Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa Penang

Sponsored Post

PA042785

Earlier, we reviewed Golden Sands Resort Penang and we are gonna do a quick post on Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa today. When we were in Penang, we spent the entire day in Georgetown before checking in for a night in the evening. Rasa Sayang is located just next to Golden Sands.

PA042787

PA042788

PA042782

PA042798

We stayed at one of the newly refurbished Garden Wing rooms which had a spacious and airy, nature-inspired ambience. Elegant yet understated, the family-friendly Garden Wing allows guests to feel relaxed and at ease. The Garden Wing rooms are designed with the family in mind, marrying function and beauty, both practical yet elegant.

PA042827

All rooms are serviced by the resort’s housekeeping team at least twice daily. Each room is facilitated with an in-room locker, data port for internet, IDD telephone with voice mail, satellite television with non-stop in-house movies, and more!

PA042792

PA042799

PA042800

PA042826

PA042831

PA042801

The bedroom is furnished with a separate shower and bathtub as well as Shangri-La’s collection of bathroom amenities, hair dryer, slippers and bathrobes.

PA042805

PA042804

PA042806

PA042824

PA042825

The 189 rooms and suites at Garden Wings are breezy and pleasant, offering accommodation which features views of the sea and gardens. Most of the suites feature a spacious terrace with a separate sitting room and parlour, giving it a touch of home.

PA042821

PA042836

PA042833

PA042839

We took a buggy ride to Golden Sands Resort so that Little misschewy could have her dose of fun at Adventure Zone, a modular play area designed for kids of all ages.

PA042842

The 10000 square foot facility has a comprehensive indoor playground with three categories of drop slides and multiple sections of modular play equipment. The main highlight are the drop slides, which have been proven to be extremely safe and offer a high level of enjoyable for both children and adults.

PA042845

This is the toddler-friendly area that was more suitable for Little misschewy.

PA042847

Can’t say no to her favorite ball pit!

PA042854

PA042858

PA052870

We had breakfast at the Spice Market Cafe the morning before we checked out. It is a casual restaurant that offers authentic ethnic cuisines from diverse cultures such as Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and also Western. Located on the ground floor of the Garden Wing, the restaurant is right beside the swimming pool under the rain trees.

PA052876

PA052875

PA052877

PA052873

Hearty breakfast before we make our way to the airport for our flight back home! Daily buffet breakfast at the Spice Market Cafe is from 6.30am to 11am.

PA052890-001

PA052885-001

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy, @misterchewy and @little_miss_chewy 🙂

Golden Sands Resort Penang Blog Review

Sponsored Post

Untitled

With 2015 coming to an end soon, I really have to say that this year has been a pretty exciting one for The Chewys. We went on a total of five short trips to nearby countries, which is extremely rare and something which we never thought we could achieve now that it’s no longer just the two of us.. With a young one in tow, we have to take into consideration numerous factors when it comes to travelling and for now, long haul flights are definitely out of the question! We have always wanted to visit Penang for its delicious street food and I guess we couldn’t pass up the chance when we were invited to review two of Shangri-La’s resorts in Penang. We spent the first two nights in Golden Sands Resort before transferring to Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa.

PA022319

Upon touching down at Penang International Airport, no time was wasted and we were whisked away in a limousine to the lovely Golden Sands Resort. We were caught in a bad jam but thankfully, the limousine was equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi which kept us occupied throughout the rest of the journey. Golden Sands Resort is located along Batu Feringgi Beach, which is about 45 minutes’ drive from the airport. Unfortunately, we spent more than an hour on the road that day because we couldn’t get a better flight timing and reached Penang during its peak hour in the evening.

PA032565

We were escorted to the check-in counter on the ground floor and our luggages were being sent up to our room thereafter. Appreciated the little welcome note and fresh fruits provided.

PA022311

Our Deluxe Sea Facing Room is just one of the 387 guest rooms in Golden Sands Resort. It spans about 30 square metres and is a cosy haven for a small family like ours. I like that the design of our room is kept simple, such that it is not over-the-top and it emanates a low-key and laid-back charm, which is perfect for a family beach holiday.

