Platinum Green Mark Hotel - ParkRoyal on Pickering in Singapore

“modern and new, with strong green credentials, excellent staff”

 

Good location near Clarke Quay and Chinatown and close to both MRT and buses, easy to reach from airport, by taxi or you could even arrive via the MRT!  [ THAT is being superduper green!] 

This is a Platinum Green Mark hotel -the first in Singapore with lots of greenery on walls and overhanging roof areas, as well as lots behind the scene on energy efficiency.  Another one is expected sometime in 2013 or 2014 but you cannot beat being the first!

Floor to ceiling clear untinted windows might be unnerving to some, but there are a set of shades[electric operated] so both privacy and light control is good. A really top notch bed - one of the best have been in anywhere! Very comfortable!

Good desk and work area, incl light, with plenty of modern power sources incl direct wall plugs for usb charge cords, and multi function power plugs, led lights [ matches the high green mark rating].

Has an extensive well shaded and protected external corridor system, plus some internal corridors. Bathrooms are spacious and many with both shower and rain shower heads and some rooms have baths too. Toilet usually seems to have a separate door, although it is part of bathroom. The rooms are very light and airy - with pale wood wall panelling - a good overall vibe.

Breakfast was very good in Lime restaurant downstairs, with a good range of food style choices [ western, asian etc] and an extensive range of options within each food theme. The coffee was good too! Staff in the restaurant were very good.

A pool and well organised gym are available, and the gym is adjacent to the pool.  The pool area has some snazzy looking day cabins - a bit like a bird cage but somewhat larger.  A bit kitsch if just using the area for exercise, but plenty also wish to lie around a bit.  You tend not to do that when you live in the tropics, but am sure plenty will.  A fantastic view out towards the city. 

Loved the big open high ceiling concourse area outside the main entrance, as allowed a breeze to blow right through but no rain [ might be damp in very strong windy conditions though].

Cannot miss it - look for the grey curved outside [ has been described as similar to armour rail used for road edges].

It is new, trendy and worth it. Especially if keen to be environmentally conscious as well as stay in a top class hotel.

Would we stay again? YES.

 

 

Sunday Brunch - ParkRoyal on Pickering Singapore

Sunday Brunch has started from early May at this newish Hotel in Singapore, now open for about 3 months.  While Sunday brunch is quite an event at some of the other seriously upmarket establishments in Singapore, they have prices to match, although many patrons do rave about them.

At the Park Royal on Pickering in Lime [their signature dining area], while the offering may not be as elaborate as some, it is a very credible competitor on both price and quality.  At the current price of $S 88 ++ [non alcoholic] or $S128++ [with free flow of alcoholic drinks] it is excellent value [May 2013].

There was free flow of French champagne [Piper Heisdeck NV the day we were there], plus a mix of imported both red and white wines of good reputation [which will change a little due to availability].  And there is also the standout signature drink of the establishment – lime Monet [non-alcoholic] and soft drinks for those not drinking alcoholic beverages.

Food was excellent.  In the group we were part of, all commented very favourably on the foie gras, rack of lamb, Norwegian eggs and the seafood range, along with ratatouille, various vegetables, potato gratin, risotto, braised lamb shanks, roast beef, as well as a broad range of Asian dishes.  Eggs Benedict was also available – just in case you missed breakfast!  The actual food on offer will change regularly, so availability may not be the same.

Seafood included a range of both cold and cooked items – with cold Japanese seafood options, whole tiger prawns, imported oysters, half lobster, among the cold on ice delicacies, and whole cooked fish, and an unusual and delicious cod dish in the hot choices.  There was a cooked prawn meuniere, although one person thought the prawns in the dish not as good a flavour as could be expected.

A good range of breads and pastries were also available, although I thought some of the pastries appeared slightly overdone – just slightly so, not burnt.  Included were several types of muffins – they were very good, as had tasted them earlier!

