My Last Week @ The Temple Tree - Bonton

The next stop on my Island adventure is to The Temple Tree at Bon Ton Resort in Pantai Cenang.



Now, I’ve really been looking forward to this stay as everyone has given me rave reviews about it! From my parents who love the atmosphere and feel of the place to other hoteliers I have spoken to, elaborating on the very ‘different’ concept this establishment has.

This ought to be fun!

The Bon Ton Resort Langkawi is owned by Australian owner Narelle McMurtie who has enthusiastically developed her resort to make it one of the most unique resorts on the island without losing any of the traditional Malaysian atmosphere. She has purchased antique villas from other parts of Malaysia, dismantled them, and then reassembles them on her spacious land which overlooks a beautiful lotus pond and the Machinchang Mountains.


The antique villas are maintained in its rustic form but does not lack any luxuries on the inside; with beautiful furniture and top of the line equipment such as DVD players, air conditioning, silk slippers and of course a mini fridge.

The Temple Tree, an extension of the Bon Ton Resort, has a slightly different concept but does not lack in luxury at all!

This hotel is made up of 8 villas sprawled across a large area of land surrounded by a beautiful lotus lagoon, with Mount Machinchang in the backdrop. With Chinese, Malay, Indian and even Eurasian influences, each restored building villa is completely unique and rich with history as most of them are hundreds of years old, and have their own stories behind them.

This hotel has a fresh concept where the building villa can be rented on its own or as individual hotel rooms.

Once I had arrived at the Temple Tree, I was led to the Straits Club House to check into my room and meet with one of the hotel staff.

The Straights Club House

Originally called “Bahagia”, this building was originally placed on York Road in Penang. Built in the mid 1920s by a Eurasian family, the house accommodated them for 40 odd years until it was sold to a Malay family in the 1960s.

This building resembles an old colonial building with verandahs and beautiful carvings on the high end of the walls to let the air flow through. It now houses the resort reception, and also includes a restaurant, bar, library and game centre with a pool table and board games. The wide verandahs are perfect for reading a book or having a late lunch. The servants quarters at the back have been converted into the restaurant kitchen.

After filling up my details while enjoying my delicious welcome drink, I was shown to my room which is located at the far end of the lush, relaxing compound.

Pinapple Mint Iced Tea -- Delicious!

Estates Quarters

Originally built in Paser Puteh, Ipoh in the 1940s, this building was a long house for Indian workers on a rubber estate. With the aunthentic aesthetics of common workers quarters around Malaysia, it has converted superbly into 5 hotel rooms. All rooms include terracotta-tiled floors, a comfortably sized bedroom and a living space with separate bathrooms and a verandah at the front.

The interior design of each room are individually unique with different styles and feels. My room was absolutely sublime!

After getting settled in, I was very eager to explore the rest of the resort and to check out the other heritage building villas!


The Colonial House

This very large grand house which originated in Georgetown, Penang. Built by a middle eastern family in the 1920s, the very wealthy family showed their lavishness with the western influences which shows with the architectural touches such as the cornices, floor tiles and fishscale design canopy over the porch. It is now the ultimate gathering spot for five sets of friends or a large family.

With a huge living space with a bar included, a dining table for 10 and heaps of lounge space, combined with two bedrooms downstairs and three upstairs, making it a perfect space for a private venue. The two ground floor bedrooms have separate entrances and an outdoor private garden with wooden tubs and sunloungers. On the top floor, the Colonial 3 has a large space with a both the bedroom and living space as one area and a separate bath hall with two wooden baths. The Colonial 4, also on the top floor, is the showpiece of the villa, with separate living space, a family bath hall and 2 separate bedrooms.

Chinese House & Pool Area

The Chinese House is absolutely magnificent. Built by a Chinese family in Batu Pahat, Johore, the house was originally a farmhouse and was built approximately a hundred years ago. The aesthetics are said to have Taiwanese influence and the house includes one suite on each floor, both with large verandahs overlooking the scenic view of the Machinchang mountains. The house also includes a movie projector room, a private Mah Jong room and its own bar.


Black & White House

This beautiful Malay House was built in the 1940s in Mantin, Negri Sembilan in the south of Kuala Lumpur. It’s a complete house with a living and dining area, a huge bedroom with a wooden bathtub, separate bathrooms and an adjoining mini gym. The coloured glass windows and details in the finishing give a truly authentic feel to the building.

Walking across to the bonton area, I noticed a small garden at the far end of the compound. It was a herb garden!

Being a real food enthusiast, (as you can tell by my constant mention of food!) seeing an authentic vegetable and fruit garden really got me excited!

The vegetable and fruit garden was full of different fruits and plants including heaps of produce that are used in the delicious dishes created at the Nam restaurant, including limau kesturi (kaffiah lime) and the ubi ara (the common fig).

With a mix of modern, 5 star hospitality and traditional Malaysian heritage buildings, the Temple Tree is a wonderful place to holiday in when you want to step out of the mainstream "beach holidays" and step into your own personal sanctuary. It really is lovely here. Sighhh.

Phew. Exhausted from my tour around the Bon Ton and Temple Tree, I decided to cool off by the pool and then rest up as I have a long day with Puteri at the Pulau Payar Marine Park tomorrow.