The perfect getaway is waiting just an hour away at Hard Rock Hotel, Desaru Coast! With direct connection to Desaru Adventure Waterpark, Roxity Kids Club, a variety of food and beverage options, parents will have a fuss-free time at the well-appointed resort just minutes away from the beach. We give you our first-hand experience of what it’s like at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast – and how you can clock in some couple time during the family staycay!
About Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
The last time we visited Desaru was a decade ago and we were thrilled to be back to see the vast changes in this area that’s just a short drive from Johor. Depending on traffic conditions, the drive time can be a mere hour from the Malaysian check point.
The 365-room hotel has spacious room sizes from 42sqm to 226sqm, with 175 family rooms with two double beds. It also overlooks Desaru Adventure Water Park where its giant wave pool will surely draw the little ones to it.
Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast has two main eating spots – Sessions for its huge variety of buffet and ala carte options of Asian and Western fare as well as Elephant & Butterfly a Mexican inspired poolside café. It also has a café – Constant Grind, and Rock Royalty lounge access for those with suites.
First Impressions of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
We have been looking forward to our weekend getaway especially after a recent stay at Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Arriving in the late afternoon to clear blue skies and a larger-than-life Mandala guitar was such a welcome treat away from the hustle and bustle of city-living.
My teen and I were also drawn to the Raleigh bicycles parked at the lobby, perhaps that would be on our to-do list. After the necessary check-in process and then picking our Fender for our stay, everything was delivered to our room promptly.
Did we mention Fender? Yes each guest can loan a Fender guitar to experience musician life – perhaps serenading a spouse in the privacy of the room or just jamming on the sleek electric guitar.
Our in-house musician aka the husband was clearly spoilt for choice picking his guitar – and opted for a brown Sunburst Floyd Rose Stratocaster. What a beaute!
Rocking it in Our Studio Suite
Our Studio Suite was a 54 sqm room with a king-sized bed, a spacious bathroom with a bathtub and a separate room with bunk bed for the kids. We appreciated the expansiveness of the room and that everyone had their cosy corners.
Perhaps what was lacking was a work desk – but since the purpose was play, this wasn’t a biggie.
The biggest draw for the kids was the bathtub. Only thing missing was a bath bomb!
We also liked the separate shower and toilet which meant less jostling for different needs.
We could also stream movies and play music with complimentary channels. While the option to enjoy the suite was attractive, we weren’t just there for our suite – there was a whole list of activities we were looking forward to doing!
A Hop Away from Adventure Waterpark
With Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast’s Summer Escape promotion, all guests can enjoy complimentary daily Adventure Waterpark tickets. The waterpark was probably the biggest draw for the family. Hard Rock Hotel Desaru guests have a private entrance to the waterpark, this meant the ultimate convenience of getting to the room for naps (for the younger ones), easy access to belongings and the possibility of enjoying meals at the hotel.
We loved the comfort that was easily accessible – from forgotten towels (get your towels from the hotel pool) to storage of valuables, and close proximity to hotel food and beverage is a major perk!
Adventure Waterpark was such a blast for the whole family! The varied experiences like floating on the lazy river, going on the roller coaster, attempting to surf, feeling the adrenaline from water park rides, sliding and more sliding made for fantastic memories as a family.
More Family-friendly Activities at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
Within the hotel grounds, there is plenty to do as a family – cycling, football, beach volleyball, or just visiting the beach just a few minutes away with buggy rides provided. Near Roxity Kids Club is where you find all the games and sports equipment you need for some fun including a giant Chess set, a giant Jenga set, archery sets, rackets and balls.
Love beachtime? Desaru Beach is where you can catch the most amazing sunrises overlooking South China Sea. We preferred sleeping in, but still managed to catch the evening hues and soaked in the sea breeze.
The beach was clean and perfect for building sandcastles or finding hermit crabs. Just be careful of jellyfish in the area!
