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ANLENE MOVEMAX FEEL YOUNG FEST 2016 AT QUEENSBAY MALL PENANG

Written by crizlai on Sep 1st, 2016 | Filed under: announcement, campaign, penang, product, promotion, review

In conjunction with the introduction of the new Anlene with MoveMax™ which includes Calcium, Collagen and Protein for the well-being of bones, joints and muscles, dairy giant Fonterra Brands Malaysia, has recently launched an experiential showcase at Queensbay Mall, Penang (31 August 2016 – 4 September 2016) to get Malaysians to “move as young as they feel inside”. He explained that there needs to be more awareness on the importance of movement as one gets older. “We want to empower more Malaysians to come out of their shells and get moving as young as they feel inside. While they may emotionally feel younger inside, they need to align their physical movement to appear fresh and dynamic on the outside – not to be defined by age. Research showed that active adults have a 30% higher chance of enhanced wellbeing than inactive adults. Movement does not need to be a chore, it can be joyful and fun,” said Mr. Paulo Ocampo, Marketing Manager of Anlene for Malaysia.

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Public can pay a visit to the ground floor concourse of Queensbay Mall, Penang, to get FREE mobility checks (worth RM120) at the respective MoveCheck counters, thereafter, getting FREE consultation to know how to improve your bones, joints and muscles.

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If you are in for more FREEBIES, you could always join in for more fun at 3 more action games corners, namely dance arcade, trampoline and tyre swinging. Just remember that youth has no age and always trust in your own abilities when you think you can’t. Do stay positive mentally and physically, then you would realize that there’s no such thing as IMPOSSIBLE. It’s always I’M POSSIBLE.

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Moreover, you would also get FREE try outs of Anlene MoveMax™ plain & chocolate beverages plus yoghurt (4 flavors available). Though the beverages were really nice when served chilled, my preference was the yoghurt which was thick and flavorful to my liking, especially when they were frozen and taken just like ice cream.

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On top of that, you would get more options to purchase RM20 worth of products and get MORE FREEBIES at the “Spin to Win” counter or Buy RM98 worth of products to claim a beautiful 500ml Stainless Steel Flask. Anlene with MoveMax™ contains important nutrients such as Calcium, Collagen, Protein, as well as other nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, and Vitamins B, C, D & E in a nutrient bundle to help care for your bones, joints and muscles. Anlene MoveMax™ is available in all leading supermarkets nationwide and is available in the powdered form as well as in the yoghurt form. The powdered form comes in two flavours – plain and chocolate and is available in 1kg, 600g and 175g packs. Anlene Movemax™ Yoghurt is available in 4 delicious variants, namely plain, mango, strawberry and mixed berries.

Do click on the photo below for a clearer view on the program for the weekend:

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About Fonterra: Fonterra is a global leader in dairy nutrition – the preferred supplier of dairy ingredients to many of the world’s leading food companies. Fonterra is also a market leader with our own consumer dairy brands in Australia/New Zealand, Asia/Africa, Middle East and Latin America. The farmer-owned New Zealand co-operative is the largest processor of milk in the world, producing more than two million tonnes of dairy ingredients, value added dairy ingredients, specialty ingredients and consumer products every year. Drawing on generations of dairy expertise, Fonterra is one of the largest investors in dairy based research and innovation in the world. Our 16,000 staff work across the dairy spectrum from advising farmers on sustainable farming and milk production, to ensuring we live up to exacting quality standards and delivering every day on our customer promise in more than 100 markets around the world.
About Fonterra Brands Malaysia: Fonterra is the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, and the leading provider of the widest range of adult and maternal dairy products, yoghurt and ingredients tailored to meet the needs of consumers and professional food service operators in over 140 countries around the world. In Malaysia, Fonterra produce, distribute and market a full range of dairy products, including ready-to-drink milk, milk powders, cultured milk drinks, cheese and butter under the brands of Anmum Materna, Anmum Essential, Anmum Lacta, Fernleaf, Solivite, Calciyum, Anlene, Fernleaf and Chesdale. All of our consumer dairy products here in Malaysia are Halal certified by both the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and New Zealand Islamic Development Trust (NZIDT).

