If you’re looking for a resort to calm your soul; a quiet environment to just relax in, I might have a good spot for you. I’m into resorts nowadays with view of the sea or sunsets cause it can literally soothe my soul.

I take pride in finding the most affordable destinations to accommodate to everyone’s budget so don’t worry, I got you! It may seem like I’m on vacations all the time, but the secret to that is to always find the hidden gem, sometimes literally hidden away from the city. This next one is not just affordable but provides clean room, great service and a magnificent view.

Yes! I’m talking about Sebana Cove Resort located in Desaru. But first of all, how do I get to there? How do I get from Singapore all the way to Desaru?

I woke up really early (not a morning person) at about 7am. I reached Woodlands Checkpoint at about 8am and with the new e-gates installed at Johor’s CIQ, getting through the customs easily took me only 15 minutes.

After alighting at JB Sentral, I went down to the bus terminal and waited for my bus to Desaru. Please get your tickets online to avoid disappointments. There’s a ticket counter and depending on the day and period you’re actually going, tickets can get sold out fast.

I booked my return bus tickets from BusOnlineTicket and it only costed me roughly $25.

The journey from JB Sentral to Desaru took less than 2 hours and when I reached, it was really quiet and quaint. Do note that Grab is not available here at all. I learned that the hard way. I was stranded for almost an hour waiting for a Grab and a ride I tried booking from AirAsia but none was available. Taxi was not around too.

Suddenly a bus came from nowhere and the nice young driver approached me and asked where I wanted to go. I told him my destination and he asked whether I wanted to tag along with him as he was going there too to get his bus washed. So of course I said yes!

If you’re planning a trip to Desaru, always hire a personal driver to bring you around.

What stood out for me about Sebana Cove is the beautiful colonial architecture that it has. It’s an old property but it still has its charm.

Together with the view of the yachts and the sea, it really was worth the money. The sea breeze, the smell of fresh air is just immaculate. If you need somewhere to destress, this is it.

While the lobby looks dated and tired, the service from the front desk however was top-notch. For a secluded resort, far up from the city, I was pleasantly surprised that they are able to accept payment from an American Express card. Some hotels in Kuala Lumpur can’t even do that.

After explaining to me about the facilities of the hotel, I was sent to the room by the security on a buggy. I love buggy rides, it’s super cool and convenient. The hotel team gave me a room that has views of the marina which was just fantastic.

The room was located on the second floor of the bungalow, size was just standard but it was comfortable. The interior and furnishings were just basic at best. I do however, have low expectations all the time so the aesthetic of the room doesn’t really bother me but yes, I agree the room looks old and boring.

The hotel’s wifi was really bad in the room, it keeps disconnecting. I can’t even get my phone service to work and it was pretty annoying trying to get signal. I was in every corner of the room trying to get good internet coverage but none of it worked. I had to bring my ipad out to the restaurant to do my work just to get a stable wifi connection.

I did had a great sleep though! I felt so relaxed when I woke up prolly because of the firm pillows. It made my morning naps so rejuvenating too! Aw, I wish I’m still there right now but moving on.

The bathroom was basic. What was important to me is the cleanliness always and I’m glad the housekeeping did a great job here.

The toilet has a bidet and the amenities were good enough for my stay.

The view from the balcony is just beautiful. You can see the yachts all the way from your room!

There was a little lake too by the bungalows, it somehow looks like one of my fairytale dream.

Waking up to this view with sounds of bird chirping, the smell of the sea, fresh air is just relaxing. Right now? I can only hear sounds of buses, horns and my neighbour slamming their gates every morning. Never a good start!

I added an extra $10 for breakfast in the morning but was it worth it? You be the judge!

I was kinda confused that the hotel doesn’t offer a buffet for breakfast cause I saw the setup the previous night when I had dinner at the restaurant. I was only given three options, so obviously I chose the American breakfast cause I need my eggs in the morning.

Danish pastries were included in the set but what came was just white bread toasts. So breakfast was a little meh in that sense, it was boring. The omelette was fluffy but it had nothing inside as compared to the normal omelette you would have in other hotels.

But because the resort was so secluded, you can’t order food in from Grab or even leave the area cause it would either take a very long time or you would spend more on transport. The taxi that the hotel provided for me costed RM50 for a one-way transport to anywhere. A return trip would have costed me RM100 or more. I rather just eat my boring omelette in peace.

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Now the question is, will I recommend or return? I will say it depends. If you hire a personal driver and want somewhere quiet with your partner or friends, then yes but it won’t be my first choice to be honest.

The price is definitely a plus point but convenience wise is a zero. But if you need any help at all, the front desk is really helpful.

What other resorts in Desaru should I try?