Nov 6, 2015 |
I’m going to apologize in advance for this sloppy interview of the Hanoi Golden Palace Hotel. I took a bunch of photos of this hotel particularly for this review but somehow, someway I deleted all of them.
Since I like this blog to have all of my own original photos I don’t like to pull stock photos off this ol’ google and stick them here. However, I was lucky I snapped some shots on my iPhone of the room we stayed in.
So, to start check out my walk around in Hanoi post. While I was visiting I staying in the Hanoi Golden Palace Hotel. There are a lot of budget hotels in Vietnam. Loads of them. It’s very possible to find a cheap place with decent quality in a very good location for around $20USD. And possibly less, depending on your comfort zone.
A King Sized bed en Suite…
I chose the Hanoi Golden Palace out of total randomness. It was August and in the middle of the low season. So many hotel rates were greatly reduced. But I paid $45USD for a Suite Balcony City View room type.
This hotel located in the Hanoi’s Old Quarters and there are tons of hotels in that area that looked the same quality and around the same price range as the Hanoi Golden Palace.
I can’t get the hotel’s exact location on google maps. But it’s located about 5 to 10 minutes walk south from one of Hanoi’s most famous landmark and local hangout place the Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
The Golden Palace Hotel Hanoi’s address is 46 Bat Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Old Quarter. There are no shortages of fine Vietnamese cafes and terrific Pho’ restaurants!
Our room was located on the top 7th floor. But there are no elevators to that level so you have to walk up from the 6th floor. Not a big deal because the hotel’s bellboys will take your bags up to your room. Even though our room had the name “Suite” in it you’d think it might be a bit fancy but it’s not so much. But our room was clean. And spacious too at 35 square meters.
There’s a jacuzzi bathtub but we never tried it out…
And even though our room also had the “City View” title there really isn’t a view at all. You’ll see some roof tops and the streets but directly from the bed’s view you’ll see the adjacent building. I’m not the one to complain and bitch and moan. Just telling it the way it is so you if decide to stay in this particular hotel you’ll know what to expect.
But to be fair, if you take a good look at Hanoi’s and even Ho Chi Minh City’s city architecture many buildings are right next to each other. So many buildings especially most 2 to 3 star Hanoi hotels are narrow with possibly.
A suite city view room with balcony. And also an unflattering picture of my wife…
I’ve stayed in many budget hotels all over Ho Chi Minh and although this was my first time in Hanoi I noticed that 2 to 3 star hotels are small and have at most 3 to 6 rooms on every floor.
The Golden Palace was renovated last year so the fixings are fairly new. However the air con unit was probably the same unit installed when the hotel opened 5 years ago. It worked. But it took a bit long for the room to cool. To be fair it was August and temps were in the high 90’s. Plus we were on the topmost floor so we got a lot of heat from the sun. But once it was going it worked well.
The breakfast area located on basement level…
When we booked the room, breakfast was part of the deal. They have a limited buffet breakfast selection including house made yogurt which was quite nice. They even had house made Flan which was a nice and different. But you’ll find the usual fare like eggs cooked to order. Just a word of advice because the hotel is small there’s only 4 or 5 tables.
One of the high points of this hotel is the super friendly hotel staff, particularly the ladies. They were always helpful with a smile and courteous. Plus they were genuinely curious about guests. At least for us they would ask many questions. They loved to talk to guests about where they come from. Plus they have handy maps available and are knowledgable about local shops and restaurants.
I give the Golden Palace Hotel Hanoi a 2 star rating in my books. You may see it graded as a 3 star hotel on hotel booking websites. But there’s no pool or other recreational facilities. It’s one of those hotels where it’s perfect for being out most of the day exploring Hanoi and its surroundings. And we certainly enjoyed our stay. Check out rates for Golden Palace Hotel Hanoi.
Oct 31, 2015 |
I’ll be heading over to Malaysia in a few weeks. Every year when I have to head out to do a Visa run I usually head over to Kuala Lumpur. It’s also a perfect excuse to get out and eat all that awesome Malay cuisine. Plus I’ve always enjoyed visiting Malaysia. Downside is I’ll be going back to Thailand a kilo heavier from eating all the good food.
I always stop by this temple on the way to the Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown…
Even though Malaysia is so close to Thailand the vibe is different despite there are so many similarities. Malaysia and Thailand both have some sort of Chinese roots. But With Malaysia it seems to run a little deeper. At least that’s how I feel. But I love how Malay and Indian plus Chinese culture are intertwined.
