Showing posts with label Travel Wish List. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel Wish List. Show all posts

Hotel Review : Camp Hulu Cai

Friday, January 29, 2016

Warning: Lots of high-res photos !


Pada awal bulan January 2016 ini, tepatnya tanggal 2-3 January kemarin keluarga besar saya mengadakan liburan kompak ke Camp Hulu Cai. Sebenarnya ini niatnya liburan akhir tahun tapi berhubung tanggal segitu udah keburu full booked dan kami udah ngebet banget pengen ke Camp Hulu Cai ini jadinya kami tetap berangkat tgl 2-3 January bukan pas tahun baru. 

Proses menginap di Camp Hulu Cai ini makan waktu cukup panjang, ditambah ada drama double-booking yang bikin pusing, namun pada akhirnya kami pun berhasil menginap di tempat ini. Seperti diceritakan sebelumnya disini, saat kami sedang survey ke Puncak pada bulan November lalu, kami sempat mampir ke Camp Hulu Cai ini dan langsung naksir banget sama tempat-nya, namun saat itu Camp ini sudah penuh dan full booked - padahal saat itu masih bulan November. Kami pun harus memesan dua bulan sebelumnya saking larisnya tempat ini. Camp Hulu Cai ini memang sepertinya langganan outing/outbound untuk perkantoran karena fasilitas nya yang memang mendukung untuk outing grup.

Lokasinya cukup nyaman karena nggak sampai Puncak, jadi nggak perlu macet-macetan di jalan raya Puncak (sekarang Puncak macet bener eymss..). Letaknya sebenarnya masih di area Tapos situ, daerah Ciawi-Bogor. Karena saya manusai biasa dan bukan google map jadi kalau penasaran mending langsung buka website nya aja ya biar ada gambaran lokasi nya hehe.

Area-nya luas buangett ngett... hampir seperti sebuah desa kecil saking luasnya (Beneran, nggak bohong!). Saking luasnya mereka menyediakan mobil wara-wiri alias mobil penumpang yang bisa dipakai gratis untuk explore seluruh kawasan Camp Hulu Cai ini.

Selain itu di area yang luas ini juga terdapat fasilitas umum yang gratis dipakai tamu menginap seperti misalnya kolam renang, area outbound anak-anak yang luas dengan permainan yang menarik, adventure outbound dengan flying fox, Rappeling, bahkan sampai mini rafting di dalam area Camp Hulu Cai. Iya, semuanya bisa dilakukan di dalam area Camp Hulu Cai, nggak perlu sampai keluar area Camp.

Area outbound anak-anak dengan permainan yang seru
Ruang karaoke pribadi hehehe
Area Cafe di dekat Lobby, di tengah rimbunnya "hutan"
Area Lobby depan
Mobil wara-wiri yang disediakan pihak Camp
Motor, sepeda, dan kayak (?) yang bisa disewa
Lapangan bola


Enaknya kalau menginap disini itu sistemnya paket. Jadi kita menyewa satu villa atau satu cabin isi sekian orang. Jadi hitungannya bukan per kepala, kecuali ada tambahan orang diluar paket menginap. 

Harga paket sudah termasuk biaya sewa villa/cabin/kamar, free meals 3 hari sekali (plus tambahan snack kalau nggak salah), free outbound, free fasilitas umum (kolam renang, lapangan basket, taman bunga, dll), dan juga dapat free karaoke. Termasuk juga free penggunaan Amphitheater terbuka kalau kita mau pakai (biasanya kantor suka ada acara di panggung, nah panggung amphitheater ini bisa kita pakai).

Trus free apalagi ya? Pokoknya semua all-in deh. Jadi kita nggak usah pusing lagi ngurusin makan dan lainnya. Tinggal terima jadi aja. Semua kebutuhan kita bisa didiskusikan terlebih dahulu sama pihak Camp Hulu Cai. Setiap grup yang menginap akan di-assign seorang staff yang akan meng-akomodir kebutuhan kita selama di camp. Nah, sama staff ini kita bisa nego macem-macem deh, misalnya minta bonus free apa kek gitu hehe

Yang bikin saya jatuh cinta itu lingkungan areal Camp Hulu Cai yang masih asri banget, bahkan beberapa bagian nampak masih seperti hutan karena rimbun banget dan dijaga keaslian dan keasriannya. Saya memang lebih suka hutan/gunung daripada pantai, jadi saya jatuh cinta banget sama tempat ini.

