BRUNEI - via the EMPIRE HOTEL

Brunei, view from the Empire Hotel over the South China Sea.


Brunei is a sovereign state on the island of Borneo. Oil was discovered there in the 1920's and changed the future of Brunei forever. The Sultan O Brunei was the richest man in the world at some point but lost the title to Bill Gates. If oil holds its price & the income keeps rolling in, his eldest son may become the first trillionaire in the world.

Borneo & Brunei were always places that l dreamt of going. It conjures up exotic visions of dense jungles, weird wild life & head hunters. So after exploring Sabah, l had planned on finding my way, some way, down south to Sarawak. But then noticed that Brunei fell between the two Malaysian states. Searching for hostels online for the capital BSB (Banda Sera Bagawan), l found that Brunei does not really cater for backpackers. The best option was a cheap hotel & it's not that cheap, $60 pn! My loyal Lonely Planet recommended a splurge at the Empire Hotel, a lavish & luxury 6 star resort. A once in a life time extravagance. So while sipping on scotch, l researched the Empire Hotel. The description & photos were phenomenal & Agoda was offering a 50% discount of $300 for 2 nights. Peanuts really by Western standards & even more affordable if there were two of me. But $300 represented one month's budget for accommodation. So while continuing with my scotch & arguing with myself about the expense, value for money, $120 for 2 nights for a no star hotel or $300 for 2 nights at a 6 star hotel. Next morning l woke up to an email confirming my booking at the Empire Hotel. A credit card, a laptop & alcohol can be a dangerous combination.

The cheapest way to get there was by ferry to Labuan, a duty free island port where l grabbed a $10 bottle of rum & just as importantly, some cans of coke. Brunei is a Muslim nation & alcohol is prohibited but private consumption by non Muslims is allowable. And coke in mini-bars in luxury hotels has a luxury price tag. From there, another ferry ride & then a taxi ride & then it happened. The immaculately dressed porter opened the door & l stepped into another world. The foyer was gob-smackingly opulent, massive marble pillars & a million dollar chandelier made from gold & baccarat crystal. The porter attended to my luggage, a grubby backpack stained with the grime of Asia & Africa. Dressed in backpacking attire, I was treated like a queen & the valet escorted me to my room by buggy. After explaining the features of the room, the valet opened up the balcony over looking the South China Sea.
I had never experienced such luxury, the marble bathroom was bigger than most rooms l had ever stayed in. It felt like the whole place was carved out of solid marble. A plate of sweet cakes for two lay on the table & l immediately ordered some ice for my rum & coke hidden in the bottom of my pack.

The resort has 5 pools, a golf course, a country club with indoor pool, cinemas & numerous restaurants. The gardens were lush & lavish & the pathways manicured to perfection. Situated right on the sea & right next to the oldest rainforest in Borneo. Fortunately because of the wealth of Brunei, there was financially no need to log the land or sell it off to palm oil plantations like elsewhere in Borneo.

Built by Prince Jefri, the sultan's brother, for a casino. The sultan then had to inform his dumb brother that they were Muslims & casinos were not allowed. So he offered it to the sultan as a guesthouse. The sultan lives in the largest palace in the world, surely there is room for guests. So it was decided to transform it into a resort & try to recoup some of the one billion dollars spent on it. The sultan discovered that Prince Jefri had embezzled 9 billion pounds from the coffers. It is reported now that he has been forced to live on a $150,000 per month allowance.

Planning to see Brunei, but then quickly distracted by the affluent atmosphere, I actually never left the resort. For 2 days l soaked up the sun & the opulence of my surroundings.
I strolled around the vastness of the marble multi-levels like it was my royal right. I walked along the beach in the evenings to see the most exquisite sunsets over the South China Sea. And in the mornings l would run out onto the balcony & be dazzled by where l was staying .l don't regret one cent, it really was a chance in a life time. And l recommend anyone, in fact every one, to treat themselves to the experience of staying at this 6 star establishment. Unregrettable & unforgettable!! Sometimes you just gotta do it.

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