Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Review: Thistle Hotel, Port Dickson - Room & Facilities

Just before Ramadhan began, we went to Port Dickson for a short getaway with the kids. We stayed at Thistle Hotel, Teluk Kemang for the first time, so here's my review of the room and facilities.

IMG_20160604_142058_1
We stayed in the Deluxe Room and for weekend stays, there is a surcharge. We opted for the 2 super single beds as we have two kids. The room is spacious and the beds are comfortable.

IMG_20160604_142143_1
There was a comfortable bay window seat, where Amir would often take naps.


IMG_20160604_142212_1
Here is the coffee-making facility with a mini fridge underneath.

IMG_20160604_142223_1
Here's the TV, which comes with Astro (one cartoon and one movie channel) and writing desk. As you can see the floor is terracotta tile, which is typical for seaside resorts. But be warned, it gets very cold, so bring socks. The hotel room slippers were too thin to keep my feet warm.


IMG_20160604_142249_1
Our room came with a pool-facing balcony. When you open the sliding door to the balcony, the aircon automatically shuts off, which is a smart feature.

IMG_20160604_142535
The bathroom was quite large and not too shabby. 

IMG_20160604_144945

There is a small closet by the entrance, with extra pillows, a safe and an iron/ironing board. Sejadahs are available upon request. They also have Qurans, Bibles etc.


IMG_20160604_150121
The highlight of the hotel is its expansive swimming pool, There is a baby/kids wading pool, but I found the water there to be quite dirty to be honest. So I opted to bring my kids to another pool. The management should really look into the cleanliness of the wading pools. Small kids are more likely to swallow the water and their skin is also very sensitive.

IMG_20160604_162735
A short walk away is the beach. 


IMG_20160604_162902
Before you reach the beach you'll come across the Cumulus bar and infinity pool, which is very deep.

IMG_20160604_163026
I wouldn't say this is the best beach in PD. It was not the cleanest, a lot of detritus from the trees and also some litter. I even found a broken glass bottle, which I removed to keep others safe. So please be careful!

IMG_20160604_163357
The sand here is reddish and quite rough. But Arif still had fun playing in it.

IMG_20160604_192159
When you're tired of the pool and beach, you can try out their recreation centre.

IMG_20160604_150010
There's a lego room for kids. Amir was very excited about this.

IMG_20160604_192328
It wasn't as exciting as he thought it'd be, as there are limited blocks, but still it's worth checking out.

IMG_20160604_192519
Next to the Lego room is the toddlers' play room.

IMG_20160604_192430
There was a ball pit, but I don't think these rubber balls are suitable for this purpose. Many were deflated.

There is a spa at the hotel, called Santai, but I didn't get a chance to check it out. Maybe next time. In a future post, I will tell you about the food we ate there, including the dinner buffet, room service, breakfast buffet and sahur package/options. See ya later!

Monday, June 13, 2016

Catching My Baby Dust

Dear friends, I am pleased to announce that "Catching My Baby Dust," the book that I co-wrote with the doctors at the KL Fertility Centre, will soon be available at Borders for RM23! If you (or anyone you know) have any concerns about reproductive health, this is an excellent reference. In addition to write ups by fertility specialists on the types of fertility issues and treatments available, there are also numerous stories by couples who share their struggles with infertility and journey to becoming parents (including yours truly). Please feel free to share this post. For more about KLFC, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/klfertilitycentre/

Catching My Baby Dust

Welcome 2019: Time to Grow

Happy New Year everyone! I'm so so excited for 2019 and everything that it'll bring. I'm starting the year with gratefulness for...