PA022314

There is a private balcony in our room which offers refreshing views of lush tropical greenery, the resort’s swimming pool as well as the enticing sea view beyond. It was actually pretty therapeutic lounging by the balcony while sipping a bottle of beer.

PA022323

Little misschewy was contented with her comfortable corner in the room.

PA022320

PA022321

Double sinks!

PA022357

Premium Shangri-La toiletries

PA022322

PA022326

PA022330

PA032420

It was already late evening by the time we settled down and obviously heading out to Georgetown for dinner would be a very bad idea. Golden Sands Resort has a plethora of dining options that will definitely make you spoiled for choice. The new Sigi’s Bar and Grill is a fun, family-style restaurant located right on Batu Feringgi beach and we say, go for it!

PA032423

PA032424

PA022355

Besides their extensive Ala carte dinner menu, Sigi’s also offers BBQ buffet which is great if you want to try a bit of everything. We had roast chicken rice, sambal fish, grilled chicken wings, mutton curry, etc and certainly ate to our hearts’ content!

PA022331

PA022333

PA022351

PA022346

For registered hotel guests, children under the age of 12 can enjoy complimentary buffet meals when accompanied by a paying adult, up to a maximum of 2 children. Little misschewy loved the fried calamari rings!

PA022354

We were so well-fed that we almost didn’t have room for desserts!

PA032561

Took a leisurely stroll back to our room and saw that the resort has gone the extra mile in providing a turndown service for its guests. Not all hotels and resorts practise this, and it is a nice touch that Golden Sands Resort sees to it that rooms are refreshed and bed linens are turned down for sleeping.

PA032566

PA032585 - Copy

PA032361

PA032367

Even though we had two days of food trail ahead of us, we couldn’t resist having the buffet breakfast at Golden Sand Resort’s Garden Cafe!

PA032368

Piping hot food awaits!

PA032372

PA032376

PA032383

PA022317

The resort’s swimming pools look so inviting, don’t they! We regretted not packing our swimsuits along!

PA032431

PA032409

PA032416

Hahaha pardon the little one’s expression. She was feeling bummed out that she had to miss out on all the fun!

PA032446

Besides the pool, there are also other activities such as massage and foot reflexology services available.

PA032432

PA032441

For the adrenaline junkies, parasailing is a popular choice.

PA032448

PA032443

We were truly impressed that there is a family entertainment centre otherwise known Adventure Zone, housed within the resort. More on that in the next blog post!

PA032365

Snapped a photo with Golden Sand Resort’s mascot, Polly the Parrot, before we boarded the complimentary shuttle bus to Georgetown for our Penang food trail!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy, @misterchewy and @little_miss_chewy 🙂

Bangkok for Kids: Art in Paradise Bangkok

P7310588

Heyhey chewys! We have come to the third and final post of our three-part series on things to do in Bangkok with kids! As I had mentioned earlier, there are many child-friendly attractions in Bangkok but since we were only there for a few days, we had to plan carefully to make the most of our trip! We went to Siam Ocean World on the second day of our trip, and Kidzoona & Molly Fantasy on the third, but realized that we didn’t get many family snaps which was a pity. So, on the fourth day of our trip, which also coincided with my birthday, we decided to head to Art in Paradise, the first 3D art museum in Bangkok! What better way to take interesting photos that will serve as wonderful memories many years down the road? 🙂

P7310590

Art in Paradise is located within Esplanade Shopping Mall, which is some walking distance from Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station. Silly me got it wrong and we walked all the way to Thailand Cultural Centre after we exited the station. Upon realizing that there’s no Art in Paradise there, we took a cab to Esplanade Shopping Mall. Please don’t get confused like I did! Admission for adult foreigners costs 400 baht and 200 baht for children above 100cm. All footwear are to be removed and deposited at the counter before entering the museum. There are over 150 paintings across various themes and we had so much fun posing for photos, Little misschewy included! Shall let our photos do the talking 😉

