The Empire hotel and country club offers 5 star luxury for holiday makers and locals alike. I have never stayed the night but the rooms are supposed to be amazing - certainly the views are from the 5th floor lobby where the afternoon tea is served. When I say lobby, think of an ordinary hotel's welcome area and then some - as you walk into the hotel, a breathtaking view opens from the floor-to-ceiling windows over the South China Sea and the pleasantly appointed gardens and pool area of the hotel. The story tells that the sand for the beach has been flown in from Spain - only the best for the Sultan and his family. As the hotel was originally a project of the prodigal son, Prince Jeffery.
The hotel has an excellent pastry chef, and the afternoon tea is a delight with delicious sandwiches, warm scones (make sure you get there for 3 pm) and mouthwatering cakes, all à volonté. At $17 pp, it is very affordable. It aspires to the likes of London's Dorsett and Paris' Hotel Plaza Athenee, both owned by the royal family. The silver service here doesn't quite stretch to the service, however. Whilst the setting here offers some breathing space from Brunei itself with its pristine and clean set up, the experience is very Bruneian still. As we walked in, we took seats and someone approached us straightaway enquiring whether we had booked with a concerned look. - No we haven't. - Ah, that's ok, with a nervous smile. Ok, glad you asked! And then we waited, and waited for some more. Finally one of the two waiters approached us again taking our drinks order. -One cappucino, please. -That will be extra. Is that ok? -No, last time it was included. -Ah, that's ok, Ma'am, with a nervous smile. No confrontation culture is sometimes a good thing. God knows, though, why it's different rules every time.
Then we waited, and waited for some more. Try telling a cake-hungry two-year-old where her cakes are! But we were well pleased once the treats arrived. Although we did have to wait for our drinks. And once mine arrived, Phil had to reorder his one.... One of the waiters was a bit more switched on and spotted our empty plates and even offered some more sandwiches, rather than making us ask and then wait for some more.
The only thing we missed was a gorgeous Bornean sunset, we just left a bit too early - to do some shopping.
To find out more about the lavish lifestyle of the former finance minister, who blew billions of the sultanate's monies on a non-halal lifestyle, just google Vanity Fair's article on Jefri. (I won't put a link up so that I won't be shut down....)
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