Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Still in the thick of action, we rested our fatigued feet and lethargic soul the instant drowsiness set in after lunch at Quayside Boutique Hotel. This is a continuation of the Melaka 2013 travel chapters …

 High ceilings, bright rays of natural sun from the glass windows and the slightly-tampered industrialized feeling lent Quayside Hotel a certain retro charm that quite possibly summed up our stay; Different.

Quayside Hotel is a 3-star boutique hotel overtaking the former Customs Warehouse at a very strategic location next to the roundabout where The Stadthuys, Christ Church and the famous clock tower are all located at. The sheer proximity of the distance between the hotel and the many strategic tourist hotspots made this a really wonderful choice of a hotel stay.

From the outside, Quayside appeared to be scarily industrial; imagine living in a large warehouse or shipping container; where you won’t see splashes of vibrancy in their choice of colour palette. Every piece of furniture, flooring, ceiling and walls was a muted tone of earthy colours, or painted with a modern shade of grey and blue.

 Quayside Hotel @ the Heart of Melaka Town

But look beyond the deceptive facade and you will be treated to a boutique hotel stay that is not quite what you would have expected. And yes, not only is this near to various attractions (almost everything Melaka has to offer), this is also right beside the river of Melaka. Read on for more pictures, rates and of course … ramblings.

 The reception area. Bare minimalist, dim lightings and a generally serene environment without the crowd or noisy elevator music (no elevator here, by the way. Notice the spiralling staircase?)

 The lobby with wooden flooring, dark-toned sofas and not-your-conventional coffee tables, from what you see in the picture above.

 Quayside also houses various facilities like a business centre, conference room, art gallery and boutique store. Refer to their site HERE for more information on various facilities offered.

 Azura Suite (for 2 pax) – A king bed with excellent view of the Melaka river and sunshine streaming in from the window panels. Elegant yet simple, the interior designing takes the cake for retaining the modern look yet permeated with traditional influences like a carpet with floral motives and wooden furnitures. 

 Thanks to the abundance of natural light, the potted plants grow unrestricted in the Azura Suite

 Cable channels, free Wifi for guests and breakfast for 2 were part of the package. This time around, unlike the previous visits, we actually spent more time lazing around in our room (window blinds down, of course) and really breathe in the holiday air. (Psst … and this was also the first time that we gave Jonker Walk a miss. At least, during the later part of the evening)

 Quayside is located directly opposite of Casa Del Rio across the river. Now that the river is much cleaner and they offer the Melaka riverside cruise (RM10 for locals, RM15 for foreigners and RM5 for kids) this is definitely worth a try if you have run out of things to eat or places to visit. Operates from 9am to 11.30pm. (information sourced from Malaysia Traveller) 

 Breakfast @ Halia Inc; the designated F&B arm of Quayside. Halia Inc is an all-day restaurant (7am – 11pm) serving a delectable mix of Western and Asian cuisine. Think along the line of all-day breakfasts, and menu similar to what the BIG Group has to offer. The buffet breakfast here was not outstanding though, so I suggest that either you order from the kitchen (pancakes, BIG breakfast, etc) or walk out for what Melaka’s famous for – Street Food.

 The riverside pier behind of Quayside where you can take a stroll with your loved ones, ride a bike or simply park yourself on the bench and watch the sun sets over the horizon.

 The Clock Tower Cendol Stall (opposite of the clock tower at Dutch Square) serves a pretty boring and bland version of the famous Melaka cendol. The ABC (ais kacang/shaved ice with ice-cream and various toppings) fared slightly better, yet I will give this stall a miss the next round.

 The most iconic structure of all; the Melaka fortress of A Famosa is also within a few minutes walk away from Quayside Hotel.

You can walk to Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball for breakfast (can be first in line if you’re early), or stroll aroung Jonker Street and admire the beautiful buildings in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun torches your back like no tomorrow. Come sundown, Jonker Walk comes to life and it’s pretty hard to be appreciative of the structures when everyone’s pushing each other around and jostling for space and air.

On another note, you can also walk to Nadeje for a taste of the original Mille crepe cake (slightly further up the road), or to Dataran Pahlawan Mall to cool down the temperature of your body.

Hard Rock Cafe is also within the vicinity, and would do for late night drinks if Geographer Cafe gets too rowdy …. or warm. For us? We went way off town centre for Nyonya cuisine at Melaka Raya, then for a drink at a Mamak stall even further away, near to Batu Berendam. Just random notes to close off today’s post.

Happy Weekend dear food lovers.

QUAYSIDE HOTEL (www) 
No 1 Jalan Merdeka
Quayside Heritage Centre
Bandar Hilir, 75000 Melaka
Tel :+06-284 1001
Fax :+06-284 1002
Email: hello@quaysidehotel.com.my

*The stay at Quayside was complimentary thanks to an invitation extended by the gracious host.