A ninety-minute drive south of Kuala Lumpur international airport is Melaka (Malacca).
We first visited Melaka for a day trip from Kuala Lumpur – it was a long day, but we liked the look of the place and a few years later, we returned and stayed in a small Chinese hotel. Along the Melaka River bank we saw a hotel called Casa del Rio, being built.
A year later we had the opportunity of returning to Malacca, and the Casa del Rio was open and had ‘opening offers’, so of course we stayed and loved the hotel, the staff and the service.
The finished product.
You’ve guessed it – we have stayed at this hotel more than once. They never seem to get my name the correct way around for a Westerner, but who cares, it is the thought that counts. The cut on my chin was due to me shaving on the aircraft when we hit an air pocket – I bled most of the day – had to replace the lost liquid via the bar.
The picture above is of the view behind where I was sitting in the foyer. We had cold drinks and cold hand towels while the staff filled in the forms – all we did was sign our names. The pool is not for swimming, but ornamental and is lit up at night. See below.
Our room was on the third floor of the building facing.
We sat in the corner on the far left, under the awning, for our arrival drinks etc.
Our room from a couple of angles.
Photograph taken from inside the bathroom, through the bedroom to the balcony doors.
View from our balcony – which contained table and chairs and could be lit at night, if we wished to sit out.
The horizon pool on the roof of the hotel, with bar of course.
Our hotel is the one with the blue roof, which is the swimming pool. I took this picture from a viewing tower. The building to the left of the hotel contains private apartments, which the hotel manages.
Corner of Casa del Rio, near the road bridge that crosses the river.
The picture below is the other end of the hotel along the river bank. We preferred this end of the hotel, which was more private.
Our preferred bar, where we could sit on the veranda and enjoy the evening breeze.
Even the rain was warm.
Breakfast area that stretched on to the balcony overlooking the river. Inside was air-conditioned – sometimes we liked outside and other times inside.
Each year the hotel industry has a boat race – waiters, maids etc are all involved and during breakfast one day I saw one of the hotel boats out on the river practicing. For what I saw I don’t think Oxford or Cambridge would have anything to worry about.
An evening meal with our friends at the River Grill, just what the doctor ordered after a day of sight seeing.
What more could we want on a warm tropical evening, good food & wine accompanied by the tinkling sound of a piano player in the background. The pianist offered to play requests, so of course I asked for As time goes by ; don’t we all when the ambiance and the time and place fits? :- o)
silverfox175 