Part of the Family - Our Relationship with the Hotel Industry - Part 2

In the previous post, Treated like a King, I discussed how we first met Wayne Lee, the then-Vistana Hotel Kuantan manager.

Soon after meeting him, we became quickly integrated into the Vistana family and treated with the utmost love and attention that a close-knit family naturally provides. I sometimes wonder about the whys and hows we were extended so many privileges, it was almost too good to be true.

The girls enjoying one of our many stays at Vistana Hotel Kuantan

We were grateful indeed for invitations to stay at Vistana Hotel free of charge; I posted a detailed and highly complimentary write-up on this blog each time we were afforded such generosity by the management.

Wayne even took us behind the scenes one time, showing us all the back alleys in the basement where all the real action that keeps the hotel running, takes place. This included a very interesting, if not humid and stuffy, tour and explanation of the laundry room, washing machines, and chemicals used in cleaning. That post can be found here: Vistana behind the scenes

Of course, I didn't expect free food and stays to last forever, even though I was giving the hotel more publicity on the internet through my blog and facebook pages. Wayne was transferred to another YTL property and a new manager, Sharon, came in for her second spell in charge at Vistana Hotel Kuantan. I really didn't feel comfortable with asking Sharon if we could stay for a night, or if we could sit down in the Coffee House and have a lunch on the house. She didn't know us. But over the years we have become good friends with Sharon as well, and we still receive all the emails and invitations to events at the hotel, including this year's Rebranding Launch Event.

Nowadays, I have no problem paying for a room like any other person would have to. However, we remain extremely thankful for the times when things came free. We still have options to enjoy free stays at hotels, on a services exchange kind of basis, as will be explained in Part 3!

Treated like a King - Our relationship with the Hotel Industry - Part 1

Since moving to Kuantan in 2006, we have become very much involved with the hotel industry, both in win-win situations with hotels, and at our own personal cost. Today's post addresses how we first became seriously involved with the hotel industry.

The post can be found at my hotels blog by clicking on this link:

Treated like a King

I'd really appreciate your visit to my blog dedicated solely to my love of hotels, but you can also read the article in full right here.

We go to a hotel expecting a little pleasure, a little pampering, and on the whole, being treated like a King. As the description of my blog states: "Hotels give ordinary people the chance to enjoy a piece of luxury, and to be made to feel extremely important, for 24 hours."

While not all hotels give you that sort of experience, and shame on them if they fail to do so, most hotels will treat you like a King and really hope that you will return in the future.

Posing for a photo in a room at Vistana Hotel Kuantan with then-Hotel Manager Wayne Lee, accompanied by a couple of staff and my family.

One hot and balmy afternoon I was riding my bicycle back home from Teluk Chempedak beach. On the way I would always pass by Vistana Hotel Kuantan. I was curious. It was a hotel I had only ever been inside twice - once for a university function for my wife, and once to look around the meeting room floors out of curiosity. With sweat dripping down  my face on this particular afternoon, I decided to drop in and ask to speak with the Hotel Manager to make a proposal.

Within 5 minutes, this tall and lean man called Wayne Lee approached me in the lobby and we sat down and chatted for a while. I asked him if he would be willing to give us a free stay if in return, I created a blog post to promote his hotel. To my surprise, he immediately agreed and told me to call him as soon as we were ready for our stay!

This was the beginning of a long friendship with Vistana Hotel Kuantan and Wayne Lee, which continues to run now. This extends to Vistana Hotel KL and our comradeship with Pauline Gan too. From my very first contact as a sweaty (and perhaps smelly young man) who came in off the street demanding a free stay, I was treated like a King.

