Tanjong Jara Resort

“Prue Tranquility”

This hotel may take a little effort to get to as it’s a five hour car journey from KL airport but I found it worth every minute. We were welcomed at 1.00am after a long but comfortable car drive in the most warm and pleasant way by incredible staff. We were fortunate enough to be given an a free up… more

This hotel may take a little effort to get to as it’s a five hour car journey from KL airport but I found it worth every minute. We were welcomed at 1.00am after a long but comfortable car drive in the most warm and pleasant way by incredible staff. We were fortunate enough to be given an a free upgrade to a junior suite which was just perfect. Brilliant views over the South China Sea, the room was fresh and clean and in a traditional style. The grounds are well kept and the garden staff constantly keeping it clean. It was very peaceful, tranquil and at the time of our stay not very busy which was just perfect for the relaxing holiday we sort. There is plenty offered by the hotel for the more active, water sport centre , two swimming pools, gym, tennis, games room, bike hire the list goes on and on. Only minor point breakfast felt a little repetitive as we stayed 9 wonderful nights, two restaurants good quality of food but shame a little more variety not available, however don’t let this put you off going as the staff are first class, I couldn’t fault a single hotel representative they were all without exception so friendly, warm and helpful. Oh and the ladies in the spa gave the most incredible massage and good value offers available. I travelled to few locations and hotels and for value for money, weather, staff attentiveness it’s right up there.

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“Tranquil & Relaxing Resort”

We had a wonderful stay at Tanjong Jara, the decor and architecture is really stunning & in keeping with the tranquil & relaxing atmosphere. Living in Singapore we took the direct flight to Kuntan & then booked a car to take us to the resort, a very straight forward 1 hour 45 minutes away. We sta… more

We had a wonderful stay at Tanjong Jara, the decor and architecture is really stunning & in keeping with the tranquil & relaxing atmosphere. Living in Singapore we took the direct flight to Kuntan & then booked a car to take us to the resort, a very straight forward 1 hour 45 minutes away. We stayed in the very last Ajung room, which gave us a fabulous view of the bay, it was a shame it wasnt particularly easy to get directly onto the beach, it wouldnt take much to make it accessible. Whilst the resort is clearly an older property the room was very well maintained, the outdoor bath with window you could open in the wall to see out to the sea was lovely, but given the outdoor environment the ants were a bit challenging & the tub was so large it was hard to get the water particularly warm. We stayed on the full board package with a drinks hour booked through luxury escapes. The drinks hours was between 3-4pm so generally we didnt take advantage of it that much, it was also a little confusing that you had to sign for everything at value so it was only at checkout you could see if there were any errors (which there were but they were quickly resolved). The food is a highlight (the butter prawns are to die for!) There are various restaurants & theme nights so it you are staying for a while there is plenty of variety. The buy one get one free happy hour at the adults pool before dinner is good value and the wine was reasonable for a 5 star hotel. Full board is the only way to go really as there is very little around the resort. We did one trip to the closest island for snorkelling and also had a lovely massage which was included in our package (watch out for the mosquitos at the spa!) The adults only pool is a nice escape although the resort never felt that busy even though we were there over a PH so we equally enjoyed the larger more picturesque pool The staff are another highlight, from the General Manager to Maz and Ann the chefs, there were often delightful surprises when we got back to our room which was a wonderful touch. We actually stayed 9 nights but felt that was a little long, 5 nights would be perfect and after our experience I am definitely keen to try the other 2 resorts in the chain.

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“Exceptional”

Tanjong Jara is a beautifully designed hotel complex which blends sympathetically with the surrounding nature. Rooms are spacious, but as other reviewers have noticed, in need of some updating. The grounds, however, are immaculate. What makes this hotel special is the warmth and hospitality of all … more

Tanjong Jara is a beautifully designed hotel complex which blends sympathetically with the surrounding nature. Rooms are spacious, but as other reviewers have noticed, in need of some updating. The grounds, however, are immaculate. What makes this hotel special is the warmth and hospitality of all staff. They go beyond the usual service to ensure that guests have a memorable and wonderful stay. Amira - guest liaison manager was our fairy godmother making sure that our stay was as perfect as possible. It is difficult to name all the staff however we would like to say thank you to Jazz and cheff Ann, Fatihah for a wonderful and informative jungle walk and also to the boys at the dive centre for their fabulous snorkeling trips and indeed to all the staff who work there. We hope to return there soon.