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TRAVELLING COMFORTABLY AND CONVENIENTLY WITH UBERX SERVICES

Written by crizlai on Feb 7th, 2016 | Filed under: review

It might be a privilege to own a car for the convenience of travelling around whenever and wherever you want to. However, at times you feel like getting some pampering being driven rather than being the driver due to many factors such as massive traffic jams, encountering reckless drivers, finding parking spaces, vandalism to your car and more. With UberX lowering its rates at 3 cities (Penang Island, KL & JB) in Malaysia as at 18 January 2016, I’ve decided to go all out for the #UberChallenge with its #LeaveYourKeysAtHome basic rule to find out what would my #UberExperience be for the week.

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During my earlier experience when I was travelling from E&O Hotel Penang to Hard Rock Hotel Penang, the fare was RM24. If you use the same scenario and base on the current rate of RM0.90 (Base Rate) + RM0.55/km + RM0.25/min, the cost would be RM20.55 only. Thus, you would save around 14.38% compared to earlier this year. The amount saved might not be so significant but in the long run, you would still save a lot.

Base Fare (RM0.90) + RM10.33 (18.78 x RM0.55) + RM9.32 (37.28mins x RM0.25) = RM20.55

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To share my #UberExperience further, I’ve decided to get two more friends to join me in my little Uber night adventure. It could be due to my area not being in the “hot spot” areas or maybe the demands overwhelmed the supplies, the first message that popped up on my mobile screen was my first experience, though I have never experienced that during day time. There was a “surge pricing” popup of 1.5x higher fare which was not exorbitantly high and luckily it lasted only 2 minutes. I only found out the reasons behind the surge as it was Uber’s way to encourage more drivers to be on the road. Anyway, it’s your decision to accept the surged pricing if you are rushing for time. However, I opted out and eventually my Uber driver was just 10 minutes away. Well, 5 minutes more waiting time than usual was not so bad after all. The best part of travelling via Uber is that the driver would call you up every time to get your exact pickup point. That was so cool!

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When the driver arrived, I was impressed with the car. Unlike my luck of getting Myvi most of the time, I was going to be chauffeured comfortably via a sporty Kia Cerato.

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The driver was so helpful to assist in picking up the luggage as I was sending one of my friends over to the KTM train station at Mainland Penang. Since I would be passing by my friend’s house on the way to the Penang Bridge, I passed her a gift. So, it meant that you can practically do whatever you like on any Uber trip since everything would be calculated based on the mileage and time you utilized via Uber.

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We continued our journey thereafter on a busy and jammed Friday night and reached the KTM Train Station 50 minutes later. The total fare was RM35.49 which was inclusive of RM7 for the Penang Bridge surcharge. I was surprised to be slapped with the extra RM7 since there would never be any toll involved if you were to travel from Penang Island to Mainland Penang. Maybe this was one of the protective measures Uber executed to protect its drivers from losing out when travelling back to the island after their job.

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To test out on the news I heard about Uber not having many drivers on Mainland Penang, I’ve decided to hold back my driver and requested him to off his app. This was the result on my mobile screen. Gosh! Uber should really encourage more drivers over there. There was practically none around my vicinity which was quite a hot spot area for people disembarking from trains and ferries.

