Month: March 2017

London

London.

My long time friend Dato’ Sri Andrew Abishegam, who was in London recently, sent these pictures when I was chatting with him on WhatsApp the other day. I think the first is Harrod’s of London with multiple contrails in the sky. Lovely pics and the two pics are copyright DS Andrew Abishegam.

The second picture is the Queen’s Windsor Castle, I am guessing. I have not been to London for so long, l don’t know where all the Malaysians like to stay these days. I can’t even remember the names of some of the nice hotels I stayed. I will add direct links to some of some of the hotels popular with Malaysian visitors when I find out.

Third pic is of me as a pigeon whisperer in my younger days.

I have created a special page for hotels in London.
http://www.mycen.my/hotels-in-london/ See updated page here: http://www.tvsmith.my/travel/london-malaysian-magnet

Meanwhile, use the dynamic London-centric scrolling banner there or go to http://www.mycen.my/agoda/ to search for another hotel anywhere in the world

Let’s Pop!

Let’s Pop! A stay at legendary Bali is now more affordable than many may think. Like to introduce you to an affordable and stylish place with colours that pop. Haha. I got to know ethnic Indonesian Hokkien Treshia Lim (Lim E Cha) when she was working at the Swiss-Belhotel International in Bali. She went back to her hometown in Medan to work for Radisson Medan. Before I can visit her at the Kota Kuliner (culinary capital) in which the North Sumatra city is known for, she is back in Bali. Such a nomadic life for a hotelier. She is also a Catholic and a foodie.

She is now with the corporate office of the chain that runs the Pop! Group of hotels and they have a nice and affordable hotel in Bali. With information from her, I created a custom page for Pop! Hotel Kuta Beach Bali. It is also the first time I am implementing Agoda’s dynamic banners in which other hotel options in the same destination are displayed with scrolling views. Seeing the Google map may be dizzying as there are over 3000 hotels listed by Agoda on the island! Pop! Hotel Kuta Beach seems a logical choice because the rates are truly affordable and it is very near the beach and popular eating places. The hotel has all the modern amenities such as free wi-fi and pool. It is also a fairly new hotel, being only 3 years old.

For more info or to book, go to: http://www.mycen.my/pop-hotel-kuta-beach-bali/

#bali #kuta #beachhotel #indonesia #pophotel #island #beach #hotel #denpasar

Cloverfield

Cloverfield.

I like this road in an old part of the city. It is chaotic, cars go against traffic in the one-way street, and the twisty buildings are dizzying. It has character.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f4.5, 1/200 sec.

#cloverfield #monstermovie #fantasy #scifi #landscape #cityscape #urbanscape #sonyalpha #a7r #zeiss

Yangon Was Rangoon

Another helping friend booked a Myanmar hotel through me. The friend is a fairly experienced traveler to Myanmar and he picked the The RGN City Lodge, Downtown Yangon this time.

The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Yangon, close to a major thoroughfare but fronts a much quieter street in a commercial district. Although there is old school rattan furniture in the room, the bathrooms have modern rain showers! I like rain showers.

What do you think of the location Myanmar friend Hsu Wai Phyo and Malaysian expatriate living in Yangon, Joachim Rajaram?

Rooms in Myanmar have been getting relatively expensive because of shortages and a surge in business visitors after Myanmar opened up. I am surprised the room is sub RM 200, given its location. Maybe there was a flash sale or promotional price at the time of booking.

We forget a similar hotel in the heart of KL city could probably cost more.

To book this hotel or to check rates at any hotel in any part of the world, go to http://www.mycen.my/agoda/