HOTEL RATING: 8.5/10
Hey there, my dear readers! Today, I'll be touching a little on Melaka, or also known as Malacca to some, and of course, not forgetting to review about my stay in 1825 Gallery Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia. Let's start, shall we?
Well, well, well, Malacca is the capital of the state of Malacca, on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Malacca is rich with history and culture from the previous Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. The city centre was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in July 2008, along with Georgetown, Penang, which I have blogged about previously. If you haven't read it yet, you can click on the link below and be amazed with what Penang has to offer.
A map showing Malacca
What, When, Where, Why Malacca?
Just like Penang, Malacca has a background story too! Malacca, the third smallest Malaysian state after Perlis and Penang was founded by Parameswara, also known as the last Raja of Singapore. It was believed that he witnessed a Sang Kancil (mouse-deer) pushing one of his dogs into the river in self-defense after being cornered. Parameswara was impressed with the courage of the little mouse-deer and took it as a good omen, thus decided to build his empire there, naming the state Melaka, after a tree - "Pokok Melaka" that he was resting under.
Mouse-deer statues can be seen around the roundabout at the Dutch Square, also known as the Red Square where it is surrounded by red painted buildings. It reflects the history of Melaka, the Dutch administration (the Stadthuys, Christ Church), the British colonization (Queen Victoria’s Fountain), and the Chinese settlers (Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower in honor of a generous Chinese tycoon).
The Dutch Square, Melaka
Mouse-deer statues around the roundabout at the Dutch Square
To me, the best way to get around Malacca will be on foot. There really is no better way to explore and to feel Malacca than to walk. But, if you'd rather, and prefer cycling to get around faster, then you can rent a bicycle! Some hotels offer bicycle rentals for their guests, but if they don't, you can always head to Jonker Street to rent one! There are many bicycle rental shops around, and many types of bicycles to choose from. From tandem bicycles to the normal road ones, you'd be feeling wind on your face in no time. The price of the rentals starts from RM10 for a good 6-8 hours and RM15- RM20 for the whole day!
Go by foot...
Or try to cycle "properly", like me!
Another way you can explore Malacca will be with a trishaw! It is a light three-wheeled vehicle with pedals, and they're all lined up at the Dutch Square. No, you cannot "rent" them if you're wondering as there will be a trishaw cyclist who'll be cycling you around, and at the same time, guiding you to all the touristic spots in the city. But well, I find them a tad bit too pricey. They can range from RM15-RM50, depending on the distance.
Take your pick at the Dutch Square!
Oh, did I tell you that you can also cruise your way through Malacca too? Hahaha! The Malacca River is the river that cuts across Malacca town, on its way to the Straits of Malacca. Through this 45 minutes cruise, you'd be able to cruise past historic buildings, old warehouses (godowns), churches, and villages. You will depart at the Muara Jetty which is next to Quayside Heritage Centre, close to the Maritime Museum that is easily recognizable by the replica of the Portuguese ship "Flor De la Mar". From there, the cruise will take you upstream as far as Taman Rempah jetty where the boat then turns around and brings you back to the starting point. It is honestly one of the best ways to see the city's beauty, especially if you go during the late evening when it's a little cooler outside. Admission fees starts from RM5- RM15 depending on age, as well as if you are either a local or a tourist.
The Melaka River Cruise
The good part about Melaka is that almost 70% of the major attractions are within a 1 km radius. This means that it is easily accessible and that you can literally walk or cycle to visit all the places of interest in more or less, a day! With that said, they'll be more time for food and shopping then!
Here's my personal list of some places of interest that you MUST visit!
1) Jonker Street
Jonker Street is the most happening place in Malacca, if you must know. It is in the center of Chinatown and there lays a huge market where you can buy literally anything, and everything! From clothes to furniture pieces to the endless variety of street food, it will surely be a complete delight to spend the weekend there.
2) Maritime Museum and Naval Museum Malacca
The Maritime Museum, or the Flora de Lamar is a replica of the Portuguese ship which sank in the coast of Malacca while on its way to Portugal. The replica is a staggering 34 meters in height, and 8 meters in width. The main focus of the museum is the maritime history of Malacca and the golden ages of Malacca’s Sultanate as the Emporium of the East. This museum will be a great place for people who love history and of course, for the ship fanatics, as a collection of different ship models are put on display at the museum. At the museum, you will also find exhibits of porcelain, silk, textile and spices used by the seamen in the past. Oh, and not only that, but you can also climb up to the upper deck of the ship to view the diorama of the captain cabin. Cool enough for you yet? There will be an admission fee to get into the museum though, but fret not as it is only RM1-RM3 depending on age.
