Hotel Review: Novotel Taiping Perak

Travelling from KL to Penang? Fancy breaking up your journey?

Taiping, the town of many firsts, has plenty of interesting tastes and sights to offer such as Malaysia's oldest coffee mill, Malaysia's oldest zoo and Malaysia's oldest museum. It is also the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh.

Novotel Taiping is the perfect launch pad for exploring this quaint town and Taiping's major attractions, thanks to its strategic location in the heart of Taiping town. As the only International hotel brand in Taiping, guests can be assured of a comfortable stay with the familiar brand standards of the Novotel chain.

The hotel boasts 197 well-appointed hotel rooms and suites, a restaurant, main ballroom and six meeting rooms. We stayed in the Grand Deluxe Room, located on Level 12 hence we had a pleasing view of Taiping town. Ideal for a families, the room was very spacious (38 m sq) and comes with a king-sized bed as well as a large sofa (which can double up as a bed for a young child).

The room is also equipped with a 41" LED TV with children's channel, work desk, coffee machine, minibar fridge, safe deposit box, complimentary high speed WiFi and separate bathroom with standing shower.

Relax by the hotel pool located on Level 7, which offers a beautiful mountainous view of Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut). There is a children's pool (0.45m) in addition to the main pool (1.2m). For fitness enthusiasts, there is also a gym located on this level.

Sunrise by the pool

The Kids club, also on Level 7, where you will find some toys and TV.

Breakfast is served daily at Food Exchange (Level 7) from 6.30am to 10.30am daily. A selection of local favourites (nasi lemak, noodles), egg station, salad and pastries are available. On Saturday evenings, guests can enjoy a Mediterranean BBQ at the restaurant at RM65 per adult and RM45 per child. Some of the highlights at the BBQ include fresh seafood (fish, slipper lobster, oysters), salads, seafood risotto, live pasta cooking station and desserts.

Saturday BBQ buffet

There is also a Gourmet Bar on Lobby level, serving cakes and light bites.

Novotel Taiping is located above Taiping Mall, and shares the same parking facilities with the mall. Hotel guests may park at Level 6 and enjoy complimentary parking during their stay. Guests can also directly access the mall via the hotel lobby.


For those travelling with their family, we highly recommend these attractions, all within 10 minutes drive from Novotel Taiping.

Taiping Lake Garden

The hotel can be seen from Lake Garden

Taiping Zoo & Night Safari - a must-visit if you have kids! We got to feed monkeys, hippos and giraffe - so fun!

Antong Coffee Mill - Malaysia's oldest coffee mill

Spritzer Eco Park - we came here to play mini golf and it was super fun.

Perak Museum, Malaysia's oldest museum 

Check-in time 2pm; check out time 12pm. Room rate starts from RM316 per night.


Location: Novotel Taiping Perak, No. 1, Jalan Tupai, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

Tel: 05-8208288

Website: https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-9233-novotel-taiping-perak/index.shtml


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Ansari Famous Cendol, Taiping

When in Taiping, there are two famous places to have cendol, both within walking distance of each other. We decided to try both places, one after another, since we wanted to compare and see which we liked better.

Our second stop for the day was Ansari Famous Cendol, which has been around since 1940 with the business now being run by the third generation.

On their menu, you will find cendol biasa, cendol kacang, cendol pulut as well as pasembor. Ansari was considerably busier than the other place, so by the time we ordered, they had run out of cendol pulut. So, we had the cendol biasa (RM1.60) - nevertheless, it was still delicious. I found the coconut milk here to be slightly thicker, richer and the cendol strands are slightly salted, so it was a nice balance with the gula melaka syrup. 

Ansari Famous Cendol Menu / Price List

Pros: Richer coconut milk (santan). More shaved ice (cooler).  Friendlier service.

Have you tried both of these cendol establishments in Taiping? If yes, which do you prefer?

Opening hours: 10am to 6.30pm daily. Closed from 12- 2.30pm on Fridays for prayers.

Location: Ansari Famous Cendol, 92, Jalan Barrack, 34000 Taiping, Negeri Perak, Malaysia. (Street parking - pay with coupon)

Tel: 012-562 9440


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Bismillah Cendol, Taiping, Perak

A cold bowl of cendol always does the trick when you need to cool down in the hot Malaysian weather. When in Taiping, there are two famous places to have cendol, both within walking distance of each other. One of them is Bismillah Cendol, which has been around since 1993.

Here, you can find cendol biasa, kacang, pulut, and pulut kacang as well as laksa and pasembor. We went for the Cendol pulut (RM2 per bowl), which came with pulut which has been slightly toasted / roasted. The portion here is slightly larger than the other place, and the pulut does lend a nice salty contrast to the sweet cendol as well as adding some texture.

Bismillah Cendol Menu

Pros: More seating area, less busy.


Opening hours: 8am to 6pm daily. Closed from 12- 2.30pm on Fridays for prayers.

Location: Bismillah Cendol,  233, Jalan Barrack, 34000 Taiping, Negeri Perak (street parking available - pay using coupon).

