IMMERSIVE STAYCATION AT ALOR RIMBA ORCHARD VILLAS

Wake up to the sound of roosters crowing and listen to the morning call resonating throughout the village. Honestly, I had forgotten when was the last time I was roused from my slumber by such a lively greeting to start the day.

Gateway to a private paradise that's Alor Rimba

Keep your eye out for the Alor Rimba Orchard Villas signpost once you turn off from the highway

It is one of the many sensorial and immersive experiences we had throughout our brief but memorable staycation at Rimba Alor Orchard Villas. Just 45 minutes from the historic city of Melaka, this private homestead is located in Melaka Pindah, a quiet village sited off a small lane from the main Alor Gajah highway.

A nicely paved driveway leading to a large tract of well-trimmed lawn greeted us as we drove up to Rimba Alor. Glimpses of rustic dwellings surrounded by leafy trees and foliage hinted at what was in store for our weekend staycation.  

Tuan Haji Kaspur Mat, manager of Rimba Alor, welcomed us with a quick tour of the two holiday homesteads: Villa Rimba (RM900 per night) and Villa Alor (RM800 per night). Ensconced within a 1.7-acre orchard which has been in the owners’ family for generations, Tuan Haji Kaspur said “originally there was only a simple kampung house with a well fed by an underground spring here”.

Now, the owners have built two beautiful traditional Melaka-style wooden village houses onsite. They wanted to offer guests a taste of the slow-paced, relaxing village life without them feeling too isolated from everything else. Designed to accommodate 16-20 persons, each villa boasts 4 bedrooms, with 4 single rollaway beds (RM70 per bed per night) available on prior request.

 

To reflect their Melakan ancestry and cultural heritage, the owners have mindfully modelled both villas after the traditional raised wooden Melakan houses of yesteryear. Up front, a curved staircase adorned with colourful Nyonya tiles takes pride of place.

Ornate wooden carved window banisters, panels of decorative vintage tiles and old wooden doors repurposed into benches make the villas Instagram-worthy. Rimba Alor comes with a spacious wooden patio furnished with rattan chairs too; a vantage point to observe the many bird and animal life frolicking in the orchard.

 

Local watercolour artworks depicting bucolic scenes of fishing villages, reproduction prints of old Melaka and colourful stained glass panels bestow old-world charm to the rustic, cosily furnished living and dining areas. Modern conveniences: air-condition, fans, modern shower and water heater, television, oven toaster, refrigerator and washing machine ensure Rimba Alor guests enjoy their rural getaway without too much hardship.

 

In each bedroom, bed headboards of sarong and songket prints lend vibrant colour. The comfortable beds, fluffy pillows and pristine white linen are similar to those of international hotels. We certainly have no complaints when it comes to catching forty winks here.

 

 

 

Us city dwellers were thrilled to get our first-hand look at the various fruit trees in the orchard. We marvelled at the towering, over 90-year old durian tree, plucked mangosteens and rambutans to devour and sipped fresh coconut water from the harvest gleaned from the many coconut trees around.

 

 

The two kelulut (stingless bees) bee hives should pique the interest of nature-loving folks.Other f ruit trees such as jering (small native fruit encased in dark, hard clam-shape shells that can be eaten raw or cooked), cempedak, guava, soursop, jambu air (rose apple), lime and avocado also flourished in the orchard.

 

 

Nearby is a 8-ft deep fish pond stocked with tilapia, haruan and keli so if you fancy reeling in a catch of the day, fishing rods and bait are available on loan.

A gazebo nearby offers shade from the afternoon sun, an outpost to revel in the natural and soothing surroundings or merely to while time away. Fitted with roll-up/down wooden blinds, it can be turned into a private massage or foot reflexology haven.

Photo courtesy of pureglutton.com

We thoroughly enjoyed succumbing to the magic fingers of two local masseuses who kneaded away the stress of city living from our bodies. Again, guests can pre-booked the massage services for both men and women ahead of time before their actual visit.

 

 

 

When it comes to meals, Rimba Alor has two purpose-built barbecue pits and a dedicated al fresco dining area as well as two sets of sturdy umbrella-shaded wooden tables and chairs in the garden. The brick and mortar, vintage tile tabletops and wooden bench seats make for convenient dining. Should you prefer a more casual approach, picnic mats are available too.

 

 

You may opt to cook your own meals when staying at Rimba Alor but we found it more convenient to have food catered. Be it breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner, Rimba Alor has thoughtfully compiled a list of enterprising Melaka Pindah villagers who can cook up a plethora of typical kampung dishes on request.

 

Our delicious nasi lemak breakfast with the works was a great example. Dinner and lunch menus run the gamut from ikan bakar, asam pedas and rendang to fried chicken, kerabu and sambal with rice.

 

Alternatively, guests can also order food to be delivered or drive to nearby restaurants. Live musical entertainment — be it a solo flautist or a dondang sayang troupe — can be arranged with prior notice given to the manager.

As I sat mesmerised by the sight of a blood orange sunset against a dusky backdrop streaked with vermillion, yellow, purple and orchre, I wish I have the means to make Rimba Alor my writing retreat.

Once Rimba Alor casts its beguiling spell on you, you too will find it hard to return to the drudgery of everyday life. No matter how brief a sojourn at this holiday homestead, it is the closest to experiencing heaven on earth.

