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.

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Giulianna @ Indulgence Living, Ipoh – Timeless Italian Influences

“Whimsical cabinetry is faux painted and small mirrors are flushed into the mantle piece. Above the king bed hangs the proud silver framed mirror of Toi. It is an art nouveau piece ….” (snippets from Indulgence Restaurant & Living)

Thanks to a kind (and timely) invitation from Julie Song, the proprietress of Indulgence Restaurant & Living, I was treated to a fabulous stay at one her passionately designed room; Giulianna.

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Secret Garden Bistro – The open air dining concept (al fresco) taken to different heights; Sipping on your wine while being caressed by the soothing splatters of water from the fountain, and hopefully …. some lush greenery in the near future.

I would be lying if I say I am not intrigued by the sheer pleasure of introducing yet another new eatery in Ipoh, although this one being relatively new. The official launch of Secret Garden was sometime during the first week of August 2010. The bistro started operating way back in June or July, but the boutique hotel on the first floor (only three premium rooms, as far as I know) designed to exude a certain heritage aura will only be opened for reservations in the near future.

The rustic charm in the carefully executed planning and designing of the facade and interior of Secret Garden deserves a mention; especially those supposedly-REAL barrels used to prop up a glass table top at the bar area.

Many are still kept in the dark about the exact location of Secret Garden, or what type of cuisine one can expect to indulge themselves in. Heck, even if you zoom by this lane leading to Secret Garden, all lined with a tall foliage of trees, you might just miss the place as there is NO huge signboard lighted up with neon spotlights, nor engraved walls/tiles with the company’s name emblazoned on them.

To clear the air of mystique surrounding Secret Garden, read on to discover what could have been Ipoh’s best kept secret …… until NOW. 🙂

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From previous chapter – Bangkok – Wat Arun/Wat Pho and Giant Baguettes ….

S2S Boutique Resort Bangkok (formerly Moeleng Boutique Resort) http://www.moeleng-bangkok-resort.com/)