 


Awalnya kita mau sewa villa yang paling besar (Villa Jati) yang terdiri dari 2 tingkat dengan dua buah kamar tipe cabin dengan multiple bunkbed di bagian atas + beberapa kamar biasa di bagian bawah. Oya, jangan bayangin ini seperti villa di Puncak gitu ya karena villa disini nggak ada ruang tengah / ruang tamu / dapur nya seperti layaknya rumah biasa. Tiap bangunan hanya ada kamar-kamar dan area terbuka dengan beberapa meja makan yang diperuntukkan sebagai area makan bersama. 

Kebetulan kami sekeluarga besar ada sekitar 20-30 orang yang ikut. Karena kami gagal menyewa villa terbesar di Camp Hulu Cai yang namanya Villa Jati (dikarenakan kesalahan double-booked oleh pihak Camp Hulu Cai sendiri) maka kami diberikan pengganti menginap di cluster yang terdiri dari beberapa kamar dan dua buah cabin isi 10 bunk bed tingkat (dengan beberapa bonus ganti rugi tentunya). Di depan cluster kami juga ada area makan dengan tenda besar yang kuat menangkis hujan deras yang turun kala itu.

Jarak antara satu villa / cabin dengan lainnya rata-rata berjauhan, jadi kalau kita datangnya satu grup tidak akan mengganggu grup lain dan begitu juga sebaliknya. Bentuk penginapan disini agak unik. Karena kebanyakan untuk meng-akomodir grup jadi di Camp Hulu Cai ini lebih banyak bangunan penginapan berbentuk cabin. Isinya ada yang model kamar, ada juga yang model bunkbed - satu cabin berisi 10 bunkbed (tempat tidur tingkat). Jadi seperti di asrama tapi asrama keren hehehe. Cocok banget untuk group atau untuk keluarga besar seperti saya.

Villa
Cluster
Cabin model bunkbed, seru!
Kamar biasa (foto diambil dari website Camp Hulu Cai)
Area makan di depan cluster/villa

Overall, kami sangat menikmati menginap disini, karena suasananya agak berbeda dengan villa/ penginapan yang biasa kami inapi sebelumnya. Pagi harinya kami sekeluarga jalan pagi menyusuri taman bunga dan areal Camp Hulu Cai. Malamnya kami bikin api unggun di depan cabin sambil bakar jagung dan singkong (tempat api unggun pun disediakan oleh Camp). Tadinya kami juga sudah ada plan untuk permainan team building yang akan dipandu oleh pihak Camp namun sayangnya selama kami disana hujan turun terus, jadi waktu untuk team building keluarga terpaksa ditiadakan. Gantinya, kami karaoke sepuasnya di ruangan depan cabin yang disulap jadi ruang karaoke pribadi oleh pihak Camp hehehe.


I really recommend this place terutama untuk outbound / outing kantor maupun grup keluarga yang ingin lebih mendekatkan lagi hubungan kekeluargaannya. Pihak Camp Hulu Cai dapat menampung semua ide dan keinginan yang kita mau, semisal: para bapak-bapak di keluarga saya biasanya suka pergi memancing. Pihak Hulu Cai membantu dengan menyediakan kolam pancing berikut ikannya untuk dipancing para bapak-bapak hehehe Thank you for the great service Team Hulu Cai !



Untuk info yang tidak ada disini atau info yang lebih mendetil, please visit their website instead:

www.camphulucai.com
Jalan Veteran III, Desa Tapos, Ciawi, Bogor, Jawa Barat 16164, Indonesia




Dapet salam dari keluarga besar saya:

Dan dari kangmas tuxedo :


Selamat Berlibur!