P7310592

P7310595

P7310599

P7310602

P7310605

P7310607

P7310610

P7310614

P7310616

P7310624

P7310622

P7310630

P7310633

P7310625

P7310638

P7310637

P7310640

P7310641

P7310644

P7310646

P7310649

P7310651

P7310654

P7310656

P7310658

P7310662

P7310664

P7310667

P7310669

P7310671

P7310673

P7310694

P7310677

P7310679

P7310684

P7310703

P7310713

P7310715

P7310722

P7310727

P7310733

P7310736

P7310737

P7310740

P7310743

P7310746

Art in Paradise Bangkok is a great place for families to create memories through interactive 3D art. Even though Chanelle might be too young to know how to pose, her unintentional poses and occasional photobombing make the photos interesting! Hope you guys enjoyed this post! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Art in Paradise Bangkok
99 Esplanade Room No 408
4th Floor
Rachadapisek Road
Din Daeng Bangkok 10400
Tel.: 026-609-130
Email: aipbkk2013@gmail.com

Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 10pm

Bangkok for Kids: Bangkok Sea Life Siam Ocean World

IMG_4704

Helloooo daddies and mummies! Here’s our second of three-part series on things to do in Bangkok with kids! If you have missed our earlier post on Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy, click here to read it. You know how it’s kinda funny when misterchewy and I look back on our last trip to Bangkok in 2012.. We were trying to decide if we should visit Bangkok Sea Life Siam Ocean World while we were at Siam Paragon. After much deliberation, we both agreed to take our kid there the next time we visit Bangkok. Three years later.. HERE WE ARE! 😀

IMG_4710

Little misschewy had not been to the S.E.A Aquarium at Sentosa so we reckon this would be an eye-opening and engaging experience for her. Furthermore, she knows what a fish is so we thought it would be interesting to introduce different forms of marine life to her. The tickets are priced at 990 baht for adults and 790 baht for children 3-11 years old. We only needed to purchase a pair of adult tickets which worked out to be around SGD 80! We managed to save a bit by getting the Weekday Early Bird rate at 745 baht for adults, which is about SGD 60 for a pair. We saved $20! However, the small catch is that you have to enter before noon on a weekday! With proper planning, it wasn’t difficult at all.

P7290178

Indeed, from the moment we stepped into Siam Ocean World, Little misschewy was so enthralled by all the different types of fishes that we spent quite a fair bit of time before moving on to the next species.

P7290173

P7290208

P7290181

This Octopus is really ginormous!

P7290188

Lionfish! Reminds me of my scuba diving days. I wanna go diving again! 🙁

IMG_4713

We stepped onto a glass panel and watched various sharks swim underneath us. Pretty cool!

IMG_4721

This seems to be meant for kids and it’s sooo cute!

IMG_4727

Little misschewy was initially afraid and clung on to misterchewy tightly. But after awhile, she refused to leave! LOL.

IMG_4729

Heyyy fishie fishie!

P7290219

Now, that’s a different kind of ‘fish’! Hahaha.

P7290220

The otters were just lazing around!

P7290222

This is the part where visitors get to touch and feel marine life such as starfish and sea cucumber.

P7290224

IMG_4740

P7290195

Going on board the Ocean Feeding Boat allows one to get up close and personal with sharks, stingrays and a great variety of fish. SEA LIFE staff will provide an insightful introduction while feeding the fish by hand. It costs 180 baht per person and this activity is available from 10.30am to 8pm.

IMG_4766

P7290226

Adorable penguins!

P7290228

Some of them were just standing still for so long and I actually wondered if they were real. Haha.

P7290249

P7290235

P7290238

P7290231

There’s a mini playground within Siam Ocean World!

IMG_4744

IMG_4749

IMG_4758

This part of Siam Ocean World took our breaths away. It’s really magnificent plus the music that was being played had that mysterious mood to it. Watching all these gigantic sharks swim around was such an amazing experience!

