Hotel review: Fraser Place (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Asia Hotel reviews

When you go to Kuala Lumpur for the first time, you obviously want to stay near Petronas Towers, or better yet, with a view of the famous twins. I was in the city for 3 days on business and since I had one whole day off for sightseeing, I wanted to have a perfect location to reach the towers on foot and hop on a tourist bus to see the rest of the city. I checked a number of hotels and in the end I chose Fraser Place due to very good reviews, good location, rooftop pool and quite a reasonable price.  

Location

First of all let me explain there are 2 Fraser hotels in KL – the one I stayed in has 4 stars and is a bit closer to the twins (can’t blame a girl for trying to save her feet, right?). The other one, called Fraser Residence, is a 5 star hotel and has slightly better customer reviews, but is also a bit more expensive.

Fraser Place is not a typical hotel, it is actually connected with several buildings and restaurants, and that is quite awesome because you can order room service from any of them. It is located in a very busy area so getting there and away in rush hours is a headache. But this goes for the whole KLCC area. It is about 800 meters away from Petronas towers and the good news is that the bus station (KL hop on hop off and GO KL city buss) is literally just around the corner.

Rooms

Rooms are fantastic. My view was not as fabulous as the one from the pool but still impressive enough to get the feeling how small you actually are. But windows are big and rooms are bright and spacious.

The fanciest thing for me was the glass window in the bathroom which makes you see the rest of the room. And vice versa. So basically you can see your significant other taking a shower without getting wet 😉

Perks like free coffee and tea, rich choice of toiletries, bathtubs and slippers are there to make your stay even more comfortable. On top of that you get the whole kitchen with full equipment so you can be your own chef if you want.

Breakfast and dining

Well, don’t be your own chef, because the food is Kuala Lumpur is very good. Breakfast choice in Fraser place was rich and the dining room is charming. For dinner you can choose some of the already mentioned restaurants (I think they have Japanese, Italian and a Steakhouse), or order room service.  I ordered from Italian and it was yummy! The prices are quite high though.

Pool and fitness

Ah, the rooftop infinity pool with the view of skyscrapers! And not just any skyscrapers – the KL Tower! It is really fantastic, especially in the evening if you are lucky with the pink colors of the sunset. The pool is just about the right size to have a good swim and you can enjoy in the sunbeds later. Fraser Place also has fitness but I never used it. Sightseeing in tropical heat was exhausting enough 😉

Anda’s rate: 9.5 from 10

Bottom line: Fraser Place is a very good choice for business travelers and those who want a bit of luxury in the heart of the city at a descent price. I am not giving it a perfect 10 because I didn’t get the view of the twins. Even though the view of KL tower was quite impressive 😉

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Hotel review: House Spacapan – Špacapanova hiša (Komen, Slovenia)

Europe Hotel reviews Slovenia

Slovenia’s Karst region is known for its culinary delights, especially for its autochthonous red wine Teran and air-dried ham, called Prsut (Pršut). There are many guesthouses spread throughout the region, however the best ones are often booked far in advance during the season, from late May to early September. House Spacapan (originally in Slovene language: Špacapanova hiša) is known for its hospitality and culinary reputation so we chose to stay there during one of our “Slovenia weekend-escapes”.

Location

Guest house Spacapan is located in a small Karst town Komen, very close to the beautiful Stanjel castle which is “a must” visit for all architecture and nature lovers. Komen is really small and since Spacapan restaurant lies practically on the main road, you cannot miss it. They have a small parking space in the backyard, but you can also find some parking spots across the street (in case you run into a busy weekend).

Rooms

Spacapan house has only 5 rooms and they are all equipped in comfortable rustic style. The one we stayed in was not particularly spacious, but it was enough for what we needed. The bathroom had a massage shower and that can come handy, especially if you are cruising through the Karst region on a bicycle and need some additional relaxation. Rooms have a small TV and offer complimentary wifi.

Wine cellar

This is something you definitely need to see. Spacapan cellar is a truly unique “underground” experience and its ambient makes you want to spend an evening or two just tasting their wines and local food. They even air-dry their own “pršut” (you can see some fine pieces of meat hanging from the ceiling), and we were told this drying process can take up to 4 years. No wonder it tastes like heaven!

The Spacapan cellar is also a very good place to rent for some special occasions like weddings, birthday parties or some other memorable events.

