from The Junior Chef section. The Lil Marco Polo is a 170gm grilled piece of chicken served with a delicious cordon bleu cheese sauce. The chef used the sauce to create a pretty pattern on the plate which makes the dish looks more appealing especially if your little one is a fussy eater.

Tempura Chicken Nuggets - RM8.90++

The kids were delighted to find that chicken nuggets were on the menu and they gave their two thumbs up to the tender, juicy chicken! The 6pcs of chicken nuggets in tempura batter were fried to golden perfection. Served with fries, salad and mayo on the side, this is a dish that any kid (or grown-up for that matter!) would simply enjoy.

After such a scrumptious lunch, we were looking forward to round out our meal with some desserts. Unfortunately, the cake display stands on the counter were empty. But with hardly any room left in our tummies, we didn’t bother to ask if there’s anything else available.

Our lunch cost RM174.25, inclusive of 6 Fresh Fruit Juices (Milky Carrot, Fresh Green Apple and Fresh Watermelon) at RM7.00 each and 1 take-away of the Little Mermaid from the Junior Chef section (single piece of deep-fried tempura fish fillet served with fries and tartar sauce). 

If you like Western food and are a fan of red meat, then this is THE one place you shouldn’t miss. The quality of the food is truly top-notch and the prices are fairly affordable. If there’s anything that this place needs to improve, it would be the time it takes for your order to arrive. However, the taste and presentation of your food makes it totally worth the wait!

I’m looking forward to return to Moon’s Kitchen and try the other dishes on the menu, especially their Lobster Thermidor (got to check if lobsters are in stock first!), Lamb Ribs and the Black Pepper Steak. Just looking at the pictures of these dishes on Moon’s Kitchen’s Facebook page is making me drool already!

Lobster Thermidor

Lamb ribs glazed with sweet mango chutney

Black Pepper Steak

My Overall Verdict:

Taste: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Presentation: 9/10

Value for Money: 9/10

Address and contact details:

Moon’s Kitchen

12A-G Jalan Putra Mahkota 7/6B

Putra Heights, Subang Jaya,

47650 Selangor.

Tel: 03-5887 1081 / 012-2358290

Website: https://www.facebook.com/moonskitchenkl

Operating hours:

Tuesday-Sunday (12.00PM - 10.00PM)

Friday (3.00PM - 10.00PM)

Closed on Mondays

Lotsa Luv

Singing to the TUNE in Taiping

Hi everyone,

I was in Taiping recently to settle some personal matters and since I knew I had to stay overnight to finish what I came to do, I booked a room at the Tune Hotel.

I wanted to stay somewhere close to town so the Tune Hotel seemed a pretty good choice since it is located merely 5-minutes drive away from the city center. I had booked the Family Room for our group of 4 at RM186.71 nett per night from Agoda.

I noticed that the published rate in the Tune Hotel website for the same check-in date was RM228.00 per night, substantially higher than the price I got from Agoda. Before making a booking, you might want to check a few hotel-booking websites and compare the various prices to ensure you end up with a great deal.

The 113-room Tune Hotel Taiping was opened in 2014, making it one of the newest hotels in the heritage town. It is strategically located within the new Taiping Centre Point development, right across from the Taiping Sentral Mall and Tesco hypermarket. There are a number of outlets in the mall offering a host of dining, entertainment and shopping options (Kenny Rogers Roasters, Nasi Kandar Pelita, Levi’s, Vincci, Kamdar, Guardian, MBO Cinemas, Kidz World Fun Park, etc.). The must-see attractions in Taiping such as the Lake Gardens, Zoo and Night Safari are located no more than 5 kilometers away from the hotel.

We arrived at the hotel just slightly after 2.00 p.m. Parking was not a problem since there was plenty of street parking right in front of the hotel entrance. Otherwise, basement parking is also available.

Standard check-in time is at 2:00 p.m. onwards while check-out time is at 11:00 a.m. Early check-in starting from 11:00 a.m.and late check-out up to 2:00 p.m. are possible for a charge of RM15.00 respectively, subject to room availability. 

The receptionist was courteous and helpful and upon check-in, we were issued with the electronic key card to our room. The card is required to activate the buttons in the elevator by tapping it on the sensor inside the elevator. This security feature restricts the use of the elevators to the floor where the room of the checked-in guest is located. Two thumbs up for high security! The card was then used to unlock the door to our room and the power supply inside the room was activated by inserting the card into its slot. Since the card has various important functions, do take good care of it.

I was very happy with my choice of room. The Family Room can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 children below 5 years old.

What I liked about the room:

• Even with 2 Queen-sized beds, a sofa, a wardrobe (with space to put your opened luggage next to it), a work desk and a chair, the room still felt spacious and comfortable.
• The super-comfy beds. The spring mattress beds, pillows, pillowcases, bed sheets and duvets are custom made for Tune Hotels by bed-makers who supply to 5-star hotels so that its guests can enjoy 5-star sleeping luxury, without having to stay in expensive hotels. The duvet has a 250-thread count which made me just want to stay forever under it!
• The floor that was clean enough we did not have any second thoughts about sitting cross-legged on it to enjoy our ‘nasi kandar’ picnic in the room when my cousin and her family came to visit.
• The sofa that can easily double up as a child’s bed.
• The mounted flat-screen TV which can be moved to face the bed or the sofa depending on where you are sitting.
• The big wall mirror - a girl's best friend!
• The high-pressure heated power shower in the en-suite bathroom.
• Towels and basic toiletries were included in the room rates although the Agoda website mentioned that towels are available on rental basis.
• There was air-conditioning AND a ceiling fan in the room. I love having options! 

What I didn’t like about the room:

• The door of the en-suite bathroom, which opened outward from inside. If you were coming out of the bathroom but you can’t see that someone is standing right outside the bathroom door (due to the smoky glass), you might bang the door into that person if you open the door hastily. A sliding door would have been a safer and more practical option.
• The room windows that can be easily opened by a child.

Other things that are provided in the room which we didn’t use:  Electronic safe, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi

Not provided: In-room telephone,  coffee/tea making facilities, extra bed/pillow

Overall, we had a very pleasant stay at the Tune Hotel Taiping. We didn’t feel like we were staying in a budget hotel at all even though the hotel has a 3-star rating. If we ever come back to Taiping, we would definitely stay in this hotel again, with the Family Room being our favorite choice.

My Overall Verdict:

Location: 9/10

Hotel Ambiance: 7/10

Room Comfort: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Value for Money: 9/10

Address & contact details:

Tune Hotel Taiping

Jalan Istana Larut, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 1-300-88-8863
http://www.tunehotels.com/my/en/
http://www.agoda.com/tune-hotel-taiping/hotel/taiping-my.html

Photo credit: Agoda.com ('cos someone totally forgot to take pictures!)

Lotsa Luv