Phew! The name of this resort is a mouthful. But hey! I am back in Desaru. Before I continue, can I just say Desaru is probably one of the most inefficient place to travel to, if one does not have a car or their own vehicle. Like, Grab doesn’t even work there. Surreal.

No doubt, they have the best resorts there.

I consider myself a city boy. I love skyscrapers, it gives me such a great feeling when I look at tall, glass structures. My favorite one so far? The twin towers in Kuala Lumpur! It’s so crazy to me that they’re built for a million years but still look timeless and elegant till this day. I aspire to be that.

As I was saying! I consider myself a city boy, but when I need a vacations like I weekly do, I choose places that has a great view of the beach and sky. I love the waves, I love my sunsets and sunrise.

And that perfect place this time was, Sand & Sandals Desaru Beach Resort and Spa.

There used to be a public bus that goes to Desaru from Johor Bahru, but I can’t seem to find that service anymore. This time, we took a car and the journey to the resort roughly took an hour.

The weather was hot and sunny, which is perfect because the sky looked incredible. The first thing I saw when we reached the resort was the beautiful sight of the space that leads you to the pool, and then the private beach afterwards. I was like, woah? I really felt like I was in Bali.

The reception area looks okay I guess, although I felt like it would be nicer if they stick to that resort vibes or design because the seating area’s splash of colours really took me off guard.

Like, it was so random! The service from the reception was great nonetheless. So polite, quick and speaks in beautiful English.

The whole resort was quiet for a Saturday which I really liked! But with the school holidays going on currently, I was expecting a big, noisy crowd with kids running around. Thank god, I really needed this peace and quiet.

When I first saw the room, I definitely noticed how spacious this category of room is. Everything looked quaint and in need of maintenance but I really loved how it was clean and cosy.

Across the king-sized bed is a daybed that can comfortably fit two children. So if you’re a family with kids, this room will just be perfect for you.

Coffee and tea making station is included in the room but it doesn’t scream interesting. It was left untouched throughout my whole stay. I do appreciate the kettle though, I really liked having a warm honey lemon drink once in awhile to soothe my beautiful voice for my evening singing screamings in the shower.

Similar to the Grand Hyatt Singapore, the bathrooms at Sand & Sandals also feature a double sink.

While the room is thoroughly clean, I can’t say the same to the bathroom. The walls and floor of the showering area felt really grimmy and icky. What really bothered me was how the drainage was super bad, it floods every single time I shower. It got so bad, I really felt like I was stepping into my own filth when I shower.

The positive thing about it? The change of water temperature from cold to hot water was almost instant. And! When I called reception for help about the flooded shower, the technician (?) or the engineering man (?) came within 5 minutes, which was rather impressive considering how massive the whole resort is. 10,000 points to the staff for his sense of urgency!

Unlike most hotels where bathtubs are located inside the bathroom, here they are actually placed out on the balcony. It’s a unique idea but the tub looked a little dirty so I didn’t dare to use it. I would need to see the room attendant scrub it in front of my very eyes to prove that it’s safe and clean for me to draw a bubble bath.

Since I didn’t get to enjoy the bathtub, I had to make up for it by swimming in the pool! The pool was so pretty, total resort vibes everywhere.

The whole place felt calm and peaceful and for a second, I swear I felt like I was, you guessed it.. in Bali.

Also! If you must know! I’m a short king.. and the pool was kinda deep, like up to my neck so I was lowkey panicking. Luckily, my partner’s tall and was there making sure I didn’t drown or anything. Other than that, the pool was super clean and really huge.

Right in the middle of the pool, there’s a small villa that serves as the gym. It’s a cool spot but it felt a bit cramped and outdated inside.

The equipments are old and the interior could definitely use a refresh but if you want some light workouts, I think you’ll be fine.

The view from the gym is nice too! I always love a great view when I’m running (or cat-walking) on the threadmill.

Across the pool and the gym, there’s a private beach and it’s g-g-g-gorgeous! The sunrise view there was seriously amazing. I have countless photos and videos of it in my gallery! Swimming is not recommended here though, apparently there’s jellyfishes seen around. I would love to see one.

Something about waking up in resorts make me so energised for the day, so energised that I’m always so excited about going for their breakfast buffet super early in the morning. But boy, was I so underwhelmed.

The buffet selection is alright, nothing too exciting but I do appreciate the live stations. They make fresh egg omelettes and roti canai, even though the hotel’s occupancy wasn’t very high at the time.

That said, the overall food choices are pretty limited.

Even the coffee options are basic, just hot black coffee and tea served in glass teapots. I was kind of hoping for something like teh tarik or a cappuccino from a machine, but they don’t have any. When I asked if I could order it since it’s not including on the buffet, I was told it wasn’t available yet. Still, the staff were polite and attentive, always ready to help whenever I needed them.

It would definitely make the experience better if the hotel management offered a bit more choice for their guests.

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I have always said that when picking a place to stay, service and the view matter most to me and this place is a perfect example. The bathroom and breakfast buffet weren’t exactly up to my standards, but the amazing view, resort vibes and competent staff more than made up for it.

It’s such a calm and beautiful resort. I will definitely come back here in a heartbeat, especially since the rates are pretty affordable compared to other resorts around.