Restaurant

Breakfast is served in the restaurant in the ground floor which is also pleasantly furnished in rustic style. A handful of “diplomas” on the walls testify to the quality and hospitality of the main chef, Mrs Ada Spacapan, who has also been given a “Golden spoon” – Slovene culinary award. And if the other food is as good as our breakfast was, I can only say that you will be in culinary heaven. We were offered several choices of cheese and salami – all local and natural. Mrs Ada also served her home-made marmelades and everything tasted fantastic… in fact I still drool like a dog when I think of that phenomenal slices of pršut. Also the bread was made fresh that morning, and we were so full of everything that we didn’t even want desserts.

Anda’s rate: 8 from 10

Bottom line: I would recommend House Spacapan to foodies and wine lovers, as well as guests who are passing by Komen and need a place to stay for a night or two. I cannot imagine what anyone could do in Komen longer than that (unless you take it as your accommodation point and cruise around Karst and Coast region of Slovenia). Our experience was very pleasant, but since the apartments are officially rated 4 stars, I am giving them an 8 – some upgrades like bigger TV or complimentary tea/coffee makers would be nice. It is a pity that the rooms don’t have balconies where you could relax in the evening and breathe in the air, filled with the pleasant smell of pršut, making you crave for that “one more bite”.

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Hotel review: Pi Athens hotel (Athens, Greece)

Greece Hotel reviews

Every time I visit Athens, I hesitate between staying somewhere in the city center, or away from all the hustle and bustle. And every time I fall for Acropolis view. This is also what Hotel Pi Athens was promising, so I asked the hotel manager to get a room with the view. I got the view and I also got a fantastic room which was close to perfection.

Location

Hotel Pi Athens is very new, so not a lot of taxi drivers know it. But don’t worry they all use GPS, as well as do Uber drivers (by the way the drive to the airport will cost you around 30€ with Uber and a fixed rate 38€ with regular taxi). The hotel location is very convenient – literally a few steps away from the Panathenaic Stadium and across the main street from the National Gardens where you can have a relaxing walk or jogging in the evening. It is also convenient if you want to take Hop on Hop off bus, which stops at the entrance of National Gardens. If you are coming with rental car, they offer a free parking space just a few meters away.  

Rooms

I was escorted to my room on the 4th floor (the highest one) which dazzled me by the interior and architecture immediately. Of course I looked at the photos on the internet prior to my reservation but I thought they were rendered, so the modern and spacious design was a real pleasant surprise. Everything is in one space so you can see the bathtub from your bed. Kinky 😉 Only the toilet is discretely hidden behind the wall (with closed doors of course). The bed is comfortable, facing a flat screen TV which is rising from the floor. The room also offers a small fridge, complimentary bottled water and coffee/tea maker.

Now it’s time to come to that “close to perfection” moment. A big issue for me was the AC which blows directly onto your bed, and I can’t imagine how this works in the summer. I was in Athens in May and it was already hot, but I could sleep with my windows open so this cooled the room to a perfect temperature during the night. But during the day the room was boiling, so the only way to cool it was to run the AC and risk a headache from the fan. It would help if you could get an extra room key card to put in the charger when leaving the room. I didn’t bother asking as I only spent 2 nights there.

Hotel grounds

The minute you enter the hotel you realize it will be something special. There are two small spaces to relax in the reception, as well as a small terrace in the rooftop with a couple of sunbeds to rest in the evening while watching sunset over Acropolis. Honestly, the view cannot be compared to the one I witnessed in Athens Gate hotel because the hill is not so close, but if you are in Athens for the first time, it will do just fine. 

Breakfast space is again very open and modern – you can see that details were very carefully selected. The breakfast itself was at first a small disappointment for me, as I am used to rich choice of foods in 4 star hotels. But if you consider that hotel only has 6 rooms, it is logical they can’t indulge all tastes – it would be lavish to waste foods. And I totally support that. The choice of crunchy bread, delicious cheese and salami, on top of fresh made omelet, accompanied with freshly squeezed orange juice was more than I ever eat at home, so I honestly can’t complain.

Anda’s rate: 8,5 from 10

Bottom line: Pi Athens hotel is a true boutique gem close to the city center but still conveniently hidden in a quiet residential area, away from the busy streets of Athens. The owner is very friendly and helpful, cleaning services are fantastic and if you are used to heavy AC during summer, this is definitely a place to stay in. During winter I’d give it a 9 😉

 

 

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