Literally means “Home by the River”, Casa del Rio embodies Melaka’s historical cosmopolitanism. Located just outside of Melaka’s UNESCO heritage area, this Mediterranean-inspired 66-room property alludes to the destination’s coloured history of being colonised by European powers like the Portuguese, Dutch and then the British, while at the same time maintaining its distinct identity by taking in various Asian influences like the Malay, Chinese, Indian and Arabic due to Melaka’s position as an ancient trading post.
Gaya Travel team loves Casa del Rio for the property’s intimate feel. The hotel feels grand yet homely, comfortably lived-in and well-grounded. It is also urbane and cosmopolitan – just like Melaka during its heyday as a renowned international trading post – yet personal and resort-like at the same time. Being only a five-minute jaunt to the popular Jonker Street, this homely deluxe bolthole is inextricably linked to the location. It complements Melaka’s status as a UNESCO Heritage Site through its architecture, service offerings and access.
As guests step into Casa del Rio, they are sure to notice the property’s masculine character, expressed via solid wood furnishing, wrought iron, and earthen ochre-terracotta-yellow-magenta colour scheme covering the stucco-finished walls that are softened by dashes of vibrant colours from the ubiquitous tiles, upholstery and bursts of bougainvillaea on the patios. Iconic paintings that aptly depict quintessential Melaka society, heritage and identity by the critically acclaimed local artiste Haron Mokhtar grace the walls, further injecting a strong sense of place into the property.
Well appointed rooms
The large solid wood furniture like the huge drawers and wardrobe used in the rooms, including the embroidered emblematic floral motifs on the upholstery, is reminiscent of the stately look that can be found in historical Mediterranean manors and palaces, cleverly matched with delicate Peranakan touches present in the tiles and lighting features. All of the rooms have balconies facing the courtyard lago or the much-touted Melaka River. The property’s impeccable customary turndown service in the evening helps to turn these rooms into a cosy and lulling sanctuary for slumber, especially after a long, exhausting day out.
The bathroom in each room is spacious, equipped with sliding screens that open up to the rooms and balcony view. The bathtub is enormous, which we thought could even fit up to two persons at one time. It feels like the hotel is as much about generous space as it is about Melaka’s historical identity. As a matter of fact, each room in Casa del Rio is at least 50 feet squared, among the largest in Melaka. Those who prefer more space are welcome to check into the Melaka Suite, which is essentially a two-bedroom apartment complete with a jacuzzi, ideal for travelling families. This luxurious accommodation is part of Casa del Rio’s family package that includes fun trishaw and river cruise rides.
At the rooms, guests are greeted by a small transparent container filled with a type of local delicacy called onde-onde (balls made from rice flour stuffed with liquefied palm sugar and rolled in grated coconut), which is a lovely touch.
One more item that guests might love is the presence of ‘My Personal Melaka’ journal, a book made available in each room that allows guests to scribble what they exactly feel about the hotel onto its blank pages. In the first few pages of this book, guests are bound to be impressed by Casa del Rio staff’s handwritten jottings as a way to welcome, considering in this day and age, penmanship is rare and time-consuming. The property’s laborious effort in communicating to its guests through such an exercise sends the message that the hotel’s employees take pains to ensure that their guests’ stay will be memorable. Gaya Travel team found this to be true because we noticed that the staff are highly accommodating and willing to go the distance when meeting their guests’ requests.
Moreover, the presence of the specially printed ‘555’ notebook on the side table next to the bed is sure to be appreciated by Malaysian Baby Boomers and Generation X since it brings back memories because the notebook was widely used for jotting down notes and phone numbers before the advent of technical gadgets and devices. Peddlers and shopkeepers of the past used the notebook to jot down how much money customers owe them hence it was normally referred to as buku hutang (book of debt). According to Marketing Communications Executive K. Jena, the notebook is specially printed by the Casa del Rio and not available in a similar form any longer, therefore rendering the notebook special and worth keeping for posterity.
Reliable facilities
Though the Casa del Rio is defined by old-world charm, that does not mean it lacks modernity. As a matter of fact, there is Wi-Fi connectivity conveniently available throughout the property. The rooms also come with flat-screen television sets, CD and DVD players, including iPod docking stations, much to the delight of tech-savvies and entertainment enthusiasts.
The hotel is also known for its gastronomic offerings. River Cafe, which operates from 12:00 noon until 10:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, eve and public holidays), can easily be accessed from the side of the hotel. The cafe offers delicious Western dishes like buttermilk chicken burger and pan-seared salmon fillet, including local comfort food such as Baba Nyonya seafood laksa and nasi goreng Pak Wahid (fried rice).
The River Grill, the other dining outlet that melds seamlessly with River Cafe, is the place where guests enjoy their semi-buffet type ala carte breakfast from 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. It is then converted into a fine dining venue from 12:00 noon until 10:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, eve and public holidays), with the call for last order at 9:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. respectively).
Though much of Casa del Rio’s appeal might seem to exclusively cater for the leisure market, the property also meets the demands of the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) market efficiently since it possesses various-sized theatres, rooms for seminars and open-air reception areas that are fit for business functions, especially the atmospheric Piazza fronting the lago where Gaya Travel team dreamt of holding a memorable event to entertain our clients one day. A little walk out of the Piazza towards the Melaka River brings guests to the hotel’s jetty, the point where only guests of Casa del Rio are allowed to embark on the Melaka River Cruise vessel after making arrangements with the hotel’s reception.
Those who seek to destress should head to the hotel’s Satkara Spa, which has therapists who dispense various treatments such as the signature Satkara massage, which is a fusion of different massages like Shiatsu, Lomi, Swedish and Thai rolled, including signature relaxing facials aptly named Baba Nyonya Jade & Pearl and Gentleman’s. All massage treatments at Satkara – which means reverence or honoured or respect in Sanskrit – begin with cinnamon bark and sea salt foot ritual. Guests are recommended to make a reservation for the experience and come ten minutes early.
Another way to unwind at the hotel is by dipping into Casa del Rio’s infinity pool, located at the rooftop, allowing guests to savour the view of Melaka River, parts of the UNESCO area and all the way to the sea. Such mesmerising experience at the pool – as at the other parts of the hotel – makes it all too easy for guests to lose track of time. We suspect that guests staying at Casa del Rio must have secretly wished that they never have to leave this Mediterranean-inspired bolthole by the Melaka River…
Filed in: Casa Del Rio / hotels / Melacca / melaka
