IT would be a lie if I say that this is our first choice accommodation when we decided to go on a short vacation to Genting Highlands.
"It would take us 20 minutes to drive up to Resorts World Genting from here," I hesitantly told my husband, Amzar.
Being optimistic, he assured me that it would be fun taking our year-old daughter Aamina on her first cable car ride.
Plus, he said, there's a free shuttle service to and from Resorts World Awana to Awana SkyCentral which takes less than two minutes, and another 10 minutes to fly up from Awana Station to the SkyAvenue Station at the peak.
Convinced, I booked a one night stay at Resorts World Awana, which turns out to be not really a bad choice at all!
STAY
Established in 1984, Resorts World Awana is one of the first few hotels built in the area. So, I couldn't help myself to expect checking in to a rundown old hotel.
But, to my surprise, the hotel looks new and well-maintained. It is still currently undergoing an upgrade, so there is a little construction here and there, which doesn't bother me at all.
The lobby has a very welcoming vibe thanks to its warm wooden interior, and because the area is mainly open with plenty of windows and greenery, it really gives a sense of tranquillity.
There are seating areas for guests to chill out while waiting for their room to be ready.
For the time being, the hotel only offers one room category which is the Superior Deluxe Room.
After checking in at 3pm, we head to our room and I'm so impressed to see the room looking all-new with a fresh facelift.
Spacious, with approximately 360 sq ft space, the room is complete with two queen beds and a dining table.
There's a balcony offering a stunning view of the mountains, and you can also see the swimming pool area from up here.
However, we keep the balcony door closed and locked at all times, just for the safety of our little explorer who is now on her walking-everywhere phase.
If you're expecting a luxurious room, well… the four-star resort is quite basic to be honest. But, the hotel provides guests with everything from toilet amenities, bedroom comforts as well as access to a restaurant, fitness centre and outdoor pool on-site.
There are also all the basic necessities such as free internet WiFi, tea and coffee making facilities, mini fridge and kettle, safe box as well as iron and ironing board.
The hotel also provides two complimentary mineral water bottles per day during your stay.
EAT
The hotel boasts four F&B outlets but on the first evening of our stay, we opt to have a hot pot dinner at Awana Garden.
Offering a farm-to-table concept, most of the fresh produce on the menu comes from the resort itself.
Sourced from the Atrium Greenhouse within the resort, guests actually can view the organic produce at the greenhouse.
The resort is so committed to this goal that it has an agriculturist whose key role is to ensure the fertility and productivity of the greenhouse.
The success of the venture is evident, as Awana Garden also makes available boxes of fresh produce that diners can purchase for their own consumption.
Among the resort-grown vegetables on the menu are a variety of leafy greens and mushrooms.
The ambience at the restaurant is quite peaceful at night. We are seated by the window where we get the fresh cool air breezing through - perfect weather for a steamy hot pot.
The restaurant too had undergone a refurbishment with its luxe neutrals, jute, rattan and wicker accents, and clean Scandinavian design ethic.
First, we select our soup. Awana Garden has designed a selection of out-of-the-norm soups which will serve as the base to its hot pot meals.
There's the Gear Box Special which is a hearty, meaty soup which utilises beef marrow bones simmered for hours to extract flavour, and then there's the "Malat" soup which is a deep-red soup base with aroma of Szechuan paste, Szechuan pepper, dried red chilies, cili padi, star anise, cinnamon and the Chinese root, Chou Gor for those who enjoy a fiery taste.
There's also the Collagen Essence soup base that is made by simmering chicken feet and chicken carcasses for a minimum of six hours in order to extract the collagen, before the addition of locally bred sturgeon fish bones, as well as the Oriental Herb Medley which is a Chinese soup derived from slow-cooked chicken infused with the medicinal herbs' yok chok and tong sum, together with wolfberries, red dates and Genting wild tea.
Diners can choose to have a single, twin or quarter pot of soup bases, allowing them to mix and match flavours and taste profiles.
We opt for a twin pot soup base with the choice of the highly recommended Collagen Essence soup and also the Malat soup (mainly for my husband who enjoys super-spicy food).
The menu also offers seafood and meat platters designed to give diners a sampling of the most tender morsels of meat, as well as the freshest seafood.
Their in-house made pastes are also noteworthy, being produced with high meat content to ensure they are infused with the luxuriant taste and texture of fish, squid and prawn.
Diners can also enjoy free flow of the many condiments available at the restaurant, which include kung po sauce, sesame, seafood, wasabi and fine soy sauce.
The restaurant which is located on the lobby floor is open for lunch (noon to 3pm) and dinner (6pm - 9.30pm) daily and can seat up to 143 people. The restaurant also has two private dining rooms.
For breakfast, we head to Ayu Awana, a hippie beach vibe restaurant located by the poolside offering a special smokehouse and grill menu, regional dishes, and healthy delights.
The restaurant doesn't serve buffet for breakfast but the ala-carte breakfast menu is quite unique and offers variety.
Since I am not feeling so hungry, I opt for the Kaya Toast with half boiled kampung eggs but my husband, a big eater, orders The Max which is one of the selections on the Ayu Breakfast Sando.
The Max consists of home-smoked beef pastrami, cheddar cheese, farm scrambled eggs and warm brioche that will guarantee a happy tummy for the next few hours.
There's also the Cheeky Grind for a grab-and-go coffee as well as the Golf Terrace for a quick bite.
DO
While you are here with the fam, don't forget to bring your swimsuit with you!
The resort boasts a huge swimming pool and a kiddie pool, where you can relax and have a swim with the whole family.
Besides the stunning pools, guests can join for a fun guided walking tour or go for a round of golfing.
GO
Since we have at least three hours to kill on our first day before checking in, we decided to check the Genting Premium Outlet which is located adjacent to the Awana SkyCentral.
The shuttle services are available for free every hour.
From the Awana SkyCentral, you can also take the cable car up to the peak where theme parks are located.
You can also visit the Genting Strawberry Leisure Farm which is not too far from the area.
VERDICTS
HIGHS Newly-refurbished rooms!
LOWS Quite a distance to reach the peak where all the fun attractions are located, but it's also fun to be able to ride on the cable car.
RESORTS WORLD AWANA
Resorts World Awana, 69000 Genting Highlands, Pahang
TEL 03-6101 1118
WEBSITE www.rwgenting.com/en/hotels/resorts-world-awana
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