Special experiences at Cameron Highlands Resort

During our stay at the Cameron Highlands Resort, we were fortunate to try two of the ‘Signature’ Dining experiences, both very different but at the same time extremely enjoyable and memorable. The first of the experiences we will look at is the Private Dining within the grounds of the resort. For this experience you are offered the opportunity to dine outside under the Gazebo (depending on the weather), dining on your own private balcony or dining fireside at the Highlands Bar. As it was a little too cool outside, the management erred on the side of caution and suggested a stunning fireside setting.

It was great fun for both my wife and I to put on our evening wear and walk down the wide staircase to the front lobby knowing that we were in for a special evening of excellent food and pampering. The immaculate reception staff walked us through the Jim Thompson tea room to our private table that was adorned with a black silk table cloth, lit candles, Glass stones arranged in words and flowers bounded either side with free standing candlesticks and a ice filled wine cooler and bottle of white wine. Before we were seated, the staff asked us to pose for photographs that we later found out were to be printed while we ate, framed and placed either side of the bed as mementoes upon our return to the room. After the photographs, one of the doormen proudly strolled up to us with a long pole so we could complete the ceremonial lighting of the fireplace. Once again, photographs were taken as we lit the end of the pole and placed it into the log pile to witnessing a  burst of flames and warmth from the now roaring fireplace.

For our dining experience we opted for a Chinese Menu, however Western, Traditional Malaysian and Indian menus were also available. Attention to detail was perfect and the constant assistance of Azlan, our private butler helped to make the experience one to remember. After nine courses, some wonderful romantic time together, it was time to draw the experience to a close. After thanking all of the staff for their great efforts we headed back to our suite thoroughly pampered, very spoilt and well fed.

The second of our Special Experiences was the Signature Picnic Experience, this was to take place within the renowned Boh Tea Plantation a further 1000 feet up in the Highlands. For this experience you really need to leave a minimum of four hours free as the experience consists of two main parts. After a hearty breakfast we were primed and ready to embark, the waiting Cameron Highlands Resort driver took us on the 30 minute journey up into the Boh Tea Plantation through stunning scenery along winding roads the likes I had only seen in wildlife documentaries. The hills and valleys were covered in tea plants with well worn pathways criss-crossing creating a stunning landscape that was not only unique to my eyes but mesmerising at the same time.

We eventually arrived at the Boh Tea Plantation visitor centre, a modern building set upon an elevated position looking across the green hills and valleys. After a short wait we were met by an Indian Gentleman by the name of Parti, one of three generations of his family to work there. His role was to take us through the history of the Boh tea plantation, the picking, preparation and refining of the tea which he did with much detail, gusto and aplomb. The guided tour through the factory gave us a real insight into the work and effort to creating something that is so easily consumed without a second thought. The machinery used today is the same as was used in bygone days, as they say – ‘If it works, why change it’.

The final part of the tour involved a tea tasting session in a private room, although the tongue in cheek ‘tasting test’ was fun, I must admit to cheating a little as my unrefined tea palette could hardly differ between what I was tasting and most of what I gave as answers were guesses! Once the tour finished we were met by our driver to be taken to the main attraction – a private picnic with personal butler, away from everybody but ourselves and our assistants to dine at the crest of a hill overlooking the tea plantation.

The resort had set out a wonderful wooden picnic table with chairs and parasol, looking over the valley back towards the visitors centre a mile in the distance. To the side on the floor was a large comfortable mat to lay upon with scatter cushions and a chilled bottle of white wine. Food was cooked on site well away from us, providing the chance to enjoy our own company, the quiet, slight breeze and beautiful views. The food was excellent given the location it was cooked and the service was the usual level of excellence that we had come to expect from the Cameron Highlands Resort. As I sat there with my wife glass of wine in hand, I really could imagine those days gone by when the colonial gentry used to sit about on the plantations nattering about the Empire.

Aside from the romantic meal and excellent service, the memory that will remain with us above everything else on this experience was the incredible views and natures beauty, for anyone that plans to come to the Cameron Highlands, if you decide to partake in just one experience then this is the one we would advise you to do.

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Photographs shown throughout the Cameron Highlands Resort feature were taken using the new Sony 24.3MP SLT-A77 the World’s fastest* camera with record-breaking 12fps continuous shooting speed. You can read more about the Sony / Luxurious Magazine partnership on the About us page.
*Among interchangeable-lens cameras with an APS-C sensor as of August 2011.