3) Taman Mini Malaysia & ASEAN Cultural Park
The Taman Mini Malaysia Cultural Park is situated a few kilometers outside of Melaka, near the town of Ayer Keroh. It'll probably be about a 40 minute moderate walk there from Jonker Street, so I'd suggest you take a cab there instead. You should visit this place if you have an interest in traditional architecture and the ways of life. Here, you can see, feel and touch history. In this cultural park, there will be many homes, each representing the architectural style of the 13 states in Malaysia, and is furnished with various items. From items such furniture to pieces of art which depicts the culture of each state, to the life-like figurines in their respective traditional costumes, you'd leave the place with a hell lot of knowledge! Hahaha! Ticket pricing starts from RM8- RM15.
4) St. Paul’s Church, Malacca
The ruins of this ancient church is not only popular among tourists, but also to the native people of Malaysia. This historic church was built in 1521, situated at the summit of St. Paul's Hill. This Church is now a part of the Malacca Museum Complex.
5) Christ Church, Malacca
This church was built by the Dutch when they took possession of the country. This 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca, Malaysia, is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia. There are 3 services held on Sunday in this church- English at 8.30am, Mandarin at 10.30am, and Malaysian (Bahasa Malaysia) at 4.30pm, so do feel free to drop by!
4) St. Paul’s Church, Malacca
The ruins of this ancient church is not only popular among tourists, but also to the native people of Malaysia. This historic church was built in 1521, situated at the summit of St. Paul's Hill. This Church is now a part of the Malacca Museum Complex.
5) Christ Church, Malacca
This church was built by the Dutch when they took possession of the country. This 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca, Malaysia, is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia. There are 3 services held on Sunday in this church- English at 8.30am, Mandarin at 10.30am, and Malaysian (Bahasa Malaysia) at 4.30pm, so do feel free to drop by!
Malacca is also a food haven. With the river just a stone's throw away, seafood served there are always fresh! So, what are some of the must try food in Malacca? Well, they're all in the picture below! Just walk around Jonker Street and you'll find everything you need there. From Chicken Rice Balls to Satay Celup, Nyonya Kuih's to Satay's, Coconut Milkshake to boiled Cockle's, you'd be craving for more! Feeling hungry yet?
The famous Chicken Rice Balls
Satay Celup
Nyonya Kuih's
Boiled Lala's and Cockles
Overview
And finally, without further ado, I'll be reviewing about my stay in 1825 Gallery Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia! As usual, I'll start with the overview on the place. So, 1825 Gallery Hotel is a relatively new boutique hotel. It is situated at 27, Jalan Bunga Raya, 75100 Malacca, Malaysia and it is along the Malacca River. This hotel is about a 10 minute walk to Jonker Street, and within a 15 minute drive to Melaka Sentral, the largest public transportation terminal in Malacca City.
The front entrance of the 1825 Gallery Hotel
The Bathroom
The Executive Suite bathroom is just amazing. It is almost as big as the room itself! It comes with 2 basins on a counter, a Jacuzzi with river view, and a standing shower! The bathroom is so big that I needed to take 2 pictures to show you guys! Oh, and the blinds infront of the Jacuzzi? They're motorized. How cool is that?
The morning view of the back entrance of 1825 Gallery Hotel
The night view of the back entrance of 1825 Gallery Hotel
I checked-in on the 15th of May, 2016 and it was RM690 for a 2 night stay in their Executive Suite and the price was inclusive of tax and service charge.
The waiting area at the 1825 Gallery Hotel
Indoor fish pond making the atmosphere that much more cozy
The Executive Suite
The Executive Suite is a 33m² room with only a choice of 1 extra large-double bed. The room is extremely spacious with comfortable bedding, soundproof walls and an amazing view of the river. A flat-screen TV, a wardrobe, a safe, a coffee & tea maker and of course, WiFi is provided.
The Executive Suite
The view from the balcony at night
The Bathroom
The Executive Suite bathroom is just amazing. It is almost as big as the room itself! It comes with 2 basins on a counter, a Jacuzzi with river view, and a standing shower! The bathroom is so big that I needed to take 2 pictures to show you guys! Oh, and the blinds infront of the Jacuzzi? They're motorized. How cool is that?
The basin area and Jacuzzi at one end
The toilet bowl and standing shower at the other end
The motorized blind
During my stay, their on-site restaurant was yet to be opened, and so I had no chance to see how splendid it would've been. But fret not as I'll definitely be back to review it! So, to make it up to you readers, I have personally taken a video of the hotel just for you guys, so enjoy!
A 1 minute video of the room
Facilities and Services include:
- Garden
- Bar
- 24-hour Front Desk
Check-in time: From 2pm
Check-out time: Until 12pm
I would rate this hotel an 8.5/10 as not only the rooms are spacious, but the bathroom is just amazing and the staff are all really friendly too. The plus point of this hotel would be how easy it is to get to Jonker Street- you exit through the back entrance and follow the river on your right, all till the end, and tada, you're at Jonker's Street! I hope this has helped you narrow down your options if you're looking for a place to stay around Malacca, Malaysia! Till then!
Disclaimer: This write-up and the opinions shared are all mine. I was not paid to promote or to review this hotel whatsoever. Some pictures provided are mine, while some have been taken from the web.
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