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Since I managed to keep my driver, my friend and I decided to go for a wacky food trail in search of the much heard best Duck Egg Char Koay Teow in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. However, we had decided to “share cost” for this expedition. The calculation was a bit different. Due to the lack of Uber drivers for Mainland Penang, the base fee was at RM1.50 and there was an additional charge of RM1.70 for splitting fees. Eventually, the total cost was RM19.06, meaning each of us was charged RM9.53 for the trip. I quite like this feature as we could split fare without any hassle at all. Moreover, the more people you have in the car, the lesser each person has to fork out. Well, you can have a maximum of 4 passengers (excluding the driver) in the UberX car. Anyway, we treated the driver with a large plate of Duck Egg Char Koay Teow with extra Duck Egg Omelette all for RM5.50nett. It was heavenly good. (Telur Itik Char Koay Teow GPS: 5.351708, 100.441728)

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Do you know one thing bad about food enthusiasts? We just could not get enough of good food~ LOL~ 😛 Eventually, we decided to head back to the island in search of the best crispy chicken burger at Burger Ayam Goreng Njoy (GPS: 5.277606, 100.270582). It was practically another long 40 minutes journey back to the island and towards Batu Maung district after the Penang International Airport. With all the comfort and soft jazzy music, I dozed off during the journey~ LOL~ 😛 The base fare for Mainland Penang of RM1.50 still applied and there was also a RM7 surcharge for travelling via Penang Bridge. The total cost of RM34.43 for a 33km+ distance was rather fair too compared to regular taxi charges of RM50-RM60. However, upon reaching, the stall was closed for no reasons. I only managed to find out that some of the members were down with the seasonal hot weather sickness. Anyway, I would still find one find day to revisit as I so miss their Twin Special with 2 big pieces of fried chicken, a piece of cheese and oozy black pepper sauce, in between strawberry flavored burger bun, all for RM9.00nett per set. If you love sloppy burger with amazingly delicious crispy boneless chicken, you should check them out.

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Missing out the burger did not deter us from finding more goodies. I was glad that even at such hour, the base rate went back to RM0.90 on the island. Eventually, we ended up at Nois Café (GPS: 5.359750, 100.293510) for some coffee prior to heading home. If you love a quiet place to chill out with great aromatic yet creamy coffee up to 1.00am, you should check them out.

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We drank until the café closed~ LOL~ 😛 It merely took about 10 minutes to reach my home all for less than RM6.

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It was already late and I was quite sleepy with all the travelling. I managed to get the Uber driver to send my friend back to his hostel at YMCA. I don’t even have to be physically in the car to be billed. Everything was paid via my credit card.

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You can practically use the services of Uber for anything legal. I decided one fine night to utilize them for cheap and good “choo char” dinner with a bunch of friends. We headed out to Song Yen Seafood @ Kompleks Lebuh Nipah (GPS: 5.336476, 100.293001), directly opposite the Penang Original Kayu Nasi Kandar, for my favorite Ham Yu Fa Lam Po (Salted Fish Pork Belly Claypot) and other home-style dishes for barely RM40nett. At least, I don’t have to worry about finding parking space which could be quite limited there or getting summoned by the super hardworking municipal parking staff~ LOL~ 😛

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Since we still have some time before Queensbay Mall closes, we went over to Aeon Jusco to do a bit of grocery shopping. The number of cars queuing up to find parking space, was quite scarily long even though it was slightly over 9.00pm and the mall would close at 10.30pm. I guessed many people were still hunting for super Chinese New Year deals. Luckily, I took UberX there and avoided many hassles. Moreover, I was also lucky the queue at the cashier was not as long as I expected.

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Since it was not so late yet and we decided to head to Coffeeric (GPS: 5.322076, 100.282651) @ Elite Avenue for some late supper. You should try their Salted Egg Cheese Cake and light roasted coffee there.

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After a hearty supper, we headed back to my house where my friends parked their cars.

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As I mentioned earlier, Uber is having a cashless system as everything would be charged to your debit/credit card. The system is so versatile that I can practically use it for any legal purposes such as fetching my brother back home when I was too lazy to drive all the way to the ferry terminal at Weld Quay~ LOL~ 😛 Eventually, he got home safely and it wasn’t much hassle at all. All I need to do was to pin point my pickup location and request for UberX service. Of course, you would at least need to know what the pickup person would be wearing and which landmark would he/she be waiting or else you won’t be able to advise the driver when he/she calls you up to confirm the location. The whole journey just cost slightly over RM8 when a normal taxi would cost roughly between RM20-RM30. You certainly saved a lot using UberX compared to taxi.

