People
power. If there’s one compelling reason to stay at the upscale Dorsett Grand
Labuan, I’d say it’s the friendly, hospitable hotel team who made a world of
difference. It boils
down to leadership by example.
At the Dorsett Grand Labuan, General Manager
Susan Carlos walks the talk as the perfectly personable host, inspiring every
member of her team to follow suit. You can tell by the warm rapport and cordial
interactions between the hotel staff and the guests who are staying in-house or
those popping in for post-work drinks and a meal.

Bright-eyed
and busy tailed after a smooth 2.5 hour flight with Malaysia Airlines (MAB),
our fam group received a resounding welcome from the Dorsett Grand Labuan team.
We were touched by their melodious voices serenading us the minute we set foot
into the spacious grand lobby.

Awarded
the “Best Business Hotel Brand Malaysia 2014” and “Luxury Business Hotel 2014”,
Dorsett Grand Labuan is strategically located in the uptown business district.
It is a mere 5-minute walk to the financial centre, government offices and
international banking offices. Five kilometres away is the Labuan Airport while
the Labuan International Ferry Terminal is a kilometre away, making the hotel
easily accessible for local and international travellers.

Our group
was ushered up to the Executive Lounge on Level 8 for check-in and to enjoy
cocktails and canapés. These are complimentary to Executive Floor guests from
4pm to 7pm while coffee/tea and hors d’oeuvres
are available from 7am to 10pm.
Managed by
Dorsett Hospitality International, Dorsett Grand Labuan features 178 rooms with
1 Royal Suite, 10 Premier Suites, 44 Executive Rooms and 123 Deluxe Rooms. We
soon discovered how comfy the room was…
Besides
the welcome fruit and confectionery platters, we were elated to discover the
Rest & Renewed Pillow Menu. While I was lulled to sleep that night with the
Music Pillow, my other half dozed off fitfully on his Medical Stone Pillow
which helped to improve blood circulation and relieved tension. The mattress is
soft but firm enough without causing me to toss and turn during the night.
The other special
pillows to ensure a good night’s sleep include Water, Magnetic or Memory Pillow.
If you like to take one home, the pillows are available for sale too (prices
start from RM100 onwards each).
As befitting a 5-star hotel, our room amenities
include individually-controlled air conditioning, a 32-inch LCD TV with
satellite channels, coffee and tea-making facilities, private electronic safe
box, direct IDD phone with voicemail box, and a balcony with serene views of
the South China Sea or the cityscape. Those of us who need to stay digitally
connected, the complimentary 1 GB WiFi access was indeed a boon.

Executive
Floor or Premier Suite guests also have access to the Executive Lounge. Dedicated
iHome decks comprising a radio, clock and iPod/iPhone dock is available in
Executive Rooms, Premier Suite and Royal Suite which conforms to guests’ tech savvy preferences and needs.
Afternoon
tea and refreshing drinks are served at the Lobby Lounge (12 noon to 12
midnight) so we sipped cool cocktails while waiting for the local and English
multiple tier tea sets to be ready.
Once the selection of tea offerings
arrived, cameras started clicking away before we finally sat down to savour the
delicious morsels. We noticed the Lobby Lounge is a hot spot for sports fans to
catch live sport events shown on the High Definition (HD) Giant Screen.

That
night, we relished a sumptuous barbecue dinner at Victoria’s Brasserie (6am to 10.30pm). The
Executive Chef also tempted us with a variety of mouth-watering delicacies such
as Salmon Fish Head Curry, Sweet & Sour Fish and Coconut Jelly. Buffet breakfast,
lunch and dinner draw a good crowd here too. All food served at the outlets is
Halal.

We also
let our hair down at the Fun Pub (Mon-Sat 6pm to 2am) where the in-house live
band Perfect Jam and a talented DJ perform nightly. It was fun shooting a round
or two at the pool table and dexterous dart players may want to score points
there too.
During our
tour of Grand Dorsett Labuan, we inspected 4 elegant meeting rooms designed to accommodate
functions, seminars, dinner and wedding ceremonies. For special outings where
outside catering is required, the Catering team delivers an unforgettable
F&B experience like the portable bar and picnic set-up by the beach and
foothills.
Need to
work off extra calories? Fear not, the in-house Gym and Swimming Pool should
keep fitness buffs happy from 7am to 7pm.
Special Staycation Offer
You too
can enjoy the perfect family staycation in Labuan. Dorsett Grand Labuan’s
Special Staycation Room Package at “The Pearl of South China Sea” is priced at RM550
nett per night in a Deluxe Room. Or upgrade to an Executive Room for RM100 more
(rate at RM650 nett per room night) to enjoy a host of extra benefits for FREE.
The Staycation Package includes:
· Complimentary breakfast and dinner (based on single occupancy). Additional person will be chargeable at RM70 per room night only
· a 2-hour tour of Labuan historical sites
· Extension of stay with Best Available Rate (inclusive of breakfast)
Package is
available from 1 Nov 2015 till 29 Feb 2016. To reserve the above packages or
other hotel offers, kindly log onto www.dorsett.com