Showing posts with label banjaran hotsprings retreat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label banjaran hotsprings retreat. Show all posts

Monday, June 18, 2012

The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - The Pomelo Restaurant

The Pomelo Restaurant
At the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat in Ipoh, Malaysia, dining choices are limited if you remain in the resort.  However at The Pomelo Restaurant, which happens to be the only restaurant in The Banjaran, you will be treated to tantalising flavours of light, healthy yet nutritious dishes.

The Pomelo fruit

Acquiring its name from a light, sweet-sour fruit that Tambun, Ipoh, is famous for, The Pomelo lies within The Banjaran. As society continues to make the connection between wellness of mind, body and soul, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat is at the forefront of this movement with their emphasis on natural treatments and therapies, fitness and nutritious food.

The dining area of the Pomelo Restaurant consists of both indoor and outdoor seating, including three individual gazebos that extend out over the hot springs. The restaurant is fitted with a show kitchen and a display counter.

One of the gazebos where you can dine
The menu at The Pomelo is prepared with health in mind.  The Spa Cuisine philosophy encompasses the following practices:
  • S.L.O.W (Seasonal, Low Fat, Organic and Whole) method of cooking
  • Organic / Fair Trade teas and coffees
  • To ensure (where possible) that all fruit and vegetables are seasonal
  • Cotton napkins are utilized instead
  • Kitchen utensils especially pots and pans are green and environmentally friendly
Unique cutlery handles

The Pomelo Restaurant with the display kitchen in the background

BREAKFAST
Breakfast fruits

Table decor


Yoghurt

Freshly squeezed fruit juice
Organic egg dishes

Scrambled egg with sausage
Beef bacon Egg benedict

Spinach egg benedict
Citrus yoghurt
The egg dish seemed to be a better choice as compared to the chicken noodles which looked very miserable in portion.

Chicken noodles

Benefits of the various fruit juices

Beautiful morning view of the hotspring

Another breathtaking view from The Pomelo
One of the important components of this concept is spa cuisine – light, healthy and nutritious dishes. The POMELO innovatively incorporates the pomelo fruitinto refreshing spa cuisine for an awakening of the senses. THE POMELO’s spa cuisine menu explodes with flavours of organic fruits, vegetables, fresh seafood and premium poultry. No artificial seasoning or flavorings will be used in the cooking or preparation of food but lots of local fresh spices and ingredients are used instead.

Designed to be well-balanced and easily digestible, these dishes provide the body with an optimum amount of energy and sustenance. Be treated to an array of comprehensive healthy selections of Spa Cuisine in the guise of delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

LUNCH

Built around our concept of wellness, guests have the option to having all their meals personally customised.   Check the menu and you will see meals based on the 5 pillars of wellness including: Rejuvenation, Fitness, Longevity, Detox or Weight Management.

The lunch menu

Fresh fruits
We enjoyed the main course of tasmanian salmon served on a bed of spinach salad as well as the slightly spicy char-grilled chicken supreme which was served with pakchoy and mashed beetroot.

Bas temperature tasmanian salmon

Char-grilled chichimi chicken supreme


Healthy fruits



 DINNER

Delicious bread
We loved the bread rolls that were served during lunch and dinner.  Supper yummy and we always asked for extra.

Nice ambience

Though not a tea lover but enjoyed this red tea

Vegetable soup

Seafood platter
Enjoy the light and healthy spa cuisine at The Pomelo Restaurant in The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat Ipoh, Malaysia.


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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - Meditation Cave


The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - Meditation Cave
The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat in Ipoh, Malaysia, is set against a backdrop of majestic limestone ranges and enchanting caves, one of which is the Meditation Cave.

Lower platform of the Meditation Cave

If you are looking for a secluded sanctuary to enjoy some quiet time, then the Meditation Cave is the place for you.  The interior of the cave makes a magnificent backdrop for meditation or yoga practice.

Great for meditation or yoga
A beautiful sanctuary.

Seats for those who prefer against a backdrop of limestone
The Meditation Cave at The Banjaran Hotspring Retreat is considered as one of the seven wonders of Tambun in Ipoh, Perak.  A true wonder of nature...

