Weekend at Thistle Resort Port Dickson

Upon stepping into the "working world", I now totally get the idea of a weekend getaway just around the corner of KL.

The thought of just sleeping in on beds as soft as clouds, waking up to a wide spread of scrumptious breakfast buffet just steps away from your room sounds dreamy. Immersing your entire body in a pool so big that you can float on your back and let the wind sail you from one end of the infinity pool to anotheryeah, that's a pretty darn good weekend if you ask me.




Deluxe room for two

Last weekend, I had the most rewarding stay in months at Thistle Resort, Port Dickson. It was a pretty stressful and tiring week all together but thankfully, I have something to look forward to after working past 10pm every night. All sticky and brain-dead, I picked Mr.V up after work and we headed straight to PD at 11pm only to reach at 1am plus.

We were in good hands, no doubt about it. Edward not only waited for us at such wee hours (I'm sorry once again!) but called us from time-to-time just to make sure we could find our way to the resort. He even took half an hour to arrange our check-in and spent a good 30 - 45 mins to brief and answer any of our inquiries. Good people are hard to find and this guy is not just dedicated but kind and very, very helpful.



This bed is so comfortable and huge! I could kick, roll and kungfu around for all I want and not touch Mr.V once. Oh yes, we will need this in the future.



I love how the room has a side couch right next to the desk. I could lay there fondling with my phone as it charges and at the same time, accompany Mr.V as he gets some work done by the desk.



Coffee and tea by the balcony in the evenings, definitely a nice touch to the day.



This is the view from my room! Mornings never felt better!!



The bathroom is yet another amazing feature of the room.



To me, cleanliness comes first and exterior design comes second but of course both nice to have and as you can tell, Thistle Resort's Deluxe room has one classy bathroom. Pretty spacious too!



I carry along my toiletries including shampoos and conditioner to nearby holidays and I find this compartment made in the shower to be very handy - easy to reach and stored!

Alright, moving your interest out of the room for more interesting features of the resort! ;)



CHECK OUT THE SIZE OF THE POOLand this is just one half of the view!



Resort lobby with friendly and very attentive staff. With just the slightest blur look, they will approach you asking if they can assist in any way. Kudos!



STEPS Lounge right next to the lobby - Love the open-air concept! Plus, they have a grand piano there for guests to play at. Upon walking in, I noticed a few kids with their mothers enjoying themselves by the piano. Such a lovely sight to see :)



There is even a chill-out area for those who just want to enjoy the breeze while friends and family go swimming.



Wheeeeee ...

Yes, I am a kid at heartI mean there are two water slides, how can you not get tempted?!



Having some snacks by the pool bar, COLUMBUS. They serve complimentary caramel popcorn and ice-cream to kid guests during certain hours of the evening but I got the very kind bartender to share some with me! Perks of being a girl, I guess? :P



As you can tell, I can't live without my Galaxy S4 even at the pool! Was kinda hoping I had the S4 Active with me during this trip because underwater pictures would have been extra cool in such spacious pool!

In case you weren't aware of the buzz, the Galaxy S4 Active is actually pretty similar to the original Galaxy S4 itself but slightly studier and heavier (153g instead of 130g). Well obviously it needs to be so because it is designed for outdoors rough and tumble and water!

And if one pool is not enough or got too crowded



Just take a scroll down Thistle Resort's pavement towards the beach where you will find other fun games/activities you can indulge at!



How about a game of life-sized chess or snakes & ladders?



Or chill by the grass overlooking some company's team building activitiesHahah!

Apart from business events, this garden would be perfect for themed garden weddings, don't you think?



Here is CUMULUS, a beautiful spot to chill during the night as you gaze into the stars with the calming sounds of waves hitting the shore. Unfortunately, Mr.V and I missed out on Cumulus during our stay because it rained heavily that Saturday night but our afternoon walk was fruitful I must say!

Why? Well, it lead us to another pleasant discovery!



Check out the INFINITY POOL facing the beachAWESOME!



Seeing that we were already so close to the beach, of course we had to explore there as well! Many Malaysians often have the assumption that PD beaches are dirty/messy and I can't stress this enough - I'm so happy that Thistle Resort has their very own 3km stretch of a private sandy beach in Teluk Kemang that is well-maintained and cleaned every morning.



The water is clear too! Great for wedding/family portrait photo-shoots! :)



All guests at Thistle Resort PD can enjoy not just the pool facilities but complimentary watersports, golf, tennis and many other activities as well! This is definitely an added star to our stay because even when at Phuket, we had to pay close to RM170 just for 10 minutes on the jet ski.



Banana boating is available too!



Oh! During our adventurous, speedy ride, Mr.V spotted a big turtle which I missed! :(



Note to self: Always.wipe.your.lens.before.snapping.a.picture.



Guests with families/kids will definitely enjoy this fish-feeding session, free for all guests too! The water is so clear, you could see all the fishes nibbling on pieces of bread but if you are slightly more adventurous, have a swim with them!



Snorkel, snorkel!

In case you are wonderingyes! I wore myto swimming, jet-skiing and snorkeling and I LOVE how I could do all those without worrying if the top half will fall off! :P



To further pamper us, they have even arranged a spa session at Santai Spa to rejuvenate our body, mind and soul.



60 minutes of Serenity Massage right hereahh, bliss!



