Traveloka X Butterfly Project: Escape with Traveloka
The Staycation Event
The Staycation Event
According to Meriam Webster, the definition of "staycation" is a vacation spent at home or nearby. A vacation, on the other hand, is defined as a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation had a restful vacation at the beach. With the typical working Malaysian getting an average of 8 - 12 vacation days a year, you can pretty much guess that Malaysians indulge in many staycations.
The staycation options are plentiful. Malaysia after all, is a beautiful country, with beautiful beaches and islands along the east coast, hidden treasures in each town, and a string of heritage and food trails loved by both locals and tourists alike. The list is endless! I myself have yet to discover the many places Malaysia has to offer - near or far.
With traveling more accessible now thanks to sites such as Traveloka, we can now book a flight or hotel over the weekend and be back to work on Monday rejuvenated.
Wait, What's Traveloka?
Traveloka is one of the leading flight and hotel booking platforms in Southeast Asia, serving more than 100,000+ flight routes and 100,000+ hotels worldwide. Traveloka work hard to provide our customers with the cheapest hotel and flight rates every day!
Sounds impressive? Even more so when you know they threw a staycation for the members of a local blogger's community to discover the most Instagrammable Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Of course, that sounded too humble, so let me rephrase. Traveloka threw a 2 Days 1 Night Staycation for 40 lifestyle bloggers from Malaysia's leading beauty and lifestyle bloggers community, The Butterfly Project! A community I founded in 2014 gathering like-minded bloggers to have meaningful experiences together and to discover the undiscovered in our local town.
It was an all-expense paid staycation, filled with activities from dusk to dawn and no one left hungry! Yes, that's really important. We Malaysians love food!
If you're curious about what went on, here I am today to tell the tale of Travel, Staycation and Experiences not to be forgotten. My three favorite things.
I was surprised that some came all the way from the north of Malaysia, as far away as Penang to KL city, just for this staycation. When I asked a few bloggers why? They said they wouldn't miss a community gathering! Yeap the Escape with Traveloka Staycation event screams fun, friends and fam (butterfly family).
Escape With Traveloka Itinerary
Day 1
10.00am - Arrival & Registration (Tea Break 1)
11.00am - Ice-Breaking Session
12.00am - Introduction to Traveloka, Traveloka App, KL Journal Hotel
12.00pm - Lunch
1.30pm - Butterfly Releasing Ceremony
2.00pm - Check-in Rooms
3.00pm - DIY Workshops (Tea Break 2)
6.00pm - Free & Easy
7.30pm - Dinner
9.00pm - Christmas Gift Exchange
Day 2
Breakfast & Check-out
The morning started with a good old cup of coffee greeting every blogger arriving at The Worker's Union which was a unique work, social cum dining space that combines industrial chic with eclectic details. Featuring three Studios designed for intimate meetings, The Gallery, a flexible space designed for small corporate events, private parties or social gatherings and Workers' Union Bar and Grill, a beer garden with a relaxed chill vibe.
Everyone was given a Traveloka nametag, goodie bag and ushered to have breakfast before the main event started. During the registration, they were also signing up to participate in one of the four available art & crafts workshops organized by Traveloka to make their staycation event memorable.
The Butterfly Team comprising of 8 members (including myself) were in between floors making sure bloggers arrived smoothly as it was the first time for most of us discovering this unique boutique hotel. We make sure they're welcome with warmth, get acquainted with other members and explain the day's events.
I have come to name the team members as Butterfly Relations Officer (BRO) because they were tasked with the most important job of all - ensuring the happiness of the community members during events. It's run via a volunteer system, something where members could give back to the community (emcees, photographer, ushers, sometimes bouncers lol).
With all 40 butterflies present, the main event kicked off with a wonderful welcome by Butterfly Emcees Leonard Heng and Sydney Lim follow by a fun ice-breaking session by Azzanea (Traveloka) which ended in waves of laughter, tears, and smiles. She was amazingly cool and as we found out later at night, she plays a mean guitar!
Then it was time to get down and serious with Traveloka. The Big Boss and his team, introduce what Traveloka is, their history and future plans of making it a one-stop platform for travelers out there. The community got to know about Traveloka App where booking flights or hotels can now be accessible in the palm of your hands. Check out the introduction to Traveloka App below to find out how you can travel anywhere, stay anywhere and work anywhere. Switch languages so you never get lost in translation. It also accepts payment with many payment partners and currency denomination. And if you forget, notifications remind you!
