Let me set the stage: It was Earth Day, with lively processions taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast. I’d already participated in the various green activities organised for the day. Examples being upcycling old bedsheets into tote bags and learning how to germinate seeds. Plus, a great dinner was lined up before the hotel was scheduled to go dark.
But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s rewind a little and go back to the start of my stay at this music-infused hotel in Johor, Malaysia.
Seamless check-in
I arrived at the hotel one day prior and hadn’t even stepped out the car before being greeted by the service crew. You know it’s going to be a good stay if the welcoming party is this attentive to its new guests.
Checking in was pleasant and quick, and this is the process that you typically want to fuss the least about. Because the more steps involved, the more friction there is. Which is why I’m happy to report that getting from the main doors to my room was a seamless experience.
I was boarded in the Rock Suite, which spanned a generous 108 m². It came replete with the usual comforts such as a minibar, 55″ LED TV, and not one, but two balconies with a great view of the surroundings. They were also spacious enough to do some yoga stretches or callisthenics if I so wished.
Food at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
After depositing my luggage, the natural thing to do next was of course to refuel the body. So I headed to Sessions – one of the four main F&B outlets on the premises – for a quick lunch. There, I ordered a large meal to sample what they had to offer: mushroom bruschetta, chicken chop, and fish and chips. The portions were so huge that I didn’t even need to order dessert.
Sessions serves local and international fare, so I got a good taste of the latter here. The bruschetta hit all the right notes of creamy and earthy, which made for a great introduction to the meal. The chicken was tender and juicy, while the fish was crispy on the outside and flaked off in layers on the inside.
Pampering myself
Of course, the best way to enhance the post-lunch satisfaction is to treat yourself to a massage. And that’s exactly what I did at the Rock Spa. I opted for the Asian Blend massage. The first thing that drew my attention was the heated massage bed, with custom temperature controls. That was nice attention to detail, and I have to say, I was impressed.
My masseuse was an adept therapist, and don’t let her petite size fool you, because she could pinpoint the knots in my body and apply enough pressure to relieve them. From the warm feet scrub to the finishing pats of the massage, my masseuse made sure that I had nothing but a rejuvenating experience.
Celebrating Earth Hour
And thus we arrive once more at Earth Hour. The annual celebration at the hotel, organised in tandem with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), was a nod to sustainability and educating future generations about a greener Earth.
Seeing how the General Manager, Murray Aitken, has a background in environmental science, it’s no wonder that the hotel puts in an impressive effort in maintaining sustainable practices.
For Earth Hour, all the Hard Rock Hotels, Cafes, And Casinos around the world would participate by going dark for an hour at 8:30 p.m. local time. And I was proud to be part of that moment in the Desaru Coast branch.
A wonderful stay
The celebratory dinner for this event was a special four-course meal curated by Executive Chef Halim, consisting of corn chowder, a vegetarian entree, chicken enchiladas, and poached pear with ice cream. I’ve been pampered many times before, but being pampered with a cause was a whole new experience altogether.
Suffice to say, my stay at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast was a pleasant one. More importantly, I didn’t just leave the hotel with a smile on my face – I also left with some new great memories for life.