We continue to be treated with the utmost friendliness and respect by all of the hotel staff at Vistana Hotel Kuantan, many of whom we have become good friends with - Sharon, Ms. Fan, Nurul & Nurul, Hanafidhiyah, Carmen, Azam, Sivabalan, Wan, Kamarul, Aazhar, Zul, Hazriq, Zahar, Aman, Roslina, Yok Chi - and many others who have dealt directly with us for the purposes of business and leisure. My thanks and appreciation cannot adequately be expressed in mere words to all of these great people who have treated us like Kings (and Queens) and presented so many opportunities to our family.

When Wayne Lee was transferred to The Majestic Hotel in KL, the same positive treatment was extended to us there and more friendships have been made, particularly with Steven Chen whom we now deal with at Majestic Hotel. We look forward to our next visit to this remarkable hotel!

Wayne Lee, then-Hotel Manager at The Majestic Hotel KL, poses for a photo with a colleague in a beautiful guest room

Our stay at Majestic Hotel KL - Part 1

We had a wonderful 3 days 2 nights stay at Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur earlier this week. For a detailed history of this hotel, more photos and information about our previous hotel tour with the Hotel Manager, please click the following link:

Tour of Majestic Hotel with HM Wayne Lee

I took so many photos during our recent first-time stay at Majestic Hotel that I have to divide this review into a few parts.

We stayed in the junior suite which costs around RM850-1000 per night! Fortunately this was given on an exchange of services between us and the Hotel Manager, which works out very nicely for both parties, and has done in the past with him as well.

Wayne Lee is a young, enthusiastic and knowledgeable Hotel Manager currently positioned at Majestic Hotel KL. We've been friends since his days as Hotel Manager at Vistana Hotel Kuantan.

Junior Suite at Majestic Hotel KL

The junior suite was spacious, immaculately clean and very comfortable.

Round table and study desk at Majestic Hotel KL, junior suite

Living area in the junior suite at Majestic Hotel KL

Array of magazines waiting to be read in the junior suite at Majestic Hotel

Large window overlooking Kuala Lumpur at the junior suite, Majestic Hotel KL

The 4 poster bed at the junior suite, Majestic Hotel KL

The transparent bathrooms now come with the option of a curtain for a little more privacy!

The toilet and shower are in separate glass cubicles at the rear of the bathroom

Bathtub and TV in the junior suite at Majestic Hotel KL. The children loved watching cartoons while bathing!

As far as the room is concerned, it's probably the best room we've stayed in. No complaints at all.

Part 2 will be coming tomorrow where I'll take you around the lobby and floors 2-4 of Majestic Hotel KL.

Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur - A Tour with Hotel Manager, Wayne Lee

The main lobby at Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur

Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur is where history and heritage meet head-on with modernity and luxury. Located on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Hotel Majestic sits opposite the equally historical and moorish Kuala Lumpur railway station.

The 1930's Hotel Majestic was one of the great landmarks of Kuala Lumpur in its time. The Majestic Wing (pictured), which comprises the hotel of old, has been fully restored, and includes the Suites with Butler service, The Colonial Cafe, The Bar and The Tea Lounge

Since 1998, after a long and illustrious lifespan, YTL Hotels have been working on the full restoration of Hotel Majestic, bringing it back to its former glory and establishing it as a listed Leading Hotel of the World, making a 5-star rating entirely inadequate.

Welcome to Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur

Title Page of: "The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur - A Second Renaissance"

We entered Hotel Majestic through the original Majestic Wing and were greeted by one of the hotel guards, dressed in traditional garb from bygone years, looking absolutely fantastic. (A picture with a guard will be shown at the end of the post).

Beautiful foyer and stairs at the Majestic Wing old entrance at Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur

The swimming pool located at the Majestic Wing

Walking along the corridors, gasping in awe at the wonder of Hotel Majestic!

I honestly wasn't prepared for the majesty of this stunning hotel. It took me back and I soon realised that we were in some place quite special. I hope these photos will do it justice and that you'll feel that sense of awe as well!

The Tea Lounge in the Majestic Wing at Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur

It was like walking through a palace. This isn't just another hotel - it's a grand palace! Luxury can be smelt in every corner. 

