Besieged by the
upraising boutique and business hotels around town, the 22-storey Hotel
Equatorial Melaka still stands
at its best after all these years. With its recent renovation and upgrading on
its guest rooms, this charming “Old Lady” strikes back to suit all needs in the heart of history, mylifestylenews writes……
Melaka has a
surprisingly large number of hotels and while the city is not extremely large,
it is still all about location. The Hotel Equatorial Melaka business hotel has
496 elegantly appointed guestrooms and suites offering stunning views of the
Straits of Melaka and St. Paul’s Hill. Set in the heart of historical Melaka,
it offers a touch of elegance and contemporary design in its newly upgraded
rooms, and while it may be more of a business resort, it does also offer some
great leisure facilities.
The hotel is a showcase of local heritage, culture and tradition,
reflected in every way, from its unique architecture to warm service and
specialized restaurants. The hotel itself is built on the site of the original
Melaka Rest House, which was an old colonial house of hospitality dating back
to the early 1900’s, so what it provides within is a taste of hospitality that
harks back to the old days.
It is ideally located within a few minutes walk from the historical sites and trails, shopping complexes, night spots, as well as the famous Jonker Street – a haven for antique collectors and bargain hunters. Of course, it is all about Melakan hospitality and what an interesting history this port city has in terms of historical influences that have created such a warm hospitality which this hotel excels in, while providing the convenience of the modern world.
We were
perched in a 20th floor aerie, with a spectacular view overlooking
the Straits of Melaka, enjoying the comforts of our Premier room. A welcome tea
refreshment was delivered promptly after arriving in our room, along with a
cold face towel, which was very welcome after the excessive temperature
outside. The newly renovated room is tastefully
furnished along elegant and contemporary designs and has a soaring ceiling
height, which is so welcoming, as low ceilings dampen one’s sense of enjoyment especially
after Hong Kong. Despite the dated
bathroom with the shower still being in the bath, it is one little niggle in a
property of this caliber, with the 3-sided wrap around window daybed adding
that memorable touch and this becomes one of the highlights of the room.
The Hotel Equatorial ensures that you have plenty of leisure options to relax with, including a huge free-form swimming pool, a floodlit tennis court , a spacious gym with his and hers jacuzzi, saunas and steam rooms, so it won’t be all work and no play with these options to choose from.
Despite
Melaka gaining its title as one of the UNESCO World Heritage listings in 2008,
multiple development in different directions turn this charming little town
into commercialism instead of maintaining its heritage assets at it best.
Walking
along the narrow streets is one of the best ways to discover the historical
Melaka but you must be able to bear the heat and humidity. Umbrellas, hats,
sunscreen, sun block lotion, lots of bottles of waters seemingly are the
necessity which you can’t do without while touring around by foot in the
historical city. A 38c of heat is more than discomfort, finding a shaded “Kaki
Lima” - a five-foot walkways where possible during your sightseeing is the best
way to fight the heat simultaneously. But, mind you, after a few good blocks,
you may begin to lose your interest to farther your journey especially getting
bombarded by the commercial tourist stores/shops with repetition of merchandise
offered along Jonker Street.
Jonker
Street has now turned “Junker Street” by selling mostly Made-In-China junk plastic
merchandise with 100% commercialism. The street turns into a pedestrian night
market every Friday and Saturday from 6pm onwards. It is all depends on what’s
your version of night market pleasure, if you were to seek for the real UNESCO
World Heritage site with this weekend “pop-up” outdoor stalls dominating the
street with mainly repetition of street food stalls lacking an identity and
personality, so it is just another Patong Beach in town. It can be a heaven or
hell.
Melaka has a
very vibrant dining scene, and you don’t have to leave the confines of the
hotel to get some authentic tastes of Melaka. One of the most enjoyable
experiences we had was dining in Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant. To avoid
being a classic tourist, the best thing to do now is to find a café with a much
personality hidden along the alley ways to cool your body heat before the heat
stroke strikes you.
We pop into the hotel’s outdoor dining terrace K5 ‘Kaki Lima” Street Bistro which overlooks the bustling streets of Melaka Raya and also offers some authentic Melaka flavours with a contemporary twist combining the memories of the good old days and the trends of today. The smoked duck pizza with caramelized onion and cheese was sensational.
The Nyonya Laksa and Duck Noodle Soup were equally fantastic, with seriously delicious flavours and portion sizes that will not leave you disappointed by any means. It is refreshing to have such liberal portions and affordable prices to match in an international hotel setting and it is open 24/7, as Melakans never want to stop eating, plus the live telecast showing live sports games and MTV.
Breakfast is
in the Rest House Café (named after the building on the original site) and
offers all the expected buffet selections along with the standard a la carte
menu, however, the food quality and service is not on par with the other
outlets in the hotel from what we sampled. That being said, at least knowing
how busy a buffet breakfast can be in such a big hotel, there is a key focus on
local specialties, so if you want to go local for breakfast, choices are
aplenty.
Melakans do
enjoy their night life and there are many bars and night clubs to choose from.
The Flo Lounge exudes an air of elegance with plush sofas and comfortable
armchairs to unwind with your cocktails. This crossover sports bar/DJ lounge has
been divided into different zones to peak your interest, with a snooker table
corner, electric darts corner, a long bar table and spacious dance floor.
The Flo Lounge
Melaka is
awash in fascinating history which has always been a favorite destination for
both local and international travelers and so this hotel is a destination
within itself. It has been an icon in this port city for many years and the
locals certainly embrace what it has to offer. There are some areas that need a
little updating, but we have it on good authority that some major renovations
are afoot shortly.
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