5/18/2012

Cameron Highlands Resort (Tanah Rata, Malaysia)

Cameron Highlands Resort
Tanah Rata 39000, Malaysia
+60327831000

http://www.cameronhighlandsresort.com/

Cameron Highlands Resort is a beautiful hotel that provides an unforgettable experience to the visitor. The friendliness of the staff, the attention to the detail in the room service, the beauty of the rooms and the hotel make you feel like a noble. 


The rooms are beautiful, classy colonial style, very spacious for two people, awesome furniture, huge balcony with a big table and seats, and very comfortable. The bathroom is gorgeous and very spacious, with a divine set of good-quality toiletries. The shower is huge! The smell of the bed linen is also wonderful. They are really generous with their room's tea & coffee making facilities and with their mineral water refills.

My room was facing the inner courts, in front of one of the restaurants, and it was very quiet. The restaurant finishes business at a decent time and, therefore, they will not disturb your sleep unless you go to bed at 9pm. I found the hotel very quiet in general, although many reviewers have complained about the noise.

There are four restaurants in the hotel, but they are a bit overpriced for the quality of food they offer. I really liked the food in the Japanese restaurant Gonbei, as well as its chill-out ambience. The other ones are too old-style for my taste, but the service is still fantastic. I missed a Malaysian good quality restaurant, instead of the western and Japanese ones, after all this is Malaysia!

Their Koi pond is beautiful, mesmerising actually, and you will want to wander around or stand by there to relax or take photos before heading to their small but well-equipped gym or spa, or just afterwards.

A visit to the Spa Village is a must, really!,  because of the treatments, the great ladies working in it and the fantastic facilities. It is a bit pricey, but truly worth it.

This hotel is perfect for couples looking for a romantic escape and for families travelling with children, not as much for independent travellers willing to move around freely or for young people looking for lots of night life and fun around. Still, it is worth the visit.

TIP 1
The hotel is very expensive, but if you book months in advance you can save 70% of their usual rates. Surf the net thoroughly before booking.

TIP 2
Before booking mind that, if you are not driving a car or don't want to rely on taxis, the hotel is located between the towns of Brinchan and Tanah Rata, the first at 20 minutes walking distance, and the second at 45 minutes. If you are not a walker, have mobility problems, or don't want to rely on taxis for going out, this might be out of the beaten track for you. On the other hand, during local holidays, the traffic jams can reach several kilometres, so being in a car does not mean you are going to reach destination sooner than a walker!

TIP 3
If you don't feel like expending much money in the hotel restaurants, walk 20 minutes to Brinchan and you will find lots of cheap local eateries, a KFC, and some supermarkets. Take the opportunity and visit one of the beautiful Buddhist or Hindu temples around!

TIP 4
The hotel has a excellent selection of tours you can join in, they are quite good but pricey, and you are picked up and dropped by at the hotel. However, if you want to save some money or just have a wider choice, go to Tanah Rata and shop around, as there are many small tourist offices offering the same services at cheaper prices, all English-speaking operated, and willing to do business.

Visited December 2011