There was a wide range of both European desserts – sliced black forest cake, baked cheesecakes, various tarts and pies, a beautiful bread and butter baked pudding and a few separate individual serve dishes of mousses, plus some Asian speciality desserts and cakes as well as macaroons and racks of sweet jelly type lolly items.  Several varieties of ice cream rounded out the dessert offerings [and it was cold and firm].  There was a good range of both hard and soft cheeses to go with coffee or a range of teas, to finish off the luncheon.

Staff assisting at tables were attentive, but not over bearing, and very helpful and pleasant.  No one at our table made any unfavourable comments on the food quality.  Staff performance overall including cook and table staff was really excellent – friendly, helpful, and broadly doing a very good job – definitely one of the stand out positives.  It does help to have staff who add to the overall impression.

Definitely plenty of choice to eat and overall food was very good; service excellent.  Would I come back? – Yes.  Score 8.5 /10.  It will offer an excellent niche alternative to those Sunday brunch events, costing somewhat more at other hotels. And it is located in a very pleasant setting, on the ground floor, with an  view to the water features and the outdoors – ambience is excellent!  

Malaysian Railways - On Time - Sometimes?

The motto on the impeccably ironed white shirt said it all – “on time - every time”.

That is the somewhat dubious motto or maybe the aspirational ideal of the Malaysian Railway System – KTM.

Recent experiences on the train between Singapore and KL, might have to make a rethink probable, to maybe, at best, “on time, some times ”.

The north bound train from Woodlands was 3 hours late and involved a significant mucking about with a dummy train leaving Woodlands and a major  “change trains” at the tiny station of Kempas Baru.  Not to mention that no one was told anything.  And significant shunting of trains to accomplish the task.  ALL passengers were somewhat bemused at the hijinks involved – including the no doubt long suffering local passengers.

Then even before the journey from KL to Woodlands in Singapore commenced we were informed of an hour delay in leaving KL. I suppose there is an air conditioned lounge to sit around in, but hey………there was a dinner appointment in Singapore for this evening.  THAT is history!  There is no possible way to make up an hour or more in the 6 hour trip.

While the trip is usually an okay journey and watching the country side slide past is also okay, getting to “on time, most of the time” might be a better ideal to aspire to in the near term.

With an election due in May and a proposal for a high speed train by 2020, a better performing railway system might be a good idea.  Over to you, the new Malaysian Government to get something done better.

1 Utama - Getting There by Public Transport

A major suburban retail therapy centre in KL, the area has been a bit tricky to reach previously by public transport.  Ikea [at The Curve complex nearby] had a special bus service previously, but with developments surely there is public transport now.

There is not of easy to find information on getting around Kuala Lumpur easily by public transport, but it is getting better.

Yes……you can get to 1 Utama by public transport, quite easily now.  A couple of options to consider.

From Stesen Central in KL, take a U89 bus, which goes to the Damansara interchange just about 100m from 1 Utama.  And you can also take the same bus in the reverse order, back to Stesen Central.  The travel time is about an hour.

Even better time wise, is to catch the train to Kelana Jaya which is the last station on the line that operates between Gombak and Kelana Jaya.  Go across the overpass and down to the street, and wait for a U82 bus, which goes to the Damansara interchange about 100m from 1 Utama.  There are a few other bus routes also going to the same location, including U43.  Do not be confused as some of the bus routes to 1 Utama are a bit convoluted, with sidetracks to pick up within housing areas.

For the return trip, catch the U43 at the interchange, or you can also catch the bus directly in front of 1 Utama, at the bus stop there.  You stop directly in front of Kelana Jaya rail station.

Best of all, these buses now operate with the same Touch N Go preloaded card that can be used on the trains……no hassle with fares at all.

Be prepared though………do not expect to see many non-Malaysians on the bus!!

But hey, why not??   Buses are air conditioned, seats okay and available and an easy option.  Be adventurous, and use public transport.

Buying Tickets on Malaysian Railways

The online booking system works well, allowing booking and paying online.

