We stayed at the Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa for five days to celebrate our 10-year anniversary, a family trip with our five-year-old to one of Malaysia's most beautiful island destinations.
Here's my honest take of what worked for us, what didn't, and whether it's worth the premium price tag.
The Room
The rooms at the Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa were genuinely stunning. Ours had a full sea view, a spacious, well-appointed bathroom (also with a view), and a little window nook that our son immediately claimed as his corner for the entire trip.
Everything was thoughtfully put together and we felt super comfortable throughout the stay. This was where the 5-star Marriott promise actually delivered.
The Setting
The grounds were lush, well-maintained, and picturesque. Sea views are plentiful, and the adults-only pool offers a genuinely peaceful retreat when you need a break from the main pool (although the main pool was fairly empty when we were there as well).
The Perhentian Islands provide a spectacular backdrop, and the resort makes good use of it.
One caveat: the walk down to Romantic Beach is steep, so be ready for some huffs and puffs when you are climbing back up. It is not that convenient when you’re with a young child and beach gear in tow. The reward though, is that you get a slice of a very stunning beach with crystal clear almost turquoise waters.
The Food
This was a little bit of a bummer. We tried The Great Room, the dinner buffet at Dapur, and room service — and all three felt overpriced relative to what arrived at the table. Menu options were also limited and uninspired.
We originally wanted to just chill with the kiddo and have all our meals at the resort, but after a few disappointing meals, we changed our minds and went out seeking food elsewhere.
We also tried booking Sekoci, the seafood and grill restaurant at the Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa, but never heard back despite multiple attempts. We eventually got a callback a couple of days later, but by then we’d already experienced enough of the resort food to not really want to risk another disappointing meal there.
The breakfast buffet, however, was a genuine highlight. It was a huge spread with freshly squeezed juice, local and international dishes, a noodle station, an egg station, and bellinis for those who fancy a morning toast. It was relatively busy but we never needed to queue for a table when we were there.
The Kids Club
Having a little one aged 5, the kids club was something that mattered to us. However, while the setting was cute, there were limited activities and really not all that exciting.
We joined in on a session making a kite, which was fun, and I believe there was a mermaid show which we missed as it was raining.
If you’re expecting a full kids club with lots of activities to engage your kids while you sip on cocktails by the pool, this is probably not your answer.
The Service
This is where the experience fell short most consistently.
The hiccups were small individually but built up during our stay: a lengthy wait at check-in (even though we arrived at the island after 3pm and they knew we were coming as we arrived on a scheduled Marriott ferry), constantly waiting for a buggy (sometimes over 30 mins), towels missing despite booking for three, unanswered promises to call back about dinner reservations, and being left on hold while following up on the buggy.
The buggy staff themselves, once they did arrive, were warm and clearly working hard under pressure. The problem clearly wasn’t a lack of willingness, it's resourcing. A resort at this price point really should have managed these issues of understaffing and management.
It wasn’t all bad though — there were definitely some highlights. When the resort found out we were celebrating our anniversary, they surprised us with a decorated bed and a cake, which was a really thoughtful touch.
Another sweet moment was when we were hanging out at the kids’ pool and some staff came by with a bucket full of ice cream for the children. Throughout our stay, the resort staff were consistently warm, friendly, and helpful whenever we interacted with them.
So the foundations of a great resort are clearly there. It just feels like there are some staffing and training issues that still need to be ironed out.
The Verdict
The Marriott Perhentian has everything it needs to be the flagship luxury resort the Perhentian Islands deserve. The rooms, the setting, the breakfast - the bones are excellent.
But operational gaps in service keep pulling the experience back down to earth. Fix the staffing and management issues, and this place would be hard to beat. For now, it's a resort with real potential that isn't yet delivering on its 5-star promise.
value for money
because a bad breakfast ruins everything
is it as photogenic as the website promised
did the service live up to expectations?
the ultimate infrequent traveller question
This stay was paid for in full out of our own sad pockets. However, even if we do get comped nights, you can trust me for an honest review, cuz I'd hate to have my precious vacation time wasted at a lackluster place as well.
