Montigo Resorts, Batam - you know you want to!…

Over the weekend, I paid a visit to the ‘not yet officially open’ Montigo Resorts in Batam on a company trip, and just had to do a quick post on the place before I forget – the place is simply amazing even though they’re not fully open yet!

Just check out the welcoming view from the lobby…the resort is made up of three types of villas with subtle differences – Hill Side Villa, Hill Top Pool Villa and Spa Villa (I reckon you can more or less tell what the differences are from the names!)

There was a cold towel and welcome lemongrass drink to enjoy while we were checking in…even if you don’t speak Bahasa Indonesia, no worries as the staff are decently proficient in English. The standard of service is almost equal to that of Club Med in Bintan, which is really saying something.

The resort is set into a hillside, so a fair amount of walking is required – extended exploration of the resort is not recommended for old folk or those with young children, although travel can easily be taken care of by the numerous buggies servicing the resort.

We opted for the Hill Top Pool Villas, which were 3-floor, 2-bedroom villas with their own private plunge pool…and had trouble making it to our training sessions as we didn’t want to leave the villas! :D

The ground floor consisted of a spacious living room complete with kitchen facilities and even a Wii…the day beds were so comfy, some of my colleagues even fell asleep there!

And oh, the villa pool…it’s not huge, but most enjoyable – you only have to open the living room sliding doors, take 2 steps and climb straight into the pool. We made full use of it, that’s for sure… :P

The second floor was made up of the two bedrooms with attached bathrooms – the master room (which I got) has a four poster bed, while the second room has two single beds…take my word for it, once you sink into the bed and the pillows, you won’t want to budge! (explains why I was late for breakfast too…oops…)

Can I PLEASE bring this bathroom back with me?! The stone bath tub is right under a skylight, and came with a nice packet of bath salts…too bad I didn’t have time to soak in there! There’s also a separately partitioned shower stall and toilet if you have to share the bathroom with someone.

Another awesome touch – double sinks! No need to queue or fight for sink space in the morning…big plus point for me :D

I hadn’t heard about Malin + Goetz before this, but after a quick Google search (doncha just love instant info at your fingertips?) I found out they’re an apothecary based in New York. They have the most amazing smelling toiletries – rum soap, cilantro body wash, peppermint shampoo…you can just imagine those lovely scents, can’t you? ;)

Of course, the purpose of the trip was for training, so we did have to get some work done…but damn, even the entrance to the conference room was so pretty, we didn’t mind (too much!) having to go for training…

This end of Batam is just half an hour’s ferry ride from Singapore, but what a difference in view! I discovered that if I stood at the end of the balcony in the picture above, I could actually see Marina Bay Sands in the distance – a gorgeous sight at night, to be sure…but alas, rather difficult to catch on camera.

The restaurant is the only bit that looked more reminiscent of Indonesian design, but somehow I liked it – a little bit rustic with modern elements weaved in.

Look up! I had to give two thumbs up to the resort’s consideration for nature…instead of demolishing the entire area, they made concessions around some of the trees which I thought was a small step in the right direction.

From an eco-friendly perspective, the resort also made the effort to conserve as much energy as possible – the common areas of the resort are mostly white with airy ceilings and fans, while at the villas only the necessary areas such as bedrooms and living room are air conditioned (the staircase up to each floor is ventilated from the outside).

For those who cannot completely disconnect from the internet but yet don't want to pay hefty roaming fees, you'll be most delighted to know that Montigo Resorts has free Wifi throughout the entire resort (personally tested, they have awesomely fast speeds and steady signal!) - are you jumping for joy yet? ;)

Did I mention how gorgeous the view from the bedroom is? Well…now you know!

Since the resort has only done a soft launch, they’re offering a 25% discount on their rates until the official launch in March 2013. Prices range from SGD$273.75 (2 pax) to SGD$413.75 (5 pax) for the Hill Side Villas – obviously you get a better deal with more people as each villa can fit up to 5 pax. Time to start planning! :D

Montigo Resorts

Jalan Hang Lekir Nongsa

Batam, Indonesia

Tel: +62 778 776 8888

PS: Am being spoilt travel-wise these couple of weeks – as if Indonesia wasn't enough, I'm off to Bangkok on Thursday for a post-birthday holiday with the fiancé. Can’t wait! :D

A little piece of bliss at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake…

Was feeling a spate of wanderlust over the past few days thinking about travel, hence this random post about the hotel I had stayed in while in Hanoi on work last year – the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake.

This place is seriously amazing from the first view – the hotel’s situated ON the waters of the West Lake and is ensconced in a quiet corner just a few minutes from the city centre. I liked that the whole place has a hint of a colonial feel to it…hardly surprising since it’s Hanoi, after all.

The rooms are among the most spacious in Hanoi – I was told each room has a minimum space of 43m2 which is pretty big! My room was situated just off the main building along one of the branches. And there’s no worry about luggage either – they have little buggies that can ferry guests from one place to the other.

