Sand & Sandals Desaru Beach Resort & Spa

It's a beach resort n the hotel name aptly describes the environment n atmosphere it encourages. Located not too far from the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal, it has pools, 3 restaurants, a great variety of food for breakfast n a sunken bar. N of course, it has a beach front. A 400m walk away is a seafood restaurant serving fresh, great lobsters n crabs. The reception team at the front desk was very helpful, courteous n approachable. They made appropriate recommendations for tourists like myself n arranged the shuttle bus for our visits. By the way, the Desaru Mini Zoo is worth a visit w the family, with good interactions with the animals there. And the Firefly Ride on the riverboat in the dark of night is pleasantly serene yet interesting, especially if one managed to "catch" one flying nearby. Our room was spacious with a balcony. One needs to request for face towels n housekeeping though, n there were no handtowels, the last apparently a growing trend among even 4star hotels these days? I would still recommend a weekend, or longer, stay at this hotel because of the large/expansive property, the casual/relaxed atmosphere n the great food in its restaurants.

2nd visit here, last was back in 2022. The experience was different this time, but i still say its not worth the price. Checking in is still slow. Room key works fine this time. They had added some deco to the hotel, the maintenance is commendable. Room is huge. Fairly clean. But the lighting is just not enough, quite dim in our room. The beach is clean enough, is just a short walk away from our room. Pool is big, good for the whole family. My niece enjoyed the waterslide. Breakfast buffet is just okay.

We used to enjoy Sand & Sandals. Our first visit in 2020 after COVID was pleasant, clean, and well-maintained. Sadly, the standard has dropped every year despite higher prices. During our recent stay, we were shocked to find rodent droppings on the balcony. Even worse, the balcony was cleaned without our knowledge or permission while we were out which is a clear breach of privacy. We came with 3 young children, and this is completely unacceptable. Minor issues like poor toilet cleaning or weak TV signal can still be tolerated, but rodent feces is a serious health risk. This place is no longer well-maintained and no longer safe. Definitely our last stay. I would not recommend this property to families with children.