Another
highlight of our travel to Brunei, other than the Jame'Asr Hassanil
Bolkiah Mosque is the famous Empire Hotel & Country Club. I was
fascinated by this hotel from the pictures I’ve seen in the internet,
not to mention it’s rated as a six-star hotel so I want to see it for
myself.
The
Empire Hotel and Country Club is situated beside the world's oldest
rain forests in Borneo. It’s a long drive from central Bandar Seri
Begawan but I was not bored because I enjoyed looking at the structures
along the way. We had the hotel driver drove us to the hotel as part of
the negotiated package of B$20.00.
There’s
no gate or security guard going to the hotel so we didn’t have a hard
time entering. We were dropped off at the entrance, took a few pictures
and went straight to the hotel. From the outside I find it simple and
wonder why it’s rated a 6-star.
The
hotel was completed after six years of planning and construction, with
over 300 highly skilled designers, technicians and craftsmen. It was
finally opened on October 16, 2000 and since then it has become
synonymous with Brunei's majestic and cultural heritage. Currently the
hotel has more than 800 employees, some of them are Filipinos whom we’ve
meet during our visit.
The employees who opened the door for us were friendly and just for a
moment I felt like I belong there (LOL). As soon as we entered I knew
how it’s rated 6-star. If the main hall (Atrium) is as this grand, I
wonder how the rooms look like.
Based
on reviews, this hotel truly is one of the finest beach resorts in Asia
Pacific. So I’m more curious about their beach than the hotel itself.
I’ve been to Boracay, Calaguas, Laiya and Pagudpud in the Philippines,
so I expect that the hotel’s beach is more beautiful than these.
Only
to be disappointed as it’s not what I expect it to be. The sand is fine
but it’s not white. I just had high expectation but maybe it’s their
hotel and country club that is rated 6-star not the beach. Or maybe I
haven’t seen most part of the beach.
From
the beach we kept walking until we got to the swimming pool. The pool
is not that big but maybe it’s just one of their small pools. It’s
actually the perfect place to take pictures of the hotel. We wanted to
have pictures of the three of us so I politely asked one of the
employees to take pictures of us.
We
had no idea that he’s a manager there. He took pictures of us, but
after that he asked us if we are guests or just visiting. And when we
told him that we’re just visiting, he said that the pool is exclusive
for hotel guests only.
We
apologized and left the pool but that didn’t stop us from taking
pictures over and over again. In my mind, I know I have to take a lot of
pictures because this is an opportunity and I might not be able to
come back.
The property has its own
cinema featuring the latest movie releases. It has a state of the art theater
for live performances and presentations. One of my friends in music industry
was able to perform there years ago for the Sultan’s birthday and she said it’s
really beautiful.
Recreational
facilities include a lagoon beach and pools, a kids club called E Kids
Club, tennis courts, a fully equipped fitness centre, the Empire Spa, an
18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and a well-established
world class Country Club.
The hotel with its 180
hectare tropical garden estate features 420 spacious guestrooms, all with
balconies and superb views. I wished I can see even just one of their rooms to
see hot it looks, but I know it’s just a wishful thinking.
These are the accommodations at the
Empire Hotel and Country Club:
Ocean & Superior
Elegant furnishings. Beds fit for a
king or queen, with comfort truly unmatched. Spacious marble clad bathrooms
with walk-in showers and bathtubs to enjoy spectacular views. Superior Rooms
are found in the Lagoon and Waterfall Wings; meanwhile Ocean Rooms are located
at Sea view building
Deluxe Rooms
Italian tailored bed linens using the
finest cotton together with the most luxurious down feather pillows and duvets
provide a perfect night's sleep every night at the Empire. Complete with
exquisite furnishing and hand-tufted wool carpeting, every deluxe room is designed
to ensure absolute comfort
Emperor
Suite
Voted
"The World's Leading Presidential Suite" by the World Travel Awards
2003 & 2004, the suite's private elevator provides guests with access
to privacy and security unrivaled anywhere else. Equipped with a private
swimming pool, steam room and sauna, guests could almost be forgiven for not
leaving the suite for the duration of their stay.
Villas
Private getaways, family holidays,
sixteen villas set in beautiful gardens. Twelve 2-bedroom Garden Villas. Three
3-bedroom Ocean Villas, sharing a swimming pool and private beach.
The Royal Villa provides guests with a
pool of their own and concealed outdoor area for their exclusive use. Step into
the realm of celebrated living and experience a privileged world with your own
personal butler and private pool.
Overlooking the 8th fairway, the
3-bedroom Royal Villa brings exclusive travel accommodation to new heights with
elegant furnishings and impeccable service truly fit for royalty and an elite
level of privacy available only to the very few.
Ambassador & Empress Hotel
With
access to all E-Club facilities, these suites boast private Jacuzzi and bespoke
Asprey bath amenities. Adding to the sense of luxury living are the Italian
silk covered walls.
Dining in is not a problem in the
hotel as it has a lot to choose from.
Atrium Cafe
Is located at level 3 in the Main
Atrium building with spectacular views of the ocean, amidst grandiose marble
columns. Serving buffet breakfast and lunch only, with selections of
international and local fare.
Bunker Bistro
Overlooking the putting green and
South China Sea on one side, and Hole 1 of the luxurious floodlit 18-hole Jack
Nicklaus-designed championship golf course. Ideal venue for late breakfast,
lunch, dinner or simply for light snacks. Menu features a range of
international and regional a la carte dishes.
Lobby Lounge
The perfect place to unwind with a
selection of refreshments throughout the day and traditional English High Tea
in the afternoon. On weekends a tempting high tea buffet with mouth watering
pastries and cakes are featured. Take-away cakes and bread may also be ordered
through the Lobby Lounge.
Pantai
A stylish dining option featuring a
semi buffet combined with daily specials. Located at level 1, beachfront.
Pantai
An exclusive dining experience, offers
some of the best and most authentic Japanese food outside Japan. The excellence
of dishes cooked by our chefs will make this journey unforgettable. Located beyond
Pantai restaurant.
Pool Deck
Enjoy refreshing mock tails and
delicious snacks served by the poolside. Located by the sea.
Zest
Located at Empire Arcade, level 5,
this stylish cafe serves pastries, cakes, sandwiches and savory treats,
confectionery and chocolates, all crafted fresh daily from the finest quality
ingredients.
Being a Country Club,
Empire Hotel is well known for its 7,029 golf course that winds along the costs
with spectacular and breathtaking sea view. It’s the perfect place also to take
pictures of the hotel and the six-storey glass atrium.
And for those who want
to just relax and distress after a long day, you can try their spa. Feel like a
royal with their unique spa massages and scrubs designed to cater all
relaxation and rejuvenation needs. They also offer manicure and pedicures, body
scrubs, scalp treatment and invigorating facials.
For those who have
longer time, you can try their facilities and other sports activities such as
Tennis, Squash, Bowling, Badminton, Swimming Pool, etc…
If you want to feel like a Royal for a day, visit this hotel and
explore to your heart content.
Address:
Jerudong BG3122, Negara Brunei Darussalam
Telephone:
+673 241 8888
Fax:
+673 241 8999
