12 SCHOOL HOLIDAY SPECIAL StarSpecial, Sunday 18 MAY 2014

A historical retreat

Hotel Equatorial Melaka accommodates both leisure and business travellers.

SET in the heart of the historical city of Malacca, Hotel Equatorial is a five-star international business resort with 496 spacious and contemporarily furnished rooms.

It is ideally located within walking distance of historical sites and trails, shopping complexes, night spots, financial institutions and the famous Jonker Street – a local food and antique hunter’s paradise.

Hotel Equatorial Melaka has a wide range of room to suit every traveller, from Deluxe to Presidential Suite.

The Deluxe room exudes a warm, cosy feeling and features a wooden window shutter that is unique to Hotel Equatorial Melaka. There is also a balcony overlooking Malacca city and a spectacular view of the Straits of Malacca.

The premier rooms have a built-in day bed, making the room an excellent choice for families with children. Hotel Equatorial Melaka has a well-equipped gym, sauna, massage parlour, a cold plunge pool, an indoor Jacuzzi, a tennis court that is floodlit and four connected swimming pools.

There is even an extensive sundeck for

those who want to get a tan. In addition, the hotel also provides aerobic classes, standard training programmes, fitness evaluations and other personal consultation services.

Hotel Equatorial Melaka also has a wide range of dining and entertainment outlets. Rest House Cafe offers visitors an informal dining experience and serves both international and local cuisine. The etc... cafe offers freshly baked pastries and cakes and Kampachi is an award-winning signature Japanese restaurant of the Equatorial Group.

With a casual sidewalk-terrace dining style, K5 offers guests local and western cuisine. It is also the only bistro in Malacca that is open 24 hours a day. The Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant’s inviting interior and authentic Peranakan delicacies have charmed many visitors.

The restaurant also has a private room that can seat 40 people. The Equatorial Melaka’s Flo Lounge with its luxurious interior offers guests a wide range of cocktails, wines and champagnes.

n For more information, call 06-282 8333.

Unique offerings at resort citySPRAWLED across 727 acres

(294ha) of lush secondary jungle, Bukit Gambang Resort

City (BGRC) is an integrated resort city destination that offers multiple attractions in one location, making it a perfect destination for leisure and business activities.

Located about 218km from Kuala Lumpur and 35km from Kuantan, it is easily accessible by via the East Coast Expressway. For those who prefer to fly, you can embark at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Penang International Airport or Singapore’s Changi Airport and take a transit flight to the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport in Kuantan. The resort city is just 30 minutes from the airport.

BGRC has 1,866 rooms of various categories. These rooms are available at two themed resorts – the Arabian Bay Resort (ABR) and Caribbean Bay Resort (CBR). The two most popular categories of rooms are the Studio Suite, which is a one-bedroom suite with a private balcony and the Family Suite, which is a two-bedroom suite with private bathrooms, a common living room and a balcony.

The ABR suites offer warm, cosy and elegant furnishing that is suitable for both business and leisure travellers. The CBR suites provide an elegant and

comfortable ambience with their timber-strip flooring and cosy wooden furniture to complement the natural environment of the resort.

With a 220,000sq ft events centre dedicated to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions conveniently located between the two themed resorts,

it gives easy access to visitors. The covered link makes going between the resorts and the events centre trouble-free even in bad weather.

The largest ballroom in Malaysia is located on the top floor of the events centre and can accommodate up to 3,100 people for a sit-down banquet.

Guests will be spoilt for choice

as BGRC offers more than 30 meeting and event halls.

BGRC stands out from other venues because it offers guests a unique ambience as it is surrounded by lush greenery and is located within minutes of a safari park with the recent completion of the Bukit Gambang Safari Park.

Those who love the outdoors will take delight in the many recreational activities available, including horse-riding, paint ball target shooting, paint ball warzone, all-terrain vehicle rides, off-road rides, and the flying fox and obstacle course challenges. Team building and programmes for companies and families can be arranged with BGRC’s certified and trained facilitators.

Leisure activities at BGRC include a water theme park and safari park located about 250 metres away.

The Bukit Gambang Water Park, which covers a total area of 45.8 acres (18.5ha), offers several water attractions that are suitable for the whole family.

It was also named the best water park in the country by the Malaysia Association of Amusements, Themeparks and Family Attractions (MAATFA).

The Bukit Gambang Safari Park is a 138-acre (55.8ha), one-of-a-kind safari and it is the largest in the country. Guests at the safari

park will experience a close encounter with the wildlife. The safari park is open every day from 2pm to 10pm and offers shows and activities for children of all ages.

The safari park is divided into five districts – Simba Hill, Foreign Village, Forest Land, Night Jungle and Wild Savannah.

Foreign Village showcases a collection of animals, including farm animals and wild animals from across the world for a see-touch-learn experience.

Wild Savannah is the drive through section of the park and features animals from the African savannah, tropical rainforests and the Australian outback. For a unique dining experience, guests can dine at the Simba Hill Gourmet Hall, where they can experience a spectacular view of the only white lions in Malaysia. This outlet also caters for private functions.

For the coming school holidays, BGRC will be organising its annual East Coast Discovery.

Visitors should not miss the opportunity to experience, learn about and take photos with live turtles.

There will also be stalls selling traditional handicrafts and local delicacies from the east coast.

n For more information, visit www.bgrc.com.my

The Bukit Gambang Safari Park is a one-of-a-kind safari and the largest in Malaysia.

Guests can experience close encounters with the wildlife.