It began with a simple dream. A dream of creating Malaysia’s first mountain holiday resort by Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong in 1963. Through grit, perseverance and tireless work, the road towards what is now Genting Highlands on the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali began in 1965. Some 54 years later, that dream has turned into a paradise. With world-class entertainment, superlative offerings and unforgettable experiences, Resorts World Genting is an icon – not just in Malaysia, but in the world.
Resorts World Genting’s lofty status as the region’s premier resort has been well-earned, and its journey here has come by not resting on its laurels. To remain a champion, one must also strive to go higher, further and faster. This happened in 1984, when the Awana Golf Course opened. In 1994, when the first outdoor theme park began operating. In 1997, when the original Genting Skyway cable car system took flight. And in 2002, when First World Hotel – still the world’s largest hotel – launched.
And so, in 2013, a plan was launched to take Resorts World Genting to the next level. Known as the Genting Integrated Tourism Plan (GITP), the project called for a holistic review and revamp of existing facilities and the addition of new ones that would keep the resort on the cutting edge of cool amidst emerging regional competition. The fruits of GITP have already begun to emerge, making Resorts World Genting a thoroughly more exciting place.
The Epicentre of Entertainment
Central to the GITP is SkyAvenue, a vast retail space designed to link resort facilities old and new and serve as a new central hub for all guests of the resort. Spread across five floors with over 1.434 million square feet of space, SkyAvenue is home to over 250 outlets, all of which have taken Resort World Genting’s retail and dining offerings to a whole new level. All this takes place under a soaring atrium where the new Awana Skyway cable cars arrive, with guests greeted by the amazing kinetic effects of SkySymphony, an audio-visual system that combines wraparound 360 degree LED screens and the largest fully-transformable 1,001 winch ball system in Asia.
From exclusive outposts of international dining brands such as Burger & Lobster to home-grown dining concepts such as La Fiesta, from high street fashion brands like H&M and Uniqlo to luxury brands such as Dior, Michael Kors and Montblanc, SkyAvenue is truly Malaysia’s premier shopping mall experience. But more than just retail, SkyAvenue is also home to an amazing selection of entertainment experiences catering to audiences of all ages and tastes. Like the sprawling Zouk Genting, a branch of Asia’s greatest clubbing brand that includes two clubbing spaces, a games bar, a karaoke bar and coming soon the vibe dining restaurant FUHU.
SkyAvenue is also connected to the resort’s new indoor theme park, Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, a giant carnival-like space filled to the brim with thrilling rides and spectacular wonders spread across three floors. Beyond the indoor theme park, SkyAvenue also introduces some state-of-the-art technological showcases, including THE VOID hyper reality centre, the Imaginatrix VR experience and the Eagle’s Landing Zipline that spans the entire length of Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, alongside family-friendly experiences such as the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium, the Jurassic Research Centre and optical illusions at the 4D Trick Art Gallery.
HAPA Recognition
The impact of SkyAvenue has been significant. With guest arrivals nearly 26 million in 2018, the success of Resort World Genting’s new vision has won it a slew of awards at the recent Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA) Malaysia Awards Series 2018-2020. Chief among those prizes was the HAPA Icon of the Year award, awarded to Dato’ Edward Holloway, Executive Vice President of Leisure & Hospitality for Resorts World Genting as Hospitality Entrepreneur.
Recognising the achievements of his stellar team of hospitality professionals – several of who also received individual recognition at the HAPA Malaysia Series 2018-2020 awards ceremony – Dato’ Holloway said, “Resorts World Genting is now synonymous with entertainment, the good life, fun and leisure. While changing in response to world trends is important, leading the change is something that our team here has set out to put in place from the start. Many things needed to be in place and in meticulous detail in order for Resorts World Genting to be an industry leader. But it is our service excellence that we believe will help us maintain our position as an industry leader. We are very proud of the achievements and dedication shown by our associates especially those who were recognised at this HAPA awards ceremony.”
Discerning Dining
The culinary prowess at Resorts World Genting has always been skillful, and this reputation has taken great steps forward in recent years as part of the GITP initiatives.
“At Resorts World Genting, each of our dining options has been meticulously curated to create revolutionary dining experiences that are delicious yet memorable,” says Gerard Walker, Vice President of Food and Beverage. “We constantly travel the world to find the best restaurants and chefs to introduce them to our visitors. For me, it’s important for us to constantly improve the standards that we’ve set in the hospitality business.”
In achieving this, Resorts World Genting has built on the existing and expanded into new horizons. Fine dining at the resort has always centred around grande dame The Olive at Genting Grand, where the finest ingredients are accompanied by the most prestigious wines. And now, The Olive has added another feather to its cap by being one of the few places outside of Japan to serve Nakanishi-grade Miyazaki wagyu, a Japanese beef that is considered even greater than Kobe wagyu by the Japanese.
This trend of bringing the world’s best under one roof continues, with Resorts World Genting placing a trio of international culinary brands in a row at SkyAvenue. From London comes the ultimate surf-and-turf experience centred around juicy burgers and fresh Nova Scotia lobsters at the simply titled Burger & Lobster. And who doesn’t love a pizza? Especially the thin-crust, Neopolitan-style pizzas baked fresh every day at Motorino Pizzeria.
