Monday, May 30, 2011

Top three theme parks

1.DUBBED the country's biggest multi-level indoor amusement park ever built inside a mall, the Berjaya Times Square theme park offers attractions for both young and old. Enjoy the adrenaline rush when riding the roller coaster at Level 5 of the shopping mall. At Fantasy Garden on Level 7, it’s a world of endless imagination and exploration for the small children. For opening hours and tickets, contact 03-2117 3118 or visit www.timessquarekl.com/themepark

2.SUNWAY Lagoon’s all-in-one park has five different theme parks for just about everyone. Enjoy endless fun at its
Water Park, Scream Park, Extreme Park, Amusement Park
and Wildlife Park. For more information, visit www.sunwaylagoon.com.

3.GENTING Highlands, the entertainment city above the clouds, has everything for all to enjoy — from its renowned hotels to its variety of dining and shopping outlets, spectacular megashows,

business convention facilities, fun-filled amusement parks and endless entertainment, all packed in one place.

Top three char koay teow in Penang

1.THE Anson Road char koay teow is a modest roadside stall with its humble-looking elderly hawker producing one of the best char koay teow in town. The stall operates from 3pm to 8pm daily except on Sundays. A queue is common but the wait is certainly worth it.

2.AH Leng char koay teow is located at the corner of Jalan Dunlop and Jalan Datuk Keramat, just opposite the old Federal Cinema. This stall is famous for its huge prawns and mantis prawns. Patrons usually have to wait about 20 minutes during busy hours. The stall opens from about 8.30am until 2.30pm daily except on Thursdays. Ah Leng also hasopens a stall in Jalan Zoo in Air Itam from 6pm to 10.30pm daily except on Wednesdays.

3.AH Kheng char koay teow stall opens on weekday evenings at Peace and Joy Cafe at Lebuh China. It is common to see a crowd waiting at the cafe just for the char koay teow or fried rice from the same stall. The stall opens for business from 6.30pm to 11pm. It closes on Saturdays and Sundays. — Compiled by Looi Su-Chern

Monday, May 9, 2011

RM50m facelift for Hilton PJ

PETALING JAYA: Hilton Petaling Jaya will undergo its first major renovation in more than a decade, beginning this month.

The makeover, which will involve all its guest rooms, meeting rooms and the ballroom, is expected to involve some RM50 million.

General manager Chris Ehmann said that the renovation will be done in stages and it is expected to be completed in August 2012.

Hilton, which has been managing the property for the past 27 years, has been signed on to manage the hotel until December 31 2025. The hotel is owned by Tradewinds Corp Bhd.

"We will start with six floors on May 9," Ehmann told Business Times in an interview recently.

The hotel has 553 rooms, 17 meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate 600 people.

"The investment will involve all infrastructure such as hot water, new televisions, telephone lines and the back of house," he said.

Ehmann said that its most recent makeover was in 2005/2006 which involved all its food and beverage outlets, main lobby and the public area.

Once completed, Ehmann expects both occupancy and average room rates to increase in line with its new product offerings.

"We pride ourselves on our service and we are excited about the products that will match our service," he said.

When asked about the surrounding competition, he said "It is the people who make the difference."

About 75 per cent of its guests are business guests as the hotel is focused on corporate travellers.

The hotel is essentially divided into three parts: the Main Block (10 storeys), the East Wing and the West Wing, each with 21 storeys.

The hotel, which started as Jaya Puri, came under the Hilton management in 1982. It closed for two years, underwent a RM40 million renovation, added a tower and reopened as Petaling Jaya Hilton.

In 1992, another tower block was added at a cost of RM75 million. Later, the hotel was renamed Hilton Petaling Jaya.

Ehmann said that Petaling Jaya residents will be particularly happy with the refurbished product as it is an iconic building in the area and most people have fond memories of the place. "We are putting Hilton Petaling Jaya back to her glory days," he said.