AT HOME IN LONDON

The hotel terrace offers another option for a cuppa.

The suite that opens out to the church in the background.

BAYSWATER, a stone’s throw from the serenity of Kensington Palace – the home of the late Princess Diana – is a mini Malaysia of sorts. With numerous Malaysian owned restaurants and hotels, as well as Malaysia Hall and the Malaysian Students Department, it is the place to be if you are home sick.
           
It is not uncommon to be browsing in one of the 20-odd souvenir shops run by Londoners of Ceylonese or Arabic descent, only to hear the familiar Bahasa Malaysia chatter of fellow countrymen as you compete with one another at the turnstiles displaying fridge magnets and tacky key rings.
           
Many Malaysians fortunate and far-sighted enough to invest in the UK’s property boom own flats and apartments here, thus you could be sitting next to a Datuk as you sample char siew at the HotWok or enjoy a teh tarik fix at Malaysia Hall.
           
One popular sanctuary, judging from the many Malaysian friends who caught up with us here, is the Berjaya Eden Park Hotel at Inverness Terrace, just two blocks from Malaysia Hall.
           
“That’s what this place is all about. A home away from home,” says head chef Nassir Rahim as he served a mean ikan bakar.
           
The Penang-born Nassir would know how it feels. He has been in London for 12 years – 10 years with Berjaya Eden Park -  and is always game for news back from Malaysian guests, namely short-staying businessmen in holiday makers and Berjaya Vacation Club members who stay up to a week or as long as their devalued ringgit allowed them to.
           
Aided by just one cook, Nassir is practically a one-man show making sure guests feel at home through their palate.
           
“We go out of our way for all our guests. But when you met orang kampong, it is hard not to go that extra mile,” says Nassir explaining that this is meant whipping up a sambal or nasi lemak or a simple teh tarik – items which do not feature on the menu.
           
“We are not rigid about these things. We try to accommodate our guests as best as we can,” concurs general manager Kristina Fredberg – Woods, the Swedish-born face of Berjaya Eden Park.
           

The Berjaya Eden Park Hotel.

“We cannot emphasis enough that this hotel must be viewed as a home away from home,” adds Fredberg-Woods who gushes over Tioman as among her favourite destinations.
With its simple yet elegant exterior, the 155-room Berjaya Eden Park is located in a 147 year-old council quarters, which has since been refurbished and constantly painted and tweaked to conform to London’s strict council by-laws.
           
Roman cornices, Greek columns and walls washed in hues or green, red and cream complement the warm interior.
           
The compact yet classy rooms are all one needs for a good night’s rest, with a complementary vanity kit in the bathrooms and ironing boards conspicuously attached to the walls.
           
With its no-frils set-up, the hotel does not pretend to be anything other than a cosy retreat for weary travelers: small yet inviting rooms, two suites, a coffee house, function rooms and wireless Internet access being all that you need for a comfortable stay.
           
Having been on my feet for five days, it was especially tempting to continue staying under the covers of my bed, But trust Kristina to give me a room with windows open to the backyard of Our Lady Queen of Heaven.
           
It was hard to ignore my religious obligations with the drones of the organ escaping through the stained glass windows of the 55-year-old church.
           
Seeing my weary face at breakfast, Nassir whips up a teh tarik and hams up some eggs. I decline his offer of nasi lemak, the previous day’s lunch treat of satay, chicken rendang, lamb curry and rojak still very much at home in my tummy.
           
Situated in a quiet corner across the road from the Bayswater Underground that will take you to virtually every nook and cranny of London in minutes, one could easily by-pass the hotel, with its white-washed façade and unobtrusive entrance.
           
But there-in lies its subtle attraction-peaceful, yet only two minutes away from the bustle of city life or the tranquility of Kensington Gardens or Hyde Park.
           
In the evenings, the bar is a favoured hangout for those who prefer having a quiet drink and watching the news or cricket as opposed to the boisterous pubs not too far away.
           
With a regular occupancy rate of 90%, it can be difficult to get a room here if you do not book early.
           
“Summer is our busiest, with visitors from all over the world,” says Fredberg-Woods.
           
One does not doubt her, what with the personal touch and three other factors” location, location, location!

GETTING THERE

From Heathrow Airport, take the Underground (Piccadilly Line) to Kings Cross Station. Change to the Circle Line and get off a Bayswater. The trip will cost about ₤4 (RM26) on the Oyster Card travel ticket.