Day 1
The first Tailored Travel by Robb Report Malaysia was a getaway to the lush 22.7-acre valley of The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat & Spa, ringed by 260-million year old limestone hills. A black-tie dinner at the resort’s natural cave Jeff’s Cellar restaurant witnessed the exquisite range of fine jewellery and timepiece from luxury maison Chopard.
Invited guests enjoyed a truly unique exploration of their passions – travel, automotive, horology, fine dining and wine all in one place. Welcoming guests at the cocktail reception was bespoke ultra-luxury marque Rolls-Royce Motor Cars with an Infinity Black Cullinan SUV as well as a jaw-dropping Black Badge Dawn in Iced Black Diamond exterior. Pre-dinner canapes included another form of black diamonds – Amur caviar from Malaysia’s own T’Lur, matched with the unmissable Champagne Armand de Brignac Brut Gold. This segued into an exceptional dinner programme of fresh scallops, lobster bisque and A5 Matsusaka wagyu paired with a delicious 2014 vintage of Chateau Haut-Brisson La Reserve and a showstopping Champagne Armand de Brignac Rose double magnum.
Day 2
Day Two of the Tailored Travel by Robb Report Malaysia event began with an exploration of The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat & Spa, followed by a crafted lunch at the resort’s Pomelo restaurant featuring a pomelo salad and the famed Tanjung Tualang prawns of Perak. Guests also managed to peruse the delightful fine jewellery and timepieces by Chopard at the resort’s Crystal Cave.
The evening saw guests chauffeured in the beautiful fleet of BMWs of Tian Siang Auto, comprising the 5 M Sport and 6 GT Series models as well as the X4 and X5 SUVs. Their destination; the beautifully restored 22 Hale Street gallery located in the heart of Ipoh’s old town. The gallery comprises two shop houses which were restored by Tan Sri Lee Oi Hian and Puan Sri Sandra Lee across three and a half years, with the able conservation chops of the architect Laurence Loh.
Through this labour of love, guests of Tailored Travel by Robb Report Malaysia were transported in time to Malaysia’s belle epoque – the time of the Perakanan – through the gallery’s curated antiques and artefacts. They then settled in for a feast which draws from the same Peranakan heritage consisting of delicious highlights such as Butterfly Pea blue rice, Nyonya chicken rendang, tamarind assam prawns, nyonya laksa as well as curry puffs, kuih seri muka and bubur cha cha for dessert paired with the delicious wines of Bottega and Schild Estate.
READ MORE: For The First Tailored Travel, We Took Our Readers On An Incredible Getaway
