Sometimes, all you want in a family holiday is a quick, comfortable, hassle-free break without having to worry about logistics or time differences. In such a case, a trip across the causeway to Desaru Coast might come to mind.
We spent an enjoyable 3D2N at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, soaking in the sea breeze, grooves, and splashing fun.
With our kids aged 7, 5 and 4 months old, we chose to self-drive for our comfort and convenience. This allowed us to get into JB earlier in the day, avoiding the jam and giving some time for us to visit our favourite places to eat and do a spot of shopping before heading onward to Desaru.
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Driving to Desaru Coast from JB
Getting to Desaru Coast was an easy 1.5 hour drive from central Johor Bahru. As we approached the resort, we noticed how well-maintained the Desaru Coast area was.
The clean streets and picturesque landscaping were a nice welcome, and upon entering the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast compound, we were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the resort felt, with clean white walls, greenery and wood accents all around. Of course, the signature music elements you’d expect at a Hard Rock establishment were present too.
Overview of the Facilities at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast
After checking-in, we took some time to explore the resort and its facilities. Our Duplex was on level one, where the gym, sports facilities and Roxity Kids Club were located. The main restaurant, Sessions, is also on the first floor, and is next to the entrance to the Adventure Waterpark.
Light sleepers or families with young children who are sensitive to sound might want to note that there is live music till late at Sessions every evening except Mondays. Our room was very near to the restaurant and we could hear the music at night, although it didn’t disturb us too much.
We also made a trip to the Concierge to reserve a guitar for the Picks experience, which allows guests of the resort to experience using a Fender guitar, complete with amplifier and headphones, in their own room. This cool experience is available to all overnight guests, subject to availability.
Our Room – Studio Suite Gold Duplex
We were assigned a Studio Suite Gold Duplex, which is a 2-bedroom 2-bathroom apartment. Entering via the first floor, there is a sizable bathroom and a bedroom equipped with a bunk bed and some beanbags.
There’s also a living area where we spent time playing card games and watching a movie on one of the afternoons while the baby slept downstairs.
The basement floor is a master suite comprising a large bathroom complete with bathtub, a comfortable sleeping area, and a private plunge pool outside. We were also provided with a baby cot since we were traveling with an infant.
As a family of five with relatively young children, we prefer our travel lodgings to have sufficient space for everyone to move around without being on top of one another, while also all being in the same place, as the children are not old enough to be in a separate room of their own.
The duplex was perfect for us, providing us separate sleep spaces, communal living spaces, and enabling us to move about freely upstairs while the baby napped, without fear of waking him.
By this time, our choice of Fender guitar had been sent to our room, and we spent some time playing around with it. Probably to manage the noise levels, the amplifier only provides sound via the headphones and not speakers.
Roxity Kids Club
The Roxity Kids Club is a drop-off only staff-supervised kids club, for kids aged 4 to 12. There is a daily activity schedule with different activities planned throughout the day, so there’s always something for the kids to do.
The space also features different play zones, including areas for reading, playing music, doing craft, and playing video games. Outside the Roxity Kids Club there is a small splash pad which pales in comparison to what’s available at the Adventure Waterpark, but is still lots of fun for the kids.
During their time in the Roxity Kids Club, our kids enjoyed some cookie decorating and guitar lessons conducted by the staff, as well as free play with the toys and VR games available. We dropped our two older children off at the Roxity Kids Club during the baby’s nap, so that my husband could go to the gym and I could have some quiet rest time. The Summer Escape promotion comes with unlimited access to the Roxity Kids Club, so families can make use of the space whenever they want.
On Tuesday, when the Adventure Waterpark was closed, the kids also spent a long time playing at the splash pad outside the Roxity Kids Club, which was well-shaded in the early evening and had adequate seating for caregivers.
Highlight of Our Trip: Adventure Waterpark
The Adventure Waterpark was the highlight of our trip, made much more so by how easy it was to get in and out. Guests of Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast can use the private entrance to the Adventure Waterpark, and the Summer Escape promotion includes unlimited entry.
For us, this meant that we could pop into the Waterpark, then back to our room for the baby to nap, then back again into the Waterpark for more play.
The entrance to the Adventure Waterpark opens near to the water playgrounds — this area has a large playground with slides suitable for all ages, multiple kid-only slides, and a shaded water playground for toddlers. It would be possible to enter the Waterpark daily just to get some movement and play in, before heading off to explore other attractions in Desaru.
Beyond the water playground area, older kids and adrenaline junkies will find the more thrilling rides. These tube slides are popular and had queues despite us visiting off-peak. Families may wish to note that there are height requirements for some rides.
The park was much larger than we expected, which meant rides were nicely spaced out, and there was a lot of walking to do to get around. Remember lots of sunscreen, and you might want to bring a hat to wear while walking around between rides!
Overall, the Adventure Waterpark provided fun for everyone, from mild slides and playgrounds, to thrilling roller coasters and tube slides, and we can imagine coming back with family and friends for more.
Food at Sessions
We had most of our meals at Sessions, the in-house restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast. Breakfast is served here daily (apart from in the Rock Royalty Lounge for rooms with lounge access). It was a good spread of different cuisines, although parents know that a live egg station, cereals and fruit are probably sufficient for most kids.
Apart from breakfast, we also tried their Hidangan Set during lunch, a chef’s tasting menu of local dishes, for the whole family. Being at the resort meant limited food options, but the menu at Sessions is extensive, and has a variety of cuisines to cater to different tastes.
Our 3D2N Desaru Itinerary
We chose to travel during the week from Monday to Wednesday, as we prefer to travel when there is less crowd. Do note that there is no live music at Sessions on Monday evenings, and that the Adventure Waterpark is closed on Tuesdays (with a few exceptions, check their website for the latest).
Upon arrival on the first day, we took a slow tour of the premises, and the older kids requested to be dropped off at the Roxity Kids Club for a bit. We could have walked or taken a hotel buggy to the beach in the evening, but since we were traveling with a young infant, we decided to have an early night instead.
After breakfast on the second day, we drove out to the Desaru Fruit Farm, one of the main attractions in the area. You can book a separate tour (including transportation if necessary) at the concierge at the resort, or self-drive like we did.
We spent the rest of the day playing games, reading, watching some TV and the kids had their guitar experience at the Roxity Kids Club. The abundance of space in our room truly helped make the experience a relaxing one. Since the Adventure Waterpark wasn’t open, we spent a good hour at the splash pad outside Roxity Kids Club instead.
On the third day, we changed into swimwear after breakfast and headed straight into the Adventure Waterpark. Hotel guests are provided towels that they can bring into the Waterpark for use during the day. It’s easy to lose track of time in such a place!
Our itinerary was kept intentionally scant so as to cater to the needs of our infant, but there are many other attractions in Desaru that we’d probably explore when he is older, such as nature tours and firefly viewing at night.
For families from Singapore, a visit to Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast makes for an easy, fuss-free family vacation.
From now till 31 August 2026, book a stay (minimum 2 nights) at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast for stays till 30 September 2026 and take advantage of the Summer Escape promotion, which offers 25% off best flexible rates, daily buffet breakfast, unlimited access to Roxity Kids Club, unlimited access to the Adventure Waterpark, and more.
Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Website
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