A little outdoor market I stumbled on parallel to Jalan Petaling…
Malaysia to me also has a very laid back feel. Nobody seems to be in a rush. It used to be like that in Bangkok too but these days most people seem to be walking just a notch faster.
I’ve walked around KL, specifically in the Sentral KL area. There are loads of historical sights and I remember there was a Hop on Hop off bus tour that takes you to most tourists attractions in the city. I went a 4 years ago but this time I might take the tour again, who knows there might be something new this time around.
Jun 12, 2015 |
Excellent Location and Not So Expensive…
Whenever I get asked where is a good place to stay in Kuala Lumpur I always suggest an area called Bukit Bintang. I’ve stayed in a couple of hotels in that area but the one I frequently stay at is called the Piccolo Hotel (called ANSA Kuala Lumpur Hotel today).
The Piccolo was built back in 2008. Yeah, it sounds old but it’s remarkably well kept. And although I’m not a 100% sure there must’ve been some renovation done sometime ago to look the way it looks.
ANSA Hotel superior room are about 30 square meters…
I always choose the superior rooms and for some reason on Agoda.com you get two rates, one cheaper and the other more expensive. So of course I book the cheaper ones which cost about $65USD.
I’ve booked at deluxe room a couple of times at the ANSA Hotel but to me there is not much difference in terms of quality between the two room grades. There’s free in room Wi-Fi internet access too.
Last time I went a superior room at Piccolo cost about $65USD per night with taxes included…
The bathrooms layout could be a little bit weird because the toilet and the shower is not in a separate room. There’s just glass separating those two facilities from the rest of the room. I suppose that’s fine if you’re staying with your spouse or close family but if you’re bunking with a friend it might be kinda uncomfortable due to limited privacy. Or maybe that’s just me.
Toilet and shower stalls in room…
So what’s so good about the ANSA Hotel?
It’s one of the hotels closest to the Bukit Bintang KL Monorail station. I always take the buses from KLIA2 because I fly in from Air Asia. I also take the SkyBus which is Air Asia’s official bus to KL Sentral where I take the KL Monorail line to Bukit Bintang. The SkyBus fare is only RM9.50 and the bus trip takes about 1 hour. A single journey fare from KL Sentral to Bukit Bintang cost RM2.10, very cheap.
At KL Sentral you’ll see it’s a major travel hub with trains and buses that go all over Malaysia. There is also a big mall attached to KL Sentral. Follow the signs through the mall and you’ll find the entrance to the KL Monorail. As I recall the station platforms are on the second floor.
And you’ll find a lot of shopping malls adjacent to ANSA KL Hotel:
- Lot 10 Mall – Cool food court in the basement.
- Sungei Wang Shopping Plaza – This place is kind of like the MBK Mall of Kuala Lumpur.
- Farenheit – A mix of luxury shops and local businesses.
- Pavillion Mall – A high end posh mall in the heart of Bukit Bintang.
There are a lot of other malls too just a bit further away like the Berjaya Times Square. You can walk there in about 10 or 15 minutes.
A huge plate of food at Food Republic in Pavillion Mall, with a drink it cost about $5.50USD…
Bukit Bintang is also a gem of an area for food. Indian, Arab, Chinese, you name it you’ll find it or a combination of it. It’s a wonderful food paradise. But because Bukit is a tourist area food prices are higher but still manageable.
I forgot to mention, you can also walk to Kuala Lumpur’s most famous landmark, the Petronas Towers in about 30 minutes. The Piccolo is a good hotel for exploring Kuala Lumpur. There’s a KL Hop on Hop Off tour bus that stops right in front of the hotel sidewalk.
Read guests reviews and find current discounts for ANSA Kuala Lumpur. (Note- On Agoda ANSA is rated as a 4 star hotel. Personally I think it’s a 3 at best, which is still good.)
KL’s magnificent Petronas Towers…
Apr 2, 2013 |
Before my making the decision that Thailand is the place to run out my clock, I seriously considered retiring in Japan or Malaysia instead. Both countries are special to me though I am more than happy to have made the decision to retire in Thailand. Of course I still visit Japan often but I visit Malaysia even more frequently because it borders west of Thailand.
So why do I love Malaysia? To start off I’ve only been to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. I know, it’s a big country. But just those two areas alone has made a huge impact on me. To me KL is like New York City. It’s one big huge melting pot with people of different ethnicity co-mingling, sharing and eating some of the best food on the planet in one spot.
Bukit Bintang – a very popular tourist center in KL…
Also as I’m able to speak Cantonese which is used in Malaysia the country imparts a sense of homey feeling that I am glad to be in touch with. Plus living in Thailand my Cantonese is beginning to get rusty. So it’s good to head out to Malaysia and start conversing in the language of my mother and father.