We met our good friend and the Hotel Manager, Wayne Lee in the reception of the new building, known as the Tower Wing.

The main lobby of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Wayne took us for a buffet lunch, accompanied by Anna, who hails from Albanian and Greek origins and who deals with the VIP guests at the hotel. The food was plentiful and of the highest quality, and there was just about anything you could wish for.

The Dining Room

Watching our classic Italian pizza being made

Our pizza cooking in the oven

Seating arrangement in the dining room at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Lauren and Leah's favourite part of the buffet lunch was obviously the dessert, with home-made ice-cream and a pot of jelly beans!

Following the lunch, Wayne took us on a much-anticipated tour of The Majestic Hotel, starting with exclusive access to a variety of rooms in the new Tower Wing:

The rooms of the Tower Wing

Bathtub with TV

One of the features of rooms in the Tower Wing is completely transparent bathrooms like this! Fidelia is posing beside the bathtub while Lauren is having a seat on the toilet bowl! It is sure to be an unforgettable experience at The Majestic Hotel!

Fresh orchids are in every room, replaced monthly

Lauren trying out an inviting bed. Leah meanwhile, goes straight to the phone!

Wayne and Anna pose for a photo in one of the splendid rooms at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The room rates start from RM600 and go up to between RM10,000 - RM12,000 per night. To browse more of the rooms and see prices and features, and even book your stay here, you can visit The Majestic Hotel on the internet right here:

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

I hope you're keeping up . . . this was a hotel tour like we'd never had before! Moving on . . .

The Swimming Pool and Rooftop Garden

The swimming pool on the 4th floor of The Majestic Hotel, Tower Wing

Just around the corner from the swimming pool is a lovely rooftop garden complete with shelter and flowers:

The Rooftop Garden at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Flower at the Rooftop Garden , Tower Wing, The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The Tower Wing of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur boasts 15 floors of quality rooms and function rooms

It was a typically burning hot Malaysian afternoon, and I was left behind to snap away while the rest of the company made a quiet but hasty retreat back to the shade by the pool and then inside to the air-conditioning of the hotel.

The Petronas Twin Towers are visible from the 4th floor swimming pool deck

As Wayne led the tour inside again, it was a relief to escape the searing heat and be able to rest my eyes once more.

We then ventured on to the Ballroom, which is entirely pillar-less, can seat up to 1,200 people, and is just . . . H U G E!

The next part of the tour was one of my favourites. We gained privileged access to a private orchid room in the Majestic Wing. This room remains locked and can only be rented out for an afternoon for RM2,000!

As you'll see in the photos, it is full of orchids and colour and is a very pleasant place to sit and enjoy the afternoon:

The Orchid Room

The locked doors of the orchid room

Taking a few moments to absorb the peace of the orchid room

I thought that this orchid room was absolutely terrific, a wonderful addition to the hotel, and we continued to be amazed at every turn of the tour of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur. 

The final part of the tour took us back to where we started, and indeed where Hotel Majestic began in the 1930's - the fully restored Majestic Wing.

View of the atrium in the Majestic Wing

Full butler service is available for the rooms in the Majestic Wing.

A classic bathroom in a room in the Majestic Wing

Leah sits on a cushion-filled sofa in a room in the Majestic Wing

Piano by The Bar and The Tea Lounge in the Majestic Wing of Hotel Majestic Kuala Lumpur

It was a privilege to be guided around The Majestic Hotel by Wayne Lee, the Hotel Manager. He's a top man. I've known him since we first met while he was the Hotel Manager at Vistana Hotel in Kuantan. This wonderful hotel which is full of history and nostalgia has an equally apt man in charge today.

I highly recommend you to save up your ringgits and spend a night at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur. I'm looking forward to our stay there the next time we go to KL!

We took a couple of lovely photos, firstly with the hotel guard, and secondly with Wayne, to finish the tour: