Our Blue Mansion stay was filled with wonderful touches, from the courteous hotel staff to the colorful Malaysian sweets deposited in our room each time the cleaning crew stopped by.
However, it wasn’t perfect.
The charm of the place was sometimes outweighed by the fact that we were, in essence, staying in a creaky old mansion — albeit one that was featured in the mahjong scene of “Crazy Rich Asians.”
Given the age of the place, the soundproofing was (understandably) not ideal. My husband was bothered by the sounds of heavy footsteps of museum guests and diners and staff at the hotel restaurant whenever he tried to nap.
Navigating groups of visitors snapping photos and blocking the exit was frustrating at times, too.
Although our stay was only about $120 a night, that rate is also relatively high for the area — most nearby hotels in Malaysia are about ¼ of the price.
I’m not sure I’d stay again, but I’m grateful I got to live out my Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler dreams while enjoying some really delicious food.
If I return, I’ll probably just stop by for tea or lunch.