I fell in love with my room at first sight – wouldn’t you? :D Oh, and just behind the windows is access to my own private balcony…*bliss*

The bathroom was a separate experience by itself, and boasts two sinks (perfect for couples or mirror hogs!) as well as a standalone shower stall and…wait for it…

…awesome tub! Sadly I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked since I was running around for work, but I still managed to sneak in a good soak on the last night…almost fell asleep in the tub, come to think of it… ;)

For those looking to have a real bath experience, the InterContinental even has a bath menu. Basically what happens is you call the reception at least 3 hours ahead and make your selection from the menu above – the staff will come in and set up the bath for you. This is a separate cost of course, but from what I remember it was quite affordable and worth the price (it was less than RM100 if I remember correctly, although prices are listed in USD)

I love that they’re not stingy with the bath amenities, which come sealed in neat plastic and foil packets for hygiene, as well as stored in a nice leather-like box.

Can you imagine waking up to these views every morning? The left side of my balcony overlooked the lake (the building with the red roof is the hotel’s night bar) while the right side faces the main hotel building and pool. The entire place has a very spacious and tranquil feel to it…and can be quite amusing when you see one of the locals paddling by in a small sampan (boat/ raft) going about their daily lives!

The piece de resistance is in the bed, which to me can be compared to Westin’s heavenly bed…this is also the first time I’ve ever come across a PILLOW menu – there are so many options to choose from! :D (I picked #1 and #5 since they’re complementary for the duration of your stay)

And what could be more apt than leaving you with a pic of the bed…InterContinental, never fear – we shall meet again someday! :D

Oh, and just to add on – the food at the F&B outlets is fantastic. Buffet breakfast is included in the cost of the room, and there’s something for everyone from Western dishes to Vietnamese pho. Plus, the staff here are infinitely friendly and very accommodating, which made my stay all the more enjoyable despite having to run around like a headless chicken trying to set up for a client’s event.


Rooms at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake start from USD$139 (approx. RM420) per night, which is a bit pricey but on par with most 5-star hotels in KL anyway. There are good online promotions every now and then, so if you can get a good deal on the room it’s definitely worth your while. :)


Rating: 5 / 5
Value: $$

Princely Wedding Fair 2010…

Side Note: Thanks to my sucky internet connection over the past few days, this got delayed…but ah well, it’s still kind of relevant, so why not? Warning though – photo heavy post!

Prince Hotel had their Princely Wedding Fair 2010 last weekend, but a bunch of us had been invited earlier to the media preview (less people, more time to browse and check out the offerings)

There’s actually this HUGE vintage limo that you can rent for your wedding – not my style since I’m into something more modern and streamlined, but even then I couldn’t help but be impressed at it. The couple in front are models wearing Carven Ong couture for the purpose of the photo session (love the girl’s dress, by the way)

The couple was in character the whole way, even down to the ‘groom’ carrying his ‘bride’ and champagne pouring (I’ll go into the champagne a bit later…it was halal!)

Some of the sponsors and participants had displays set up around the sides of the ballroom showcasing their various offerings…

Fancy getting married in Carven Ong? :D Well, since I’m not likely to be able to afford Vera Wang, Carven’s probably the next best alternative!

Wedding cake by Big Boys Oven – thanks Sidney for the invite!!

As part of the entire experience, we were treated to a fusion mix of their wedding banquet choices. Turns out that the banquet menus are customizable to your preference, such as substituting Japanese starters in a Chinese menu (you get the idea). So, needless to say we had a little of everything – Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Indian!

Japanese starter – I love my raw fish!


3 Hot Appetiser Selection – a nice alternative to the usual Four Seasons at most hotels. The prawns and yam puffs were absolutely yummy.


Typically Chinese wedding banquet dish of sharksfin – don’t judge me!

This is what we had to wash it all down with – Cham’alal! Believe it or not, it’s HALAL champagne (a glam step up from fizzy grape juice right?) Tasted decent enough, but without the kick of real champagne. The organizers decided to have a bit of fun with us at the preview and got a representative from each table to open a bottle, with rather hilarious results!

Taufulou getting it on with the bottle…


Sidney was our representative, and…aiyoyo so funny to see him with the bottle!

After the welcome break in courses, the eating resumed with grilled fish Melaka-style which came served with white rice – nicely complemented by the rice, but a tad salty on its own.

Up next…Roasted Chicken Vindaloo with chutney, pickles and naan bread – this was my favourite of the lot since the lime pickle was seriously tangy!

Of course, no meal would be complete without dessert which came in the form of Flourless Chocolate Cake…there are no words to describe this – plate licked clean!

So, fancy getting hitched in style? :) Well, if you do and want to get more bang for your buck, there’s also the Princely Wedding Contest 2010 – three lucky bridal couples stand to win a vacation to either Hawaii, Tokyo or Chiang Mai, while the others stand to win up to RM30,000 worth of cash vouchers sponsored by Prince’s wedding partners. The contest is open to all couples that have confirmed their wedding reception at Prince Hotel in 2010. The contest draw will take place on 31st December 2010 for the three winning couples.


Me? Wait la…gotta find the groom first before thinking about hotel right? If only it were as easy as getting a “model” to play the part…LOL! :D