The best part of the discussion? Getting to know that now you can travel with ease with the exclusive Traveloka Maybank 0% installment plan. Don't wait for your next adventure Traveloka says, with this, you get to maximize your travel experience while managing your funds. Of course, don't go overboard and book a luxury Maldives trip with all the works if you can't manage your finances! We're talking about instead of waiting for a year to finally book your trip, you can actually do your trip and pay for it with the 6 or 12 months installment plans.
After the Q & A session, the Boss of KL Journal Hotel was next. He talked about the unique hotel facilities, amenities, concept, and service and hoped that we all enjoyed our stay here. He was quite happy to meet such a big group of female bloggers for the first time and decided to throw in a one night stay at his hotel with breakfast for the best Instagram photo during this staycation. He teased that if the hotel's one and only suite were available, the winner could enjoy it too! The crowd went wild. I could see everyone's eyes firing up to be the next best influencer.
By now, it's lunchtime and everyone is super hungry. Traveloka arranged a semi-buffet lunch for everyone which consists of a choice of a la carte main course with all-you-can-eat buffet snacks, soup of the day and dessert at the newly revamped Kedai Kopi Journal (formerly known as The Bounty). A quaint-looking old-school coffee shop meets modern chic restaurant at the ground of the hotel lobby. They serve daily breakfast spread which includes freshly baked bread and pastries churned out daily from its pastry studio and a classic menu of east meets west, focusing predominately on Asian flavors for lunch.
As a surprise, KL Journal Hotel arranged for a butterfly releasing ceremony at The Terrace Bar & Grill. It is a lush green space with an open bar, weather-beaten tables, dramatic lighting and an eclectic mix of communal and comfy lounge seating it is a great place to unwind. The butterfly releasing is normally done at the outdoor section of Kedai Kopi Journal for their afternoon tea guests. I heard it's only on the weekends at afternoon tea hours. You may want to double check this with the hotel if you find this interesting.
After lunch, everyone gathered back at Worker's Union to get their hotel room keys. This was perhaps the most anticipated part of the staycation event - checking in to see how nice the rooms are! It was every bit, as real as the photographs on the hotel's website. Each and everyone stayed in a Deluxe Twin or King room that could easily fit three people or a family.
I had the twin room of 28sqm with a queen size bed plus a single bed. The room features an ergonomic mattress with pure cotton sheets, silky to the touch, feather duck down and microfibre pillows, floor-to-ceiling windows for plenty of natural light, a 40" flat screen TV, rain shower, a functional workspace with free high-speed wifi and plugged-in connectivity. The bathroom was modern and big for a deluxe size room and if it had a bathtub, it would be perfect.
I slept like a baby here, and I would pay just to sleep here again!
• Posturepedic Royal Mattress
• High thread count linen
• Duck down & microfibre pillows
• High-pressure rain shower
• Free high-speed internet
• JBL wireless Bluetooth speaker with alarm & radio
• 40" flat screen HDTV with free satellite channels
• Work desk with adjustable lamp
• Lounge chair
• Electronic safe
• Bathrobe & spa toiletries
• Iron & Ironing board
• Mini fridge & bar
• Hair Dryer
I had some shut-eye before moving on to the next activity on the agenda. The Art & Crafts Workshops session from 3pm - 5pm. There were 4 workshops available. Each workshop accommodated 10 bloggers. The BRO Team had the opportunity to join the workshops as well. Leonard, Sydney and I picked the Bathbomb Workshop by Wunderbath while Eros and Anis went for Leather Passport Holder making and Bo picked the Watercolour Floral workshop.
Everyone enjoyed the workshops so much! Group photos were taken, and teachers didn't even know we were all bloggers! It might have shocked them to know right? I wish I could join all the workshops on that day. It was truly a meaningful experience to end the day.
We retreated back to our rooms while others went on photographing every nook and cranny of the hotel for their blog and Instagram posts. It wasn't the end of the day yet as we still had one more activity to go. The Christmas buffet dinner at Kedai Kopi Journal and our community gift exchange. I had three rounds at the buffet table because I love the smoked duck and pumpkin soup! Everyone was peacefully eating, a sign that their batteries had come to a low after a day of fun. I spotted Santa hats and some even dressed up for it. On the tables, presents lay await.
