The Barat Perhentian — Hotel in Greater Perhentian Island

Went with two of my friends and we all could agree that the Snorkelling experience was truly the best experience we've ever had compare to other island we've been to. Both coach/guide for two different days were kind, patient and respectful. Most of us don't know how to swim, but the coach did a short training with us to make sure that everyone knows at least how to float and move around. For those who really can't, he dragged us around (using our life jackets, he carefully avoided any kind of physical touch) making sure everyone have a good experience and didn't miss out. He didn't rush us and let us take out time and enjoy, until everyone was ready to head back. He was very encouraging as well, throughout the whole trip he used words like "is everything good?" "You guys did amazing, so proud of you!" Which boosted our confident and weren't afraid to get off the boat even when it's a deep area. TT The guides there are all very professional and we could tell that they have passion and love what they were doing! And the same kind of passion influenced us. I will surely come back for the Snorkelling experience.🥰||The room is decent as well, bed was really really comfortable, hit the pillow and immediately fell asleep for both nights we stayed. There will be electricity cut off from time to time but only for a short while so it's bearable. We booked a seafront family chalet, the bathroom and everything is clean and tidy. There's a small fridge, and water heater. Mineral water bottle will be provided so don't need to bring too much. I don't really unserhow the TV works.. you have to ask the front desk for a pendrive filled with SUPER OUTDATED MOVIES, at least update the pendrive.. most of the movie inside is older or same age as me 😅||As for the worker in Barat perhentian, there were a few (three male and one Chinese girl with glasses.) that always greets us with a smile and are patient with our request. HOWEVER, all the other worker basically did nothing 😅 and have a certain type of attitude where they unwillingly serve you. There was one night where it was extremely windy, to a point our beverage can and the light were blown away. The workers just stood aside and watch their customer struggles to get the food back inside. I made eye contact THREE TIMR with one of the female worker there and she just looked away like she say nothing, we ended up walking back and forth three to four time to get all our things indoor. ||And the food was one of the worse I've had during vacation, especially when Malaysia are known for our amazing dishes, Barat perhentian's food really disappointed me to a degree where I don't know how to explain how bad it really was. ||The seafood fried rice is basically just plain egg fried rice with UNFLAVORED and UNSEASONED seafood inside. I had two bites and couldn't bring myself to take another. 😅 And all their smoothies/juice are preserved or fruit syrups. None of it is fresh. And they're pudding was just the jelly you can get everywhere! Unbelievable... And things there is really over priced, the coupon was stated to be RM70 for barbeque night, but who are we joking really, there's only ONR prawn, 2-4 piece of squid and one SMALL piece of fish about the size and thickness of two of my fingers only. The roti canai taste good but it was served cold.. THE FRUIT PLATE is only FOUR piece of orange. None of the meal time satisfied us. One of the reason why we were not sad when we leave the island is because I can't survive another day eating food with that kind of quality anymore. If a Malaysian also can't tahan their food, I wonder what do other foreign traveler thinks.. ||Anyways, 10/10 experience for Snorkelling and the room was good and enjoyable. But the food is unbearable. Will recommend when you book, can consider booking Room only then add on transport package and Snorkelling package. The food coupons are...

WARNING! DO NOT BOOK – READ BEFOREHAND

We recently stayed at The Barat Perhentian and unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing.

Room: The room was dirty, old, poorly insulated, and had no transparent windows (instead, colored ones that blocked natural light). When we arrived, the room was already dirty, and during our 4-night stay no one came to clean, nor were towels or sheets ever changed. Overall, the room was run-down and lacked proper maintenance – absolutely not what you would expect on a paradise island.

As for entertainment, the room had only a basic TV service. There was no access to streaming platforms or any type of modern entertainment. Instead, the hotel provides movies on request via USB sticks, with clearly pirated downloads. I can only wonder what Warner Bros would think about that…

Service: By far the worst part of the stay. It was one of the poorest service experiences we’ve had anywhere in the world. Staff lacked training, communication, and coordination (both with guests and between departments such as reception, kitchen, and restaurant). There seemed to be no established system or protocol – every staff member gave a different answer to the same question, with no clarity at all. Supervisors stayed in their offices without managing anything; even when we asked for their help on several occasions, they were completely unhelpful.

