We had a very pleasant stay in the Smokehouse. It was an easy drive up from KL and good to see some of the countryside on the way. The hotel makes a change from your standard international business hotel. The best way I can think to describe it is "Colonial meets a Malaysian interpretation of an English theme pub".
Our room was a good size, with massive bathroom overlooking the jungle. It all seemed clean and the staff took care to remove their shoes before entering the room. It came complete with open fire, which you could request to be lit in the evenings. This useful to drive out some of the tropical dampness that you get so far up in the hills.
Service at the hotel OK, but a little slow at the bar and restaurant (Which does pseudo-English, not Malay food). The terrace is a nice spot to sit out, have a cream tea and watch the birds fly by to scoop up the crumbs. Overall it feels a little past its best, looking a bit tired in places, with paint peeling. It feels like it hasn't really been looked after for the last couple of years.
One thing to note is that it's little way up the hill from the main part of the town, but no problem if you've got a car. In town there's a few places to eat: Chinese, Malay etc. plus some hawker stands, so you don't have to eat at the hotel.