When we announced it was time to exchange gifts, everyone came alive and the noise level was... *cough cough* barely go unnoticed until the hotel's employees and guests were stealing peeks to see what's going on. I could cry at the sight of my community having so much fun today.
Since I already prepare Christmas gifts for my Butterfly Team, I thought I would surprise them with a mini gift exchange to be used during their stay here. They were surprised *LOL*. I gave them l'Occitane travel size toiletries along with some keepsakes. Leonard was the only one who surprised me with a Christmas present on that day (and he's not even my roommate). It was something I've always wanted to add to my candle collection, Diptique candle! I don't know when I would dare to burn this because it costs a bomb. Thank you so much, Leonard *sob sob*.
The night ended with free cocktails as it was Ladies's night at The Terrace Bar & Grill. There was a band, and Traveloka's Azzanea brought her guitar and started playing. The vibe, the music, the lights, the people, and the sight of cars buzzing around in the city as we look over the balcony made everything perfect. I can't describe how wonderful this feeling was in words. The band called out to the crowd welcoming anyone to join in to be the songbird and weforced encouraged Sydney to go. It was the first time I witness her sing and, I just couldn't be any happier to know not only is she a beautiful person, she has a beautiful voice too.
In the morning, it was time to say goodbye after breakfast. As we parted ways, we looked back and smiled knowing our weekend had come to an end but it will always be in our memories. On behalf of the community, I would like to thank Traveloka for collaborating with The Butterfly Project to throw a wonderful staycation event to end the year 2017. It was an opportunity, not only to get to know Traveloka better but also for the members to bond with one another. Truly a great escape, one full of memories to cherish and always remember.
Terima Kasih Traveloka.
For more information on booking your next great escape, visit Traveloka Malaysia website and Traveloka MY Facebook for updates and promotions.
The staycation options are plentiful. Malaysia after all, is a beautiful country, with beautiful beaches and islands along the east coast, hidden treasures in each town, and a string of heritage and food trails loved by both locals and tourists alike. The list is endless! I myself have yet to discover the many places Malaysia has to offer - near or far.
With traveling more accessible now thanks to sites such as Traveloka, we can now book a flight or hotel over the weekend and be back to work on Monday rejuvenated.
Wait, What's Traveloka?
Traveloka is one of the leading flight and hotel booking platforms in Southeast Asia, serving more than 100,000+ flight routes and 100,000+ hotels worldwide. Traveloka work hard to provide our customers with the cheapest hotel and flight rates every day!
Traveloka Malaysia, The Butterfly Project & KL Hotel Journal
It was an all-expense paid staycation, filled with activities from dusk to dawn and no one left hungry! Yes, that's really important. We Malaysians love food!
If you're curious about what went on, here I am today to tell the tale of Travel, Staycation and Experiences not to be forgotten. My three favorite things.
Escape With Traveloka: The 2D1N Staycation Event
We planned this for months before it happened and called the staycation event "Escape with Traveloka" and announced it on the community page. Over 100 members applied to be a part of it but only 40 were selected based on priority to travel and lifestyle bloggers. We also took into consideration how active they were and if they would enjoy the escape.I was surprised that some came all the way from the north of Malaysia, as far away as Penang to KL city, just for this staycation. When I asked a few bloggers why? They said they wouldn't miss a community gathering! Yeap the Escape with Traveloka Staycation event screams fun, friends and fam (butterfly family).
Escape With Traveloka Itinerary
Day 1
10.00am - Arrival & Registration (Tea Break 1)
11.00am - Ice-Breaking Session
12.00am - Introduction to Traveloka, Traveloka App, KL Journal Hotel
12.00pm - Lunch
1.30pm - Butterfly Releasing Ceremony
2.00pm - Check-in Rooms
3.00pm - DIY Workshops (Tea Break 2)
6.00pm - Free & Easy
7.30pm - Dinner
9.00pm - Christmas Gift Exchange
Day 2
Breakfast & Check-out
Welcome to the Kuala Lumpur Journal Hotel
the best pool photo by emi
Amelie's all ready for the staycation - IN STYLE
you won't get lost with the banners around
Worker's Union: Where the meeting rooms are
never a moment without selfies
Everyone was given a Traveloka nametag, goodie bag and ushered to have breakfast before the main event started. During the registration, they were also signing up to participate in one of the four available art & crafts workshops organized by Traveloka to make their staycation event memorable.
coffee & yummy nasi lemak to wake everyone up
The Butterfly Team comprising of 8 members (including myself) were in between floors making sure bloggers arrived smoothly as it was the first time for most of us discovering this unique boutique hotel. We make sure they're welcome with warmth, get acquainted with other members and explain the day's events.