Safety is a big concern for me while traveling, especially when my wife is beginning to enjoy traveling to different countries. She prefers road trips all over Thailand for holidays at first. If you don’t know many Thais you’d be surprised that many don’t like to leave their own nation. They would rather visit different regions of their country instead of getting out of the country.
I don’t blame them. After all Thailand is a beautiful country with a lot of natural beauty. So after coaxing my wife (more like nagging) for a year or so she decided to join me on my visits abroad. This was the first trip ever for my wife by the way and she was impressed by KL as well.
KL’s tourist centric areas meets my safety criteria for a populous city and I never had any concerns whether walking the streets day or night with my wife. And traveling around KL is easy. We mostly made use of the monorail system and the fares are not expensive. Taxis are not expensive also but since we were staying in the Bukit Bintang area we came across a lot of drivers who quoted us rates instead of using the meter. Those bastards. Though even with the quoted rates we probably paid a little over $1USD extra. Which isn’t much to cry about but it’s the principle right?
And simply walking around to get to the sights and attractions near our hotel is a cinch because there are plenty of signs in English. It’s a totally visitor friendly city with a lot of hotels in the 3 star range with affordable rates. And food in Malaysia is incredible. Indian, Chinese and Malay plus Middle Eastern food all in one corner of Bukit Bintang close to the hotel I always stay at. Man my waistline is in some serious problems if I ever stay in that area for too long.
And my wife was never too keen on trying out different food. Again, Thai food is equated with national pride, so no matter what, Thai food to a Thai is the best. Better than the best dishes a chef from Cordon Bleu can dole out. Anyways there’s a restaurant right near out hotel that sold falafel and I’ve been ordering falafels from there for the longest time. I let her try one and she damn near took the rest off of my hands. She didn’t say nothing as she merrily munched on my lunch but I knew from the twinkle of her eye she liked it but never admits it to this day
Indian buffet galore…
Then there’s this Indian buffet restaurant with so many trays of spiced meats, curries and vegetables with rice. The food so delicious I’d pay to live inside. Hell I’d pay to inhale the aromas coming off the trays of food.
As I mentioned whenever I’m in KL I always stay an area called Bukit Bintang. This place is filled with a lot of hotel choices and shopping centers. The hotel I stay at is called the Piccolo (today it’s called ANSA). It’s a 3 star hotel with no bells and whistles but if you want a clean quiet room with friendly hotel staff plus top location, the Piccolo will not disappoint. But I mainly chose this hotel and location because of the KL monorail is only a 3 minute walk. I use this train to get to Sentral station where I catch the cheap buses to the low cost carrier terminal because I always fly Air Asia.
A nice hotel right in the heart of Bukit Bintang…
Less than a minute walk left of the Piccolo’s doors is a big mall called Lot 10. Make sure you check out the food courts in the basement level called the Malaysia Gourmet Heritage Village. That’s the place to go to find a lot of Chinese/Malay foods to satisfy your cravings. A nice little supermarket is also in the same area if you need to pick up some odds and ends.
Then there are also two other malls which are even bigger nearby if Lot 10 doesn’t satisfy. There’s the Times Square Mall and the luxury shopping center called Pavilion Mall. Now I’ m not a big shopper. But my wife is though we noticed a lot of the items she was interested in she could easily pick up at a mall in Bangkok.
Of course there’s a lot more to KL than simply shopping. The city has plenty of attractions and side trip options like the Batu Caves.
An unmistakable Kuala Lumpur landmark…
So if there’s one place to see in while in KL it’s probably the Petronas. Now I’ve been to KL for many years and I’m sure if a Malaysian heard me say I’ve never been up their Twin Towers before they might say shame on me. And they would be right. In my defense I tried going up last year in 2012 but the visitor sections of the buildings were under renovation. So no visitors were allowed at the time.
However, this year since my wife came accompanied me on this trip it was as good a time as any to go up the mighty Petronas Towers. And I’m glad that we shared our first time together. Because it is a true marvel to be all the way up there on the Sky Bridge and Observation Deck and get a panoramic view of this wonderful city.
Since our time was short in Malaysia due to some business obligations back in Bangkok we couldn’t visit other parts of the city. Batu Caves on the outskirts of KL was a place I wanted to take my wife to but because it was raining a lot we decided to go up to Genting Highlands Casino instead. She really enjoyed the gondola ride up the mountain.
I love KL and Malaysia is truly awesome. I’ll be going back for years to come.
