The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Bandar Seri Begawan

The hotel building was begun in the good old days - before Brunei's wealth mysteriously vapoured away in the late 90's. Bulding plans were curtly curtailed - the big marina, for example, where the yachts of the rich and famous were presumably meant to berth, failed to materialise. Some sports facilities remained a concrete shell for years. But what did get finished is opulent enough. Think gold leaf, tiger eye detailing, huge mirrors, marble floors ...
...is idyllic - overlooking the South China Sea. The extensive buildings and grounds with pools and lawns and tropical plants are impressive. The interiors are great and the food is good but but but - it was the little details that spoilt our stay. For a start we had reserved a room with twin (each big) beds so all the family could be in one room. When we got there the room had one bed. We rang the desk and were told that they might not have another ...

kittenkong 30.10.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Bandar Seri Begawan