Every man needs some time to escape the daily grind and Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides the perfect weekend getaway destination, offering a mix of culture, history and food. Driving up to Malacca in the sporty Range Rover Evoque, we experienced The Majestic Malacca in all its splendour. This is our journey through a nostalgic crossover of Dutch, Portuguese and Peranakan Chinese cultures, a healing Peranakan spa treatment at Spa Village Malacca, authentic Kristang cuisine and of course the sights, sounds and aromas of Malacca.
Located on the banks of the river which in yesteryear teemed with Chinese junks and spice-laden vessels from all over the world, The Majestic Malacca is steeped in a rich tapestry of multicultural influences reflected in its heritage architecture, diverse lifestyles and eclectic cuisine. The heart of the hotel is a restored 1920s Straits Settlement mansion complete with its original porcelain tile flooring, Straits Settlement windows and teakwood fittings.
It’s hard not to fall in love-at-first-sight. As soon as we pulled into the driveway of the mansion, we were greeted with smiling faces and checking in was a breeze. The attention to detail was hard to miss – from the furnishings, to the complimentary local snacks that were surreptitiously placed to look like part of the decor, to the very warm welcome complete with a traditional tea basket and Nyona delicacies at The Lounge.
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Our rooms were an elegant combination of luxury, tradition and modernity with bespoke furnishings calling to mind the glory days of old Malacca. Whether you choose to lie in the four poster bed, gaze out over the river in the silk-upholstered chaise lounge, or luxuriate in the clawfoot bathtub, the rooms at The Majestic Malacca will invite you into a world of relaxation, coaxing your imagination to wander back to the romantic past.
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Malacca is a heady mélange of Dutch, Portuguese, English, Chinese, Indian, Malay and Malacca-Portuguese (or as it’s colloquially known, Kristang) influences – a repository of much colonial heritage and custom intertwined with local practice – and this cultural diversity is most evident in its cuisine. While most people are familiar with Peranakan cuisine, the lesser-known but equally tasty Kristang cuisine features the usage of high quality fresh ingredients infused with spices and aromas to create one of Southeast Asia’s most original and exotic cuisines.
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Melba at The Mansion, helmed by celebrity chef Melba Nunis, offered a delectable spread of Kristang dishes straight from her treasured family recipes. Chef Melba herself was warm, bubbly and ever so willing to share about her Kristang heritage, the walls of the restaurant decorated with a collection of her own personal artefacts, weaving a tale of the Kristang people.
With its original Straits Settlement windows overlooking the Malacca River and Kampung Morten, Melba at The Mansion provided a casual yet interesting dining experience and a rare chance to sample the elusive Kristang cuisine.
What better way to end of an evening in tropical Malacca than with a light and refreshing Gin and Tonic? We made our way to the Gin Bar Cart and were pleasantly surprised to be presented with the all-new Tanqueray Malacca Gin, a Majestic Malacca exclusive.
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In 1997, Tanqueray released a revolutionary gin, ahead of the curve in its time; a softer and mixable citrus-forward gin called Malacca, based on a recipe by Charles Tanqueray from way back in 1839. Despite its quickly developed cult status, Malacca was discontinued in 2001 and remaining bottles commanded high prices in online auction houses. Back to current times, there’s a limited reissue of this gin, this time with grapefruit taking the lead and a distinctive floral bouquet. Light, clean, soft and smooth, the Tanqueray Malacca Gin presented a refreshing sip of history and was a fitting way to round off the day’s experience.
Signature Experience at Spa Village Malacca
As with other YTL properties, no trip to The Majestic Malacca is complete without at least one visit to the Spa Village. Promising an experience that honours the healing traditions of the region, each Spa Village delivers an individual and authentic encounter combining the therapeutic properties of natural local ingredients and the healing practices of the area.
Spa Village Malacca is the world’s only spa to base its therapies on the healing heritage of the Peranakan culture – a unique combination of Chinese and Malay influences. We started our experience relaxing with light refreshments on traditional Peranakan Chinese day beds bathed in muted sunlight and overlooking the swimming pool, followed by a unique pre-spa experience. The pre-spa experience drew its inspiration from the elaborate and colourful traditional 12-day Peranakan Wedding Ceremony and included a soothing hair care ritual that quickly relaxed our bodies and minds.
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Therapies were held in private treatment rooms that exuded refined luxury through fine porcelain wall tiles, ornate silverware and intricate traditional wood carving. Our individual therapies were molded around our own cool or warm energies based on Peranakan belief and inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, and we were provided the options of a warming Malacca Palm-Sugar and Honey Body Scrub or a cooling Yoghurt-Guava Leaves Body Scrub. Whichever the therapy applied, we left feeling cleansed, replenished and reinvigorated, both physically and mentally and were ready to embark on a journey of exploration.
Malacca, Malaysia’s most historical city, has seen the rise and fall of major empires that extended their influences to this region. The legacy of the Malay Sultanate, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, Dutch and British is evident in Malacca’s medieval charm, picturesque buildings, multi-racial population and narrow streets. A short stroll from the Jonker and Heeren heritage areas, The Majestic Malacca offers a signature experience that’s definitely not one to be missed, one that will transport anyone back to the golden age of this colonial town that served as a link for East and West all those centuries ago. We embarked on one of these daily complimentary guided walks that took us past prominent historical landmarks of this 600 year-old coastal port, weaving a beguiling journey through an enchanting heritage.
We were treated to tales of courage, handwork, dreams and aspirations as our imaginations were coaxed to wander back to the past with meandering narrow pathways and red brick Dutch colonial buildings. And when our stomach’s rumbled, there was no shortage of local delicacies within reach to satisfy even the greatest of cravings.
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We drove up to Malacca from Singapore, a comfortable 3 hour drive in a Range Rover Evoque. The drive was smooth and powerful, the interior plush with Oxford leather and a cabin spacious enough for 4 adults plus our weekend getaway belongings. With its striking lines, muscular shoulder and a distinctive tapered roof, the Range Rover Evoque presented a dynamic profile with a powerful and athletic stance that made the drive up a joy.
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The next time you are thinking of a short weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of Singapore and are looking for somewhere not too far away that provides a nostalgic, romantic, and gastronomical escape, be sure to check into The Majestic Malacca. You just simply have to experience it for yourself.
This article was brought to you in partnership with YTL Hotels and Land Rover Singapore.
Experience The Majestic Malacca Every man needs some time to escape the daily grind and Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides the perfect weekend getaway destination, offering a mix of culture, history and food.
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