Empire Hotels & Resorts — Hotel in Greater Perhentian Island

We stayed here in July 2025 for 4 days.|First of all, the automatic communication with information was incorrect. We tried several times to get in touch with the property before our arrival, but never received a response. According to them, there are only 3 departure times from Kuala Besut for the jetty boat, but in reality boats leave every 40 minutes. The fixed times apply only for the return.||Day 1:|As soon as we arrived, it was clear that the place was neglected and abandoned: unfinished construction works for new apartments, visible scaffolding, and garbage scattered around everywhere.|When we got to what was supposed to be the “reception,” no one welcomed us. We looked around and saw a little booth acting as a bar, where we found who seemed to be the bartender, completely absorbed in watching videos on his phone with the volume blasting through an external speaker.|We would later discover that this loud music would be a constant annoyance, completely ruining the atmosphere.|Not seeing anyone else working around the structure, and in fact, he would remain our only contact during the stay, we tried to talk to him. Unfortunately, he didn’t speak a single word of English. Even though our request was pretty obvious (to check in), we had to use Google Translate.|Since we had arrived about an hour early with the jetty boat, we kindly asked if we could check in a bit in advance, but were denied, something that has never happened to us before. We were forced to wait until 2 PM, and we never got a real explanation, though we suspect it was just a way to sell us some juice he had prepared.|We had booked a sea view apartment, and when we finally entered the room, the first impression was not good: the room was dirty, the sheets were stained and torn in many places. We weren’t expecting a 4-star hotel on an island, so we tried to accept it.|But the real disgust came when we entered the bathroom: hair and body hair everywhere, especially in the shower; a strong sewage smell; a broken vanity cabinet and a mirror that looked like it could fall off at any moment.|We tried to tolerate the situation, as complaining to the staff guy clearly wouldn’t have changed much.|We did some minimal cleaning ourselves just to get rid of the worst of the dirt. But when we tried to take a shower, we realized the water pressure was very low and there was no hot water.|We went back to complain, and after several communication struggles, we understood that he would check it the next day, apparently too busy watching his videos all day in his booth.||Day 2:|The day after, we asked if the problem had been fixed. He told us he hadn’t been able to fix it and that a part needed to be ordered, which would arrive the following day.|We asked for a different room, but that wasn’t possible.|In the meantime, I contacted Expedia to try and find an alternative solution, but they couldn’t reach the property either, nor could they find a replacement for us.|While we were left completely abandoned, we saw other couples arriving and receiving exactly the same treatment: left waiting at the “reception” until 2 PM with no one there to help, and no action taken by the one staff member.||Day 3:|We asked again about the status of the shower repair. In the meantime, the staff had increased, and someone who seemed to be the manager had arrived.|We were finally able to communicate in English and explained everything. Instead of apologizing for the unacceptable condition of the room and solving the shower problem immediately, he tried to distract us by offering some fried food and a cocktail.|After insisting on the situation, he told us that it was a holiday that day and that we’d have to wait until the next day for the repair, but promised that if it couldn’t be fixed, we’d be given another room. A small consolation, considering that it would be our last day there and we hadn’t even been able to take a proper shower, having to use the bidet shower as an alternative.||Day 4:|Finally, the shower was repaired.||From this story, I hope you understand what to expect before booking this place. The structure should be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. Nearby, there are other resorts and rooms, cheaper, far more decent, with competent staff you can actually communicate with and proper rooms.|During our stay, we actually went to check out neighboring accommodations because we were seriously considering moving to a better place, even if it meant losing the money we paid for this nightmare of a stay at “Empire Disgusting & Resort,” just to salvage what we could from a terrible experience.||On to the only positive aspect:|The property is located at the end of the beach, in a more private area. Unfortunately, even that is not enhanced or taken care of, it’s dirty and plagued...

July 2025 – We stayed here for 4 days.

If you’re reading this, take it as a warning. This place should be torn down and rebuilt. Nearby, there are better, cheaper resorts with clean rooms and staff who can communicate.

We even visited other accommodations during our stay, seriously considering moving even if it meant losing our money, just to escape this disaster, which we renamed “Empire Disgusting & Resort.”

First, the automated info was incorrect. We tried several times to contact the property before arrival, but never got a reply. They claimed only 3 daily boats depart from Kuala Besut, but in reality, boats leave every 40 minutes. Fixed times apply only for return.

