Anantara Desaru Coast Resort Review | Johor, Malaysia
Finally, our first trip (crossing states within Malaysia) in 2022! We planned this short getaway to unwind and spend quality time together. Aside from playing golf in Els Club Desaru, another highlight would be our stay in Anantara Desaru Resort, a 5-star luxury resort. It is our first time staying in an Anantara property (really, we love it!) and we already look forward to stay in more Anantara resorts in the future.
Desaru is a town in Johor full with vacation stays – popular ones are Anantara Resort, Hardrock Hotel, Westin Resort and the newest sumptuous ultra luxury One & Only Desaru Resort. Locals love to visit this place as a short getaway and so do our friends from Singapore since it only takes short journey to travel from Singapore to Desaru. If you are looking for a luxury resort without breaking the bank too much, Anantara Desaru is your best choice.
The Most Wanted Resort Rating
| Pros 1. Long stretch of white sand beach 2. Clean sea water 3. Family friendly resort 4. Ideal for couple getaway |
| Cons 1. Limited choice for food – only two restaurants in the resort 2. Limited entertainment and facilities 3. Slightly higher price |
| Star Rating | 5-Star |
| Price | 6/10 (Luxury Resort) |
| Location | 7/10 |
| Design | 7/10 |
| Room | 8/10 |
| Food | 5/10 |
| Service | 8/10 |
| Overall Experience | 6/10 |
Location
Located in dazzling Desaru Coast away from hustle and bustle of city, this resort is a great choice for a relaxing retreat. There is nothing much to do except resort’s facilities, nearby Adventure Waterpark and Els Golf Club. If you are a golfer, or you are a family with children, then these activities available would be able to keep you entertained for at least a good 3 Days 2 Nights stay. For couples who are looking for a quiet escape and great quality time together, we will definitely recommend Anantara Desaru Resort. If you have higher expectation for a myriad of activities, this might not be your perfect vacation.
Room
Anantara Desaru has a total of 108 rooms, villas and residences with a few room categories: Premier Room, Deluxe Sea View Room, One-Bedroom Villa to Two Bed Room Villa. We stayed in Deluxe Sea View Room which has superb view from the balcony. Although the room is only approximately 50 sqm, the squarish layout gives good impression of spaciousness. The Thai-Malay style room consists of mainly wooden frames and elements, but not too dark which we love a lot. With addition of thoughtful touches like light control function where we can adjust the lighting ambience according to our mood – everything is just perfect. There is a comfy couch in front of the the King Bed, where we can rest on it while enjoying great view in air-conditioned room. On the side of the room, this is where we find work and dining table with universal power outlets (Yes, international guests don’t have to bring adapters). The best part is the Nespresso machine! The minibar area is replenished daily with complimentary coffee capsules, Dilmah Teabags and drinking water.
The luxurious bathroom consists of separate shower, toilet, bathtub, and dry changing area with wardrobe. Anantara Desaru even provides two types of bathrobes with different material. The most special part of the bathroom is the sliding mirror in front of the double vanity. During the day, you can hide the mirror to allow sunlight coming into the bathroom and enjoy beautiful view while doing your morning routine. We love their toiletries with Jasmine fragrance, and they even provide bath salt with scrub which is a bonus!
The highlight of the room is the spectacular resort and ocean view from the spacious balcony. There is a couch, a table with chairs which makes it a great place to hang out. Not forget to mention that the balcony area is spacious enough for you to do some work out exercises/yoga using the Yoga Mat provided in the room. You wouldn’t want to miss out our room tour here:
Facilities and Environment
The resort is not huge – it only takes 10 minutes if you cycle slowly from one end to the other. However, everything is well maintained. The lush landscape gives you nice tropical resort vibe as if you are in Bali.
The Lounge. Once you walk past the lobby, you will arrive The Lounge where we think it has the best view in the resort. Welcome drinks are served here while we waited to check in. The Lagoon Pool and expansive ocean view is just fantastic.
Gym. Fitness junkies, there is a gym where you can burn that extra calories and compensate for cheat days.
Kids and Teen Club. Great for couples or parents with kids out for golf trip or want to enjoy some quality time. This family-friendly resort has a Kids and Teen Club to keep the children entertained. You can also book a nanny to take care of your kids.
Anantara Spa. Famous Thai and Malay spa experience. Rejuvenate yourself with facial or massage treatments.
Lagoon Pool. Perfect for families, with plenty of sun loungers surrounded with lush landscape.
Beachfront Infinity Pool. Our favourite pool in the resort. Lesser crowd with limited sun loungers but has great ocean view and just a few steps away to the sea.
Beach. Wide and long stretch white sand beach – perfect for picnics, strolls and beach games.
Food and Beverages
Turmeric Restaurant. This main restaurant serves Malaysian and Thai cuisine, as well as breakfast buffet. You can choose to dine on the terrace overlooking the Lagoon Pool, or stay indoor for the air-conditioning. We are so disappointed with the pastries served during the breakfast, mentioned it is freshly baked everyday but the one we had was rock hard.
Sea.Fire.Salt Restaurant. Famous for its signature seafood and grill, you can enjoy great dining experience on the beachfront.
Infinity Bar. Just beside the Sea.Fire.Salt Restaurant and Infinity Pool. Best to nibble on some snacks and sip on some drinks.
Observatory Bar. The elevated bar is located in the main building, with Lagoon Pool view by the side and expansive ocean view right in front.
Lagoon Bar. Enjoy some sandwiches, salads, pizzas and ice-cold beverages within reach while spending the day in Lagoon Pool.
Activities
Movie Night. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday enjoy movie under the stars on bean bags – right on the green area in front of Sea.Fire.Salt Restaurant.
Cycling. Bicycles are available to tour around the resort, or when you are lazy to walk.
Water Activities. Kayak, Standup paddleboard and other water activities are available with extra charges.
Golf. Els Club Desaru, a world class golf course is located just 5 minutes drive away. Golfers wouldn’t want to miss out some swings in their beautiful signature Ocean Course.
Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast. Families with kids will love the water theme park in Hardrock Hotel Desaru.
Desaru is perfect for a short weekend getaway. It does not offer a wide range of activities to do but definitely enough for you to have a good time. We absolutely love the resort’s Bali vibe. This is the perfect place if you want to unwind!
Thank you for reading our blog.
All contents are ours and are based on unbiased opinion. We just want to share good stuff so don’t be shy to approach us for any travel related questions!