IMG_4765

IMG_4773

As compared to our very own S.E.A Aquarium, I would say that Bangkok Sealife Siam Ocean World wins hands down in more ways than one. If you have a young toddler like us, a visit to Siam Ocean World is highly recommended! 😉
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World
B1-B2 Floor, Siam Paragon,
991 Rama 1 Rd, Pathumwan,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
(Nearest BTS: Siam)
Tel: 662 687 2000
Email: marketing.bangkok@merlinentertainments.biz

Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 9pm

Bangkok for Kids: Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy

P7300507

When our friends knew about our plans to take Little misschewy along to Bangkok during my birthday week on the last week of July, many expressed their concern because Bangkok is popularly known as a shopping and eating paradise. Would having a young toddler in tow ruin our holiday plans? And more importantly, would Chanelle enjoy this trip or be bored to tears? Even though Chanelle is barely two years old, she sure knows how to play and have fun! With that, I planned our Bangkok itinerary with her interests in mind, in addition to ours. There are many things to do in Bangkok with kids but due to limited time, I shortlisted three main attractions in Bangkok for kids and families. I will first be introducing Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy in the first of my three-part series 🙂

P7300496

There are a number of indoor playgrounds scattered all over Bangkok but I decided on Kidzoona based on two very important factors:

1. Kidzoona is highly accessible as it is located on the 5th floor of Gateway Ekamai Mall, right next to Ekkamai BTS Station. Kidzoona allows re-entry on the same day, so parents and children can take a break at any of the cafes or restaurants within the mall. A few other indoor playgrounds that I had researched on are located away from BTS stations which can be rather inconvenient.

2. Kidzoona’s play areas and play structures are age-appropriate for young toddlers like Chanelle. I feel that some other indoor playgrounds like Funarium and KidZania, on the other hand, target older children about 4 years and up.

P7300497

Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy are two concepts under the Aeon Fantasy group, a Japan-based company which specializes in the operation of entertainment facilities for children in shopping centres. Apart from Japan and Thailand, Aeon Fantasy has also found its way around other Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. All I want to say is.. Please come to Singapore soon!!

P7300499

Upon stepping into Molly Fantasy, we were greeted by a barrage of coin-operated kiddie rides and arcade games. Little misschewy loves to go on kiddie rides these days, but ain’t nobody got time for that! Besides the kiddie rides and arcade games, Molly Fantasy houses a large play area, Kidzoona, which is what we were there for. First, we had to fill in a form and pay upfront before entering Kidzoona. Adults pay a flat rate of 90 baht but the rates for children differ based on their height and are pricier on weekends.

P7300483

The green lockers are for you to store your personal belongings and valuables while the white lockers are meant for footwear. We were unlucky that the green lockers were unavailable so we had to constantly keep an eye on our bags.

P7300476

There are educational toys and books for the little ones. Saw a baby boy hammering away at a wooden xylophone. Super cute! It’s a great place for young ones to get warmed up before proceeding to the giant ball pool.

P7300481

P7300475

Lounge area where tired parents can take turns to rest and recharge. There’s even a massage chair to sooth those aching feet!

P7300400

This inflatable giant ‘hamster wheel’ is so cool!

P7300480

P7300408

One of the reasons why I enjoy taking Chanelle to the indoor playground is because she likes watching other children play and it brings a smile to her face.

P7300410

P7300433

Hahaha. The look on Little misschewy is like, “Mummy, can I play now?” We have not been to many indoor playgrounds in Singapore but the ball pool at Kidzoona is hugeeeee and attracts children of all ages!

P7300473

P7300417

P7300413

P7300421

P7300428

P7300479

Inflatable bouncy castle!

P7300434

Chanelle tried to climb up but it proved to be too steep!

P7300440

Papa Chewy to the rescue!

P7300436

WHEEEE! Chanelle asked to go on the slide at least another three more times! Good workout for Papa Chewy! Hahaha.

