Cameron Highlands Resort — Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

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We stayed three nights in late November 2022. Their Christmas-themed decorations were just recently completed throughout the hotel and what fun to go to the mountains, with cooler temperatures and a little rain and celebrate our traditional year-end holidays! What a beautiful hotel, staff and everything. It’s an easy recommendation for fellow travelers. Check out the pics below.

Expressionz Suites by iHost — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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In Kuala Lumpur we chose Expressionz Suites, (deluxe king suite US$38 /night) and stayed three nights in mid-November 2022 in a reasonably, centrally located area of Kuala Lumpur. It was an atypical hotel accommodation occupying certain rooms in a high-rise apartment building with long-term residents. The staff services were limited as was their interest in us. It was not well-managed. At this price point we did not expect much. The property had: quiet, cleanish room although very sparse, good shower and hot water, good AC thankfully as KL is very hot and humid, fast elevators helped as we were on a high floor, great view of the landmark Petronas Towers from our room, little convenient store in lobby and coffee shop next door. While convenient enough for Grab (like Uber/Lyft) cars it was a weird location. But it’s relative distance from city center did yield a nice elevated view back towards the Petronas Towers (see below).

This was our first time to Kuala Lumpur and it was a little difficult to get a feeling for it. Big spread out city that seemed to require driving everywhere with limited street walking. So glad we came and did have a nice time discovering. We both agreed we like nearby Singapore more for a couple nights on a visa run.

Kuala Lumpur — Cameron Highlands — Penang Island

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We’ll fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a three-night visit at Expressionz Suites, (deluxe king suite US$38 /night). We’ve done a Thai visa run before to KL but just stayed one night near the airport and did not pursue tourist activities. This time we’ll visit the Petronas Twin Towers and find some great street food.

A short half-day’s drive will deliver us to the Cameron Highlands and Malaysia’s famed tea-growing region. Seems like we’ve visited every tea-growing region in Asia (outside China) and with this visit we’ll add the last one we know of to our list for South/Southeast Asia. We’ll stay there for three nights at the Cameron Highlands Resort (deluxe double, US$153 /night).

We complete our first time touring Malaysia with two nights in the charming UNESCO site of Georgetown on Penang island staying in Hotel Penaga (deluxe king, US$70 /night).

Twice a week from Penang International Airport there is a short, direct flight to Phuket Island, Thailand just up the coast. We’ll take that convenient flight on Firefly Airlines for US$65 per person including baggage fee.