For journeys originating in Singapore a much higher charge is paid.  BUT…. There are some ways to overcome that.

Buy your ticket from Johore Baru to say, KL and get to JB independently – on the cheap with the 170 bus from Queen street in Singapore.  Or, buy a separate ticket from the KTMB counter at Woodlands for the trip to JB, and then use your online bought and paid for ticket from JB to KL.  Price is S$ 11, for either class from Woodlands to JB.

Or, buy a return journey from KL to Woodlands and back to KL at Ringitt prices, and do not travel on the KL- Woodlands journey.  It is a cheaper option than originating in Woodlands, Singapore at S$ prices.

There are further discussions on line about ticketing and prices – search for the “man on seat 61".

Kuala Lumpur Public Transport - Getting Around

Access to the train system around the Kuala Lumpur greater urban area used to be horrible, with multiple operators and multiple ticketing systems meaning journeys involving multiple operators required multiple tickets. 

A few years ago, that started to change, and finally a single touch’n’go preloaded touch card was introduced which not only provided access to the train services, it could be used for toll roads, fuel, and other services.  Improvements have continued, with more recent changes seeing the introduction of use of the card on many of the public buses in KL.

Prior to that, the local bus service was a bit of a magical mystery tour.  Information on routes and pricing was difficult to negotiate and even find in some cases.  Buses were at best pretty crappy, and mostly non air-conditioned although windows did open, and very crowded.

Now that the touch’n’go cards are being used it is easier, although getting route details is not always any better.  More improvements to the bus system are planned.

The trains within the near city area can be crowded – and getting back from MegaMall on a Sunday afternoon can be a very crowded experience, with one train we were on once so over full that occupants were not sure it would move between the Mid Valley station one stop back to KL Sentral. [Yes, you can get to and from Mid Valley MegaMall by train easily].

Finding information from hotels is not always easy either.  Many people only know the route numbers they use regularly and as far as is known no comprehensive guide is available.  But a few hardy souls are sussing out some of the more useful ones for tourists……….including us intrepid old fartz.

With around 4 million people in KL, many using public transport regularly, there has to be some logic in the system.  That is the start point!!

 

Touch'N'Go cards can be purchased at KL Sentral, as well as many train station and a few other locations, and are topped up at ticket windows at many train stations.  You need to pay a small deposit or fee for the card, and the balance on the card is valid for up to 12 months.  Some old cards are no longer operational due to some access changes,  and can be redeemed at a special ticket centre at KL Sentral.  A bitof a hassle if it happens to you, but is fixable.

Definitely an easy way to move around the city, and they operate on all city trains and many buses.  Easy access to many of the shopping and tourist areas in the main city areas can be achieved via one of the train systems of public transport, if you want to be a bit adventurous.

Test it out..........the trains work just fine.

Derailment - KL to Singapore

The trains do run on time - sometimes - between KL and Singapore and vice versa.  I have not really experienced that however.

Now that the trains only go to /from Woodlands in Singapore it is somewhat easier to make the journey, at least south.  That way the cost is in MYR, not SIN $$.  There are a few tricks to get a deal going north in MYR, which is about one third the cost of SIN$$, but that is already out there.

More recent news however, from last week was that the day express was derailed, about one hour  south of KL, with quite a few cars toppling over and major track damage.  No one was killed although a few seriously hurt, but not necessarily major injuries.

Quite a large news article in the Strait Times in Singapore last week and photos, and the article below was in Channel News Asia.

"A train heading to Singapore derailed and overturned in Malaysia on Saturday [ 26 January 2103], causing six people to be injured.

Train service between Kuala Lumpur and Woodlands has been suspended until further notice.

The KL Ekspres train derailed just before reaching the Kempas train station in the afternoon.

The driver was believed to have sustained leg injuries and was trapped in the wreckage.

Local media reports also said that some passengers suffered minor injuries."

- CNA

A derailment would surely be a significant event for any old fartz!