Weekend Getaway to Melaka II

Calanthe Art Cafe - Coffee from Malaysia's 13 states

Check out the cafe at Jonker Street serving coffee from 13 states. Check out their website here

My favourite is the local Melaka coffee - thick and fragrant

Food is cheap but quality is average. I overheard the next table returning their breakfast as it was not properly cooked. Expect a long wait during lunchtime

Check out the acquarium in a TV !

Interesting deco in the cafe.

Don't forget to check out durian chendol at San Shu Gong, House of Authentic Delicacies. The main store is at Jonker Street but I visited the one at Dataran Pahlawan mall to avoid the long queue

Weekend Getaway to Melaka: Casa Del Rio Hotel

Casa Del Rio, Melaka

I always stay in Casa Del Rio when in Melaka. It is just a stone's throw from Jonker Street where all the good food can be found.

Lovely water feature to cool you down at the lobby area

Cooling dessert is served while you wait to be served at the check-in counter

Balcony of our Deluxe Largo Room

Comfy King Size Bed. Love the jazzy piped in music in the room, puts one in a relaxed mood

Yummy onde onde (traditional Malay snack) served in the room when the staff turns down the room

Enchanting night view of Melaka River from our room

Very nice personal touch to have the hotel staff make recommendations about the places of interest in Melaka

A touch of nostalgia - the 555 notebook

Staycation at Capella Sentosa

Staycation at Capella Sentosa We stayed at a Garden View Room to celebrate our anniversary. It's been 10 years since we visited Sentosa and so much has changed. Some photos to share...

Nice touch to offer a glass of cooling ice peach tea on arrival. We didn't realise it was such a long walk from the main road!

I love hotel with colonial feel. The hotel resembles E&O in Penang and our Raffles Hotel except there's more greenery.

View outside our room

Lovely view of the garden from the bed.

Time for a dip at the beautiful infinity pool

The Library where snacks and drinks are offered.

Yummy tart !

Osaka & Nara

The famous Glico Man at Dotonbori. Lots of dining options here

Todaiji Temple in Nara - the world's largest wooden building
From Namba where Swissotel is, we took the Kintetsu Nara Line Rapid and got to JR Nara in 37min JPY810. The tourism office is just a 3 min walk in front of the station. Get your one day bus pass for JPY500. This will bring you to most of the sights like Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Gengoji Temple and the Heijo-kyo Palace Site. Check out details here

Watch out for the deers roaming around freely in Nara!

Jetso Tip: While in Nara, do try the wild vegetables served in the restaurants around the temple. The mushrooms and veg are so sweet !

Kasuga Taisha, famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers

Making a wish for longevity for our parents

More Stuff to buy : Kao Megurism Steam Hot Eye Mask

Don't forget to buy the Kao Steam Hot Eye Mask
This is an awesome product only available in Japan and Hong Kong. It works wonders to soothe tired eyes by releasing moderate heat (40 C). The heat improves blood circulation around the eyes and relieves tired eyes. It feels great as it emits a nice floral scent at the same time. Available at Japan drugstores. The large box of 14 pcs retails at JPY980.

The tummy version is good for use during period to relieve cramps

Smart Luxury : Swissotel Nankai Osaka II

What was most impressive about Swissotel Nankai was not its hardware, but the service staff. When I fell sick during the trip, the concierge took pains to locate a clinic with English speaking doctor, called the clinic to confirm the doctor's availability, and gave us detailed instructions how to get there. We were so touched by her care and concern.

Other small luxuries worth mentioning :

Like other 5-star hotels, Swissotel also offers a choice of pillows to enhance your comfort.

Wake up to to aroma of nespresso coffee ! There's also an ipod dock in the room.

Hotel is located directly above Namba Station the Nankai railway, which made it a breeze to travel to the Kansai airport. Just take two flights of escalators and you are at the station ! We took the Rapi:t Airport Express Train of Nankai Railway, JPY1,390 Y (S$23) and arrived at the airport in 35 minutes.

Jesto Tip: If you have a little spare cash, I suggest upgrading to a room in the executive floor so that you can can access the Swiss Executive Club lounge where you can enjoy complimentary breakfast and snacks all day. We had a wonderful time relaxing at the Japanese baths to soothe our sore muscles.

Smart Luxury : Swissotel Nankai Osaka

I love staying in beautiful hotels. It's really part of the whole package of a holiday. For those who are travelling free & easy, a good hotel plays a big part in enhancing your travel experience. Usually a nice hotel is located in a good area, with easy access to public transportation, and most importantly, shopping. This saves us lots of travelling time. You can also hop back to the hotel for a quick nap or shower anytime you are tired from the sight-seeing.

For these reasons, I have chosen to stay in Swissotel Nankai Osaka, which is right above Takashimaya Osaka.

Super comfortable, good size room with a view to kill

Jetso Tip: Do remember to check out the hotel's official website. Sometimes, they offer better prices. In the case of Swissotel, do join the Swissotel Circle as a member and enjoy their promotion of Stay 3 Pay 2 until 28 Feb. Check out details herehttp://circle.swissotel.com/selected_promotions.aspx?logged=YES&id=23