Also hailing from London is The Laughing Fish by Harry Ramsden, the first international outpost of the Britain’s favourite fish and chips shop. Offering a slice of traditional British hospitality, this is the place to tuck into a piping hot serving of battered fish, crispy chips with gravy or mushy peas. It also offers a glimpse of how Resorts World Genting plans to continue its culinary odyssey; by becoming the base from which fan-favourite restaurants from around the world can expand into a new audience.
But more than just building on existing brands, Resorts World Genting also wants to create some of its own. Case in point, La Fiesta, a Spanish tapas-style restaurant inspired by trips to the inspirational Spanish countryside and its cuisine. Focusing on providing an authentic Spanish experience through dishes such as Iberico ham, Paella and the classic Spanish cocktail Sangria, La Fiesta is a perfect example of just how holistic Resort World Genting’s culinary vision has become.
The Chefs Speak
The creation of this success comes because of the strength of Resorts World Genting’s team. Combining the experience of long-time employees with the fresh perspective of relative newcomers, the culinary team at the resort has performed outstandingly. Part of this comes from the fact that within the team, there is plenty of room to be an individual.
HAPA Malaysia Awards Series 2018-2020 winner, Chef Muhammad Radzuan who helms the kitchen at The Olive agrees. “I’m very lucky to be where I am today and I’m grateful to Resorts World Genting for giving me the opportunity for my skills to be recognised through the award we’ve received. I think the way I stay motivated is my passion of always knowing what is trending in the contemporary culinary scene and trying to blur the boundaries between food and art.” Chef Jacky Yap, from the resort’s storied Chinese restaurant Genting Palace, continues on this theme: “I pride myself on cooking for what I regard as one of Malaysia’s finest Cantonese restaurants and it’s great feeling to be part of that. I think as chefs we should never compromise on quality.”
“What’s great about Resorts World Genting is we’re given a free reign with our creativity,” says Chef Teo Kheng Soon from LTITUDE. “Premium outlets require premium produce. And I have the privilege of accessing high quality ingredients and having a great team with which to work. Perseverance pays off but what’s most important is the satisfied look on a diner’s face and the wonderment of a unique taste.”
Alan Yeong, Executive Pastry Chef and HAPA Malaysia Awards Series 2018-2020 winner, sums it up nicely. “At Resorts World Genting, hospitality comes first and one of the best ways to deliver that to our visitors is by giving them the best in food. What’s fun for me is coming up with these creations and seeing the reception from our customers.”
Matching the quality of the food is the quality of the service at the resort. Devakumar Subramanian, Food and Beverage Manager for Genting Grand, which includes The Olive, stresses the importance of all staff in their team effort. “It’s important to coordinate the communication between the back of house employees to give the guests the very best dining experience they can have and ensure that they receive excellent service the moment they enter our restaurants doors. I always keep myself motivated by knowing that I play a part in being responsible of maintaining the image of the hotel and the resort.”
A Stay To Remember
Resorts World Genting has always been a destination where a single day’s experience is never enough. With several hotels to choose from, the resort’s offerings run the gamut from affordable to extravagant. Recognised by the Forbes Travel Guide in 2018 with a 4-star award, Genting Grand has been a fixture of the resort since it first opened in 1978. With five-star elegance and an exceptional level of service, Genting Grand has also been the recipient of numerous HAPA Awards over the years, including Spa of the Year and Award for Excellence in Spa Concept for its indulgent M Spa. Next to Genting Grand is Maxim’s, another oasis of serenity among the resort’s bustle that received a Recommended award in the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide.
And then there is Resorts World Genting’s latest gem, the new Crockfords hotel. Receiving the coveted 5-Star award in the 2019 Forbes Travel Guide ratings – one of only 196 hotels globally with the honour and the first and only in Malaysia – Crockfords is a revelation. With 111 superior rooms, 8 junior suites, 18 signature suites and 3 executive suites, each room is marvel of technology and comfort, with an attentive team of butlers to attend to the whims and fancies of guests at any time of the day. The signature suites at Crockfords at particularly interesting. Designed in three themes, the suites are differentiated by colour scheme and by recreation. Gym suites include a high-end Italian gym system installed in the living space; Tatami suites come with a massage chair and a Zen-like tea ceremony area, while Mahjong suites include the presence of a very popular state-of-the-art mahjong table, which tiles are automatically shuffled and arranged.
“From the outset, we have strived to create a space worthy of the prestigious name of Crockfords, sparing no expense to deliver an unparalleled experience.” says Dato’ Edward Holloway, Executive Vice President of Leisure & Hospitality for Resorts World Genting. “To be rewarded with the Five-Star rating is a confirmation that our vision for luxury at Resorts World Genting works. But more than that, this award is great, not just for us, but for Malaysia as well. It is an affirmation that Malaysia, as a destination, has luxury service on par with the world’s best, with service and standards that meet the highest level of demands.”
General Manager of Crockfords, David Leung, concurs. “It is fairly easy in this day and age to build the finest assets, however it is the software that makes the difference. Our team has worked tirelessly on the finest details of our luxury service, and we will continue to look at new ways in providing unique and memorable experience so that each time a guest returns it is always special.”
Part of the journey is the end. But the end has not yet come for this era of Resorts World Genting. There are plenty of initiatives and experiences planned to be rolled out as part of the 2013 GITP. The best is yet to come. And when that best does come, then we can all be sure that Resorts World Genting will begin looking into how it can make that best even better.
For more information, please visit www.rwgenting.com