Tel: 010-803 7860


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Hotel Review: The Haven Resort - A Luxury Retreat in Ipoh, Malaysia

Do you sometimes feel like you need another holiday right after coming back from a holiday?

When you're a parent, holidays are all about your children - making sure that they have a fun and fulfilling time. Of course you derive great pleasure from seeing them happy and being able to make memories with them. But running around all the time can really drain you.. which is why we love The Haven Resort in Ipoh.

The Haven Resort is the kind of place you can go to get away from the the hustle and bustle of the city and unwind.  Here, we got to enjoy the best of both worlds - our children were more than happy to play with each other at the kid's pool and playground while us parents have a relaxing time by the pool side while still being able to keep an eye on them.

This is our second visit to the resort and we loved it just as much this time around. The beautiful natural surrounding, great service and spacious rooms are what makes every stay at The Haven Resort so amazing.

Located in Tambun, Ipoh, the hotel is about 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur and features 150 suites, from one-bedroom suites suitable for couples, up to three-bedroom suites which can comfortably accommodate up to six people. Upon arrival at the resort, we were served Haven's All Natural refreshing Welcome Drink, made using lemongrass, ginger, cinnamon, lime and chamomile flowers.

This visit, we stayed in the 3-Bedroom Lakeview Executive Deluxe Suite, which was even more spacious (1658 sq ft) than the unit we were in before. The suite was well-appointed and can comfortably accommodate five persons and a 6th person can be accommodated with the addition of an extra bed.

As the name suggests, the suite comes with three bedrooms - one with a king-sized bed, one with a queen-sized bed and a smaller room with a single bed. The kids were delighted that they could each have their own room and quickly made themselves comfortable in their cosy rooms.

There is also a living room, kitchenette (for use by long-stay guests), dining room, 2 bathrooms/toilet, utility room and a large balcony. Guests can also enjoy complimentary Wifi throughout the hotel.

Living room

Master bedroom

Bedroom with queen-sized bed

Call me 007

Living room - kitchen - dining room

A nice personal touch from The Haven team... made us feel right at home!

Our vast suite overlooks the Rockhaven, a majestic 280-million year old limestone outcrop as well as the stunning lake and lush evergreen virgin forest.The balcony runs almost the full length of the living room, perfect for enjoying the magnificent panaromic views and clear crisp mountain air. Two of the bedrooms also enjoy this stunning view.

We also got a very good view of the swimming pool

Enjoying some fresh fruits at the balcony

Breakfast is served daily at  Cuisines Restaurant, whereby you will be able to find a wide range of local delights such as wat tan hor noodles, congee, fried noodles, nasi lemak as well as cereal, fresh fruits, eggs to order, desserts and more. The award-winning restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, with a menu offering Asian, Western and Mediterranean cuisine with focus on healthy, wholesome food at affordable prices. You can read about our previous dinner experience here.

If you're lucky enough to bump into Mr. Ron at their breakfast area, he makes a mean bowl of congee!

For dinner, try their Cantonese style noodles "wat tan hor" with seafood - the prawns were fresh and HUGE!

The burger is also very good!

Fish and chips

For desserts, you must try their signature cheesecake! Rich and luscious :)

Chocolate brownie with ice cream

Our favorite spot in the resort was undoubtedly the pool area. The Haven Resort Hotel has specially designed and trademarked its own 60-metre seahorse-shaped swimming pool design. The 5-level infinity swimming pool, consists of a jacuzzi, leisure pool, lap pool, children’s pool and wading pool. It lies alongside the vast lake, enhancing its natural beauty. 

BabySumoKids ready for some FUN!

The children's pool with water slide!

Hubby's favorite - the whirlpool area which aids in improving blood circulation and relieving sore muscles. Sit back and relax.

My favorite - the glass wall feature on the swimming pool! After one year, I still think this is one of the most amazing pools I have visited.

Who could resist taking hundreds of photos here - just look at the view!

Make some time to go for a walk around the resort - it's well-landscaped and the plants are labelled so you can learn a thing or two during your walk. Best of all, no mosquitoes here at the resort!

The Raptor

Our children enjoyed playing in the outdoor playground. The resort also has an indoor playground, suitable for younger children. Lost World of Tambun is only 5 minutes drive away, so you can bring your children there for a full day of fun, should you wish. There's definitely lots for families to do around here, so there shouldn't be a dull moment for you and your loved ones.

Here at the resort, you will  also find a fully-equipped gym, badminton and squash courts and table tennis room for your leisure. The hotel has also recently launched The Haven Spa on the 1st floor of the Clubhouse, offering an extensive range of beauty and wellness therapies and treatments to those who wish to pamper themselves and rejuvenate.

Workout to this view

The Haven Resort is also the perfect base for guests seeking great local eats in the area. We missed out the more touristy restaurants in Ipoh town and explored Bercham area for food, which is about 10 minutes drive from the resort.

Prices start from RM1,611+ for the 3 Bedroom Lakeview Exec Deluxe suite.

Location: The Haven Resort Hotel, Ipoh - All Suites, Jalan Haven (Persiaran Lemban Perpaduan), 31150 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

Tel: 05-540 0000

Website: http://www.thehavenresorts.com/

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