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The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, is an esteemed experience where those lucky enough to experience will tell you a stay here can have you mistakenly thinking you are of presidential elite status, or then again, perhaps you are...
Located by the most glamorous shopping mall in KL which is the shiny Pavilion, you couldn't ask for a more central location. Here is where the city's hub of life is at play, with millions of malls, eateries, and other five start fancy hotels, all located within the ‘golden triangle' area - which is right where the Ritz Carlton sits.
Walking into your soft-carpeted room is like coming home to your own first class inner city apartment, Mr or Mrs President. Everything about the room exudes a prestigious air. Large modern and comfortable sofa lounges set to a high status stylish décor, a giant flat screen TV (that has multiple channels to choose from,) mini bar and high-tech safety box are all yours for the stay. An enormous and comfortable bed is just begging you to lie in and never emerge, with your head on a million pillows of the softest kind. A glass wall reveals the city of Kuala Lumpur, best seen at night with all the flashing lights. And then the room has extra features, like an iPod docking station, a study area with intercontinental wall plugs and internet access, a large wardrobe including snug dressing gowns and scales (eek) as well as flip flops/thongs/jandals (depending on where you come from as to which word makes sense there) and if you need it (you won't) extra pillows.
Walking into the large marble tiled bathroom is where you are reminded it's the little things that count. Like shampoos and conditioners of the best quality, luxury bath gels and moisturizers - all luxurious branded RC, even the toilet paper has been glammed up with ‘Ritz Carlton' stamps. A huge marble basin presents itself next to a delightfully large bathtub. The bath offers a charming Menu: Honeymooner's Rose Bath, revitalizing Muscle Soak, or My First Bubble Bath for the kids. One glass door will open to your shower with rain-head, the other the WC. A hairdryer is at your disposal and the softest towels, embroidered with the crown and lion RC logo too!
Upon my arrival, I had three knocks at the door.
Door knock one: Hello, I am your Butler. Here are the special features of the room.
Me: Thank you - Yes, I have noticed the room already, did you say my ‘Butler?'
Door knock two: Hi there Ma'am. Just checking everything is ok, here is an evening cookie, oh and the turn down service.
Me: Mmm Cookie.
Door knock three: Hi there Ma'am. Just checking you are ok for everything, and here is a fine selection of exquisite chocolates to enjoy.
Me: Sound of chocolates melting in my mouth.
As well as a personal Butler on call, there are also two housekeeping services a day for your room.
If you are even considering the gym or Spa treatment, don't hesitate. This is a wellness centre you can spend the day in. In fact, The Ritz Carlton suggest their guests who are taking a later flight, do just that - if they have time to kill between check-out and flying. The gym area is very large full of fancy equipment. What I like is the self-spa area. Take some time for yourself in the steam-room, dip in the heated spa tub, laze in the large sauna or relax in the individual peace rooms with couch facing a flat screen.
Head to the Spa Village for complete relaxation before you leave. Passing the pool (great to swim in a tropical setting with a high-rise skyline) you can plunge between the hot pool and cold pool, or laze on a banana bed. Entering the Spa village will have you understanding why it's called a village. Room after room offering massages of all types (I recommend the Malaysian style) or spend some time in an enclave with flooring constructed to vibrate to the sound of a heartbeat as you glance up to a sky of a thousand stars. This spa village is a truly unique experience.
And so is the Ritz Carlton.
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Spa Village Tembok Resort on Indonesia's island of Bali, is an ocean-side paradise hideaway, just four hours drive from an active volcano, amidst Bali's luscious and vibrant green jungle. True escapism is waiting just for you.
I find I have a love/hate relationship with Bangkok. It’s a city that catapults you to somewhere entirely unique, yet after a few days you get the sense you have overstayed your welcome. After a gruelling long haul flight from the UK to Thailand, overtired hot and moany visitors arrive in their throngs but in reality once past security moods lighten and it’s time to throw yourself into the culture and infectious magic of the city.
