Give me a choice between staying in a luxury apartment and hotel room for holiday travels or business and I will opt for a nice apartment anytime. So why are luxury apartments are better than hotel rooms?

Luxury apartments are cosy and give a home-away-from-home feeling. I love the comforts of spacious living area, dining area and bathroom. Most importantly, I like the kitchen facilities provided in luxury apartments. So when given a choice, I will choose to stay in an apartment than a hotel room, where space is often limited and you don’t have the pleasure of relaxing in a conducive living area, unless you have a presidential suite to your enjoyment.

Prices are competitive these days between luxury apartments and 5-star hotel rooms and you get similar top notch services, luxurious amenities, housekeeping and business facilities. However, some may think that staying in a hotel is more convenient is the travel stay is a short one.

One thing for sure: if you are travelling with children, you should choose an apartment over a hotel room as the little ones would need the extra space in and around the room. Most apartments have room configurations to your choice which spells flexibility for family vacations.

What about you? What is your preference?

My brother in law was back from Sans Francisco for a 2 weeks vacation. Clayton had a nice time catching up with Uncle Seng but the highlight for Seng was his diving trip to Pulau Sipadan, one of the best diving sites in Borneo, Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, it’s been 6 years since I packed my bags and move to Kuala Lumpur.

Though I travel home every now and then, it’s hard to keep myself abreast with the rapid changes in this fast moving city.

Over the years, I have noticed not just changes in property developments but people’s lifestyle and behaviour patterns. This is just part and parcel of an affluent and urban city. Read the rest of this entry »

On our way to Lake Taupo, we stop by at the Huka Falls. We were amazed at the speed on which the water move from the Waikato River to the drop!

This is sunset at Lake Taupo

It was raining during our two nights in Taupo. But then again, the poor weather didn’t spoil our fun in Taupo either. We had a great time in Baycrest Lodge. Our room came with a private courtyard and private thermal tub. We can then fill to our requirements with 50 degree C thermal water extracted from the ground. It is so relaxing soaking in the tub in the moonlight… yep! And you don’t even have to bother about swim gear. It is so private. I’m sure you can star gaze on a clear night.

Lake Taupo is the biggest lake in New Zealand.

Take a nice stroll and enjoy sunset by the calm lake. This town seems less busy than Rotorua. There are some nice shops to browse around so start shopping for a New Zealand gift. Don’t miss out on the many cafes if you like a lazy afternoon. Taupo in the North Island is serene and quiet during our time of travel but this lakeside town can get very busy during summer months.

For food in Taupo, you ought to check out Replete Café. For some reason, the queue is endless during lunch. The food is quite tasty with a touch of Asian but the menu selection may be a little limited. I like the quirky store next to the café. You can find lots of nice- looking kitchenware and selected gourmet condiments on the shelves. Few restaurants have opened up on the lakefront but unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to try any of them due to wet weathers on both the nights.