14/08/2022
A business trip to a surprisingly basic Resorts World Kijal
1. After my staycation at W Kuala Lumpur, I travelled to Terengganu for business. I travelled by air to Kuantan and took a taxi to my accommodation at Resorts World Kijal. This was my first time staying at the hotel, and it was my first flight since 2018.
2. My booking was made via a phone call, and the booking confirmation number was given verbally. No confirmation email was provided.
3. The journey was smooth. Upon arrival, I was amazed at the sheer size of the resorts. It certainly screamed 1990 as big brands liked to build the biggest resort they could. The not-so-great thing about big resorts is when it gets old & dated when the equipment & amenities are worn. It is a considerable rejuvenation exercise which costs a lot of money & time. It takes very long for the owner to round up and approve the required capital expenditure (CapEx), and it takes even longer for the actual work to take place. Usually, a resort of this size will need to be rejuvenated in phases.
4. Check-in took quite some time. I booked the resort using the corporate rate, and because of that, I had to produce the company ID. It took some time as the staff had to photocopy the ID as a supporting document. There was a cage of washed & individually packed Muslim praying mats (sejadah) at the reception counter available for loans, which is thoughtful considering the majority of the guests here are Muslims, from what I noticed.
5. The facilities are old. The lifts were small, and the door did not have a security system attached to it. Non-guests can easily go up to any level of the resort without the key card, which is pretty unheard of nowadays. At least what the resort can do is add a card reader at the lift call button so that only the guests can call the lifts.
6. I arrived at my room with the door slightly ajar because the door locks blocked it. I was surprised and worried at the same time because it is not a regular sight. “Were there any people in the room? Was the room not ready? Is this the housekeeping standard here?” were all the questions running through my mind at the time.
7. I slowly opened the door to an empty room (thank heavens). The room was ready and adequately prepared, but boy, was it basic, especially since I just checked out from W Kuala Lumpur just 7 hours earlier. The room's design screamed 1990, but it was clean except at the doorstep, where there was some debris.
8. There were not a lot of electrical sockets around the bed area, so I had to unplug the bedside lamp to charge my phone & laptop. The wifi is okay and able to stream live internet content.
9. The bathroom was clean but looked old. The toiletries were basic, and there was a dispenser for 3-in-1 body wash, shampoo & conditioner. Is this the standard for a 4-star resort?
10. The disappointment continued at breakfast. The all-day dining restaurant, the Kampong Meraga Beris, was spacious. Nets were installed at the naturally ventilated eatery; I suppose to prevent birds from flying in. Since I stayed during the weekdays, the breakfast on offer was sorely lacking in variety. Basic buffet menus, e.g., Nasi Lemak, Nasi Dagang, some pastries, egg station, traditional Malay cakes, congee, and basic intercontinental items, were served. Beverages on offer were two juices selection, coffee & tea and a coffee machine that served only…black coffee.
11. On the second & third days, the nasi lemak condiments lacked cucumber. When asked, the chef told me that cucumbers were out of stock. How would you run out of cucumbers? Even worse, I saw a massive cockroach in the plate area. I told the busser, and it took two staff to remove the pest.
12. The RW Kijal website describes their restaurants as “a world of gastronomic wonders”. Three restaurants are available: Kampung Meraga Beris, Hainan Express & Oasis Beach Bistro. I was advised not to go to Hainan Express by other colleagues who had gone there because the foods are lousy & expensive. I did not go to the Oasis Beach Bistro because I had already had dinner before returning to the hotel. The description is blown out of proportion.
13. On check-out day, I requested a late check-out. Only one extra hour was given, and I’ll be charged RM60 extra for three additional hours. However, the Housekeeping team did not get the memo and requested permission to do housekeeping in my room at 11 AM. The check-out process itself was typical. I received two separate bills for accommodation & laundry for ease of expenses claims.
14. Overall, this stay has been below average. RW Kijal has been sitting on its laurels for too long. It looked dated and desperately needed rejuvenation, not only for its facilities & amenities but also for F&B and hygiene level. Should new chains (I’m looking at you, Marriott/Hilton/IHG) set up shop in the area, I’m convinced that RW Kijal will be quickly left out of the travellers’ minds. It may be a 4-star resort in 1995, but it barely feels like a 3-star now.
