“The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve got no place to go… let it snow, let it snow – err… let it snow?”
Right, let me stop you right there. The frightful weather? Present. The cosy fireplace? Crackling away. But snow? Not a single flake in sight.
What we do have, though, is the closest thing to a magical winter wonderland this side of the equator, at Cameron Highlands Resort, where the Christmas décor is abundant, the staff are cheerful, and the pine trees play a main role in the Christmassy landscape.
A hill station, revisited
At 1,500 metres above sea level, temperatures at the resort drop to about 18°C at night and barely rise above 20°C during the day, so it felt pretty cold for this KL-ite. Who would have thought I’d ever experience genuinely cool weather in Malaysia? After almost 12 years, the only chill I’d known was the cinema’s ice-cold air-conditioning.
I only recently learned that Cameron Highlands was actually stumbled upon back in 1885 by a British surveyor named William Cameron – who then somehow forgot to mark the spot on his map. It took almost forty years before someone else, Sir George Maxwell, picked up the thread and turned the Cameron Highland hills into a retreat for homesick British colonials.
Today, those same slopes are covered in green tea plantations, strawberry farms, jungle trails, waterfalls and flower gardens. Cameron Highlands Resort sits right in the middle of all that beautiful, rolling greenery.
The magic of Christmas
Driving up from KL to Cameron Highlands is pretty straightforward, until the last section, where the road begins to wind through the mountains, curling along green slopes and misty views.
After a warm welcome and check-in with the friendly staff at Cameron Highlands Resort, we were shown around the hotel and a quick freshen up later at our room, we found ourselves in the Jim Thompson Room for Afternoon Tea, where ‘delicious’ genuinely takes on a new meaning. We kept reminding ourselves that dinner would be served soon, so we tried to hold back. Tried.
What struck me most at the resort was its atmosphere, one that wasn’t just defined by its interior, but perhaps by its gentle blend of old-world English charm and warm Asian hospitality.
Our room in Cameron Highlands Resort was charming – all old colonial touches, warm woods and that cosy atmosphere that makes you want to curl up with a book and a cup of tea. The only thing that broke the spell a little, was noise from cars on the road outside. Thankfully, the resort knows this and provides earplugs as part of the room amenities. A small but helpful gesture.
Spa serenity & Gonbei gastronomy
The Spa Village Cameron Highlands in Cameron Highlands Resort is an experience on its own. The delicate décor and the focus on tea-infused rituals make every treatment feel like you’re floating on cotton clouds. After slipping into our bathrobes, we were guided to the tea baths – my plus one immediately erupting into delighted ohs and ahs over her strawberry-filled soak. Mine was a fragrant mix of tea leaves and chrysanthemums. Bliss. And just when I thought it couldn’t get better, a massage followed – the kind of treatment that leaves you in a happy, dozy daze.
One of the things I loved about Cameron Highlands Resort were the little nooks tucked everywhere, with inviting spots to sit, read, or work. My personal favourite was the Library, with its cosy timber interior and crackling fireplace. I could have stayed there for hours.
Our hot pot dinner at Gonbei was absolutely fabulous, with fresh ingredients, rich flavours, and steaming soup pots that warmed us right through.
Breakfast bliss and the truth about Jim Thompson
Breakfast the next morning had one tiny surprise: no cappuccino. But the hot, freshly brewed coffee more than made up for it – and honestly, it was a refreshing change from my usual morning routine.
We then joined the morning walk led by resident naturalist Madi, who guided us around the golf course and shared stories about the tigers and deer that once roamed these highlands.
He also told us the story of Jim Thompson. Madi lowered his voice just enough to draw everyone closer: “Jim was an American architect who became a legend in Southeast Asia. He was the man who revived the Thai silk industry almost single-handedly. In March 1967, Jim spent Easter morning at church and afternoon at a picnic before everyone returned for a quiet siesta. And then he simply disappeared. Search teams combed the hills for days. Some swore he was taken by a tiger, others believed he fell into a ravine, and the more dramatic claimed he was kidnapped. But truth is… no one has ever found out what happened to him.” Slightly unsettled, we returned to the safe walls of the resort.
Lunch was a comforting indulgence, with hearty food like lasagna and other warm dishes, exactly what you need in cool highland weather. The afternoon was spent at leisure, and in the evening we gathered again in the Jim Thompson Lounge for pre-dinner drinks. The highlight? A cup of wonderfully warm glühwein – pure joy.
Lighting up the highlands
Christmas dinner at Cameron Highlands Resort felt like stepping onto a Harry Potter set: long tables dressed in rich red décor, and an impressive line-up of staff waiting behind them. The food was fabulous: turkey, lamb, and a spread of other festive dishes paired with lovely wines. Just before dessert, we were invited to the entrance to watch the Christmas tree lighting. It was a beautiful and very festive spectacle, complete with a choir singing a cappella Christmas songs from the staircase. Back in the hall, an incredible display of desserts awaited us, almost too pretty to touch. Did we dare to eat? Of course!
From the handwritten note and macarons waiting in our room, to the Christmas stocking hanging from the door after the tree-lighting ceremony – every little touch was magical.
And if you’re hoping to uncover the real story behind Jim Thompson’s disappearance? It’s hiding somewhere up there, in the thick, white fog that lingers between the hills of Cameron Highlands.
We were invited by Cameron Highlands Resort. As always, our opinions are honest and our own.