Travel Wish List: Matakauri Lodge

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Probably just like 70% of people who watched Lord of The Rings series, I wanted to go to New Zealand after seeing the beautiful lands and scenery on Lord of The Rings movies. The trilogy open the world's eyes that New Zealand is the new travel destination with  it's hidden beauty of vast beautiful landscapes and picturesque natural preserves. 

So it's no wonder if New Zealand is on my dreamy travel wish list now, and Queenstown is one of my New Zealand destination. 

Queenstown is nestled among majestic mountains with stunning, pristine natural playground surroundings. Queenstown and the surrounding area are also the place where all three of LOTR movies took place.

One of the ultimate place that I put on top of my dreamy wish list is to stay at this beautiful resort:


Matakauri Lodge


 
Matakauri Lodge is a luxury boutique hotel located right by the banks of Lake Wakatipu. The location is also close to the heart of Queenstown where you could find bars, restaurants, and shops. This amazing lodge has also made it's name to Tatler magazine's Top 101 hotels of the world.

This beautiful lodge with it's outstanding location and dramatic views has 4 luxury suites and 6 luxury villas, each with a private terrace of their own where we can see the breathtaking view of the crystal clear lake and the stunning high mountains beyond.


Matakauri Lodge facilities include: outdoor heated swimming pool with jacuzzi, lounges featuring roaring open fires, open-space Patio, a Library, a well-equipped gym, and a luxury spa featuring signature treatments in rooms with remarkable views. A total body and mind relaxation. 

The activities that you can do while staying in Matakauri are: horseback riding, jet safari, canyon adventure, and various tours such as wine tour, lord of the rings tour, etc.. You can also do a short walks and hikes to nearby gardens and cove.

What I love most from seeing all these photos is the amazing super stunning view that surrounds this wonderful lodge. It seems like every room has a big window where you could have an unobtrusive view of the breathtaking nature outside. No matter where you are in this lodge you'll have a magnificent view of the outdoors.


the gym and spa area:

the dining rooms:

the bedrooms/bathrooms:

I could just imagine myself bathing in that tub in front of the wide window overlooking the serene blue-water lake, wouldn't that be amazing?
I hope someday I'll  get there ;p


Matakauri Lodge
Queenstown, New Zealand
Prices start from $497 - $1546

  
To see all of my "Travel / Hotel Wish List" posts, you can click here and just keep scrolling down once you're there to see the rest of the posts.

See you on my next dreamy Travel Wish List!






*All photos and sources are from Matakauri Lodge website, you can click here for more info.

Travel Wish List: Tuscany in Italy

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

I remember ever since I watched the movie Stealing Beauty in 1996, an old movie played by Liv Tyler, I completely fell in love with Tuscany which was the background of the movie. I remember seeing all those beautiful green surroundings with old buildings and storybook landscape with quaint villages and little towns surrounded with colorful flowers that blooms everywhere, decorating the already picturesque green hills. The movie itself was not something to remember, but the view of the background are what still lingers in my mind up until this day ;)

Pics sources are from here, here and here.

Tuscany is probably one of the most beautiful place in earth. It's located in Italy, and it's capital is Florence. Tuscany is also pronounced as Toscana, and it has been the destination place for world travelers since the old time.

If I ever gonna be in Tuscany, below are three most beautiful places in Tuscany that I want to spend my Tuscany life in:


Villa Armena, Relais & Beauty Farm - Siena, Tuscany
Just look at this scenic driveway that we usually can only see in movies and tv !!
This is the road towards the villa, isn't it already amazing?!

 
Villa Armena is a late Renaissance structure with rich history background dating back to 16th century. The restored villa has been transformed into an exclusive luxury boutique hotel and beauty farm, equipped with the latest standards of luxury and indulgence. The rooms and suites are decorated with traditional Tuscan features and all of them are spoiled with fabulous views of the gardens and the Crete Senesi.

Guests can relax in the serene surrounding or play around in the indoor or outdoor pools, or strolling along the fragrant gardens brimming with roses, cypress, maritime pine and olive trees. Guests can also visit the beauty farm to enjoy some superb ancient Roman and Mediterranean spa rituals. Sounds heavenly, is it not?

