Escape to KL's Chic Centrum Loft: Jom La@ De! (WiFi Included)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we’re diving deep into a review of a hotel. I'm going to try and be your brutally honest, slightly over-caffeinated travel buddy, dissecting everything and telling you exactly what I think, even if it makes me sound like a grumpy gnome.
Let's Talk Accessibility - Can Everyone Get In? (And Should They Even Want To?)
Right, gotta start with the nitty-gritty, the stuff that actually matters. Accessibility. Blessedly, and I mean blessedly, there are Facilities for disabled guests listed. But the devil, as they say, is in the details. Is it just a ramp at the entrance and a vaguely accessible bathroom? Or have they actually thought about stuff? We’ll have to dig deeper. I'm a little wary, to be honest. "Facilities for disabled guests" is like saying you have "food." What kind of food?
The fact that there's an Elevator is a MUST, so check! And the mention of Exterior corridor makes me wonder a few things. Is it a modern looking hotel or an old-style motel?
On-Site Grub and Guzzle – Because, Duh, We Need Food!
Okay, food is EVERYTHING. Seriously. My mood hinges on a decent meal. So, let's see… They got a Restaurants. Okay, that's promising. But what kind? Ah, a mix! A la carte in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant, Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, and gasp Western cuisine in restaurant. That's a good start. Variety is the spice of life! Although, the word "Western" always makes me bristle a bit. What is Western cuisine anymore? Is it just… everything that isn't some other kind of cuisine?
There's also a Poolside bar (YES!), a Bar (double YES!), and even a Coffee shop. I NEED coffee. I am not kidding. So, a Coffee/tea in restaurant, which is a good sign. And a Snack bar. Okay, starting to like this. The presence of a Happy hour is a good indicator of if this is a fun hotel or not.
Now, the breakfast situation… They offer Breakfast [buffet] (always a winner, if done right), Breakfast service (could be room service, could be a sad continental thing), Asian breakfast, and Western breakfast. They even offer, and I’m thrilled about this, Breakfast in room. And Breakfast takeaway service. This is great for those lazy mornings when you'd rather stay curled up in bed, or the hurried ones when you just need a pastry and a coffee to go.
The Sanitization Situation – Because, 2024, Am I Right?
Alright, let's get to THE elephant in the room, the thing on everyone's mind since, well, the you-know-what. Cleanliness and safety. This is where a hotel can really shine or… fail miserably. And based on the list, it looks impressive.
They boast Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer everywhere, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available (smart!), Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Shared stationery removed, and Staff trained in safety protocol. Wow. They are serious. I appreciate that.
They also have Doctor/nurse on call, and a First aid kit, which, thankfully, I haven’t needed in a hotel. I'm not sure what they have for Sterilizing equipment. They seem well prepared for anything.
The Relaxation Station – Ah, Bliss!
Okay, enough with the boring safety talk. Let's talk about the good stuff. The relaxation! They have a Pool with view, which is a huge selling point for me. Give me a beautiful view and I'm in. A Swimming pool [outdoor]. Excellent. Sauna. Steamroom. Spa. Spa/sauna. This is sounding more and more my speed.
They offer Massage, Body scrub, and Body wrap. I'm very tempted by all of this. Especially after a long flight. I could use a good scrub. And a wrap. And a massage. In fact, I think I could use all three right now.
They also have a Fitness center, or Gym/fitness. Always a plus, even though I often intend to use the gym and then… don't. Hey, at least it's there!
Internet – Because We Live Online, Duh!
They better have good internet! We can't live without it! Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! A big, big plus. Internet is offered. Internet [LAN]. Internet services. Wi-Fi in public areas. So, basically, the internet is covered. Good. Very good. Because, you know, work. Or, you know, Netflix.
What to Do, What to Do? – Beyond the Pool
It seems like, as far as Things to do, you're mostly relying on the hotel's amenities. I'm a bit disappointed, I do like exploring.
The Rooms – Your Personal Fortress of Solitude (Maybe?)
Alright, the rooms. Here’s where things get interesting. They have Available in all rooms, Additional toilet, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes (YES!), Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains (THANK GOODNESS), Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea (nice touch!), Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed (always a plus!), Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale (um… thanks?) Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens.
Okay, that's a LOT. The important stuff is there: AC, blackout curtains (essential for sleeping in), good WiFi, a fridge. Bathrobes? YES, again. I love a good bathrobe. And complimentary tea? Perfect. I can literally see myself now.
Services and Nonsense – Will They Fold My Underwear?
