Macau Trip 2015: Hard Rock Hotel Macau

It's summer season now and it's a great time for travelling with your family or friends to enjoy some sightseeing. I was at Macau 2 weeks back for 4 days 3 nights and did a lot of sightseeing and indulge lots of popular Macau must-eat food too. 

It was a last minute trip with family members and we were kinda worried about expensive flight, accommodation and expenses incurred as all bookings were done like 4 weeks before? (We normally plan our holidays way earlier). After comparing all the suitable hotels on rooms, facilities, prices and etc, we came to a conclusion that this is the most suitable hotel to stay in; 

   Hard Rock Hotel, Macau. 

Reason being is that it offers the best room rate (most affordable) yet it's a five star hotel with all the top-notch facilities for your indulgence. We paid only MOP3313.15 (including 15% prevailing taxes) for 3 nights in Double Queen Room which can accommodate up to 3 Adults or 2 Adults & 2 Children (or 4 Adults too). This room rate comes with high-speed wifi and a really comfortable room of 2 queen sized beds (without breakfast as we wanted to explore Macau local food). 

 I did a quick check while writing this and this affordable room rate is available during this December's school holidays too. Time to plan your trip for the upcoming school holidays :)

Tips: If you would like to book the Double queen room meant for 3 Adults or 2 Adults and 2 Children, key-ing in (3 Adults or 2 Adults and 2 Children) in the number of pax column may not be advisable. Sometimes, the double queen room may be unavailable (or the results shows no rooms are available) 

if you key in this. If this happens, do key in 2 Adults in the 'number of pax' column and try again.

I experienced this when I was trying to book the room where no room is available for 3 Adults but the double queen room is available when I key in 2 Adults. I have checked with the hotel that the Double Queen Room can accommodate up to 3 Adults or 2 Adults & 2 Children. Thus, you can search for this room rate with 2 Adults and then at the 'Remarks' column, put in the details of how many pax will be staying in the room. 

Presenting to you the Double Queen Room in Hard Rock Hotel, Macau. 

Super comfy pillow with a touch

Spacious room with large mirror for your ootd shot. Behind the mirror is a large area to hang all your clothes. 

Bar table top makes it convenient to take away food and munch throughout the night :)

Wonderful minibar filled with affordable goodies. 

Don't worry if you bought some wine from the nearby supermarket, convenience store or shopping mall. You have wine glass in the room waiting for you. 

If you didn't buy any alcoholic drinks and in need of some, these are available in the room at an affordable price. 

 Making a margarita or a mojito? Hard Rock Hotel Macau prepare these Mixer set for you to release your inner bartender soul. 

 Yes, they have Chinese wine too :)

Don't worry about feeling hungry or thirsty in the middle of the night. You have a stocked up minibar at an affordable price. 

You can opt for cup noodle and chips at an affordable price too. 

The bathroom actually looks clean and neat. Comes with a bathtub :)

Plenty of towels and bathroom amenities for your convenience. 

Even the bar of soap is nicely presented with a bottle of lotion next to it. 

You can find more bathroom amenities inside this box. 

If you're saying that the room rate is quite expensive compare to those hotel in the Macau city, well do think again. This five-star hotel is located right in the heart of Cotai Strip under City of Dreams entertainment resort. Cotai Strip is a place where all the magic happens - the one stop center which houses all the new hotels, casinos, entertainment hub and luxury shopping experience fit for tourist. Right opposite of City of Dreams is the Venetian City (famous for its blue sky ceiling within the building) and on the left side is the Sands Cotai Central (which also houses Conrad, Holiday Inn and Sheraton). Due to its strategic location, you can just walk across the road (small road - not highway) and within 2 minutes, you can land yourself at Venetian City or Sands Cotai. And if you wish to get to Galaxy Macau (the biggest and most grand place to be at Cotai) for gaming, food, shopping or a gateaway to Taipa Village, there's a shuttle bus from City of Dreams to Galaxy Macau every 10 minutes. If you compare with other room rate in this Cotai area, Hard Rock Macau offers the best room rate. 