Some of the rooms:


And My Dream Room a.k.a the room that I would choose in my "imaginary Tuscany travel" ;p
This room actually has three different rooms: a bed area, a seating / working area in a separate nook, and a lovely bathroom with deep tub tucked beside a low window to enjoy the view while relaxing in your bath.

Prices start from 295 Euro (around USD 411)

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Grand Hotel Villa Cora - Florence, Tuscany
 I love hotel that doesn't look like a hotel. From above picture you could feel like you're staying in someone's grand house rather than in a hotel (and I always want to know how it feels like to live inside a grand home in the old times).


My second option is the Grand Hotel Villa Cora, located in the capital region of Tuscany. This hotel villa also has historic background to it, it was built in the 1870s by Baron Oppenheim for his wife (such a lucky lady!). This hotel has an all-around opulent theme with it's grandeur decoration and artful architecture which includes ornate parquet, spectacular frescoes and intricately detailed statuary. Very baroque & rococo-esque!

This hotel villa also has a massive heated outdoor pool. It also has a subterranean spa with sauna, steam room, gym and jacuzzi, plus a cigar room for the gentlemen. The appealing gardens, the alluring roof terrace, the restaurant with breathtaking decors, and the beautifully laid-out pool with loungers and parasols are one of the many ways to enjoy your wonderful days in this gorgeous hotel villa.

The restaurant
Oh and another great thing about this villa is they have some tunnels network that links the villa to the spa and poolside restaurant so that in winter time guests won't have to walk under the chilly wind. Super smart thinking!

The rooms and suites are decorated in different themes such as the 40s themed suite, the Imperial suite (which once housed Emperor Akihito!!), the Family suite, etc..

And my dream room? I would sleep in any of those rooms above ;)


Prices start from 263 Euro (around USD 366)

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My #1 choice:
Borgo Santo Pietro - Tuscany
 This breathtaking view is what makes me choose this villa as my number one place to stay in Tuscany (wouldn't you do the same? I know! ;p)


The Borgo Santo Pietro, one of the most sought-after boutique hotel in Tuscany. With pretty cypress trees that neatly lined the path that leads to this luxury country house villa, the view is outstanding. The intimate surrounding environment and the heated outdoor infinity pool which overlooks the valley are the two lovely features I love from this country house. I love the pool the most! You can see from the first pic above that the pool has a slightly sloped corner with sand colored base and clear water that reminds us of a beach!

This country house also has a tennis court and a Bocce pitch. There are also spa treatments with private holistic hub or private spa spot in the garden surrounded by herbs and roses! Guests can also enjoy horseriding, archery, hiking (boots provided), cycling (bikes provided), table tennis and cooking courses. 

With dazzling stone-walls and 13 acres of enchanting gardens, graceful courtyard adorned with carefully planted plants, the villa also has their own organic garden. There's also a rose garden just outside the piano room where you could take a stroll and spoil your senses. In other words, this is where I truly want to be in my Tuscany dream..



But what sold me is the rooms!
Oh the enticing rooms with captivating old-world charms style and decor, with pleasant views from the massive windows peeking through the thick elegant long curtains, all in deep rich neutral colors that seems to incorporate nicely with the rustic surroundings of this restored 13th century Tuscan villa.

 Some of the rooms:

My dream room is any room that has this free-standing bath tub mounted to a mural painted wall and massive window below:
I'm sure I'd feel like an Italian princess in this room.
Oh bellissima! La Vita e Bella ... Life is beautiful..


Prices star from 355 Euro (around USD 495)

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So which one is your most favorite? If you have the time and the money, which of the above would you choose? Or maybe you have another beautiful place in Tuscany? Tell me if you have one ^__^


To see all of my "Travel / Hotel Wish List" posts, you can click here and just keep scrolling down once you're there to see the rest of the posts.

See you on my next Travel Wish List!


*Sources: All photos and sources are from Luxury Travel Magazine and Mr&Mrs Smith
 
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