P7300478

This section of Kidzoona is quite similar to KidZania, where children are free to experiment and take on various roles in the ‘working field’. It was adorable watching how kids served their parents who acted as customers or patrons.

P7300464

P7300465

P7300461

P7300444

Of course, we couldn’t resist a photo of Little misschewy in one of these cute outfits! Her first part-time job at a burger shop! HAHAHA.

P7300446

“Hello! Burgers for you?” I whatsapped this photo to Chanelle’s godma, and she replied that she will BUY ALL THE BURGERS from Chanelle! So sweet can! LOL.

P7300449

Ooh! Look who’s a sushi chef? Irrashaimase!

P7300458

P7300455

Mummy is going to post a photo of this sushi platter on Instagram while my personal sushi chef prepares some hot green tea for me!

P7300466

The hubs and I are glad that the local children we met at Kidzoona are either well-mannered, or their parents are quick to intervene before things turn ugly between kids. Chanelle happened to pick up a toy which was left behind by a little boy and he took it back right out of her hands but his father immediately handed it back to Chanelle before pulling his boy away. This lovely girl didn’t push Chanelle out of the fire truck when Chanelle climbed in. In fact, she shifted herself to make more space for Chanelle. Her kind gesture truly surprised me because I have come across selfish kids who refuse to share.

P7300472

It was a joy watching the two girls smile and interact with each other and they occasionally waved at misterchewy and I!

P7300469

P7300491

We spent close to 2 hours in Kidzoona and paid another 40 baht for Little misschewy to go on this carousel ride before leaving Gateway Ekamai Mall. Besides keeping the little ones happy, it’s also a fantastic way to expend their energy so that parents can have a peaceful meal when their kids conk out after a few hours at the indoor playground 😉
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Kidzoona and Molly Fantasy
Floor 5, Gateway Ekamai Mall, 982/22 Sukhumvit Road Prakanong, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
(Nearest BTS: Ekkamai)
Local Phone:02 108 2650
International Phone: +66 2 108 2650
Email: contact@aeonfantasy.co.th

Operating Hours:
Daily
10am – 9pm (last entry 8pm)

Price:
Adult – 90 Baht
Child under 105 cm – 180 baht on weekdays/300 baht on weekends
Child over 105 cm – 220 baht on weekdays/360 baht on weekends

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day Three

DSCF6521

As opposed to Australian Dairy Company which had been featured in my previous post, I was quite keen to try Capital Cafe at Wan Chai! This place also seems very popular and has garnered more positive reviews online.

DSCF6520

We arrived pretty early and got a table almost immediately.

DSCF6515

DSCF6517

DSCF6510

Scrambled eggs with black truffle! It was a pretty generous amount of black truffle shavings and the scrambled eggs were very creamy! It’s seriously damn good la.

DSCF6511

We also ordered the Condensed Milk Bun which was very sweet but we like!

DSCF6536

Next up we went for dim sum at two Michelin star Sun Tung Lok at Miramar Shopping Centre. We were not that hungry so we only ordered a few dishes to share.

DSCF6533

DSCF6541

DSCF6544

DSCF6555

Spent some time shopping at Harbour City! Seriously all the super atas brands are there!

DSCF6560

DSCF6552

At Toys R Us!

DSCF6562

Afternoon tea at Intercontinental Hong Kong! They don’t accept reservations but we managed to get a table. Be there extra early if you want a table that gives you unobstructed view of the harbour! It’s really lovely! This is the Afternoon Tea Set for Two that we had. About SGD$130 to $140. We don’t usually spend money like this back in Singapore but since we are travelling, must enjoy right!

DSCF6575

DSCF6568

DSCF6587

DSCF6591

DSCF6601

DSCF6603

DSCF6606

We saved a couple of scones for Little misschewy because she loves them.

DSCF6609

DSCF6624

We wanted to try Star Cafe and thanks to the help we found online, all we had to do was to look out for this neon signboard that says Dadol Hotel.