It was convenient for us as we get to see both Venetian City and Sands Cotai too. We did some food and casino hopping between City of Dreams, Venetian City and Sands Cotai. 

One thing to take note when you're considering an accommodation in Macau is the Complimentary Shuttle Bus Service provided by the hotel. From Hard Rock Hotel Macau, you can take their complimentary Lucky Express shuttle bus to bring you around. The Lucky Express shuttle bus from City of Dreams could bring you to these locations: Macau ferry Terminal, Border Gate, Hotel Sintra Macau, Cotai Macau Connection, Taipa Ferry Terminal & Airport, Hengqin Check Point and Galaxy Hotel. For more info on these shuttle bus service, do click here. Do get the latest bus schedule from the hotel when you check in in case there's a change in bus schedule. 

Tips: To get to Taipa Village, go to Galaxy Macau and it's 5 minutes walking distance from there. 

         To get to Senado Square, board the bus heading to Hotel Sintra  and walk for about 10 minutes 

         to reach Senado Square. 

Another thing to note when you arrived at Macau International Airport and wish to board the hotel shuttle bus to the hotel. We were kinda lost and walked around at the airport for 40 minutes looking for the shuttle bus (we did asked around and no one has any info  - even the tourism department has no idea at all) when we arrived. Finally, we board the shuttle bus to Venetian City and walk across to City of Dreams to check in. 

Tips: When you arrived at the Macau International Airport, do look for City of Dreams staff at the Arrival hall because their shuttle bus is NOT located at the area where all other hotel shuttle bus waits. Do not follow the 'Hotel shuttle bus' sign (or you'll ended up waiting like us). You will need to approach the City of Dreams staff to board the bus. The City of Dreams staffs are wearing purple colour uniform (according to the hotel staff). So, do hunt for staff in purple uniform once you arrive - their shuttle bus is located at the departure hall/first floor according them. 

- If you can't find the bus/staff at all, board the Venetian shuttle bus (at Hotel Shuttle Bus waiting area) and walk across to City of Dreams when you arrive at Venetian City.  

And the infamous House of Dancing Water is located inside City of Dreams. You can recharge yourself in your room before watching the show - if you're tired from all the exploring in the morning. 

The hotel provides other great facilities too such the outdoor guitar-shaped swimming pool, fitness centre, Rock Spa for a relaxing therapy and even a Kids City (entertainment center for your child) - there's arcade, basketball machine, and etc for them. 

Now, if you're travelling to Macau and in need of a good accommodation for you to rest, refresh and rejuvenate yourself; this is the place you should be staying at. 

For more info on Hard Rock Hotel, Macau; log on to:

Facebook: Hard Rock Hotel, Macau

Website: Hard Rock Macau 

Instagram : @hardrockhotelmacau

To know more about City of Dreams, click here. 

Note: This is not a paid post or sponsored post! Just a piece of my experience here. 

Ramadhan Buffet 2015: The Resort Cafe, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa

This year, I've tried many Ramadhan buffet preview and each buffet has its own style, specialty and meeting different needs. Among those that I've tried, there is one fine Ramadhan buffet which keeps floating in my mind and indeed it has become part of my top of mind Ramadhan buffet to recommend to my friends. I'm sure you've read many restaurants promotion and reviews on Ramadhan buffet happening this mid June till mid July 2015. Well, I've saved the best for the last. If you've been craving for a Ramadhan buffet and had saved money to indulge in one, this is the place that you should go.

Thanks to Sidney Kan and Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, I was able to indulge a perfect and wonderful Ramadhan Buffet preview at The Resort Cafe, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa. Well, we were able to try both Ramadhan menu of The Resort Cafe and Fuzion at the preview and today, I will put my focus on telling more about the Ramadhan Buffet at The Resort Cafe.