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Overall, I quite like all the Uber services as it saved time and money and the drivers are well trained to provide as courteous services as expected. Moreover, you could use their services as creative as some cases I have heard which never even came across my mind at all. Some companies do engage them to deliver/collect important documents/items as it would be more promptly than most courier services. The most creative case I have heard was that someone delivered lunch to another via this service~ Wow! I would marry him immediately if I were to be his girlfriend~ LOL~ 😛

HOW TO APPLY?

Basically you need only two things – a smart phone (IOS or Android) and a valid credit/debit card. Just download the respective app as per link stated and sign up with your contact information. Fill up your credit/debit card information and register. Upon approval, you can use the app straightaway. It’s as simple as that.

FREE TRIAL FOR FIRST TIMER:

Just go to http://www.uber.com/invite/crizl4ue and apply to be eligible for a one-time off RM10 free ride. Any ride above RM10 would be deducted from your credit/debit card.

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?


ULTIMATE LUXURY AT E&O RESIDENCES KUALA LUMPUR

Written by crizlai on Dec 25th, 2015 | Filed under: accommodation, hotel, review

With E&O Residences being strategically located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Central Business District (CBD), it’s the ideal place to reside in, whether it’s for business or pleasure. With its 200 exclusive and stylishly appointed suites available and fully equipped with the required amenities, you can practically call the service residence your “second home away from home”. Perched on a rare elevated plot of land that overlooks the commercial district, this haven of luxury, along with its sister-property, St. Mary Residences, is purposely positioned on the secluded Jalan Tengah, which is hidden away from the hustle and bustle of busy lifestyle out there but without being obstructed from the captivating views of the city skyline. Everywhere seems to be just a stone’s away from E&O Residences. From nightspots, world-class restaurants, cool bistros, shopping malls, luxury boutiques, 5-star hotels as well as the corporate offices of global giants, are just a short distance away, either by walking or via the convenience of the KL Monorail. At E&O Residences, it’s all about working and playing within the vicinity.

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There are two types of suites available as below:

1 BEDROOM SUITE (104 units): Max 3 persons

The 105 sq m/1,131 sq ft contemporary and yet cozy studio suite with separate bedroom is ideal for couple or even a small family with a child. It’s spacious and you can have a majestic view of the city skyline anytime throughout the day. The master bedroom is furnished with a king sized bed and the bathroom is ever ready to become your place of relaxation with the necessary toiletries provided. With the availability of the fully equipped kitchenette, you could pep up a simple meal in no time while enjoying your meal in front of the TV set in your living room or at the dining area.

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2 BEDROOMS SUITE (96 units): Max 5 persons

The luxurious city suite (134 sq m/1,442 sq ft) is perfect for larger families with children. It has an open living area, kitchenette, dining area, powder room/additional toilet and even a private study/work room. Both the master bedroom and guest room have personalized baths and wardrobes on top of the comfortable king sized beds. The best part would be being a “couch potato” on the huge sofa with cushions watching the surround sound TV system while enjoy the cool breeze from the balcony. With all your needs catered for, this would be the ideal suite to lodge in away from home.

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STANDARD AMENITIES:

Basically, the amenities in both the 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom are the same except for the size of the built-up area and the layout. Inside each luxurious and stylish suite, you would expect to get air-conditioning with individually controlled thermostats, bathroom with shower, free standing bath, ‘His’ & ‘Hers’ vanities, washing machine & dryer, fully equipped kitchen (electric hob & hood, refrigerator, microwave oven, toaster, coffee maker (with coffee powder, tea, sugar & creamer), electric kettle, glassware, crockery, cutlery & utensils, home entertainment system (iPod docking station, television with satellite & cable channels), hairdryer, steam iron & ironing board, IDD telephone, WiFi internet connectivity, in-suite electronic safe, 24-hour security and more. On top of that, your toiletries items such as towels, shampoo, conditioner, body gel, hand lotion, etc, would be replenished on a daily basis.

