The 33rd Kiwanis Treasure Hunt adventure from KL to Lumut culminated in a 2-night stay at Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut. The hotel is located quite far from the main road and you have to go through many bumps (on the road) to reach the hotel proper (en route you can see their award winning golf course).
The Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut houses 300 rooms categorised into Garden View, Sea Facing View and Sea View deluxe rooms (the others being the Executive deluxe rooms and Damai Suites) each with a private balcony.
hotel reception
This 4-star beachfront hotel offers a panoramic view overlooking the Straits of Malacca and Pulau Pangkor if you're lucky enough to book (or, in our case, get) a sea view room (the more expensive one of the three)....obviously, we didn't! Not that I would complain seeing that this is for a worthy cause.
We got a garden view room on the first floor with a view of.......bah, grass (when I opened the balcony door)! :D Not that I would want to step out onto the balcony anyway as it looked as it hasn't been cleaned for ages.
Well, here was our room....it might look good in photos but, in truth, it was rather old and aged...and in urgent need of refurbishment. The furnishings were old and chipped, the bathroom was a bit small though the wash basin area was quite spacious. The standard of cleanliness could have been better. We wore bedroom slippers throughout our time in the room.
Luckily, we weren't in our rooms for long periods of time but just to sleep...and thankfully the bed was at least clean and comfy. And don't get me started on the very limited TV channels (there might as well be no TV in the room).
Not only did we have to contend with flies at places where we dined, we even had to contend with these pests in our rooms (which led me to believe that they're everywhere in the hotel)! Don't believe me?
Well, here's proof.....this is just one I captured (resting on a pillow)...and he (maybe she) brought along many more friends (like 10 - 20 of them) to 'party'! >.< They'll tell you that it's caused by the poultry farms in the area....I don't know, I didn't see any. They'll say it's the "fly season" but, if you check the reviews given in the hotel booking websites, you'll find comments about the flies almost every month. They'll say that the fly infestation problem only started in the past one year...but the comments go as far back as 2012 (maybe even further than that)! @.@
Certain areas of the hotel was not properly lit and some areas have a peculiar old, damp and musky smell. Some parts even had a bad stench.
Even though I've penned what seems to be negative things about the hotel, these comments are nothing new as they've been reported by many of their hotel guests in popular hotel booking websites already.
Even though the hotel was run down and dated, I did see some positives. The hotel surrounding is very beautiful and calm with lots of greenery.
The surroundings certainly look well maintained with no dead or yellow leaves strewn over the pathways.
If you take a walk around the resort premises (which we did after breakfast on Day 2), you'll notice just how lovely the scenery is...with a beautiful natural landscape.
outdoor swimming pool
The hotel is also a gateway to the beautiful Pangkor Island. You can actually charter a boat to drop you off in Pulau Pangkor inclusive of a 3-hour round island tour.
Another positive would be that access to the beach is within a short walking distance from the hotel rooms for those who enjoy taking a swim in the sea or just walking on the beach.
But the most positive aspect (for me) has got to be the beautiful sunset views. You can enjoy these views from your room (if you happen to get a good sea view room) or from the beach.
beautiful sight
stunning view
lasting impression
We took in the breathtaking sunset view (from the beach) on our first evening there...and you wouldn't want to miss it for the world! ;)
My Personal Opinion
If you're looking for a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city (since it's pretty remote and far away from the nearest town), this could be the place for its tranquility and serene atmosphere.
But if you're horrified by flies and don't want to be traumatised by a massive fly invasion, it's best to stay away. This is not....I repeat NOT a no-fly zone! Wakakakaka!! :D
hotel entrance
Not only did we have to contend with flies at places where we dined, we even had to contend with these pests in our rooms (which led me to believe that they're everywhere in the hotel)! Don't believe me?
Certain areas of the hotel was not properly lit and some areas have a peculiar old, damp and musky smell. Some parts even had a bad stench.
Even though I've penned what seems to be negative things about the hotel, these comments are nothing new as they've been reported by many of their hotel guests in popular hotel booking websites already.
All the trees and flowers are well kept and nicely trimmed.
surroundings tastefully landscaped
serene environment
cool setting
lush greenery
What a view!
The sea has such a calming effect :)
We even spotted a guy enjoying a relaxing bout of fishing...and he was proud to show us his catch! ;)
The hotel is also a gateway to the beautiful Pangkor Island. You can actually charter a boat to drop you off in Pulau Pangkor inclusive of a 3-hour round island tour.
picturesque
My Personal Opinion
If you're looking for a place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the city (since it's pretty remote and far away from the nearest town), this could be the place for its tranquility and serene atmosphere.
But if you're horrified by flies and don't want to be traumatised by a massive fly invasion, it's best to stay away. This is not....I repeat NOT a no-fly zone! Wakakakaka!! :D
They should seriously look into this pesky fly problem and find a solution as the place has great potential for a scenic and laid-back getaway. The treasure hunt was certainly a lot of fun....just the stay wasn't as pleasant as we would have liked. Perhaps, we may join another hunt in the future....but not if it's to Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut again......uh-uh!!
Swiss-Garden Beach Resort
Jalan Damai Laut
Off Jalan Teluk Senangin
32200 Lumut
Perak
Tel: 05-684 3333
Yeah, I could live with old and dilapidated rooms, but flies? Nope. No no no no nope. Which brings us to my main point. If I cannot relax and rest wee in the room (no thanks to flies), it doesn't matter how beautiful the surrounding is. Lack of rest would put me in foul mood and I will not be able to see any good around me.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I was able to sleep well coz when we travel, we're usually very tired, so falling asleep was easy...but don't know what the flies did to me while I was asleep though....kekeke! :D
DeleteThe surrounding is lovely with greenery and the beach but flies are a no no for me. :(
ReplyDeleteLuckily, the lush surroundings lifted my spirit a bit.
DeleteThe flies are a real spoiler! Nope, not coming here hah..hah...
ReplyDeleteWouldn't recommend that you do...unless the fly problem is resolved!
DeleteI encountered this problem too during my stay but I really enjoyed the stunning sunset view~
ReplyDeleteYeah, the spectacular sunset view made up for the disappointment somewhat. And you were very lucky not to be confronted with the flies problem at your breakfast venue.
DeleteNot a whole lot going on at Lumut but those oysters at the local seafood restaurants were awesome last we went!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, now which restaurants would those be?
DeleteThe proximity to the sea and its wonderful views - definitely a major major plus point! :D it is too bad about the flies, but I assume that they would have found a solution if they could ... It's very unfortunate though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, very unfortunate indeed for them :'(
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