If you are not aware, The Resort Cafe is a new restaurant in Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa which opened in April this year. This Ramadhan month, The Resort Cafe is offering its first ever Ramadhan buffet with a theme - 'A Bustling Asian Food Hall', serving dishes synonymous with the feasting traditions leading up to the celebration.

The Resort Cafe will feature over 300 dishes prepared a la minute with personalisation and customisation and an expensive display of dishes with focus on the Malay Archipelago featuring favourite dishes and recipes from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia; and other popular dishes from around the region like Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, China, India and the Middle East. This Ramadhan buffet with bustling 60-meter long open-exhibition kitchen will provide diners with sensory sensations, bringing together the most authentic tastes of popular and nostalgic dishes.

I truly love the Ramadhan Buffet at The Resort Cafe and would recommend you to try it at least once even if Ramadhan buffet is not the normal buffet which you would go for.

At a Ramadhan buffet, it's the norm to start off your meal with some sweet and delicate Kurma. At The Resort Cafe, the team has thoughtfully prepared a few types of Kurma as a starter. Looking at the Kurma below, you can see that they are of the highest grade and quality to ensure that you have a good start at your meal.

The Resort Cafe has its own unique way of displaying its healthy and fresh salads which serves as an important appetizer in your meal. Unlike the usual ones, your salad is served though one of its signature octagonal-shaped Monumental Towers namely The Salad Tower. This tall and eye-catching looking tower is filled with freshest greens and will have on rotation of favourite Asian salads such as the Rojak Buah, Som Tam and Ulam-ulaman with local dressings including Sambal Belacan, Cincaluk and Budu throughout the whole Ramadhan month. This huge tower filled with salads is only found at The Resort Cafe - the first of its kind in Malaysia.

My eyes were already filled with glitters looking at this gigantic salad tower. I've counted the number of salad dishes filing in the tower and as expected, there's more than 15 salad dishes sitting proudly on the tower. Now, there's Malay style salad - the rojak which you can picked your own fruits preference and mix it your way as well as the must-have Ulam-ulaman, classic Thai style - the prawn and pamelo, minced chicken with basil and so on, Seafood style salad, the Western style where you pick your own greens and dressing and many more. Another interesting thing to note is that - this is the one and only Ramadhan buffet which serves Nasi Ulam as part of its appetizer and you can find it at The Salad Tower. I do love Nasi Ulam and it's like a dream come true when I saw it at The Resort Cafe's Ramadhan buffet.

After the greens, it's time to warm up your tummy with some soup. This Ramadhan, The Resort Cafe is proud to present its must-try dish; the Signature Soup Gearbox Turbo as part of its Ramadhan buffet menu. This popular perennial favourite, cooked over a slow fire for 8 hours is prepared and served in a large cauldron, providing diners with a visual feast and aromatic feast. This dish is prized for its bone marrow contained in the bones served. When you are having this, do slurp the bone marrow using the straw provided as it's beneficial to your health such as improving brain functions, promoting healthy skin and reducing inflammation. You will be treated to a rich and fragrant broth which makes you wanting for more.

Next, put your full focus on the Churrasco; where range of premium meats, seafood and fruits are grilled and roasted on large skewers resulting in tender and juicy grilled-to-perfection dishes. You'll meeting the delicious Wagyu Beef, exotic Venison, Chicken, Lamb, various types of Seafood, Fruits, Vegetables; and for the first time ever in the hotel - Rabbit meat is also part of the rotisserie offering. The meats, carefully marinated with minimal seasoning of lemon, salt and herbs to maintain its original taste are freshly grilled for diners upon dining in. The chefs even prepared some home-made sauces and side dishes to complement the grilled dish. Do dip the grilled dish into flavourful sauces such as Chimichurri, Guava, Mustard and Thai Chilli Coriander as well as side dishes such as Feijoada (a stew of black beans).