Day 1: On arrival, the place appeared neglected and abandoned: unfinished buildings, scaffolding, trash everywhere.

At the so-called “reception,” no one greeted us. We found a small booth doubling as a bar, where a man—likely the bartender—was glued to his phone, blasting videos on a speaker.

That loud music became a constant nuisance, ruining any peaceful vibe.

He remained our only contact, and didn’t speak a word of English. Even asking to check in required Google Translate.

We had arrived about an hour early, and politely asked if we could check in. He refused, something we’ve never experienced before. We were forced to wait until 2 PM. No real reason was given, though it felt like an excuse to sell us juice.

We had booked a sea view apartment. Once inside, the impression was awful: dirty room, stained and torn sheets. We weren’t expecting luxury, but this was unacceptable.

The real disgust came in the bathroom: hair and body hair everywhere (especially in the shower), strong sewage smell, broken cabinet, and a dangerously unstable mirror.

Complaining wouldn’t have changed much, so we cleaned the worst ourselves.

But when we tried to shower, we found low water pressure and no hot water.

We complained. After struggling to explain via Google Translate, he said he’d check it the next day. But he just went back to watching videos.

Day 2: The next day, he told us a part needed to be ordered and would arrive the following day. Changing rooms wasn’t an option.

Other couples arrived and were treated the same way: left waiting until 2 PM with no staff present.

Day 3: We asked again about the shower. More staff had arrived, including someone who seemed to be the manager.

We could finally speak English and explained everything. No apology, no real action, he offered us fried snacks and a cocktail instead.

After pressing, he said it was a holiday and repairs would wait one more day, promising a new room if it still couldn’t be fixed. Too little, considering it was our last full day. We still hadn’t taken a proper shower, forced to use the bidet shower instead.

Day 4: Finally, on the day we left, the shower was repaired.

The only positive: The location is at the end of the beach, offering a little more privacy. Sadly, even that’s ruined by filth and loud music.

Save your holiday. Book...

In August my wife and I stayed with our baby for 6 days at Empire Resort aka Eco Marine Resort aka Big Island Teluk Dalam.||The stay was so disappointing that a month later I take the time to write this review. Please read this before you book.||||First, the 'resort' is located on the most beautiful part of the beach. Magnificent!||Unfortunately they know how to ruin the rest. A few things that made our stay unpleasant:||||* Reservations: MUST be prepaid for the entire stay. Otherwise our reservation would be invalid. The manager just failed to make us pay in advance while she talked about it all the time.||||* Check-in: Once arrived our room was not ready yet, and we had to wait another half an hour from the manager. Nothing happened to our room in that half hour. The manager was only on her phone. We received no proof of registration, which they asked for when checking out.||||* Cleanliness rooms: Our room (for which we paid 280 RM !!) was dirty. Ants everywhere, sand on the floor and the bathroom was not cleaned. We ourselves have collected 4 staff members and have to manage to clean up and have had to roll up our sleeves ourselves.||||* Restaurant: Something goes wrong with every order in the restaurant. The kitchen is unhygienic, the vegetables are rotting in the fridge in the general area. Don't eat here.||||* Staff: The staff has no idea what they are doing and is not trained for working in the hospitality industry. The 19-year-old (....) manager also clearly has no training in hospitality. She loses her people, she insults, is incompetent. Unfortunately the staff is so incompetent that you need the manager for everything you ask for. As a result, things are going very badly, and everything takes a very long time.The cup of coffee on the photo below was there 24 hours, just nothing is cleared after our breakfast.||||* Maintenance: The maintenance of the buildings is poor. The garden is not beautiful, so 'Garden View' is not special. See some photos that I have attached. Geen enkele wc-stortbak was in tact, see photo.||||* Conclusion: because the place is so beautiful and we have used the services of the 'resort' as little as possible, we had a good time. This resort does not provide any service and will ruin your vacation. Because you have to pay in advance, you are attached to them and you cannot leave. All other accommodations on the beach do not recommend you stay here, due to the bad reputation (their name changes very often due to this). If you want to enjoy this beautiful place, stay with the neighbors of Flora Bay, for example, that was a well-run resort.||||* Finally: I asked for a modified bill before checking out in advance (we had slept an extra night for logistical reasons). The manager forgot to charge that night entirely so we were very grateful for her 'discount' which she unknowingly gave. It eased...