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GENERAL FACILITIES:

Other than the in-suite amenities and facilities, there are within the confines of the E&O Residences for you to explore, whether for personal usages or business needs.

Gym & Exercise Room (Yoga & Aerobics) – Available from 7.00am until 10.00pm daily, you would get to tone up that body of yours with the available equipments. Other than that, you can always check at the reception on the availability of any classes.

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Landscape Garden Courtyard & Children Playground (outdoor & indoor) – Accompanying children would surely love the courtyard and it’s a safe place for them too as the ground had been treated with Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) flooring, a durable synthetic rubber material that would prevent children from having high accident risk. There’s also the indoor playground for children with lots of toys.

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Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi (private gazebo & public) – The swimming pool is public accessible by both residents of St. Mary Residences and E&O Residences. It’s available from 7.00am until 10.00pm daily. There are many sunbathing decks scattered all around the pool for your relaxation while watching the skyline, namely the Petronas twin tower and Menara KL. You could even lie on the few swinging beds around. The best part is the availability of many jacuzzis, whether you want to utilize the public area or enjoying the water massage in the set up gazebo in privacy.

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Resident Lounge, Business Center & Function Room – There are many resident lounge areas within the vicinity for your personal use. In case you would need to have some work done with some basic printing and internet usage, you could always use their Business Center located near the receptionist area of Tower 2, over some coffee too. For more formal meetings, you can check with the reception on the availability of the Function Room.

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Basement Car Park – There would be ample parking bays at the basement for the occupants. Entering and exiting would be via the mode of your suite’s key card.

Concierge Service – For your leisure or business needs, you could always consult the concierge counter for advice and arrangement such as calling in a taxi, arranging a tour, make restaurant reservation and more. They are there to assist you to make your stay a pleasant one.

DiningDelicious @ St. Mary Place is located in the next building just across E&O Residences. They would cater to your dining needs from 7.00am until 9.30pm daily.

ATTRACTIONS: With the easy access of rail transits as shown in the KL Rail Transit Map below, you can practically visit any places in your wish list. All you need is a Touch n Go card or cash to use the rail transport facilities. For those places without rail transit access, you can always go the receptionist and request for a taxi. All taxis in KL are metered and I can assure you that the rates provided are reasonable.

CRAZY MONKEY SALES 2016: Book from 1-10 January 2016 and enjoy your stay from 10 January 2016 until 30 June 2016. Check out the promotion here.

Name: E&O RESIDENCES
Address: No. 1 Jalan Tengah (Off Jalan Sultan Ismail), 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Contact: +603-2023 2188
Website: www.eoresidences.com
GPS: 3.151728, 101.708619 (entrance to E&O Residences & St. Mary Residences)

DIRECTIONS:

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For those from outstation/overseas and won’t be driving into KL city, the best way to reach E&O Residences is via the KL Monorail. Find your way to KL Sentral and from there transit via KL Monorail (KL Sentral) to KL Monorail (Raja Chulan). From the Raja Chulan Station, just walk about 400m via Jalan Tengah and you would see the entrance to the residences. If you are still unsure, just switch on your Google Map app on your mobile and key in the GPS (3.151728, 101.708619).

To ease you in finding your nearest rail transit station, you can refer to the map below. Do click on the map for a better view.

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RATING:
Ambience: 9/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Cleanliness: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Noise Pollution: 5/10 (1-4 quiet, 5-7 average, 8-10 noisy)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

 

I'm thirsty for a drink now. Would you be kind enough to treat me?


