In September 2019, I checked into the Junior Suite at Crockfords Hotel, the newest property at integrated hill resort development Resorts World Genting within Genting Highlands in Malaysia. Surrounded by mist and clouds 6,000 feet above sea level, the 140-room mountaintop hotel is about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur, and steps away from gaming destination SkyCasino, the mega lifestyle mall SkyAvenue and the new SkyTropolis Indoor Theme Park.
Crockfords Hotel is the first and only hotel in Malaysia to be rated five stars by Forbes Travel Guide 2019, an accomplishment shared by notable hotels such as the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore and Capella Singapore.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Discreet, British-inspired luxury in Resorts World Genting.
The must-dos (if any): Have a steam bath, enjoy turndown amenities and in-room breakfast, get a table at Burger & Lobster.
CROCKFORDS HOTEL GENTING
With its entrance discreetly tucked away from the bustling activity at Resorts World Genting’s main entertainment area (the hotel actually facilitates a buggy service to ferry guests to the main area literally steps away), the Crockfords Hotel conveys quite the level of calm and exclusivity. Taking its name from the gaming club of the same name in Mayfair, London, the property channels a certain British poshness from the moment you step through its doors, with the elegantly appointed lobby playing it all classy black with flashes of bold colours and glossy brass. British installation artist Rebecca Louise Law’s The Four Seasons – a floral installation consisting of four giant frames displaying 150,000 hand-cut, preserved flowers, with each frame representing a different season – adorns the corridor leading to the guest elevator lobby.
Crockfords Platinum card members (butlers are able to assist non-casino in-house guests with registration) can access the exclusive Crockfords Platinum Club on the 3rd level which comprises a private gaming area as well as dining restaurant Tai Xuan and lounge Lumina Bar. The Crockfords Platinum Club is accessible either via the 3rd level or from a private lobby on the ground level separate from the hotel lobby.
The hotel does not presently have a fitness centre or pool. Separate arrangements can be made for guests to visit the nearby First World Hotel (a property with an iconic facade which, like the rather maligned Grand Hyatt Taipei, graces various “Most Haunted Hotels” listicles) and Maxims Hotel respectively to enjoy these facilities.
For those who seek entertainment options beyond gaming, Resorts World Genting’s various entertainment attractions are just steps away, with the mega lifestyle mall SkyAvenue offering a vast array of shopping and dining options as well as their signature SkySymphony visual experience at the atrium. The outdoor areas of SkyAvenue are essential experiences for those from tropical climates given the surprisingly cool outside temperature (perfect for you to put your winter jackets to good use) and occasional thick mist which, during my visit, resembled something from a Stephen King novel.
JUNIOR SUITE
Boasting stunning mountainous landscapes and (if you lucked out of haze and mist) a glorious sunrise view, the 62sqm Junior Suite plays it decidedly feminine in its inclinations, with generous applications of lipstick red and pale pink amidst the elegant black and Greek marble proceedings. Guests can control the lighting, the blinds and sheers as well as the room temperature using the bedside and dressing table iPads. The bed is suitably luxurious with its 300 thread count Egyptian cotton linens, while the minibar is stocked with Nespresso coffee and TWG tea as well as a wide range of elegant glassware and selection of spirits for your libation purposes.
The marble bathroom is equipped with a bathtub (and an adorable penguin-dressed Crockfords rubber ducky), double vanities as well as rainfall shower and steam bath facilities for your blood circulation, pore unclogging and pensive in-sauna moments. Bathroom amenities are from London-based lifestyle brand The White Company and come in a Crockfords toiletries pouch.
Guests receive welcome amenities such as fruits and bottles of locally-produced Tapping Tapir soda, while turndown amenities included a night-time care package with lip balm and pillow mist, a tiered tray of sweet and savoury treats as well as a mini bottle of Moet and Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne.
Aside from the Junior Suite, the hotel offers three sprawling 269sqm Executive Suites as well as three types of 100sqm themed suites – the Mahjong Suite with an automatic built-in mahjong table and Ogawa luxury massage chair; the Tatami Suite with an integrated tea ceremony space and Ogawa luxury massage chair; and the Gym Suite with a state-of-the-art Italian gym system. However, the property’s suites are usually reserved for VIPs, Resorts World Genting members and casino guests, with only their 49sqm Superior Rooms available for bookings on their website, so special reservations need to be made for stays in any of their suites.
DINING
Breakfast is served in the comfort of your own room, although Crockfords Platinum Club guests can also choose to have their morning meal at Tai Xuan. The breakfast experience consists of your choice of three mains – I went for the signature Nasi Lemak with Lobster Rendang (rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf with lobster in spicy sauce) – along with fruits, pastries and yogurt and your choice of juice and hot beverage. The hotel offers an all-day dining menu, and guests can order local favourites like Nyonya Fried Rice, Ipoh Hor Fun or Penang Char Kuey Teow for enjoyment in their own room or at the Executive Lounge.
Guests who stay at least two nights at the property are entitled to complimentary drinks at the Bar. Those who seek a bit of sweetness and presentation tricks along with their cocktails can go for one of the selections from their seasonality-inspired Evening Cocktail menu such as Autumn Leaf (fresh pear juice, sea coconut and gin) or Winter Flakes (lychee smoothie with Kwai Feh liqueur topped with kiwi bits and Blue Curaçao), while the non-fussed can opt for a wine or a flute of Moet.
The property has no dedicated restaurant, but guests should definitely take advantage of the hotel’s direct line to all of Resorts World Genting’s restaurants and get a special reservation at the resort’s hottest tables such as Beauty in the Pot or Burger & Lobster (which is usually strictly a walk-in restaurant).
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
While the dearth of facilities and in-house dining options make it hard for the hotel to be recommended as a destination in its own right, the calm and exclusivity of the hotel as well as the accommodation’s pampering appointments (the steam bath is quite something – bring along essential oils for that extra spa-style indulgence) make it an obvious choice for those seeking luxury while holidaying at Genting Highlands.
Crockfords Hotel
Resorts World Genting
Genting Highlands
69000 Genting Highlands
Malaysia
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