Okay, let's see what else they offer. Air conditioning in public area, yep. Audio-visual equipment for special events (fancy!). Business facilities (boring). Cash withdrawal (good). Concierge (helpful). Contactless check-in/out (convenient, important). Convenience store (always useful, especially for midnight snack runs). Currency exchange (standard). Daily housekeeping (essential). Doorman (fancy). Dry cleaning (necessary!). Elevator (mentioned already). Essential condiments (okay…). Facilities for disabled guests (mentioned already). Food delivery (interesting). Gift/souvenir shop (might be fun). Indoor venue for special events (could be cool). They also offer Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine (Huh?), Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, and Xerox/fax in business center.
They cover just about everything – a little overwhelming!
For the Kiddos – Are They Welcome?
Babysitting service. Good start. Family/child friendly. Okay. Kids facilities. Promising. Kids meal. Excellent.
Getting Around – How Do You Get There?
Airport transfer. A huge bonus! Bicycle parking. Neat! Car park [free of charge]. Even better! Car park [on-site]. More practical. Car power charging station. YES! This shows that this hotel is updated! Taxi service. Classic. Valet parking. Fancy!
**The Verdict – Should You Stay Here?
Hanoi's Hidden Gem: ZIN HOUSE Smart City Paradise!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into the glorious, messy, and inevitably slightly bonkers world of my "travel itinerary" at that Jom La@ De Centrum Loft in Kajang, Bangi, Kuala Lumpur. Prepare for a ride, because I'm not promising perfection, just raw, unadulterated me.
The (Tentative) Plan: Kajang Chaos Edition
Day 1: Arrival and Existential Dread (Welcome to Malaysia!)
14:00 - Arrival at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport): Okay, so, the best-laid plans of mice and men and stressed-out travelers… well, they often go poof. Landing after a red-eye is always a gamble. Will I be charmingly jet-lagged, or a grumpy, sleep-deprived monster? Place your bets! Praying the immigration lines are merciful. (And, please God, the baggage carousel doesn't eat my luggage again. That was traumatic in Budapest.)
15:00 - Take Grab to Jom La@ De Centrum Loft: Right, this is where the first real test begins. Navigating the KL traffic with a suitcase is never fun. Hoping the Grab driver understands "De Centrum Loft" and doesn't accidentally deliver me to, like, a chicken farm. I'll spend this time marveling at the fact things are always a bit different than expected
16:00 - Check-in, explore the Loft, and Wifi-Related Anguish: Okay, here we go. This is where the real stress begins. Will the loft be a sleek, modern haven or a slightly depressing bachelor pad? That wifi better work, or I swear… I'll, I'll… write a strongly worded email to the universe. I need to upload those Instagram stories, people! Immediate exploration, because I'm a nosy Nellie. Shower, unpack only the essentials (toothbrush, phone charger, chocolate), and then… assess the damage. By damage I mean the design aesthetic and the wifi.
17:00 - Mini-Market Raid and Panic-Buying Snacks: Listen, I'm a creature of habit. And one of those habits is immediate snack acquisition upon entering a new territory. Finding a local mini-market will be my top priority. Gotta secure the essentials: chips, cookies, something vaguely resembling fruit, and absolutely, positively, a bottle of water. This is survival, people. Survival!
18:00 - Sunset (Hopefully) and Rooftop Observation. Find the View and Appreciate It: If the loft has a view, I'm camping on the balcony. Watching the sun sink over Malaysia will be my first moment of zen. Otherwise, I'll hunt down a good vantage points and just soak it all in (until the mosquitos start eating me alive, that is). Hoping it's not a total construction zone.
**19:00 - Dinner, Food Court Adventure: ** Gotta experience the local flavor. I hope my stomach can handle it and that I don't end up with a case of "traveler's tummy." Maybe a bit of chicken rice. The food courts in Malaysia are legendary. Praying for deliciousness, and not food poisoning. Maybe, just maybe, I'll venture into something I can't pronounce. Adventurous me!
21:00 - Early Bedtime… Maybe: Jet lag is a cruel mistress. If I survive the day, and the food, and the wifi, I might be in bed by 10 pm. Or, I'll be wide awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the things I'm supposed to do but haven't started yet. We'll see.
22:00 - Midnight - WiFi and existential dread - checking messages, getting the feels, maybe a midnight snack, and the usual routine: It's a routine. And it's perfect.
Day 2: Kajang Cravings and Cultural Immersion
09:00 - Waking up to the sounds of Malaysia: Ah, a new day. Hopefully I have slept. Hopefully, the roosters are quiet. Hopefully, I'm not too sweaty. I'm going to enjoy being in a place that feels a bit foreign.
