Hotel that has it all
Staying at a strategically located hotel in Kuala Terengganu gives Alan Teh Leam Seng the opportunity to visit interesting places with ease
“JINTAN Coffee House is on the 17th floor. You can access it using the lift over there,” the polite reception staff points out when I enquire about the breakfast venue. Conscious of my surprised look, she continues: “The high elevation provides our diners with stunning views of the Terengganu River as well as the surrounding area.”
I am heartened by her answer. Coupled with very competitive room rates and strategic location right in the heart of Kuala Terengganu, it looks like my decision to stay at Felda Residences for the next two nights is going to pay handsome dividends.
My room on the floor just below the coffee house is comfortable and clean. It gets even better as the bed is not too soft and the pillows are of the exact texture that I like.
After giving the room my stamp of approval, I proceed to the large bay windows and check out the view. I opted for the city view knowing that the coffee house already overlooks the opposing side. This way I get to enjoy the best of both!
After a quick shower, I head up to Jintan Coffee House for lunch before going out into the city. Both the lunch buffet and a la carte menu choices look tempting.
After much deliberation, I decide on the former simply because it allows me to sample a wider variety of traditional Terengganu treats like tempoyak ikan patin, budu, pais ikan baung and pucuk hutan masak lemak.
After two additional helpings and a generous portion of Malay kuih and keropok lekor for dessert, I am ready for my afternoon sojourn.
WHEN NIGHT FALLS
Back to the hotel, it’s time for dinner at the hotel’s river side outlet, aptly named D’Muara Cafe. Since I’m a bit early, I take a stroll to check out the surrounding area.
Just a few steps away from the cafe and still within the hotel grounds is the historic Felda Jetty, brainchild of former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak.
While offering great views of the Terengganu River on which it protrudes almost 100 metres out, this jetty originally functioned as a staging point for palm oil produced by the agricultural conglomerate’s first mill in Jerangau.
I train my sights on the towering Felda Residence hotel block and try hard to imagine the landscape without it when this jetty was ready in 1967. Felda, which is actually an acronym for Federal Land and Development Authority, began making inroads in Terengganu in 1957 when its first pioneer settlement in Chalok was established.
The land on which the hotel now sits on used to be home to Terengganu Felda’s administrative office. Plans to build Felda Residences only began to take shape when the administrative office moved to nearby Kuala Nerus in 2008.
The buffet spread at D’Muara Cafe, available only on Fridays and Saturdays, is very popular. Nearly half the seats are taken with half an hour of opening. Priced at only RM12 for adults and RM7 for children, it is certainly an affordable dinner option.
Giving the buffet a pass, I opt for the RM25 Shell Out meal which comes with generous portions of fresh seafood, including green lipped mussels, flower crabs, white prawns and fish fillet. My meal is made more memorable as I manage to secure a table right nearest to the riverside, virtually giving myself the front row seat to the dazzling show put up by the stunning Kuala Terengganu sunset.
As night falls, the city comes alive with bright lights shimmering in the distance. Even the lighted outline of Sultan Mahmud Bridge in the distance can be seen clearly from my table. At the same time, I begin to plan my next day’s itinerary. One thing for sure, I certain that my stay in Kuala Terengganu for the next two days will be just as exciting as the one I experienced today.