DSCF6622

Walk straight ahead and take the stairs down.

DSCF6621

DSCF6613

DSCF6619

I tried the Tomato noodles with pork chop. The tomato gravy was a bit watered down but the taste was still quite robust. This proved to be quite a comforting bowl nevertheless! Highly recommended!

DSCF6626

That’s all for Day 3! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day Two

DSCF6340

Little misschewy’s birthday coincided with the second day of our Hong Kong trip and we had planned an entire day of non-stop eating! Headed to Jordon first thing in the morning!

DSCF6370-001

I wasn’t too keen on breakfast at Australian Dairy Company because I read reviews that this place is quite overrated but the hubs mentioned it’s on his must-try list. Ok la must give and take in a relationship 😛

DSCF6343-001

We stared at the menu for a few minutes without knowing what to order. LOL. In the end we looked around and ordered whatever others were having.

DSCF6352-001

Macaroni with ham was mediocre.

DSCF6356

DSCF6360

DSCF6367

We also ordered the Steamed Egg Pudding and Steamed Milk Pudding which Chanelle loved.

DSCF6371

As we were going to have dim sum in less than a couple of hour’s time, we decided to walk to International Commerce Centre. It was a damn long walk and I think we took at least 20 to 30 minutes to get there. Really no joke because I was babywearing Chanelle and felt like my lower back was gonna break. Haha.

DSCF6378

DSCF6385

Chanelle needs her breakfast too so off to the nursing room we went!

DSCF6386-001

We were so impressed by the nursing rooms in Hong Kong. They have almost everything in there! Weighing scale, high chair, wet wipes, bottle warmer etc.

DSCF6388-001

Clean and comfortable nursing room.

DSCF6395-001

Tin Lung Heen is a two Michelin-star restaurant located on the 102nd level of The Ritz Carlton.

DSCF6399-001

The view. Too bad it was rather hazy that day!

DSCF6392-001

DSCF6416

DSCF6414

DSCF6400-001

DSCF6401

Roasted Crispy Suckling Pig (HK$308)

DSCF6406

Deep-fried turnip cake with X.O. chilli sauce (HK$88)

DSCF6408

Steamed golden shrimp dumpling with bamboo shoot and asparagus (HK$88)

DSCF6418

Steamed barbecued Iberian pork buns (HK$88)

DSCF6423

Soup dumpling with fish maw in superior stock (HK$112)

DSCF6425

DSCF6433

DSCF6437

Petit fours were served and I really liked the osmanthus jelly!

DSCF6428

It was a really wonderful dining experience at Tin Lung Heen and everyone should try the dim sum there when they visit Hong Kong!

DSCF6439

DSCF6448

After lunch, we went to a few shopping malls.

DSCF6457

Took a break by having desserts at the popular Hui Lau Shan but it was so so.

DSCF6458

I posted a photo on my FB page and a reader commented, “I just returned from HKG too. You gotta try the Kai Kee (at Tsim Sha Tsui) deep fried head of fish balls and deep fried cuttlefish balls. SUPER GOOD.” And so, we did just that. Problem was, we found TWO Kai Kee restaurants and none of them sold deep fried balls! It was kinda awkward and we randomly settled for toasted bun with condensed milk and iced milk tea.

DSCF6460

Shortly after that, we passed by Wah Kee Snacks just 200m down and I thought maybe this is the one! The reader probably got the name wrong and it should be Wah Kee instead of Kai Kee. Plus Wah Kee Snacks specialize in a wide assortment of deep fried balls!

DSCF6465

We tried the squid balls and prawn balls which were coated with some delicious spicy sauce which is their secret recipe. SO DAMN GOOD! We even went back after dinner to buy some back for supper! Hahaha.

DSCF6468

DSCF6471

But guess what? The reader said it’s not this. LOLOL. But nvm, we discovered a gem!

DSCF6476

Another Instagram follower suggested that we try the peking duck at Spring Deer Restaurant, also at Tsim Sha Tsui. The restaurant had a pretty old school feel. As we were still feeling quite full, we only ordered Peking Duck (HK$300) to share.