As you can tell, Thistle Resort is not just great for adult guests but definitely puts a whole lot more effort in making their resort more enjoyable for kids too. From the outdoor games and indoor activities such as a Wii room, movie theatre that showcases cartoons throughout the day and many others, I will say this is one place I'd love to revisit with my family in the future.

If that is not enough, the idyllic resort is now taking a step further to have this place as the best kid-friendly hotel!



Meet the super cute and very intelligent advisory board members of KIDS IN CHARGE!



Based on creativity, maturity, charm and wit displayed during a rigorous round of interviews in the past 3 months, the judges including General Manager of Thistle Resort PD, John Murphy have finally boiled down to their Top 10 finalists out of hundreds of applications from kids nationwide!



During my stay, I was pleased to be invited to witness the third board meeting of Kids In Charge! where the brightest and most outspoken kids between the ages of 7 - 12 years old share their ideas and proposals on enhancing children's experience while staying at the resort.

It was such an eye-opening experience for me personally as I don't have a younger sibling in that age group except for little cousins who are roughly 4 years old. And to see how these kids speak their mind, negotiate and justify terms with Thistle's General Managerwow, amazing! I remember thinking to myself"What was I doing at the age of 7? Oh right, staring at the TV".



Here is NUR JANNAH LEE (8) and ZHANG EN (9) finding their way out of the knot.Though young, these ladies represent themselves very well I must say!



CHECK OUT ANITEJ'S FOCUS DURING THE BRIEFING! HE IS JUST 8 YEARS OLD!!



Each board member were given a special Kids in Charge! Advisory Board kit that comprises of an Apple iPad Mini (just the right size for their cute little hands!) so they can continue their research anywhere within Thistle resort utilizing the 24-7 complimentary Wi-Fi service, a business folder to jot down all their brilliant ideas, and a custom-made Thistle blazer and T-shirt with a yellow tie amongst other items.

Plus, each finalist will receive a 3D/2N stay for a family of four at Thistle resort PD during which the respective board meetings will convene. It is really great that not only the resort is recognizing the opinions from kids but to have their parents full support (driving all the way to PD for meetings is sure no light task), this campaign is one project filled endless positive outcomes!



LOUIS (11) making sure he catches every word from SHANE (9).

You know what's the interesting insight I've noticed from these kids? Despite having their iPads right in front of them throughout the meeting, none of them once picked up the gadget to play/do anything thatcould distract them from their peers' presentation. Let's face it, many adults can't even have that kind of focus in a meeting, right?

In fact, they fully utilized their gadgets and recorded other peers and at the same time, asked relevant questions!



Each presenter were recorded and videos will be shared on . Usually, cameras freak presenters outbut everyone did a splendid job interacting with not just the camera but their audience as well.



Louis's scroll of ideas are even taller than I am!



AISYAH (12) has one of the most organized notes. Check out her detailing points at every argument!



Coffee break for Shane is a must. :P



A glimpse of one of the proposalsE-library?!

Which 8 year old can come up with something that starts with an "E-something"?? Amazing right!



Cost division per age group, I like how Zhang En plans out her activities according to respective guests.

If you are thinking that there might have been some help for their parents, well think again! These assignments were given to the kids while they are in the room by the G.M and only had 30 minutes or so to come up with a presentation slide using A3 sized papers and markers.

Each and every idea was original and creative in so many different ways! Despite being it a competition where one Board Member with the most creative idea and overall best performance will walk away with the ultimate prize - a 6D/5N stay at Thistle London for a family of four with return flights courtesy of Sri Lankan Airlines, all members were good sportsman. They helped each other when one needed and shared ideas/thoughts genuinely, I can believe some even created long lasting friendships through this program.



ELLA (8) enjoying her free time during lunch with Lady Gaga.



Seriousness in the boardroom aside, these kids switches back to their carefree characters outside meetings. I got the chance to have small chats with a few of them during lunch and we actually had pleasant conversations about their lifestyles, hobbies and music.

Through my eyes, I find this program not just great for the resort's development but also to enhance character building in these kids as well. During meetings, they show great acceptance towards constructive criticism and were also taught disciplinary rules such as not to speak while others are presenting which honestly, I find lacking even at my workplace comprising of full grown adults.



Kids in Charge! helps boost their confidence and thinking skills as well as public speaking which will not only help them in their future but also in their personal development since they are at the golden age of learning.

All I can say is, the grand finale which is their final board meeting in December will be one exciting agenda for sure! Exchanging thoughts with Elsy, who is one of the judges, agreed that each and every kid possess something unique and that choosing a winner from these bunch of stars will be one tough challenge.

I, for one, am truly excited to see what's in store next for Thistle Resort PD and Kids in Charge! On our way home, Mr.V and I were having a chat and needless to say,we would definitely encourage our future kids to participate in Kids in Charge! and we do hope it continues on!



Stepping out to end this blog post with a few gratitudes to share

Thank you to Mr.John Murphy, General Manager and Irene of Thistle Resort PD for having me at such wonderful event and at your beautiful resort. Every minute spent there is absolutely enjoyed and missed!

Thank you Elsy and Edward, PR managers of the Kids in Charge! for the invitation and friendly hosting throughout our stay at the resort. Once again, so sorry for the late check-in and those lunch/dinner chats made our experience all the more joyful.

Thank you Mr.V for driving me all the way to PD on such short notice, and at wee hours of the day.



And that's about it from me today! Stay tuned in next month to find out who will be crowned the winner of Kids in Charge! Until then, take care and don't forget to like my Facebook page !
Full Post