I personally loved the grilled Lamb, Squid, Prawn, Chicken and Pineapple. The prawn is fresh and perfectly grilled - at the just right condition, lamb is juicy yet soft and the chicken drumstick is rich in flavour. And you just have to try the grilled Squid for once as it's not chewy, easy to munch on and retain its original sea flavour. And of course not forgetting the classic grilled pineapple. Yum!

Chefs on action with Churrasco

I enjoyed the Churrasco and I'm dreaming of it now :P

A Ramadhan buffet is not complete without Rotisserie. At The Resort Cafe, you'll feast on Chef Pak Lan's Signature Roasted Beef Leg which is roast to perfection - juicy and rich in flavour beef meat for your indulgence. And don't forget to snap some selfies with this giant beef leg as it's beautifully presented like a hanging garden of babylon with some rosemary decorated all around it.

The Resort Cafe also prepared three types of serunding (meat floss) specially for this Ramadhan buffet. There's a choice of beef, chicken and fish to choose from and I'm glad that they have chicken and fish serunding as only beef serunding is commonly served during Ramadan buffet in other restaurants. It's a great alternative for those who don't consume beef like me.

You must not missed this must-have Rendang Tok with Lemang, a classic dish served during the festive. The Lemang is elegantly presented on a chopped bamboo and paired with rendang tok and serunding.

Seafood loves, this is for you. Be dazzled by the variety of fresh seafood on ice served with complementing sauces and dips. Be sure to meet the Clams, Prawns, Half Shell Mussels, Slipper Lobster and Flower Crabs. You will also be greeted by the delicious Salmon and Tuna Sashimi to satisfy your Sashimi craving. Oh, yes you've travel virtually to Japan to indulge these goodies. 

Another signature component about this Ramadhan Buffet at The Resort Cafe is the Treasures of the Middle East dishes crafted by Joardian-born Chef Ala'a Ali. You will get to indulge special dishes that are commonly savored during the season with a rich sampling of Middle East favourites from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and the Emirates. You don't need to travel all the way to Middle East to sample these delicacies as it's available now at The Resort Cafe. Chef Ala'a prepared dishes such as the exotic Ostrich meat in the form of Ostrich Sharwarma, Saudi Prawn Kabsa, Saudi Chicken Kabsa (Biryani), Stuffed Chicken with Freekeh, Lebanese Hummus and Shish Tawook just to name a few.

Do start off your Treasures of the Middle East with some exotic drinks, mains and end it off with some Middle East style dessert. As pictures speaks louder than words, I've snapshot all the exotic Middle East dishes and presented below. Enjoy these yummylicious pictures and have a wonder virtual trip to the Middle East culinary world.

Noodle lovers can have their portion of satisfaction too. You can indulge over 7 types of local noodle dishes on rotation daily at The Resort Cafe's Noodle Corner. This Noodle Corner feature soup and gravy based noodles such as the Signature Nyonya Laksa Mee, Mee Rebus, Laksa Utara, Mee Curry Seremban, Prawn Bee Hoon Soup, Prawn Mee and Sup Bebola Ayam Medan Selera. All these delicious noodle dishes at The Resort Cafe is crafted by The Executive sous Chef Raymond (Uncle Ray) and be sure to try them while you're dining here.

There's also a Roti Station where the chefs in action will be toasting up Malaysian favourite roti such as Murtabak, Roti Pisang, Roti Jala and Roti Tisu on the spot - fresh from the station. You can have a great time catching up with your family and friends while munching on some Roti Tisu while satisfying your moment at a dreamy high end Mamak shop. And you must not miss Chef Pathiban Nalliah's signature Murtabak
 at the station. One bite of it and you will come back for more.

Chef Pathiban Nalliah also prepared his special Ikan Bakar dish which is served at the Ikan Bakar Station along with a multitude of sambal-inspired sauces.

