If you are looking
for an unforgettable bed and breakfast place, then you should stay with Eco Bed
& Breakfast Johor Baru.
 |
| Facade of the White House in Taman Setia Tropika, Johor Baru |
Keith Lee and his
wife, Jewel Shalom, fondly call their B&B, the little white house and the
beds and breakfasts here are nothing less than extraordinary.
Curious to see the
B&B for myself, I agree on a date with Lee for a stay-cation and he
promptly replies by WhatsApp to give me explicit step-by-step instructions on
how to do a self-check-in. Besides a
series of code numbers that I’m to punch onto a keypad at the gate and front
door, he has instructions to retrieve my room key and access card from a locker,
along with how to help myself to beverages.
As I scroll down to read his messages complete with photos, I cannot
help feeling like a secret agent, receiving instructions for an espionage
mission!
White House
Lee tells me that
while the housekeeper will have my room ready for me, the caretaker who doubles
up as driver, will be with him to ferry a group arriving in Singapore from
Taiwan, to the B&B later that night.
 |
| Keith Lee [Right] and his wife, Jewel Shalom at the reception of Eco B & B Johor Baru |
So armed with his given instructions, I arrive in Taman Setia Tropika
and head to Precinct 9 to get my vehicle entry pass from security guards to
enter Caranday Park. A precinct park is
directly in front and I turn left, driving at a crawl to find the address of that
little white house at the very end of the block.
Through glass
windows warm lights exude a welcoming glow and I’m glad no one is watching me
as I gingerly punch in the code number that should open the front gates. I hear a whirr and click before I figured
that I should give the gate a push to disengage the magnet and open it because
it’s not automatic. I remember Lee’s
message reminding me to park to one side of the porch and be mindful of pet
cats or pups [Note: The Lee's have a passion for rescuing stray cats and dogs!] that may be wandering around the compound!
 |
| Forest beds in the Ballad room |
By the porch light,
I read another code number to punch onto a keypad for the front door and just
as Lee said, the door opens when the light turns green. The little white house clearly got its name
not only from being painted white outside but the interior and furnishings are
also all white.
I’m distracted by ethnic
bric-a-brac that decorate the reception counter and the unique wooden dining
hall furniture and remember there is yet another code to open the tiny padlock
on the locker to retrieve the access card and key to the Ballad room assigned
to me.
The Beds
 |
| Rocking beds in the Symphony room |
Like many
Singaporeans, the Lee’s have homes on both sides of the causeway and as they
discover more interesting attractions in and around Johor Baru, they opened the
B&B last December to share their discoveries with visitors here. Very often they will take guests on local
tours to let them experience the sites and taste the food.
As they share their knowledge about where to
go, what to do and where and what to eat here, Lee and his wife inadvertently
became self-appointed ambassadors for Johor!
While exploring
Johor and other states in Malaysia, the Lee’s met artisans skilled in metal and
wood work and they were engaged to create Lee’s own designs for uniquely
crafted beds.
 |
| The rocking round bed in the Lullaby room! |
The rooms have music
themed names like Symphony, a family suite furnished with two queen-size
rocking beds while the Duet has twin rocking beds. The Lullaby is named after its special,
suspended queen-size round bed that is designed to gently rock you into
slumber!
Lee assures me
that these beds are designed with anchors to stop them from rocking but I
prefer a bed that’s standing firmly on the ground. So in my Ballad room, I have Forest beds
designed with a canopy of leafy twigs entwined around a [bird’s] nest above the
bed. Each room is equipped with basic
furnishings in shades of white and cane furniture covered by batik cloth but my
favourite item is the labu sayong,
traditional earthen flasks from Perak, filled with filtered, boiled and
naturally cooled drinking water.
The Breakfasts
As I come down the
stairs, I admire the towering bamboo display on the landing in an arrangement
reminiscent of pipe organs in ancient European cathedrals. Last night I saw it in the glow of a lighted
scented candle on the floor and now I can see it better by day.
Lee, who is
setting tables, exchange cheery “Good Morning” greetings with me and as I’m
seated at the wooden white table, I can hear his wife, Jewel, in the
kitchen. He tells me that everything is
made fresh and served piping hot. Only
the batter for the waffles is prepared overnight for the yeast to be infused
into the organic unbleached flour to create their classic Belgian waffles that
are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
 |
| The delightful freshly made breakfast I thoroughly enjoyed! |
He places a bowl
of mixed fresh fruit on my table and as he pours me a cupful, the fragrance of
freshly brewed local Liberica coffee fills the air. Suddenly, Jewel is standing next to me,
shoving her mixing bowl into my line of vision to show me that the 24-hour
fermented batter is now mixed with eggs, a pinch of sea salt and vanilla
flavour from fresh pods, before serving me the freshly cooked waffles.
Each guest must take their turn to be served
and I’m privately cheering because I’m ahead of their other guests.
The wait is worth
every minute because I’m delighted with my serving of Belgian waffles topped
with contrasting flavours. The sweetness
is from one quarter wedge covered by slices of caramelized apples sprinkled
with cinnamon powder and organic raisins and another wedge topped by toasted
almonds flakes on a bed of homemade chocolate-hazelnut (like Nutella!)
sauce. The other half of the waffle is
topped by savoury flavours from a folded omelet stuffed with slices of shitake
mushrooms and cheese and drizzled with Italian herbs and paprika.
For a moment, I
forget that I’m in JB because this bed and breakfast experience is in a class
of its own.
Lee and Jewel are
all smiles when they see my clean plate because it’s proof of how much I
enjoyed every morsel of my hearty waffle breakfast. Other guests are waiting for their breakfast
and we cannot continue our chat but Lee assures me that there are other items
on their menu for guests who stay for more than one night. All are made from fresh ingredients and when
Lee invited me over again to chit-chat about Johor culture, heritage and places
of interest over their special waffles and pasta creations, I reply “Sure!”
without hesitation.
Hotel
Eco Bed &
Breakfast, Johor Baru
No. 42 Jalan Setia
Tropika 9/6, Taman Setia Tropika, Kempas
81200 Johor Baru,
Johor
Tel: 607 – 244
6499
Mobile: 6019 – 713
0049
Email:
thatlittlewhitehouse@gmail.com
Website:
ecobnbjohorbahru.com
Getting There
Convenient access
from Johor Baru city centre via Jalan Tun Abdul Razak; Exit at clover-leaf
interchange into Jalan Datin Halimah for a direct route to Taman Setia Tropika
at right. From the Plus North-South
Highway, exit at Kempas Toll, follow route to JB and turn left into nearby
Taman Setia Tropika. Eco B&B JB is
at Precinct 9 within gated and guarded Caranday Park.
Rooms
Just four rooms
named Symphony, Lullaby, Ballad and Duet, all with attached bathrooms
Main Attraction
The bed and breakfast
truly makes an impression
First Impression
Well-appointed and
clean
Overall Service
Friendly and
attentive
F&B Outlets
Breakfast indoors
or in alfresco setting and self-serve range of hot beverages
Facilities
No-smoking
premises, high-speed wireless internet connection, self-serve beverage counter
in breakfast nook and tour desk advice from the friendly hosts
Places Within
Walking Distance
A nearby precinct
park
A version of this was published in The New Straits Times, Life & Times on 1 Oct 2015
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