Nestled along the coastline in the Malaysian state of Johor, Desaru Coast has become a popular tourist destination in recent years, especially among affluent Singaporean tourists, who flock to its sandy beaches, golf courses, theme parks, and luxury resorts over the weekends. Some of these classy establishments include Anantara, Hard Rock Hotel, the ultra-exclusive One & Only (the one and only in Asia!), as well as The Westin Desaru Coast, which we were fortunate enough to stay in over one weekend. Here’s how our experience went! 

Getting There

There are several ways to get to Desaru Coast. From Singapore, you can drive to Johor Bahru, then to Desaru Coast via the Senai-Desaru Coast Highway, which will take 90 minutes. Alternatively, fly to Senai International Airport, rent a car, and enjoy a scenic one-hour drive to your destination. There are also ferry services from Tanah Merah in Singapore, which is a 90 minute ride.

If you’re coming from Kuala Lumpur, the North-South Expressway is a four-hour drive. N and I took a 45-minute flight from Subang Airport to Senai, then were ferried to The Westin via private shuttle.

The Westin Desaru Coast is fairly new, having opened its doors in 2019. The property has 275 rooms, including Executive Suites, Premier Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and a Presidential Suite, as well as facilities befitting a five-star establishment, including a spacious pool, several restaurants, fitness centre, and spa.

The lobby exudes tropical resort vibes, with an open layout and subtle design details, such as wave-like features on the ceiling, earthy hues, and muted carpets with floral motifs. There is also a cosy lounge next to the lobby where you can order drinks, snacks, and afternoon tea.

The Room

Our Premier Room with a Garden View. Spanning 42 sqm, the room is spacious and modern, and comes with a comfortable king-sized bed, small sofa, work desk, large flat-screen TV, and a balcony overlooking The Westin’s entrance. I like the tasteful design and colour scheme, which makes the space feel warm and inviting.

View from the balcony. Hard Rock Hotel is just across the road.

Love that they have large bathtubs! You can lower the curtains over the window for privacy. Another great touch is the wooden tub tray.

Bath crystals for relaxation.

Shower amenities. These smelled so good and left us smelling clean and fresh after a bath.

The Beach

We left the room to explore the grounds. There was some construction going on as they are adding new facilities, but otherwise it’s cool and calming, with lots of greenery and water features. There is a public beach just steps away from the hotel, which is clean and not too crowded.

I wouldn’t say the beach at Desaru is breathtaking but it is pretty enough, the sand is fine, and the water is good for a swim. There is a Beach Bar nearby where you can enjoy evening barbecues and cocktails. We spent some time lounging on the beach chairs and enjoying the sea breeze.

PS: Monsoon season hits Malaysia’s east coast from November to February. During this time the seas will be rough and unsuitable for water activities, so plan trips accordingly. The best time to visit will be from June to October.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to enjoy the other facilities at The Westin, as we had dinner at another place and it was late by the time we returned. If you’re looking for in-house dining options, The Westin has Prego, an authentic Italian restaurant. Menu items include homemade pastas tossed in a giant cheese wheel, crispy wood-fired pizzas, risotto, and more, served in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

We had an excellent night’s sleep, thanks to The Westin’s signature Heavenly beds. I always find it difficult to sleep when travelling due to excitement/adrenaline, but the beds were just the right firmness – plush without being too soft – and just enveloped me like a warm cocoon. Woke up early feeling refreshed, then made a beeline for the buffet breakfast at Signature, their all-day dining restaurant which is tucked just next to the pool.

Breakfast

The breakfast buffet at Signature spans international and local delights, with indoor and alfresco dining. We were there early so there was more time to explore the different stations before it got crowded.

Freshly baked pastries and bread, doughnuts, chocolate rolls, danishes, etc. served with fruit preserves, jam, and a variety of spreads. For the health conscious, there is a salad bar with organic vegetables and condiments, as well as fresh fruits like honeydew, orange, papaya, and watermelon.

Cold cuts section, with a choice of gruyere, edam, gouda, and brie cheese to pair with grapes, beef and chicken salami, and smoked slices of tenggiri (Spanish mackerel).

Of course, one can’t go wrong with the quintessential Malaysian breakfast of nasi lemak, wrapped in banana leaf as per the traditional way. You can also customise your own plate with different condiments, if you prefer.  

The local spread was represented by dishes from the three major races in Peninsular Malaysia, namely Malay, Chinese, and Indian cuisine. Some highlights included fluffy roti canai (or paratha as it is called in Singapore), served with dips like dhaal and coconut chutney; steamed dimsum, bowls of steaming laksa, as well as nasi kerabu with fish gulai and ayam masak merah.

Of course, there were Western options as well, such as scrambled eggs and eggs benedict, spinach bread pudding, sausages, grilled streaky beef, tater tots, and the like.

My strategy at any buffet is always to get a bit of everything, but I definitely leaned more towards the Western items simply because I usually eat noodles/rice/bread for breakfast and wanted something different. Everything tasted decent; I liked the tater tots as they were crispy on the outside but retained moist and fluffy insides.

Cold cuts were good as well, especially the smoked tenggiri which was seasoned with black pepper. Perfect with a soft cheese like Brie, as the slightly bitter aftertaste balances out the saltiness.

One thing I highly recommend: the teh tarik. They pull it on the spot and its served warm and perfectly frothed. Milky and creamy but not too sweet. It’s amazing how something that is seemingly simple can have such a depth of taste.

Although our stay was short, we thoroughly enjoyed our time at The Westin. It lives up to its brand principles of “For a Better You”, providing facilities and amenities centered around wellness and wellbeing. It’s also, imo, one of the more ‘affordable’ luxury hotels you can get in the area, with rooms starting from RM600++ per night.

THE WESTIN DESARU COAST

Desaru Coast, Jln Pantai 3, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor

For bookings, visit their website, or call +60 7-8383333.