10:00 - The Search for Breakfast, a Delicacy: Malaysian breakfast is a thing. Gotta find a local gem. Will it be roti canai? Nasi lemak? Something else entirely that I've never even heard of? The suspense is killing me! If I find some, I'll be in heaven.
11:00 - Kajang Market Exploration: Time to dive headfirst into the local culture. Hopefully find a market, that's the goal!. Admiring the people, the smells, the colorful chaos. Trying to buy a souvenir without looking like a complete tourist (impossible). But hey, if you're going to embarrass yourself, might as well go big, right?
12:00 - Lunch at a Restaurant and the Quest for the best "satay" Kajang is famous for its satay. I can't leave without trying some. This is a priority! Finding the "best" is a mission of critical importance. My tastebuds will be the judge.
14:00 - "I want to see more, but also I want to relax" phase: Well, as much as I love going out, I also love getting back to where I live and relaxing. Maybe get myself a drink or chill watching TV.
17:00 - Sunset (Hopefully) and Rooftop Observation. Find the View and Appreciate It: If the loft has a view, I'm camping on the balcony. Watching the sun sink over Malaysia will be my second moment of zen. Otherwise, I'll hunt down a good vantage point and just soak it all in (until the mosquitos start eating me alive, that is). Hoping it's not a total construction zone.
**19:00 - Dinner, Food Court Adventure: ** Gotta experience the local flavor. I hope my stomach can handle it and that I don't end up with a case of "traveler's tummy." Maybe a bit of chicken rice. The food courts in Malaysia are legendary. Praying for deliciousness, and not food poisoning. Maybe, just maybe, I'll venture into something I can't pronounce. Adventurous me!
21:00 - Early Bedtime… Maybe: Jet lag is a cruel mistress. If I survive the day, and the food, and the wifi, I might be in bed by 10 pm. Or, I'll be wide awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the things I'm supposed to do but haven't started yet. We'll see.
Day 3: The Great Escape (Or at least, Getting to KL)
09:00 - Waking up to the sounds of Malaysia: Ah, a new day. Hopefully I have slept. Hopefully, the roosters are quiet. Hopefully, I'm not too sweaty. I'm going to enjoy being in a place that feels a bit foreign.
10:00 - Check Out and the Last Meal: Final breakfast, will it be good? Check out. Do I tip? I always get the confusion.
12:00 - Head into KL: Time to move on! Probably on the train to KL. Is this where my trip ends? Who knows!
The "Unpredictable" Fine Print:
Flexibility is KEY: This "itinerary" is more of a suggestion box than a rigid schedule. Spontaneity is the spice of life, and I'm allergic to planning. If I get completely lost in a delicious local dish, or lose track of time exploring an ancient temple, so be it.
Emotional Rollercoaster Alert: There will be moments of pure joy, frustration, awe, and sheer, unadulterated exhaustion. I'm not afraid to admit it. Travel is an emotional experience, and I embrace the chaos.
Wifi Dependency: I'm a digital nomad, partially. Wifi is my lifeblood. Pray for the internet gods to be kind.
Culinary Adventures (and Potential Disasters): I'm willing to try anything once (well, almost). Prepare for detailed reviews of every food item, from the sublime to the, well, let's just say "interesting."
Photography Obsession: Get ready for an overload of photos. Sunsets, food, random street scenes – I'm documenting everything. You've been warned.
So there you have it. The official guide to my Kajang adventure. Wish me luck, send good vibes, and prepare for updates, rants, and maybe even a travel-sized breakdown or two. It's gonna be a wild ride!
Lethbridge's BEST Superlodge: Unbelievable Deals & Views!
Okay, so, *what* is this whole "SEO" thing everyone’s jabbering about? Is it like, a secret handshake for the internet wizards?
Alright, let's be real. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is basically the art of making your website not suck so badly that Google (and Bing, bless their hearts) *wants* to show it to people. It's about convincing the digital gods that your site is worthy. It’s like trying to get a good table at that fancy new restaurant that everyone’s talking about – you gotta know the maitre d’s name, maybe slip him a little something… metaphorically speaking. Honestly, I used to think it was all black magic. Like, people were whispering incantations and sacrificing… well, not *actual* goats, but definitely time and energy. It's a constant learning curve, and the rules change faster than my mood swings on a Tuesday. I swear, I spent a solid week last year trying to optimize for a keyword that someone *told* me was "the next big thing," and it ended up being… crickets. Just crickets. Total waste of time. Ugh.
