Can Malaysia’s Desaru Coast compete with Sentosa in Singapore or Indonesia’s Bintan Island?

The Malaysian government first started developing a resort area around Desaru, on the far south­eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia, back in the 1970s. The first accommodation opened in 1977, and self-catering chalets and later “luxury” hotels drew visitors from Singapore, two hours’ drive away.

Hydrofoil and even helicopter services were planned, but quite a number of people drowned in the treacherous waters off the long, pristine beach (notably a Finnish tourist and the Japanese businessman who tried to save him on New Year’s Day, 1985), and the Desaru Holiday Resort failed to live up to expectations. Western guidebooks – if they mentioned it at all – paid out-of-the-way Desaru scant attention, hotels closed and foreign travellers stayed away.

A few years ago the government decided to invest in the area once again, through its sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional’s Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels, and it was rebranded as Desaru Coast – a 1,578-hectare “integrated destination resort”. Two golf courses opened, in 2016 and 2017, and a 365-room Hard Rock Hotel and the Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark opened last year. This month saw the launch of the 275-room Westin Desaru Coast Resort, and a 123-room Anantara resort is due to open later in the year. Even more surprisingly, the high-end One&Only Resorts will soon open its first Southeast Asian property here, too.

The target market for Desaru Coast includes Hong Kong travellers, but the easiest way there from here involves a flight to Singapore, followed by a 30-minute ferry (running only twice daily on week­days, and four times a day on weekends), then a 30-minute shuttle-bus ride. Other­wise, it’s a four-hour drive down from Kuala Lumpur.

 Whether this reported 4.5 billion ringgit (US$1.1 billion) investment by the financially stretched Malaysian govern­ment will be able to compete as hoped with the likes of Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa or Bintan Island, in Indonesia, remains to be seen. At this point, however, it must be said that even its sustainability as an international resort looks somewhat doubtful.

Britannia hotel reopens in Norwegian city of Trondheim

Often described as the world’s most northerly grand hotel, the Britannia, in the Norwegian city of Trondheim, has reopened after an extensive and costly three-year renovation. The 19th-century hotel was supposedly named and designed to appeal to the well-heeled British tourists who crossed the North Sea for the excellent salmon fishing, and who found Trondheim and its natives much to their liking.

“Among all their fellow countrymen,” wrote former resident Philip Caraman, in his book Norway (1969), “they are the most easily understood by Englishmen.” The hotel’s website is up, but sadly no current photographs were on display at the time of writing, with only artist’s impressions (below) available. Opening rates and further details can be found at britannia.no.

Banyan Tree hotels celebrate silver anniversary with 25 per cent savings

It’s been 25 years since the first Banyan Tree resort opened, on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand. To celebrate the milestone, the hospitality brand’s resorts all over the world will be offering 25 per cent off their best available rates until mid-December. Guests will also receive 25 per cent off food and drinks, spa treatments and get one complimentary activity (or “Exceptional Experience”) with a minimum booking of two nights.

Twenty-five hotels and resorts are taking part, from Shanghai and the Seychelles, to Mexico and Morocco, and they can be found by clicking the 25th Anniversary Offer link at the Banyan Tree website.

Deal of the week – a two-night weekend package to The Middle House, in Shanghai

Connexus Travel is offering a two-night weekend package to The Middle House, in Shanghai (one of the city’s better hotels, and part of Swire Hotels’ House Collective), priced from HK$3,690 per person (twin share) for Friday check-in only. Accommodation is an entry-level Studio 50 room.

Flights with Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon and daily breakfast are included, along with a few extras including free Wi-fi, a limited in-room bar and a Lululemon yoga mat. This deal will run until the end of August and can be found in the Packages section at the Connexus Travel website.