DSCF6483

The hubs looked around us and declared we should have a bottle of Tsingtao beer to go with our duck meat! >_< DSCF6486

Super shiok!

10360402_10153175740373748_7377256500039004547_n

We bought a small sweet potato cake for Chanelle from the bakery below our hotel and we sang a birthday song for her. Hope she had an enjoyable time!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Chewys’ Family Trip to Hong Kong Day One

IMG_1228

PHEW! I managed to get everything else out of the way so that I can focus on blogging about our second trip of 2015! Back in mid March, The Chewys flew to Hong Kong for a 5D4N stay which was planned as Chanelle’s first birthday trip! Come to think of it, it was also a way to reward misterchewy and I for surviving our first year of parenthood. LOL. Of course, parenthood is not without its ups and downs, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our family members, who have been very helpful and forthcoming. We truly appreciate it! Ok back to the story. I have been toying with the idea of a birthday trip for the little one for quite some time but was put off by the exorbitant prices probably because her birthday falls in the same week as the March school holidays. Yeah but in the end, we went ahead with the plan because we wanted some time to ourselves!

DSCF6224

We flew with Singapore Airlines and the airfare alone cost us about $1.2K. We did feel the pinch of course, with our home renovation underway and all. But it’s ok. Let’s enjoy first! Hahaha. Catching our flight early in the morning!

IMG_1236

Happy Chewys on the plane! Can you spot Little misschewy’s first tooth sprouting at the bottom? XD

IMG_1245

I think we booked our tickets in January, right after returning from our trip to Phuket, and hence we managed to secure the bassinet seats. The bassinet failed to serve us well because Chanelle only slept like 5 minutes in it and she was wide awake throughout the flight. The husband and I didn’t get to watch Penguins of Madagascar. Boohoo.

IMG_1253

It was an energy zapping 4-hour journey for us! Hahaha.

DSCF6229

After touching down at Hong Kong International Airport and collecting our luggages, we couldn’t be more relieved to meet our driver who was patiently waiting for us, holding up a placard with my name on it. He promptly took over our luggages and led us to our vehicle.

DSCF6231

Really lucky and grateful to have Blacklane sponsoring our airport transfer both ways! Blacklane provides professional ground transportation at the lowest rates in over 180 cities all over the world. The steps to booking your ride is extremely simple. Via Blacklane’s website or app, enter the following details: Pickup and Dropoff locations OR the number of hours you wish to book the a car and driver for and your desired pick up time. After which, you get to select the car class which best suits your needs and budget! We selected the Business Class vehicle which allows a maximum capacity of 3 passengers and 2 luggages.

DSCF6236

After booking, I received two emails. The first email was to acknowledge my booking and the second email was sent as soon as a suitable driver had been assigned to handle my ride request. When I switched on my mobile phone at the airport, I received email and SMS updates informing me that our car is on its way, and a second one as soon as our driver has arrived at the pickup location. It was a very pleasant feeling to be reassured a few times, knowing that you have got a reliable driver waiting to pick you up!

DSCF6234

Bottled water to keep us hydrated throughout the 30-minute ride.

DSCF6238

Loving the Mercedes E-Class!

DSCF6239

Gotta thank Hotel Jen Hong Kong for the complimentary two nights and special rates for the remaining two! We really love the convenient location of the hotel. Hong Kong University MTR station is a mere 3-minute walk from the hotel! We stayed at Kowloon the previous few times we visited Hong Kong separately. This was our first time staying at Hong Kong Island but it wasn’t a hassle at all when we wanted to get to Kowloon. Also, Hotel Jen provides complimentary shuttle service to certain areas at various timings throughout the day.

DSCF6243-001

We were thrilled to check into this lovely Club Harbour View room which offered us a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour. At 24sqm in size, our room was reasonably spacious for the 3 of us.