PAMPERING YOURSELF WITH ASIA’S FIRST RHYTHM & MOTION SPA TREATMENTS AT ROCK SPA @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG

Written by crizlai on Sep 10th, 2015 | Filed under: hotel, life, lifestyle, living, massage, penang, product, promotion, review

Whenever I see someone struggling with life and not setting his/her life in proper rhythm, I would always throw in this question, “What’s the purpose of your life?” It caught many off guarded by not being able to provide a proper answer. Most would answer that they would want to have a stable career, set up a family and grow old gracefully with their grandchildren. Is that the ultimate answer to the question? Well, there’s no right or wrong answer to the question as each individual has their own mindset on different life purposes. As for me, I would strive for a balance in everything – the Zen way of bringing the mind, body and senses in a state of togetherness. When you work hard, you must always play hard too. Thus, this brings me to the topic on how to rejuvenate ourselves, mentally and physically by giving both states the necessary alignments to move forward in our daily lives. I’m glad Rock Spa @ Hard Rock Hotel, Penang, has the same ideology as me by transcending the current spa rituals with their “Live Hard, Purify Harder” slogan and bringing in Asia’s first and the world’s 5th Rhythm and Motion Spa Treatments, with the other four sets in HRH Ibiza (Spain), HRH Palm Springs (California), HRH Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and HRH Riviera Maya (Mexico). Being the world’s first fully immersive music centric spa menu by utilizing amplified vibrations, pressures and patterns as the foundation of its treatments, this groundbreaking experience takes guests on a rhythmic massage journey, utilizing Hard Rock’s differentiator (MUSIC) to connect the healing power of music with the artistry of massage therapy.

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Located at beach front of Hard Rock Hotel, Penang, is a little tranquil yet natural sanctuary by its own named Rock Spa. Upon nearing the premises, you would smell a nice scent lingering through the air. That’s the spa’s way of welcoming you into their little haven with the free flowing of relaxing aromatherapy essential oil called “Perk Me Up”, a combination of lemongrass, peppermint and eucalyptus oils to soothe your mood prior to your spa treatments. Other than being the natural deodorant, it also acts as an analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, a digestive support agent, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating and other medicinal qualities. What a great scent to have especially during this cold and hazy weather~ 🙂

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Upon your acceptance to experience the spa treatments at Rock Spa, you would first be served with a hot cup of Ginger Tea. It’s a relaxant beverage which would help in relieving your stress level, strengthen your immunity, improving digestion on top of it other anti-inflammatory and anti-respiratory health benefits.

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There are 3 packages, namely Synchronicity, Face the Music and Heat Wave, available for your Rhythm & Motion Spa Treatments as shown on the menu below. Basically, these 3 options are add-ons to their existing spa treatments (a gentle Hard Rock Massage/a more pressure point concentrated Traditional Malaysian Massage, a facial concentrated Essential Aromatherapy and the more energy points focus Hot Rocks treatment for the seasoned spa-goers) with the usage of the state-of-the-art music systems.

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You would also be given another option to choose the type of massage oil you would want to utilize during your massage session such as Balance (detoxification: rosemary + orange + basil), Energize (relieve muscle stress: ginger + grapefruit + eucalyptus) or Chill (relaxation: lavender + geranium + cedarwood).

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As I’m always down with muscle stiffness and back pain due to my hazardous working style, I opted for their Heat Wave package plus the usage of their Energize massage oil. Firstly, as part of their Etiquette Rules, all spa treatment seekers had to change to their provided “disposable” undergarments. It felt like putting my “ahems” into an airy recycle bag~ LOL~ 😛 However, you don’t have to worry as you are in the good hands of the skilled therapist as he/she would always ensure comfortable and proper draping procedures to protect your privacy. Other Etiquette Rules include punctuality (at least 10 minutes earlier) before your scheduled appointment, no inappropriate behaviors and the advice of not bringing valuables into Rock Spa. The treatment room would also a wardrobe for keeping your belongings, a basin with mirror, drinking water, comb, hair clips, etc at your disposal.