Limestone

Specially placed lightings to add some light to the otherwise dark area

In the meditation cave
The city of Ipoh is well known for some of the best limestone caves and you can view the stalactites and stalagmites in some of the caves found in the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat.

Water feature in the Meditation Cave
Visit the Meditation Cave and you will see the glistening stalactites and stalagmites that took millions of years to form.

Stalactites and stalagmites
At the entrance of the Meditation Cave is a refreshing waterfall.

Waterfall

Walk a little further and you will see the sign for the Jungle Walk for which you need a guide from The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat.


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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - Jeff's Cellar

The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat is not only a great place to relax amidst the lush landscape and limestone background, but you get to enjoy the natural geothermal hotspring as well as view the various caves, one of the more famous attraction in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Jeff's Cellar

A very interesting concept, Jeff's Cellar is the brainchild of the founder of Sunway Group which developed and owns The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah.

During the day, if you were to walk past Jeff's Cellar, which is located in the grounds of The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat, you would see a huge old gate that is locked and seems to be overgrown with plants.

Locked gate
You would not be wrong if you thought yourself to be in a medieval era with the steel gates above as well as the crests below which can be found on both sides of the entrance.

Jeff's cellar crest

Entering a dungeon?

Another locked door
Should you get the opportunity to view Jeff's cellar, do grab it as it is very interestingly built into a 280-million year old limestone cave.  Most of the interior of the cave is pretty much left in its natural state and basically only platforms were built in the cave to create various levels.  Check out the huge limestone chambers and the natural stalagmites and stalactites that have taken millions of years to be what it is today.

Water feature

Highlighting the stalagmites and stalactites

Limestone

Water feature
A raised platform on the left and the water feature on the right
Jeff's Cellar has been around even before The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat was developed. With the gracious permission of Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, Jeff's Cellar is open to guests of The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat.

Jeff's Cellar
Open nightly from 9pm to 11pm only to guests of The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat, you can lounge away in the limestone cave that has been enhanced by soft and soothing lighting whilst enjoying a glass of wine.

The Cellar
If you are  fortunate, you will meet the  main person responsible for the upkeep of Tan Sri Jeffrey's personal private collection of vintage wine bottles and have the opportunity to view some really special limited edition bottles which are stored in The Cellar.

The private collection of Tan Sri Jeffrey


Jackie Chan Reserve Release
Jackie Chan Reserve Release
Private Collection

Chinese wine bought at an auction

Interesting bottle

Rows and rows of vintage wine

Visiting Jeff’s cellar is a unique experience, and not just for the wines! The cellar is built in a grotto with some of the most spectacular cave concretions a visitor could see anywhere in the world. At the cave entrance, the walls are covered with rare hemispherical calcite or aragonite concretions a few cm in diameter that look like a field of mushrooms. These were formed by seeping of calcium carbonate-rich water through the pores of the rock and precipitation of crystals in the shape of half golf balls.

Jeff's Cellar
Soft and soothing lighting (left) and Jeff's Cellar crest (right)

The main room of the cave is lined with a series of calcite concretions, such as stalactites (hanging concretions), stalagmites (ascending concretions) and columns (joined stalactites and stalagmites), at the foot of which lay pools enclosed by calcite walls called rimstones. These concretions were formed over thousands of years. Rainwater containing carbon dioxide slowly percolated through the limestone, dissolving some of it and came out along the roof of the cave, enriched with calcium and carbonate ions. The cave atmosphere caused these ions to combine and form the calcite concretions that we see today.

Care for a glass of wine?

Cozy atmosphere

Area for private dining and entertainment

Part of the decor in Jeff's cellar

A unique bottle
More decor

Making it interesting

Limestone walls

Awning above to prevent the leaks
The bar area
The private dining area

Out on the balcony

Another special corner seating area

Kegs on display

More decor

Another little cozy corner

Making it authentic

Another shelf of bottles

Beautiful leather sofas
Another cozy corner


Rows and rows of bottles
Thought this an interesting display

Bottles on display

And even more bottles
The well in front of Jeff's Cellar
Considered as one of Ipoh's best-kept secret, visitors to Jeff's Cellar can take in the sights of a private wine cellar with several special edition and vintage wine bottles in a natural limestone cave.

This is something that you have to see with your own eyes to experience the ambience of being transported into another era.




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