Another thing you'll notice at The Resort Cafe is the eye-catching display of fried fritters which makes up the Pasembur Station. Be sure to try Chef Pathiban Nalliah's Signature Pasembur where you can pick your fried fritters of your choice and hand it to the chef in action to craft the Pasembur. Unlike the ones which you eat outside, there's a huge variety such as giant fried crabs, huge filament stick, fried hard boiled egg, fresh vegetables and other fried meats to choose from. And do take the fried fritters in moderate portion as the final product may be larger than expected.

Do remember to try their signature Mee Rojak too as it's that good. I personally do not eat Mee Rojak because I find it funny to consume a sweet type of noodle drowned with sauce. This is my first time giving a thumbs up to Mee Rojak and it's the only one available at The Resort Cafe. The sauce is not entirely sweet but has a balance of savoury taste to it. It has a strong peanut taste and compliments the noodles well :)

Besides all these mouth-watering dishes, there's many other dishes served at The Resort Cafe. There's an extensive range of dishes from around Malaysia that are sure to tantalize your tastebuds. Well, there's over 300 dishes served at The Resort Cafe which I couldn't feature it here. Therefore, you need to be there at The Resort Cafe yourself to witness this extravagant display of dishes. Here's some dishes which are part of the Ramadhan buffet for your enjoyment.

Completing the Ramadhan buffet experience is an assortment of desserts at The Dessert Bar. You'll be mesmerize by the large variety of dessert including traditional Malay Kuih-Muih such as Tapai Ubi, Kuih Wajid, Kuih Lompang, Apam Kelapa, Dodol, Kuih Seri Muka, Pulut Inti Kelapa and Kuih Siput along with soup-based desserts like Bubur Cha Cha, Pengat Pisang, Pengat Labu and Bubur Kacang Merah. The Dessert Bar also features delectable desserts of cakes, ice-cream, festive cookies and a huge chocolate fountain with various condiments. Be inspired by the extravagant and classy dessert display that you wish it's your weekly high-tea session to have.

I personally recommend you to try the Cheesecake and Chocolate cakes available at this Dessert Bar. The cheesecake is made of high-grade cheese which you can taste the difference from one bite. It's so rich, flavourful and creamy. The chocolate cakes are good too as it's not too sweet but still retains the very rich chocolate flavour. Indeed the dessert display catch my attention the moment I walked into the dining hall. Bravo to The Resort Cafe team for presenting us artistic dessert display - the dream high-tea dessert moment which each ladies fantasize.

That is not the end of this Ramadhan Buffet indulgence. You need to end it with the healthy and delicious fruits selection available at the Fruit Tower. Just like the Salad Tower, the fruits are elegantly displayed at this signature octagonal-shaped Monumental Tower. The Fruit Tower features a comprehensive range of local and international fruits served in slices, cubes and as a whole too. I've carefully scan through the fruits selection and you can expect to see some exotic fruits from this over 20 types of fruits served. And yes, some fruits such as mango, soursop, apple, orange, pear and so on are served in the form of a whole fruit too. You can get help from the staff to cut them for you though. Do enjoy the display of carved fruits at this Fruits Tower too so that the chef's hard work is appreciated.

The Resort Cafe's A Bustling Asian Food Hall Ramadhan Buffet is available from 18 June 2015 to 16 July 2015 at 6pm to 10.30pm nightly.

The price for this Ramadhan Buffet at The Resort Cafe is as follows:
Adult: RM168 nett
Child from 6-12 years old:  RM78 nett

For reservations and more info on this Ramadhan buffet, call 03-7495 2009 / 03-7492 8000 drop an e-mail to dinesrhs@sunwayhotels.com to secure your preferred seats or tables. Also, do follow Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa Facebook page to know more updated promotions and info.


There's also an exciting promotion in conjunction with this Ramadhan Buffet. Enjoy 2 complimentary UBER rides, worth RM30 each, to or from Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa. Just download the Uber app and apply the promo code SUNWAYRESORT to enjoy the free rides. Terms and Conditions apply. Click here to know more.