So, like, *why* is SEO important? Can’t people just *find* my website?
Oh, sweet summer child. Let me tell you a story. I launched my little Etsy shop (which, by the way, is still a work in progress – the product photography is… a journey). I thought, "People will *love* my hand-knitted cat sweaters! They just *will*!" And then… crickets. More crickets than a petting zoo at dusk. Turns out, just *hoping* people will find you is a terrible strategy. SEO is the difference between your website getting buried on page 7 of Google (where, let’s be honest, nobody ventures) and actually, you know, *existing* in the universe of the internet. It's about visibility. And visibility equals… well, hopefully, sales. Or at least, people not thinking you’re a total internet ghost.
What are the *basics* of SEO? Like, the ABCs? I'm still drawing stick figures over here.
Okay, okay, let's break it down. Think of SEO like building a house. * **Keywords:** These are the bricks. They're the words and phrases people type into Google. You need to figure out what people are searching for and sprinkle those keywords strategically throughout your website – in your titles, descriptions, headings, even in the photos (alt text!). But *don't* just cram them in like a cheap sausage factory. That's called keyword stuffing, and Google HATES it. It's like shouting the same word over and over; it's just annoying. * **Content:** This is the walls, the roof, the whole damn house. You need good content! (Duh, right?). Informative, engaging, well-written stuff that people actually *want* to read. Write stuff that makes people *feel* something. Whether it's joy or anger. * **Technical SEO:** This is the foundation. Making sure your website loads quickly, is mobile-friendly (again, *duh*), and has a proper structure. Seriously, a wobbly foundation? Your whole house will fall apart. * **Backlinks:** This is where the neighbors come in. They’re links *from other websites* pointing to yours. They are like references, testimonials, they show that you're someone worth paying attention to. It's a lot. I know. But let's not overwhelm ourselves too much.
Okay, so, this keyword stuff. Any actual *methods*? Like, *how* do I choose keywords?
This is where things get slightly less… fun. Research, my friends, research. * **Google Keyword Planner:** Google has a free tool (usually) for finding keyword ideas. It'll tell you how many people are searching for certain terms each month. * **Google Search Autocomplete and People Also Ask:** Type a phrase into Google and see what suggestions pop up. Look at the "People Also Ask" snippets—those can be golden. Those are clues as to what people are *really* curious about. * **Competitor Analysis:** See what keywords your competitors are ranking for (tools can help with this). Don't steal their strategies wholesale, but get some ideas. Don't plagiarize, you silly goose! * **Think like a human:** What would *you* type into Google if you were looking for your product or service? Think about it. *Really* think about it. Sometimes the most obvious keywords are the best. * **Long-tail keywords:** Don't discount these! These are those longer, more specific phrases. They might get fewer searches, but the people searching are usually more *intent* on buying, or getting a solution. Okay, the biggest problem I have with all this? It's S-L-O-W. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.
Ugh, content. I hate writing. Do I *have* to write a blog?
Look, I get it. Writing can be… a struggle. But yes, in most cases, you kinda do. It's not just about blogs either. It's about product descriptions, about page titles, about any *text* on your site. Content is king, they say. (I think that phrase is from the early 2000's but okay!) More content = more opportunities for Google to understand what your website is about. More opportunities to rank for keywords. Here's a trick: start small. A short blog post. A detailed product description. Don't aim for perfection; aim for… done. Get the words out of your head and onto the page. Be honest with yourself. Oh, and for the love of all that is holy, *proofread!* I cannot stress this enough! Typos and grammatical errors kill credibility. I've lost count of the number of times I've published something only to find a glaring mistake staring me in the face – usually after I’ve shared it to the world! Try a Grammarly plugin or just a friend (I use both.)
So, what about backlinks? Where do those magical things come from? And how do I even *get* them?
Backlinks are like gold dust in the world of SEO. They're votes of confidence from other websites. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the better. Getting them is… well, it takes effort. * **Create amazing content:** Seriously, this is the *foundation*. If you create something that's genuinely useful or entertaining, people *will* link to it. * **Guest blogging:** Write articles for other websites in your industry. Include a link back to your site in your author bio. Be helpful. Be useful. Be kind! * **Broken link building:** Find broken links on other websites and offer your content as a replacement. (Check out websites that are out of date, it'll pay off, I promise!) * **Reach out to other websites:** Contact bloggers, journalists, and other website owners and ask them to link to yourChicstayst