I have come to name the team members as Butterfly Relations Officer (BRO) because they were tasked with the most important job of all - ensuring the happiness of the community members during events. It's run via a volunteer system, something where members could give back to the community (emcees, photographer, ushers, sometimes bouncers lol).
The Kuala Lumpur Journal is a stylish boutique hotel in KL city centre. Designed with an inviting relaxed vibe where nostalgia meets industrial chic, we're centrally located in the city's main shopping and entertainment district of Bukit Bintang. Just minutes away from the Changkat neighbourhood - the hub of KL nightlife with its thriving bar culture and KL's foodie mecca, Jalan Alor.
get ready for our funny duo-butterfly emcees!
getting to know all about Traveloka & Traveloka App
Then it was time to get down and serious with Traveloka. The Big Boss and his team, introduce what Traveloka is, their history and future plans of making it a one-stop platform for travelers out there. The community got to know about Traveloka App where booking flights or hotels can now be accessible in the palm of your hands. Check out the introduction to Traveloka App below to find out how you can travel anywhere, stay anywhere and work anywhere. Switch languages so you never get lost in translation. It also accepts payment with many payment partners and currency denomination. And if you forget, notifications remind you!
Traveloka App The World in One Single App
The best part of the discussion? Getting to know that now you can travel with ease with the exclusive Traveloka Maybank 0% installment plan. Don't wait for your next adventure Traveloka says, with this, you get to maximize your travel experience while managing your funds. Of course, don't go overboard and book a luxury Maldives trip with all the works if you can't manage your finances! We're talking about instead of waiting for a year to finally book your trip, you can actually do your trip and pay for it with the 6 or 12 months installment plans.
Traveloka's Interest-Free Installment Payment Scheme
5 Reasons To Fly Now Pay Later
How To Get The 0% Installment?
I am excited to try this installment payment out for my next trip to Sabah this June since I have a Maybank credit card. The plan looks flexible as it's open to either Visa, MasterCard or Amex. Any kind of airline and flight routes (domestic and international) and for all hotels, room types and stay period! All I need to do is make sure the minimum transaction amount is RM500 (6-months plan) or RM1,000 (12-months plan). The process takes 2 days after booking and appears on your next billing statement. The best part? You can combine with other promotions on Traveloka. Make sure to always read the terms and conditions of any promotions or plan you're getting to ensure you understand how it works.
Q&A session with Traveloka Boss
warm welcome by KL Journal Hotel GM
warm welcome by KL Journal Hotel GM
After the Q & A session, the Boss of KL Journal Hotel was next. He talked about the unique hotel facilities, amenities, concept, and service and hoped that we all enjoyed our stay here. He was quite happy to meet such a big group of female bloggers for the first time and decided to throw in a one night stay at his hotel with breakfast for the best Instagram photo during this staycation. He teased that if the hotel's one and only suite were available, the winner could enjoy it too! The crowd went wild. I could see everyone's eyes firing up to be the next best influencer.
fresh baked bread at Kedai Kopi Journal
yummy ala carte meals with semi-buffet
private lunch area just for us hehe
the best lunch selfie goes to Eintan!
By now, it's lunchtime and everyone is super hungry. Traveloka arranged a semi-buffet lunch for everyone which consists of a choice of a la carte main course with all-you-can-eat buffet snacks, soup of the day and dessert at the newly revamped Kedai Kopi Journal (formerly known as The Bounty). A quaint-looking old-school coffee shop meets modern chic restaurant at the ground of the hotel lobby. They serve daily breakfast spread which includes freshly baked bread and pastries churned out daily from its pastry studio and a classic menu of east meets west, focusing predominately on Asian flavors for lunch.
the most chill selfie belongs to Jerine
the butterfly releasing ceremony
right top: Butterfly Project Found & Lead Emcee
right bottom: KL Journal Hotel GM & Traveloka's Marketing Manager
we found a butterfly whisperer! (Hotel GM)
As a surprise, KL Journal Hotel arranged for a butterfly releasing ceremony at The Terrace Bar & Grill. It is a lush green space with an open bar, weather-beaten tables, dramatic lighting and an eclectic mix of communal and comfy lounge seating it is a great place to unwind. The butterfly releasing is normally done at the outdoor section of Kedai Kopi Journal for their afternoon tea guests. I heard it's only on the weekends at afternoon tea hours. You may want to double check this with the hotel if you find this interesting.