I have previously had the pleasure of visiting Koh Phangan, and more specifically the tiny beach of Thong Nai Pan Noi on numerous occasions however never to this particular resort. With only a small cluster of hotels on a tranquil beach, it is the
Bikram Yoga is the hottest weight loss trend to hit the tropical island of Singapore. You can register for a free class on any holiday and discover it's a great therapeutic activity to wind down from Singapore's retail therapy, before you indulge more in Singapore's infamous food therapy!
Located in the middle of shoppers' delight near Singapore's Orchard Road, at Pacific Plaza on Scotts Rd, Bikram Original Hot Yoga is a heated yogic activity where 26 Hatha postures, and two breathing exercises, are twice performed under remedial temperatures of 41 degrees. Hot? Yes. Benefits? Plenty. In a 90-minute class you will burn approx 900 calories by working on strength, balance, flexibility, and definitely on focus. Forget issues of bad flexibility, this is a beginner class. Bendy or not, Bikram yoga is an activity that will help everyone remember they are alive.
Walking in to the Pacific Plaza studio it's hard not to be drawn to a large wall adorned with pictures of the inventor of Bikram style yoga, Bikram Choudry, greeting international celebs (watch out for my fave David Beckham.) The pamphlet handed to you by friendly reception staff also highlights a strong celebrity following: Madonna, Julia Roberts, Jessica Simpson, Sharon Stone, Matthew Mcconaughey, Elle Macpherson, George Clooney...Google this and the list goes on.
There's good reason celebs are into Bikram yoga - the results of regular classes give you an incredibly toned body - just take a look at any instructor if you're in doubt of its effectiveness. Throw a few classes into your holiday schedule and devouring that extra Singaporean chili crab is a guilt-free luxury.
During class, instructors recite consistent dialogue of the poses, peppered with details of the multiple health benefits. Rapid weight loss, body toning, and strengthening of muscles are yours in the making. Spine strengthening is benefitting muscular and skeletal problems. Your body is helped to regulate diabetes, heart disease, asthma, insomnia, chronic indigestion, blood pressure, and the benefits go on. This is the kind of practice that will keep you healthy well into old age. A class worth trying...
The Bikram Original Hot Yoga studio at Pacific Plaza makes it easy to pop in for a class, then shower, change and continue your tourist day. No need to take a towel or mat, these are provided. Just turn up with water bottle (or buy one there) and clothes easy to move and sweat in. Don't eat food at least three hours prior, or your tummy may feel funny when stretching.
If you arrive early, the studio boasts a chill-out lounge to relax in with mags and international articles on all things Bikram. With two studios, Bikram Original Hot Yoga offer up to 70 classes a week. The huge locker rooms are quite deluxe for a fitness centre and the lockers generously-sized. There are large private showers, with complementary shampoos and soaps, to complete the rejuvenation feeling after class. Plenty of mirrors and the use of hair dryers ensure you leave in as good a condition as when you arrived.
On my visits I liked to arrive early to allow time to meditate in the heat and let my body acclimatize - not hard when it‘s hotter outdoors. As I waited for the evening class to begin, watching the amazing sunset filtering through skyscrapers, I considered stressed-out workers nearby who could truly do with a dose of this ‘escapism' yoga - it really does take your mind somewhere else completely - out of the city and into you!
An invigorating holiday in Phuket which encompasses the hottest wellness trend in paradise, Bikram yoga, is just what the doctor ordered to re-energise your life. Try this on a vacation infusing Thai massage and island boat tours and you'll return home feeling amazingly rejuvenated, no matter how short the stay.
Phuket offers a huge number of boutique hotels, The Barameehip Resortel and Baramee Hotel in Patong are two of the newest and cleanest options. Also they won't break the budget..
Located in Patong, very near to the beach, The Barameehip Resortel and Baramee Hotel are both owned by the same company, so very similar in hotel set up and design.
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