DSCF6244-001

Our room came with free WiFi, full sized Executive writing desk, cable television, movie channels, electronic safe, steam iron and ironing board, amongst many other amenities.

DSCF6245-001

We were impressed by the smart en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower! Also, the toiletries provided by Hotel Jen were adequate.

DSCF6249

As usual, Little misschewy had the honor of testing the comfy bed.

IMG_1262

Cheeky girl grabbed her pants and tried to escape after I changed her diaper. Haha.

DSCF6269

We were famished but it was too early for dinner. Afternoon tea at Mandarin Oriental’s Clipper Lounge it was!

DSCF6273

DSCF6276-001

Not wanting to ruin the dinner plans we had in mind, we ordered the Afternoon Tea for One (HK$278 + 10%) to share.

DSCF6281-001

DSCF6283-001

DSCF6285-001

DSCF6286-001

DSCF6287-001

Plain and raisin scones!

DSCF6290-001

Devon clotted cream and rose petal jam. Both were so goooood!

DSCF6298

The afternoon tea items were great but I found the service somewhat aloof. Well, I can still close one eye. Hahaha.

DSCF6299-001

DSCF6301

DSCF6321-001

Actually this trip was mainly an eat and eat and eat trip! I must warn my readers first. LOL. Within the next two hours, we settled our dinner at Tsui Wah Restaurant at Central (Wellington branch). They have quite a few branches all over Hong Kong.

DSCF6304-001

Iced Milk Tea.

DSCF6309-001

Hainanese Chicken Rice was surprisingly delicious!

DSCF6313

The best time to eat in a cramped cafe or restaurant is when the baby is asleep.

DSCF6314

DSCF6319-001

Pork cutlet burger which was tender and oily in a good way!

DSCF6325

When communicating with the reservation team via email, I told them we probably wouldn’t need the baby cot as Little misschewy co-sleeps with us. However we changed our mind after checking in. Having a baby cot is the best way to contain her so that she doesn’t fall off the bed if we are not looking. And the baby cot is so cute!

DSCF6328

“Let me out if not this bunny is gonna get hurt real bad!”

DSCF6329

Surprise birthday cake specially arranged by the hotel! Chanelle’s birthday wasn’t until the next day but it was a really nice and sweet gesture!

DSCF6331

We have come to the end of our post on our first day in Hong Kong! Stay tuned for more!
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Chewys’ Hong Kong Trip Video!

During our recent trip to Hong Kong, we took some videos just for the fun of it and decided to compile the snippets together to depict our entire vacation! Both misterchewy and I don’t have any prior experience with video editing and stuff, so it took us quite a while to figure things out. Hehehe please bear with us because we know that this video is very amateurish but we reckon it’s a nice change to be able to document our trip in a different manner. Having said that, do look out for the photos that we will still be posting on this space soon!

Recently I was invited to try a website called ShopBack, which is a cashback website that gives you rebates for buying through them. When you buy through their website, they get commission from the brands, which they split with you as cash rebates! It’s pretty useful because they have websites like Expedia and Agoda, which means I can get cashback rebates for hotels or flights next time. Enjoy and happy hump day! 🙂

The Chewys’ First Overseas Family Outdoor Photoshoot at The Westin Siray Bay Resort, Phuket

_MG_6704

_MG_6741

_MG_6731

_MG_6726

_MG_6749

IMG_8888

_MG_6451

_MG_6453

IMG_8901

_MG_6463

_MG_6472

_MG_6495

_MG_6507

_MG_6510

_MG_6520

IMG_8955

IMG_8978

IMG_8982

_MG_6557

_MG_6562

_MG_6595

_MG_6598

_MG_6604

_MG_6613

_MG_6773

_MG_6779

_MG_6809

_MG_6854

_MG_6855

_MG_6869

_MG_6875

_MG_6899

IMG_9151

IMG_9137

IMG_9138

IMG_9139

_MG_6941

_MG_6943

IMG_9180

_MG_6979

_MG_6988

IMG_9173

IMG_9159