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“A Beautiful Sanctuary That Deserves a Breakfast Worthy of Its Reputation ( 4 stars only due to this)”

A Beautiful Sanctuary That Deserves a Breakfast Worthy of Its Reputation We recently spent three wonderful nights at Tanjung Jara Resort while completing our Advanced Open Water diving certification, and overall, we had a truly memorable stay. We flew into Kuala Terengganu, rented a car, and the s… more

A Beautiful Sanctuary That Deserves a Breakfast Worthy of Its Reputation We recently spent three wonderful nights at Tanjung Jara Resort while completing our Advanced Open Water diving certification, and overall, we had a truly memorable stay. We flew into Kuala Terengganu, rented a car, and the scenic drive to the resort immediately set the tone for what became a wonderfully relaxing holiday. The resort itself is simply beautiful. The lush tropical gardens reminded us very much of Four Seasons Langkawi—one of our favourite resorts—and having the greenery blend seamlessly into the pristine beach creates an incredibly peaceful atmosphere. It is exactly the quiet oasis we were looking for. Although the resort is clearly one of YTL’s older properties, it has been beautifully restored. Our room was comfortable and we slept well throughout our stay, although the room temperature varied slightly from night to night. The grounds are immaculate. We loved cycling around the property, relaxing in the hammocks, spotting the resident dusky leaf monkeys, and appreciating the thoughtful touches such as the mosquito repellent and soothing balm provided in the room. One suggestion would be to extend bicycle usage beyond 5pm, when the weather becomes much cooler and more pleasant for cycling. The beach was clean and beautiful, with only the occasional piece of debris that naturally washes ashore. We were hoping to see turtles during our visit, but we’ll save that for our next trip. The staff were consistently warm, polite and welcoming. A special thank you to Liza and Amira at Reception, who were both genuinely friendly, professional and welcoming throughout our stay. Special mention also goes to Ong, who amazingly remembered us from our many visits to Pangkor Laut Resort over the years. Those personal touches make a stay feel truly special and are exactly what we’ve come to expect from YTL Hospitality. There were, however, occasional communication issues. For example, we requested two soft pillows but housekeeping brought two hard ones, and there were several occasions where simple requests seemed to be misunderstood. The staff were always eager to help, but some additional training in listening carefully and responding confidently would make a noticeable difference. The one area that falls dramatically short of a Small Luxury Hotels of the World standard is breakfast. It was, without question, the biggest disappointment of an otherwise exceptional stay. Breakfast officially begins at 7.00am, yet as divers we needed to leave the resort by 7.30am each morning. Despite arriving shortly after opening, many stations simply weren’t ready. Staff operating the egg station or preparing roti canai often had to be called over, sometimes only appearing around 7.15am. If breakfast opens at 7.00am, every station should already be staffed, prepared and ready to serve guests from the moment the doors open. More concerning was the overall lack of confidence among the breakfast team. Almost every request—whether for hot water, eggs or something simple—was met with uncertainty. Staff appeared flustered, looked around for assistance, disappeared to ask someone else, then returned several minutes later. This happened consistently over all three mornings. Having stayed at Pangkor Laut Resort seven or eight times, we’ve never experienced this level of uncertainty within another YTL property. The breakfast itself also needs significant improvement. For a luxury resort carrying the Small Luxury Hotels of the World name, the buffet felt surprisingly ordinary. The yoghurt selection consisted of just one basic muesli option. Fruit choices rarely extended beyond watermelon, melon, pineapple and apple, despite Malaysia offering an abundance of wonderful tropical fruits. Seasonal fruits such as mangosteen, papaya and other local fruits would have showcased Malaysia far better. The coffee from the machine was disappointing and certainly not what one would expect at this level. The fresh juice station also appeared highly inefficient. Staff spent considerable time bending over a tiny domestic-style juicer to produce one small glass of juice at a time. Investing in a commercial-quality juicer would dramatically improve both efficiency and the guest experience. The cooked breakfast was equally inconsistent. The egg station struggled to prepare a simple five-egg-white omelette, and another omelette arrived almost liquid inside. After those experiences, we simply stopped ordering eggs altogether. The processed breakfast sausages felt completely out of place at a luxury resort. Even more disappointing were some of Malaysia’s signature breakfast dishes. The nasi lemak lacked flavour, the dhal was underwhelming, and the noodle selections were unappetising. This was particularly surprising because Malaysian cuisine is world-renowned, and breakfast should be an opportunity to celebrate that. Ironically, the strongest dishes were the local specialities. The bubur, laksam and traditional kuih were genuinely delicious and demonstrated exactly what the kitchen is capable of. We simply wished that same attention to quality had extended across the rest of the buffet. A broader cheese selection would also be a welcome addition. We deliberately chose not to take the all-inclusive dining package because we wanted to explore the local food scene. Dining at Kaki Lima was one of the highlights of our trip, and we also thoroughly enjoyed Happy Hour at Nelayan, where the mocktails were excellent. Despite our disappointment with breakfast, we genuinely loved our stay. Tanjung Jara remains one of the most tranquil and beautiful beach resorts in Malaysia, and we’re already planning to return in early September to complete a few more dives. We sincerely hope that when we return, we’ll see significant improvements to the breakfast experience. The resort has all the ingredients of a truly outstanding luxury destination—the setting, the grounds, the warmth of the staff and the tranquillity are exceptional. With better training for the breakfast team and a stronger focus on food quality, variety and execution, the breakfast could finally match the standard of the rest of this wonderful resort. Thank you for a memorable stay. We look forward to returning in September and, hopefully, leaving with an even better experience to write about.

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