For more information on Rimba Alor Orchard Villas, please call Tuan Haji Kaspur Mat, hp no: 019-325 6582 or visit www.rimbaalororchardvillas.com

ALL A-BUZZ OVER FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Only a year old in Kuala Lumpur yet the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur has already created quite a buzz as the new place to see and be seen at. Hailed as the city’s nexus of success and style, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur General Manager Tom Roelens has every right to be proud as the Hotel celebrates its first anniversary. Having ensconced itself as the preferred accommodation of choice among discerning travellers from Malaysia and abroad, the Hotel’s food & beverage outlets are the go-to outposts for gourmands in the city.

AWARD-WINNING START

Right from the get-go, the dazzling Bar Trigona has literally raised the bar on the art of bartending with its coterie of master bartenders, expertly crafted cocktails using local, sustainable ingredients and opulent space.

Bar Trigona’s position as the toast of the town is cemented when it scored three awards: Best Hotel Bar and Best New Bar at The Bar Awards, and Asia’s 50 Best Bars - Sustainable Bar Award within its first year of operations. Consequently, the bartending team is widely acknowledged for their craft and continues to win plaudits when they compete in different bartending championships. Some of them have also been invited for guest bartending stints in South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines.

According to Roelens, a whirlwind of non-stop celebrations and special activities to mark the first anniversary is held to celebrate the Hotel’s first anniversary milestone. “Guests will enjoy 15 percent off our accommodation package whilst CurATE is offering Sunday Brunch priced at RM98 per person. A special celebratory menu of guests’ favourite dishes is available at Yun House to entice Chinese food connoisseurs.”

 ALL THAT BUZZ

On the secrets of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s success thus far, Roelens puts it down to his team’s ability to listen and stay attuned to guests and their needs.

“At Four Seasons, we strive constantly to curate one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests. We work closely with local vendors such as fig growers and artisan cheese makers to deliver the brand’s key pillars such as sourcing for sustainable, local produce; showcasing those ingredients and flavours at our different restaurants by infusing them into the food & drinks.

“We also promote homegrown talents such as commissioning local art pieces for the hotel. Another sustainable project we’ve just launched is the ‘adopt a beehive’ initiative at Bar Trigona.”

Roelens elaborates, “The unique collaboration programme enables Bar Trigona customers to sponsor a kelulut stingless bee beehive at RM500 per annum. This ensures the local kelulut honey bee population thrive at the bee farm located on the fringe of the Klang Valley.

“Response from our guests have exceeded expectations, with guests from Singapore and Hong Kong expressing their interest to be involved. Not only does each sponsor gets a beehive named after them but also in a year’s time, they will get a jar of pure kelulut honey in return.”

 

Roelens explains the ‘adopt a beehive’ project stems from Bar Trigona’s frequent use of locally sourced honey such as Kelulut, Durian Flower and Borneo Honey to create its unique cocktail selection. “Old beehives are also transformed into statement-making lampshades such as those displayed at Bar Trigona.”

CURATING EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES

As the GM, Tom Roelens admittedly has lost count on the number of landmark events at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. From the Tatler Ball to the highly sought-after Afternoon Tea with Tiffany & Co, Roelens reaffirms more exciting happenings are in the pipeline, in response to Four Seasons guests’ feedback and requests for lifestyle-centric experiences.

“We’ll be offering gym memberships and building on the curation of unique experiences such as a Chef’s Table series, similar to our collaboration with Dato’ Fazley Yaakob during the recent breaking of fast period at CurATE. Our newly launched family-style brunch on Sundays is gaining traction as we serve bubbly for the adults while bubble tea is available for the young ones to enjoy.

“There’s also increasing demand for our loft-style space, the Gallery for cocktail and evening events, as well as for poolside parties. Over at The Spa, we’ve guests requesting for head-to-toe pampering so we’ll encompass hair, manicure and pedicure services on premise. Guests can also bring the Four Seasons experience home — our trademark Four Season Hotel beds are now available for order and delivery right to the guests’ own doorsteps.”

Roelens reveals Malaysians form the biggest clientele for the Hotel. “We’re happy Malaysians have embraced the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur as their hotel of choice. Singaporeans, Middle Easterners, Americans and Australians make up the remaining base thanks to our strong brand recognition around the world.”

With Kuala Lumpur emerging as the top 10 destinations in the world for visitors, Roelens says Kuala Lumpur’s diversity of places, people and culture augurs well for the city. “Kuala Lumpur not only boasts a good mix of heritage and modernity but also is a strategic gateway to Langkawi and Borneo. Many visitors come to enjoy its vibrant food and bar scene, for diving and other unique experiences.”

“People want to go off the grid these days” he says. “They want to explore lesser known places and seek extraordinary experiences like dining in decades-old restaurants. Personally, one of the most extraordinary experiences I had was going to Carey Island, to sail with the Mahmeri tribe in their boats and observe first-hand how they remember and honour their ancestors at shipwreck spots.”

From the booked-out luxurious Four Seasons Jet to newer, upcoming destinations such as Rwanda and Easter Island, Roelens states it is such rare, extraordinary experiences the Four Seasons team aims to curate for their guests around the world.

The intrepid GM proves he’s right at home after two years here in Malaysia. After all, I don’t know any international hotelier who loves asam laksa from the Kepong pasar malam and banana leaf rice from Restoran Bunga Raya near Masjid Jamek. Tom Roelens is truly a man of Four Seasons.