Food: The food was terrible. Everything was frozen, heavily fried, and far from fresh. Considering the island is abundant with fruit and fish, the lack of a menu based on fresh, local products was shocking. The meals felt like airport or gas station food. After four days eating there, we ended up having to take stomach medication. Also, one night after dinner we waited for more than 30 minutes to get our bill, so we left since everything is charged to our room. So while sleeping, at 23:00h someone knocked at our door and made us go to reception to sign the bill we asked three times before. Who is actually doing the service, the guests or the hotel?

Facilities & Cleanliness: The common areas were neglected and unhygienic. Trash was left to pile up on the main walkway, attracting giant two-meter iguanas feeding right in front of the guests – hardly a welcoming or safe experience upon arrival. Inside the restaurant, there was a section where garbage from the day was piled up; if you happened to be seated near it at dinner, you had to eat with the smell of rotting food.

Excursions: On a positive note, the excursions we booked through the hotel were enjoyable. We were lucky to have two fantastic guides who showed us the incredible marine wildlife. True professionals and the only highlight of our stay.

Transport: The hotel is only accessible by boat. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of booking directly with them, which resulted in very poor service: the boat was late, no prior information was given, they failed to notify us of the taxes to be paid before boarding, they did not help with luggage, and on the way to the hotel they even made an unnecessary stop at another island before taking us to our destination.

Accommodation Types: If you book a Deluxe Chalet or Seaview Chalet, be prepared to face the noisy family and children’s area all day long. Good luck finding peace there. If you book a Standard Chalet, like we did, you’ll end up in a poorly ventilated, dirty shack at the very end of the complex.

While we will definitely return to the Perhentian Islands (because the nature, fauna, and marine life are truly breathtaking), we will absolutely never stay at The Barat Perhentian again. Out of 20 days traveling through Malaysia, this was by far our worst experience in...

My partner and I, a European couple without kids, recently stayed at The Barat on Perhentian Island. Our experience was a mix of positives and negatives, leading to an overall average stay.||Pros:|| • Clean and Spacious Rooms: The rooms were clean and spacious, featuring a good standard AC and two pillows of different thickness per person, ensuring comfort.| • Excellent Restaurant: The restaurant was very good, offering a wide variety of tasty options and good service. Sally stood out for her excellent service and also Alicia and Effit showed great personality and energy, creating a personable and friendly yet professional atmosphere.| • Organized Management: The management was very well organized, and the staff, including the manager, were friendly and helpful.| • Proximity to Beautiful Beach: The hotel is right around the corner from the most beautiful beach on the island.| • Convenient Trips and Rentals: Good trips and snorkeling rentals are available in-house.| • Close to Jetty: The proximity to the jetty made travel convenient.| • Rooms 701-703: These rooms have a huge balcony and a nice view.||Cons:|| • Only One Blanket: There was only one blanket provided for two people in our seaview room.| • Misleading Seafront Chalets: The center of The Barat is the restaurant and the waiting area for the jetty, and the “Seafront Chalets” look directly onto this area. Technically they have a seaview, but in reality, it’s more of a “restaurant or waiting area view.” People walk nonstop by your room, looking directly into it. While blackout curtains are provided, it defeats the purpose of paying for a seaview room.| • Noise Issues: The restaurant and waiting area are noisy, with people right in front of your door or underneath your balcony. There are company team-building events in the evening and a fire show, and even though The Barat can’t do anything about it, a nearby tree with screeching bats adds to the noise.||Room Change Experience:|Upon our arrival, we were disappointed to find that our seafront chalet was not as close to the water as expected and was subjected to constant noise and heavy foot traffic. This setup severely compromised our privacy, as people frequently looked into our room, and at night, the bright outdoor lights shining directly on the porches forced us to keep the curtains closed at all times. Given that these rooms are among the most expensive options, this was a significant letdown.||We spent one night in the seafront chalet before the manager kindly arranged for us to switch rooms with another guest. We were moved to a seaview room above the restaurant, which was quieter and more pleasant. However, each night, the balcony became unusable due to smoke from the BBQ downstairs. While the manager was responsive to our complaints, the overall experience was dampened, especially since we had to move back to the seafront chalets for our last night.||In summary, the rooms at The Barat are not well-suited for guests seeking privacy and tranquility. The seafront chalets, in particular, are misleadingly advertised, as they are effectively in a second or third row behind the restaurant and arrival/departure area.||If you are looking for easy-to-reach rooms with a high standard and good AC, close to lots of tour action and a good restaurant, The Barat is for you. However, if you seek tranquility and peace, you might consider other options along the shore and visit The Barat for their...