Casa del Rio Melaka – infinity pool, gym, library and MICE

Following my previous post on my Deluxe Room, the pictures below will take you through the grounds of Casa del Rio and more of its facilities.

Your relaxing stay at Casa del Rio begins with a gracious welcome and as if in apology of the Melaka heat, housemade lime sorbet and a chilled towel are offered to cool you down.
The sea of blue calm from the lago that is the centrepiece of the boutique hotel exudes a wonderful soothing ambiance.

Casa del Rio is a clever amalgam of design from the variety of cultures that had landed on Melaka’s soil since the 14th century. Instead of pure peranakan (popular with the current hotels/guesthouses along Jonker), this homely boutique hotel has traces of Straits Chinese influences amidst the Mediterranean style.
I appreciate the combination of both, done tastefully with the warm colours of magenta, yellow and ochre over terra cotta blend with old wrought iron railings and ornamental lighting; all in all exuding calm, peace and homeliness.

The gentle pace and reassuring vibes blanketed me whenever I’m within its walls. I seek solace in my room and in the spa as well as in the gym whenever I’m back from another session of my Melaka food hunt.

Thank god for the comforts of the Casa del Rio. I wouldn’t have managed 20+ food places over 2 days if it wasn’t for the comforts of the hotel. I woke up each day rejuvenated and raring to continue my data collection for my Melaka Food Series. 🙂

The resort grounds isn’t large, yet it doesn’t feel claustrophobic. There are plenty of nooks and private corners to call your own.

For me the best spot was on the cabanas by the courtyard accompanied by the zen, gentle sounds of water.

Writing sitting by the lago was one of my favourite past time here. When the heat got a bit too unbearable, I hid in the comfortable library, a handsome room of tomes with air conditioning.

Computers and Internet connectivity is provided and a wide range of books from romance to historical and war volumes would keep bookworms of all genre happy. In addition to that, cooking, traveling and business magazines as well as daily local newspapers are aplenty.

Each cosy pair of chairs has powerpoints on the wall at the back so if you’re like me who brings your laptop wherever you go, just plug in, sit back and surf away!

Not a fan of reading? How about board games and traditional congkak?

Not many hotels offers such a lovely library, but what was even more surprising was the complimentary coffee pods and tea bags as well as snacks. Most 5 star luxury resorts (within similar price range) I have been to does not have a library (they may have a reading corner or a sterile looking business centre) but complimentary coffee and tea and snacks?
Quite rare really.

And not just any cheap coffee or tea mind you.

It’s self-service by the way, but who’s complaining?

Other than the library, another favourite spot of mine is the gym. The one here is compact but came with wall bars (again, not commonly available at hotel gyms) and all the necessary equipment to make any workout complete. Threadmill, free weights, full body workout machines… I’m one happy girl! 🙂

And much appreciated – fresh apples, water and towels.

Casa del Rio has won many awards, and it’s easy to see why.

Just beside the library The Hotel Shop where the amenities in your room, books and even the wardrobe can be purchased here. So if you had fallen in love with the Morton soaps, the cute terracotta jars, bath salts and etc; you may “bring them home” (BUY) from the Hotel Shop.

The hotel has a wonderful infinity pool so if you’re like me who had forgotten your swimwear, just grab one from The Hotel Shop.

The infinity pool here is worthy highlight. Stretching long and blue, it is a welcoming sight on a hot day, which is what Melaka is EVERYDAY.

Cool down in the pool and order a (or many) drink from the pool bar. Towels, deck chairs, male/female changing rooms and even some poolside tables and chairs are at hand for the guests’ convenience. So even if you’re not swimming, order an iced drink, lounge at the poolside with a book or surf the net with your laptop/tablet.
The hotel complimentary WIFI covers the whole building. Well it does when it works.

*pic above courtesy of Casa del Rio.

There was a conference going on during my stay and I realized that the whole group was staying at Casa del Rio as well because I met them during breakfast. Lunch was buffet style at The River Cafe and tea breaks was by the Lago courtyard.
I spoke to one of the participants and he was pretty pleased with his room, the food and he even asked me to join him for a drink at Jonker Walk. He even said he will be back with his spouse for a relaxing weekend soon. 🙂

Below: The function room.

And here are pictures courtesy of Casa del Rio showing the full setup of the ballroom and function rooms. The hotel 7 function rooms and main ballroom are well equipped with state of the art devices, ergonomic chairs, controlled temperature and natural light with option for black out or day blinds. These room could be adapted to suit your requirements, be it an interview for 2 or a seminar for 200.

For outdoor functions, Casa del Rio has 2 open air space; one on the ground floor just front of the river & lago courtyard and another on the same floor as the spa.

This open air area strategically by the riverside is just marvelous for functions and events.

As you can see below, with the proper setup a full riverside dinner/party or a standaround casual cocktail would be a gorgeous affair!
*picture courtesy of Casa del Rio

I can imagine the same for the Level 3 Roof Garden overlooking Melaka town.

For further amusement Casa del Rio is located just 2 minutes away from the busiest street in Melaka – Jonker Street and within walking distance from most popular Melaka food outlets, temples and cultural shops such as traditional wear and paintings.

I bought all these from Jonker Street. Surf over to my comparison chart HERE if you’re curious on which is good! 🙂

Please find below a brochure of the attractions around Casa del Rio courtesy of the hotel:

Prefer the shopping mall? There’s complimentary shuttle service to Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall. Just reserve at the reception.

With all that gluttony and fun, I made sure to burn off the excess calories so I won’t regret it later. Each morning I jogged to the beach and back. The path was clean, clear and safe.
It starts from River Side Cafe, along the river and on to the little road to the beachwalk.

At 6.30am in the morning the riverside was quiet, serene and the reflections of the waters from the sunrise skies are gorgeous!

As a precautionary step, I only started my run at 7.30am, when it was already nice and bright.

There’s much to see and do in Melaka and it’s good to come back to my cushy room and sleep serenely to wake up to a scrumptious breakfast. But that’s material for another post so watch out for that! 🙂

* This Melaka trip was made possible by Casa del Rio, Melaka. Many thanks to the management for the splendid stay and providing me the opportunity to explore the rich cultural state of Melaka! 🙂

Casa del Rio Boutique Hotel
88, Jalan Kota Laksamana 75200 Malacca, Malaysia
+606-289 6888
GPS:  N02° 11′ 20″ E101° 23′ 4″