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The spa treatment was remarkably an out-of-the-world experience, none that I’ve encountered through my various spa treatments. It started off with some soothing yet TREBLE based beats from the overhead semi-sphere like space-age musical source with ripples of BASS slowing seeping into the body with mild vibrations via the massage table. Wow! This is the kind of therapeutic massage I’ve been seeking for a long time! I was in such a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere that I almost dozed off in zero-stress mental state. The music emitted which I presumed had a balance of frequencies such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Theta waves indeed churned out the best in me – energy wise, alertness wise, creativity wise, memory wise and more. My brain cells were totally revitalized and I had a great sleep that night. On the other hand, the Vibration Therapy via the massage table did improve my muscle soreness and my body felt more relax and not in such a tense mode as it used to be. Bravo to the latest spa treatment technology brought in by the Hard Rock Hotel, Penang. My therapist, Vixin, also did a great job in rejuvenating my body with her gentle yet dedicated touches by the mode of hot volcanic stones. Not only were her steady flowing strokes pinpointed all the muscle sores on my body, she did put in the extra effort in soothing the sinus issues I had on that day. Thank Vixin, you are my savior. I would say those volcanic stones do have extraordinary therapeutic energies stored within. With right combination of heat and oil, I can feel that some of my sport related injuries got better and I’m now more energized with a better blood circulation. Moreover, with such a relaxing treatment, I’m now quite stress-free. Thumbs up! Another of their product which the therapist used on me was their Eye Pillow, a pillow filled with flax seeds with a light spray of their Lavender Essential Oil. For those who are suffering from sleep issues, it would be great if you could purchase the products from them. Not only was the freezer-chilled pillow soothed the lethargy eyes, the scent from the lavender oil relaxed my mind and pushed my mental and physical states towards Dreamland.

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Overall, I had a great session at Rock Spa as my assigned therapist, Vixin, was skillful in her job and was tactfully knowledgeable in explaining all the processes in the treatment. If you were to ask me to recommend a spa treatment package, I will still choose the Heat Wave Rhythm & Motion Spa Treatment. Though it’s the most expensive package at RM390nett (1.5hours), it’s the most practical one to go for especially when you have gone through years of stressful life without ever finding time in rejuvenating your body to stay healthy for years to come.

Please call +604-886 8071 to make your reservation at least 4 hours prior to your appointment as Rock Spa would need adequate time to prepare to ensure your memorable spa experience. For more information on their other spa packages, you can check out their full spa menu as well as their current promotions with some great bargains.

The Rock Spa is located at the left wing of Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Upon entering, just head for the nearest car park on your left and then follow the left side of the building until the furthest end near the beach area. Alternatively, you can walk into the main entrance of the hotel and head towards the swimming pool area and then walk through a pathway of sands towards the left side of the premises. My advice would be using the former route to avoid getting pebbles of sands on your shoes.

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Name: ROCK SPA @ HARD ROCK HOTEL PENANG
Address: Batu Ferringhi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia.
Contact: 604-886 8071
Business Hours: 9.00am-9.00pm
GPS: 5.467659, 100.240869

RATING:
Ambience: 8/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Pricing: 7.5/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 9/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

About Hard Rock International: With a total of 201 venues in 64 countries, including 155 cafes, 21 hotels and 10 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include San Juan, Lagos and Busan, South Korea. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Daytona Beach, Dubai, Los Cabos, Tenerife, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

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THE KEY BANGKOK HOTEL AT SUKHUMVIT SOI 19 BANGKOK THAILAND

Written by crizlai on Apr 8th, 2015 | Filed under: accommodation, Bangkok, holiday, hotel, review, Thailand, tips, vacation

You may think Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand is not as big as it sounds but it’s 1.5 times the size of Penang Island and Mainland combined. However, Bangkok is more densely populated with endless attractions compared to Penang. Thus, it’s great if you know which would be the best location to stay based on your itinerary during your vacation. There may be over thousands of city & riverside hotels, boutique hotels, guesthouses or even hostels to stay in and it can be a little daunting for first-timers in Bangkok. To me, it’s not about the things you planned to do in Bangkok but the knowledge to fully utilize the mass transits to get to your destinations. With over 50 districts in Bangkok, I’ve chosen the district of Watthana with the convenience of having both the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) and the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT Metro) easily available. That’s the reason I’ve checked into The Key Bangkok Hotel.