We liked the thoughtful gesture of a reusable bag in our room that was great for taking along towels, beach toys to the beach. I would recommend packing a mat if the beach chairs are all taken and repellent for sandflies for the beach outing too.
Sneaking in Couple Time
Family vacay time also means you can enjoy some couple time! Make full use of Roxity Kids Club and its amenities! Kids between 4 to 12 can spend some time there playing with toys, crafting, playing video games and participate in various activities organised.
The Splash Zone is free for all guests to use – if you haven’t had enough fun at the waterpark that is.
While the children are busy playing, how about some couple time? The gym is just a few doors away from the kids club for a workout or chill at Constant Grind for cakes and a cuppa next door.
One activity we really enjoyed at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast was enjoying the live music by the in-house band on evenings. Hearing familiar tunes played, singing along and even submitting our song requests was definitely one highlight of our trip. Fellow millennials can probably remember the songs by Jon Bon Jovi, Cranberries, Alanis Morisette, 4 Non Blondes, Queen, Journey, Cyndi Lauper not forgetting Taylor Swift hits. The live band can be heard in the evenings from 8 all the way to 11ish pm on selected days of the week.
Surprisingly, even though our suite was on the ground level which was the same level of Sessions where live music was playing, we could not hear much of the music from our room. This meant that our kids could have a restful night while we were a short distance away.
Meals at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
Meal options are aplenty at the resort with breakfast buffet options at Sessions, ala carte options at both Sessions and Elephant & Butterfly.
The breakfast spread at Sessions was extensive featuring local delicacies and Western favourites. Expect a bigger crowd at breakfast especially during peak hours. Given the number of egg stations, the wait for food is not long. Live stations also serve noodles, prata and pancakes. If you fancy a calmer breakfast recommendation, read on.
Those with access to Rock Royalty lounge located on Level 6 will enjoy the panoramic view of Adventure Waterpark plus enjoy the tranquility of the lounge. While the spread is smaller with no live stations, you can still request for eggs and pancakes from the menu. The orange juicing machine was a draw while the other selections were clearly a notch above – with more variety of fruits and a more private setting. Those with Rockstar suites can enjoy this lounge any time during their stay – this could be a huge perk for those valuing an extra bit of diva treatment.
We also had lunch and late-night drinks at Sessions. Given we weren’t planning on a huge meal, we opted for ala-carte options. We chose a mix of Western and Asian dishes to share, which was a good decision as the mains came in hearty portions. Nasi Goreng served with Sambal Prawns, Satay and squid was delightfully aromatic and the menu special Messi’s Chicken Sandwich satisfied the teen’s tastebuds. The Nachos was something everyone could share and enjoy, while the Bolognese pasta was a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Our favourite meal was probably the one at Elephant & Butterfly – the Mexican poolside café. One, we could take a dip and then enjoy the food and drinks. Two, the steak, nachos, tacos, quesadillas hit the right notes with the classic Mexican flavours! It’s definitely a popular option for many guests, do make a reservation to get your favourite spot early. Perhaps it was the poolside vibes or the sunset charm, the servers and lifeguards were jovial and very friendly – definitely making our experience more memorable.
Shopping Time!
Shopping for Hard Rock memorabilia is one activity to do. What’s unique about Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast is a shop dedicated to the kids – aptly called Roxtars Toys and Sweets. It would be hard to leave empty handed without soft toys in Hard Rock shirts and a selection of candy. Take the kids here and watch them go starry-eyed!
Summer Escape at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
We wish our holiday could last just a wee bit longer to enjoy all the amenities! Protip: Go earlier in the day to maximise your time there.
From now till 31 August 2025, families can book the summer escape package for a stay between now till 30 September 2025. Perks include complimentary Adventure Waterpark tickets, daily breakfast, discounts off Rock Spa, Rock Shop with flexible early check-in or late-checkout for a minimum stay of two nights.
Given the proximity to Singapore, it’s an easy getaway with guaranteed fun for the whole family!
More details can be found at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast’s site.
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