About this hotel
General information
Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas sits right on the golden sand of the Desaru Coast in south-east Malaysia, where tropical gardens run down to the South China Sea. The resort is deliberately low-slung: low-rise wings and stand-alone villas look over the gardens, a lagoon and the ocean, and the villas, with their high ceilings and timber lattice panels, take their cue from the traditional Malay house. Dusky leaf monkeys and monitor lizards can be spotted in the grounds, and the resident naturalist leads garden walks twice a day.
It is above all a family resort: two pools, its own beach, a kids’ club and a separate games zone for teenagers, an Anantara Spa drawing on Malay and Thai rituals, and a seafood and grill restaurant. Set apart on the beachfront is Anantara Desaru Coast Residences, an enclave of two- to four-bedroom homes with their own pools and kitchens, a butler and a private chef on request.
Location
The resort lies on the beach of the Desaru Coast in the state of Johor, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The nearest airport is Senai International Airport (Johor Bahru), 85 km away and about an hour by shuttle; from Singapore Changi the drive across the border takes around 2 hours. From Singapore there is also a ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal (about 90 minutes), around 10 minutes’ drive from the resort. A free shuttle bus links the Desaru Coast resorts with the ferry terminal, and Residences stays include transfers from Senai or Changi. Nearby are Adventure Waterpark, The Els Club, Desaru Fruit Farm and the Kota Tinggi firefly park.
Spa
Anantara Spa opens daily from 10am to 8pm and blends Malay and Thai healing traditions with local natural ingredients. Its six treatment rooms each have an en-suite bathroom: two couples’ suites, two deluxe couples’ suites with their own Jacuzzi and two single suites, plus a relaxation area and a boutique. Signatures include The Roots of Malaysia, a 90-minute massage that opens with a foot soak and guided breathing; the Anantara Signature Massage with the house oil blend; and The Rise of Naupaka, a 135-minute journey of hibiscus and rose scrub, massage and herbal bath. An in-house Ayurveda practitioner offers Shirodhara, Abhyanga and Indian head massage, there are manicures, pedicures and waxing, and the spa’s health bar serves fresh fruit and teas.
Sports & leisure
The 24-hour fitness centre has cardio and resistance machines and free weights, and a Gym On-the-Go kit of power bands, foam roller and training videos can be brought to the room. Group yoga runs from Friday to Sunday, with private sessions on the beach or in a villa, and sunrise dong stick sessions use a bamboo cane for gentle mindful movement. The resident naturalist leads nature walks, birdwatching – the coast has more than 100 species – and tidepool discovery at low tide. Films are shown under the stars from Thursday to Sunday, and the library has books and board games. A seasonal watersports centre offers jet skis, banana boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. The Els Club, with its 27-hole Ocean Course and 18-hole Valley Course, is close by. Excursions include a food walk through Johor Bahru’s old town, Desaru Fruit Farm and a guided boat trip into the mangroves of the Lebam River.
For children
The Layang Layang Kids Club welcomes children aged 4–10 with a daily programme: craft workshops, batik painting, beach and garden games, kite-making, the traditional Malay board game congkak, cupcake and pizza baking at Turmeric, and game and film evenings on Fridays and Saturdays. Older children and teenagers have the Luncur Ombak Active Zone, with video games, films, pinball, foosball, table tennis and board games. Families can also join a terrarium-making class (age 4 and over), and the restaurants and in-room dining have a Young Explorer menu for children.
Restaurants & bars
Cooking here mixes the day’s catch, Malay and Thai dishes and an international menu, and the bars look out over the ocean and the pools.
- Turmeric — all-day dining with Malaysian, Thai and international dishes; breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner
- Sea Fire Salt — the signature seafood and steak grill; lunch and dinner
- Infinity Bar — drinks and tapas by the infinity pool
- Observatory Bar — relaxed evening cocktails and light bites
- Lagoon Pool Bar — drinks and light meals beside the lagoon pool
- Dining by Design — private dinners on the beach under the stars, with a tailored menu (24 hours’ notice)
- In-Villa Barbecue — a barbecue at the villa with a private chef
- Spice Spoons — a Malay and Thai cooking class
In-room dining is available around the clock.