Tiffany won the best video on event sharing
(butterfly releasing ceremony inside)
(butterfly releasing ceremony inside)
After lunch, everyone gathered back at Worker's Union to get their hotel room keys. This was perhaps the most anticipated part of the staycation event - checking in to see how nice the rooms are! It was every bit, as real as the photographs on the hotel's website. Each and everyone stayed in a Deluxe Twin or King room that could easily fit three people or a family.
the best boutique hotel mattress I've ever slept in!
an urban-modern mix of old-school elements
I slept like a baby here, and I would pay just to sleep here again!
• Posturepedic Royal Mattress
• High thread count linen
• Duck down & microfibre pillows
• High-pressure rain shower
• Free high-speed internet
• JBL wireless Bluetooth speaker with alarm & radio
• 40" flat screen HDTV with free satellite channels
• Work desk with adjustable lamp
• Lounge chair
• Electronic safe
• Bathrobe & spa toiletries
• Iron & Ironing board
• Mini fridge & bar
• Hair Dryer
Nicole won the best IG photo challenge
I had some shut-eye before moving on to the next activity on the agenda. The Art & Crafts Workshops session from 3pm - 5pm. There were 4 workshops available. Each workshop accommodated 10 bloggers. The BRO Team had the opportunity to join the workshops as well. Leonard, Sydney and I picked the Bathbomb Workshop by Wunderbath while Eros and Anis went for Leather Passport Holder making and Bo picked the Watercolour Floral workshop.
BathBombs & Scrub Workshop by Wunderbath
Watercolour Floral Workshop by Black Milk Project
Everyone enjoyed the workshops so much! Group photos were taken, and teachers didn't even know we were all bloggers! It might have shocked them to know right? I wish I could join all the workshops on that day. It was truly a meaningful experience to end the day.
best workshop photo by Innanie
best Christmas entrance pose Syafiqah!
community Christmas gift exchange
the Butterfly Relations Team (BRO)
(R - L) Bo, Anis, Sydney & Eros (Leonard's missing)
(R - L) Bo, Anis, Sydney & Eros (Leonard's missing)
check out this sneaky video of what went on
When we announced it was time to exchange gifts, everyone came alive and the noise level was... *cough cough* barely go unnoticed until the hotel's employees and guests were stealing peeks to see what's going on. I could cry at the sight of my community having so much fun today.
free cocktails & live band at The Terrace Bar & Grill (outdoor)
Azzanea brought her guitar to join in the band
Sydney "forced" to sing by us all
The night ended with free cocktails as it was Ladies's night at The Terrace Bar & Grill. There was a band, and Traveloka's Azzanea brought her guitar and started playing. The vibe, the music, the lights, the people, and the sight of cars buzzing around in the city as we look over the balcony made everything perfect. I can't describe how wonderful this feeling was in words. The band called out to the crowd welcoming anyone to join in to be the songbird and we
a pillow fight is a must when two bffs come together
In the morning, it was time to say goodbye after breakfast. As we parted ways, we looked back and smiled knowing our weekend had come to an end but it will always be in our memories. On behalf of the community, I would like to thank Traveloka for collaborating with The Butterfly Project to throw a wonderful staycation event to end the year 2017. It was an opportunity, not only to get to know Traveloka better but also for the members to bond with one another. Truly a great escape, one full of memories to cherish and always remember.
Terima Kasih Traveloka.
For more information on booking your next great escape, visit Traveloka Malaysia website and Traveloka MY Facebook for updates and promotions.
Thanks for your hard work in planning it! Such nostalgia reading about it again haha, what a fun weekend! ☺️
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing the hotel myself. I'm booking my next staycation here!!! Btw, I book my SG flight with Traveloka, I kind of got an upgrade on AA flight. I'm first in the row!!!
ReplyDeleteAwww~ I miss you guys again and again..thanks for the major throwback memories!
ReplyDeleteThe Staycation was fun. Overall Traveloka is a convenient travel apps for traveller like me. Travel plan is so much easier.
ReplyDeleteThe traveloka staycation with butterflies are awesome !!! Please do this once again... It super funnnnnnnn
ReplyDeletehai , my name is ain. i'm already become your followers and glad to meet you in blog. :)
ReplyDelete