IPOH, June 23 — The homestay and hotel industry in Ipoh is known for its hipster decor, but there is a shinier, more “heroic” player in the form of Jia@Majestic.
The homestay, run by Wong Wei Tze, offers guests a unique opportunity to share space with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and other Avengers.
Located in the Majestic tower complex, Wong pays homage to the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
Rooms are replete with posters, figurines, and furnishings out of a comic-book fan’s dream.
The Avengers unit is one of 12 at Jia@Majestic.
Each unit has a theme of their own.
“Other pop culture influences include units styled after Transformers and Hello Kitty,” Wong, 37, told Malay Mail.
The Sitiawan native said the most popular units were the Hello Kitty, Transformers and Avengers, which come as little surprise, as they have a stunning attention to detail.
In the Transformer homestay, posters of Optimus Prime are placed next to one of his catchphrases, while shelves of the “robots in disguise” line the walls.
Meanwhile, the Avengers unit can be viewed as a “shrine” to the franchise.
Visually-arresting posters of Thor, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Hawkeye adorn the walls.
There is even a room dedicated to Iron Man, complete with a sculpture of his mask and hand blaster jutting through the wall.
Curtains, couch cushions, and blankets are all adorned with the images and logos of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
The attention to detail is what stands out in each unit, down to the paint colours.
This can be seen with the pink motif in the Hello Kitty unit, for example.
One assumes Wong, who is responsible for the decor, is a fan of the franchises.
He is not.
“I get the ideas from my two children, because this is what they like. I cannot say I’m a big fan of these franchises,” Wong said.
“I do my research to find out what goes with each theme. That takes three to four months, and a lot of time is spent on shopping websites because many of the items are only available overseas.”
“I buy a lot of them from collectors, and there are times where I have to bid high, because the collectors refuse to let them go.”
Besides pop culture themes, other units feature creative motifs such as “Room of Quotes”, the plush toy-filled “Teddy and Fren” and the golden “Where Midas meets Angels”, which are popular among honeymooners.
There are traditionally-decorated units, featuring English, industrial, and multi-coloured styles.
Wong wanted to bring something unique to the local homestay industry by creating thematic styles for each unit.
The idea, he said, echoed the themed homestay concept spreading throughout Taiwan.
“The market demands something different, and I was attracted by the idea after visiting Taiwan recently.”
The themes are worth the trouble for Wong, as his homestay attracts around 200 visitors per month and numbers are steadily rising.
Guests have come from as far as Singapore, Taiwan, and France, staying for as long as one or two months.
Many are shocked and impressed by the units, and the positive feedback is a pay-off for Wong’s labour of love.
“They know the units have special themes but they never imagine it looks like this. It’s something they don’t expect.
“That makes me really proud, and I’m also happy my children love it as well,” Wong said.