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The Key, a 3-star hotel, is not much of a lavish hotel with complete facilities, but it’s just the right one for my basic necessities. Most importantly, a hotel has to be clean. Moreover, I realized that the housekeeping team has been a bit too hard working during my 5D4N stay in the hotel by replenishing all the used shampoo bottles, drinking water, beverage sachets and towels on a daily basis (when they stressed that we should try to go green and avoid changing towels daily). Though small in size, the hotel still has a comfortable sitting area with an indoor coffee house and an al fresco area to chill out.

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As for the room, I would say it’s quite spacious for a THB2000++ room with facilities such as a small kitchen (with plates, bowls, cups, glasses and necessary utensils), microwave oven, refrigerator, electric water kettle (complimentary coffee & tea sachets and two bottles of drinking water daily), TV, DVD player, safe deposit box, dressing table, working table, dining table, build-in wardrobe, hairdryer and bath tub with hot showers. Moreover, the washroom came equipped with hair shampoo, body shampoo, spa shampoo, hand wash and hand lotion bottles.

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However, there were two major setbacks in the room. One will be the toilet bowl which is too near to the wall. Thus, it will be quite inconvenient for huge sized house guests to do their “business”. Moreover, the blinds were not overlapping properly, resulting in the feeling of insecurity to prevent peeping toms from the opposite building. On top of that, there was no dish washer in the room. Though the housekeeper will clean up those dirty dishes, it would be great if they can provide that for long term house guests. As for WIFI, it’s not as stable as my personal 3G connection (though my Happy Tourist SIM card was not as smooth as it should be outside the vicinity of the hotel).

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Overall, it’s still a nice place to stay in with minimal sound pollution and the central air-conditioning can be rather cold. Moreover, Terminal 21 is just few minutes of walk away. You can access to a convenience shop right outside the entrance with two more 7-11 shops along the Sukhumvit Soi 19. Restaurants (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Western), street food, cafes, hair salon, gymnasium and massage & spa parlors are scattered everywhere nearby. Without taking the risk of missing my flight (12.00 noon) to get home, the staff was helpful enough to get me a taxi to Don Mueang International Airport for a mere THB400 at 8.30am.

Here are some peeps of what to expect surrounding the vicinity of The Key Bangkok Hotel.

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Name: THE KEY BANGKOK HOTEL
Address: 19-19/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 19, Klong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Contact: +662 255 5825
GPS: 13.739016, 100.559948

DIRECTIONS:

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From Don Mueang International Airport (DMK): Take A1/A2 bus to Mo Chit Station (BTS Sukhumvit Line). Take the Skytrain to BTS Asoke Station. Use the Skywalk towards Exit 1 and walk downstairs towards Terminal 21. Walk straight towards “The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel”. At the road before the hotel, turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 19 and walk about 70m and you will see the “The Key” after a row of shop houses on your left. The main entrance of the hotel is via a smaller alley.

From Suvarnabhumi International Airport: Take the Airport Rail Link (ARL) to ARL Makkasan Station. Walk to the MRT Phetcheburi Station and use the Subway Train to MRT Sukhumvit Station. Walk towards Exit 3 near the entrance of Terminal 21. Walk straight towards “The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel”. At the road next to the hotel, turn right into Sukhumvit Soi 19 and walk about 70m and you will see the “The Key” after a row of shop houses on your left. The main entrance of the hotel is via a smaller alley.

RATING:
Ambience: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 classy)
Cleanliness: 8/10 (1-4 limited, 5-7 average, 8-10 many choices)
Noise Pollution: 5/10 (1-4 quiet, 5-7 average, 8-10 noisy)
Pricing: 7/10 (1-4 cheap, 5-7 average, 8-10 expensive)
Service: 8/10 (1-4 bad, 5-7 average, 8-10 excellent)

 

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