Swimming
The resort opens straight onto a golden-sand beach on the South China Sea. There are two pools – the Lagoon Pool and an infinity pool on the beachfront – with shaded loungers and poolside attendants. The villas have their own plunge pools and the Residences infinity pools. The best beach months are April to October, outside the year-end monsoon.
Pets
Pets are not permitted at Anantara Desaru Coast Residences.
Rooms
Rooms and the suite are in low-rise wings with balconies or terraces over the gardens or the sea, the pool villas are grouped around a quiet pond, and 20 Residences stand in two rows – one on the beachfront, the other set back in the gardens. Interiors draw on local design and natural timber.
Each room has a Nespresso machine, a complimentary minibar replenished daily, a separate bathtub and rain shower, Anantara bath amenities, a pillow menu, a sofa bed and an in-room safe.
Deluxe Garden Balcony Room
A room with a seating balcony over the resort gardens and a super king or twin beds. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
Executive Garden Terrace Room
A corner room with a large wrap-around terrace and panoramic views of the gardens; super king bed. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
Executive Sunrise Sea Facing Balcony Room
A room on the sunrise side with a balcony looking over the gardens to the sea, a deep bathtub and a super king bed. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
Executive Sunrise Sea Facing Terrace Room
A room on the sunrise side with a wrap-around terrace overlooking the gardens; super king bed. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
Executive Sea View Balcony Room
A room with a sea-view balcony, twin vanities, a deep soaking tub and a rain shower; super king or twin beds. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
Family Garden Balcony Room
Two connecting rooms, one with a super king bed and one with twin beds, each with a balcony over the gardens. Sleeps up to 4 adults and 2 children.
Family Sea View Balcony Room
Two connecting rooms, one with a super king bed and one with twin beds, with balconies looking across the resort to the sea. Sleeps up to 4 adults and 2 children.
Anantara Sea View Suite
A suite with a generous wrap-around terrace over the greenery and the South China Sea, a super king bed and a deep soaking tub. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 1 child.
One Bedroom Lagoon Pool Villa
A two-level villa by the pond: downstairs a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sofa bed for a child aged 11 or under, upstairs a super king bedroom; the deck has a plunge pool and a dining gazebo. Sleeps up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Two Bedroom Lagoon Pool Villa
A two-level Malay-style villa with a twin bedroom downstairs and a super king bedroom upstairs, a separate living room, a gazebo, a large deck for barbecues and a plunge pool facing the lagoon and garden. Sleeps up to 4 adults and 2 children.
Two Bedroom Residence
A garden residence with a private pool, a king bedroom and a twin bedroom, living and dining areas and a fully equipped kitchen, looked after by a butler. Sleeps up to 4 adults and 2 children.
Three Bedroom Residence
A residence tucked into the garden, with three en-suite bedrooms (two king, one twin) opening onto a shared living, dining and kitchen space, a private garden with pool and a butler. Sleeps up to 6 adults and 3 children.
Four Bedroom Residence
A duplex with three en-suite bedrooms downstairs around the living area and kitchen, and an upper floor given over to a master suite with its own living and dining spaces and wrap-around glass facing the ocean; pool and butler. Sleeps up to 8 adults and 4 children.
Three Bedroom Beach Residence
A beachfront residence with a lawn running down to the sand, an infinity pool and outdoor bathing; three en-suite bedrooms (two king, one twin), open-plan living and kitchen, and a butler. Sleeps up to 6 adults and 3 children.
Four Bedroom Beach Residence
The largest of the beach residences, with four en-suite bedrooms (three king, one twin), living and dining areas, a kitchen, an infinity pool and direct beach access; butler, with a chef on call. Sleeps up to 8 adults and 4 children.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.