BRN: The Empire Hotel and Country Club

Jerudong, Brunei

Taking approximately six years to complete, The Empire Hotel and Country Club (5*) first opened its doors to the public on 16 October 2000. It's said that the grand resort is "synonymous with Brunei, reflecting the country's majestic and cultural heritage."

My BFF and I took a cab from Brunei International Airport to the resort. It cost us B$30.00 (=S$30.00) for a 20-minute ride.

A fine replica of the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque!

The mural depicts the then Sultan Bolkiah's reception for the first Europeans visiting Brunei in 1521.

I'd love to get my hands on the piano, playing Fantaisie Impromptu, for example.

Greetings from Melon at the opulent resort lobby! :D

That's a gift from one of the ex-rulers of Perlis, the smallest state of of Malaysia.

After checking-in, we were brought to our room with a buggy.

We stayed for a night at The Lagoon.

A dip in the swimming pool was all I needed on such a hot day~

We were allocated a room in the north wing.

(Almost) symmetrical!

Shiny tiles~

"What a comfortable, quiet room!" I thought.

The white bedsheet and pillow sheets were spotless.

Hmm, cheese cream biscuits!

All the drinks in the fridge are included in the room rate.

That's the balcony.

Pikachu and Melon would love to use the bath tub. :P

We started our exploration of the resort by walking to The Seaview. 

I doubt you can actually go down to that particular beach area.

What a lovely interior~

Is that a penguin?

We then went back to the main building where the lobby is. Anyway, the resort has got a total of 518 guest rooms, suites and private villas. Honestly, I was expecting more than that, given its sheer size.

Atrium Café serves buffet breakfast and lunch, as well as Iftar buffet during the holy month of Ramadan.

If you feel like splurging~

What a magnificent-looking pillar!

Wherever we went, we only saw at most three other guests around.

We had our dinner at Li Gong. Read here to find out what we ordered.

To my knowledge, there are three outdoor swimming pools in the resort.

I wonder if the Grand Lagoon is the biggest swimming pool in the world?

Yes, that's still part of the Grand Lagoon!

Pikachu found it too hot, so he took cover under the yellow umbrella.

Melon, on the other hand, would like to get a suntan. :P

Undoubtedly, there are many facilities available at the resort. I didn't manage to see the bowling alley though.

I miss playing in a sand playground~

An amphitheatre, I guess?

Indera Samudra Grand Hall is Brunei's premier venue for banquets and conferences, seating up to 1,500 guests.

The self-contained resort houses a cinema with four screens.

When I was a little boy, I had a dream of becoming like Hulk. Now I think he's too big though! :P

If I were to live in Brunei, I'd certainly love to get the country club membership. Haha...

I couldn't stop staring at the dome ceiling. <3

It's been a while since I played billiards.

On the left of the basketball court is a squash court.

I had the two-storey gym to myself in the morning from around 6.50am to 8.00am.

I always try to keep fit even when I'm on a vacation. Keyword: try... :P

You can enjoy the view of the golf course as you run on the treadmill.

Following which, I spent some time to play at one of the beaches.

The sky (or sea) is the limit? xD

One last picture to share in this relatively long entry is that of the sunset.

To sum up, that was a truly enjoyable stay at Brunei's most luxurious accommodation. Lastly, do read here for a quick look into some of the in-room dining dishes available in the resort.