Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa Cherating — Hotel in Pahang

Firstly, this is definitely a 3 star hotel/ resort, not the advertised 4 star.||For the price-point of around RM200 a night (inclusive of breakfast) the hotel and its facilities were ‘average’. Average in their provision, condition and presentation.||At least in the Capital Wing our room was somewhat ‘tired’ in appearance.||I was upgraded from a standard ‘Superior Room’ to a ‘Deluxe’, with the specified King Bed.||Shortly after arrival I queried with Reception whether it was the specified ‘non-smoking’ room due to the faint smell of cigarette smoke (and the presence of an ash-tray), and was assured it was ‘but some guests don’t follow the rules’ (that didn’t explain the ash-tray in the room, and noting the small balcony had no furniture to encourage the use of the balcony for smoking).||An offer was made to send staff to spray the room with ‘perfume’, which I declined as that would likely have made my asthmatic condition worse. A liberal scattering by us in the room of the frangipani flowers from the on-site trees seemed to do the trick as regards the smell.||Toiletries provided were inadequate. One tiny cake of soap and one each of tiny body-wash and shampoo/ conditioner for TWO people (ie NOT PER PERSON).||For the first time in my experience Reception declined to provide additional toiletries when requested, but did agree to send additional towels and toilet paper (no spare toilet paper and only a part-used roll was provided on arrival).||The room was reasonably comfortable.||The main issue with the room was having to phone Reception mid-morning on the second day regarding the loud hammering and drilling noise from maintenance work in adjacent room/s – requesting that if the noise continued a change of room be provided.||Reception arranged for the noise to stop (the noise then became much more distant, and they were then presumably annoying somebody else).||One of the three pools was not in use, and the other two (one children’s) were adequate for the minimal usage that weekend. Although finding an unlocked entrance to the main pool was difficult and confusing. The photos of the main pool are somewhat misleading, as about 30% of the total area is less than 10cm deep and serves no apparent purpose (other than to make the pool look bigger). Pool toys are available – for hire.||As with all beaches at Cherating, the beach is not safe for swimming (red flag was raised, but no specific warning was given by staff). Unfortunately, that weekend was wet, cloudy and windy, so my photographs of the beautiful beach were not great.||The buffet breakfast was sub-par, with just 4 ‘warm’ offerings for Asians and 3 for Westerners (chicken sausage, baked beans and hash browns) plus the usual Continental items and some fresh fruit. This may have been impacted by my visiting during Ramadan (when presumably only non-Moslems were eating breakfast). I don’t know what if any provision was made for Moslem guests for Sahur at about 5am. I wasn’t up at that time.||The Itftah Malaysian evening Buffet was extensive and reasonably priced, and was reasonably well attended, obviously principally by Moslems.||The ‘Beach Restaurant’ menu (I didn’t eat there, except for breakfast) is the same as the room service menu – very limited as regards available options. Alcohol is served from a separate bar, and prices are very high, even for Malaysia. RM44 per glass and RM150 a bottle for a non-disclosed winery Chilean wine (your choice is unspecified variety 'red' or 'white', and of this wine only).||For disabled persons, the hotel disabled ramps do NOT comply with the 1 in 12 (internal) or 1 in 20 (external) Malaysian Standard Code of Practice MS 1184:2014. I don't know whether this review will permit my photographs to be attached, but one ramp I photographed had about 45% gradient!! This was the most extreme example I saw in the hotel complex (and was obviously completely unusable), but several other ramps would have required extreme effort to use.||With no elevators, disabled/ mobility impaired guests would need to specify a ground floor room, and would still have problems getting around the resort.||At least one staircase in the Capital Wing has no lighting (and no light fitting), so have your phone battery charged to use the torch at night! I’m sure this is also not to Code!||Would I recommend for other guests?||YES, if you expect 3 star facilities and presentation (and prices). NO if your expectation is 4 star. NO for aged or...

Cleanliness:I would rate the cleanliness a 2 due to the poor maintenance and housekeeping. None of the electrical outlets were functioning properly, and there was a noticeable electrical sound. For those traveling with children, please be extra cautious. During our sightseeing trip from 1 pm to 10 pm, we returned to find the towels we had used earlier that morning, wet and folded on the table instead of being replaced with fresh ones. Additionally, our used cup had not been washed and was left untouched.Location & Amenities:The location was great, and the kids had a fantastic time, especially in the pool area. The pool is spacious, clean, and convenient for parents to relax while their kids enjoy themselves. The surrounding environment is excellent and truly mesmerizing. We were happy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the soothing sound of the waves—it was incredibly calming. The seaside area is ideal for large family gatherings or company events, with plenty of space available.Service:I would rate the Front Office Staff at 4, especially Mr. Aftar, Mr. Azlan, and Mr. Rahmat, who were very helpful. However, I had a negative experience with Ms. Y (name withheld), who was unhelpful and lacked empathy. We were planning to shorten our stay from 3 days/2 nights to 2 days/1 night due to heavy rainfall, flooding in some areas, and car issues. We asked her at the front desk, after consulting Trip.Com, if we could shorten our stay. Instead of showing understanding, she kept saying she couldn't assist and that the Manager on Duty was unavailable. She directed us to deal with Trip.Com the following day, which we understood. However, when I asked if, in case Trip.Com approved our request, we could check out later (around 1 or 2 pm), she refused. She claimed they couldn’t offer a late check-out as the hotel was fully booked. I was shocked, as I was giving up an extra night and yet wasn’t granted even a late check-out at 12:30 pm, and yet she was mentioned it will be chargeable. To my surprise, I later checked online and saw plenty of rooms available and an empty pool. This was disappointing. Just imagine, i am planning to give away my extra night and when i wasnt able to get a slightly late check out due to fully booked ? what ridiculous is this ? IF, we requested late check out on the actual check out date, i totally understand . But this is another way round and she left me speechless. On a positive note, Mr. Aftar, Mr. Azlan, and Mr. Rahmat were understanding and helpful. Despite not asking for much, their suggestions, empathy, and sincerity made a significant difference in our stay. It was because of them that we decided to continue our stay and cancel our initial plans. A big thank you to them for their kindness and helpfulness, always checking in to see if we needed assistance and offering thoughtful suggestions.Overall Experience:Our overall stay was very good and enjoyable. The kids loved the pool and the sightseeing views. The location is fantastic, with a breathtaking view of the sea, providing a truly relaxing experience. Special thanks also to the IRD staff at the restaurant for kindly helping us store our...

We recently stayed at Holiday Villa Cherating during the school holidays, and overall, it was a pleasant experience in terms of accommodation and frontline hospitality. From the bellboy, receptionist, housekeeping team to the pool staff – everyone was warm, friendly, and helpful. You can tell they are well-trained and genuinely care about the guests.

The accommodation is also very family-friendly, especially for those with young kids. The resort features two swimming pool areas – a regular pool and a small waterpark-style pool that kept our children entertained for hours. The beach is clean, peaceful, and well-maintained, making it perfect for relaxing strolls or just lounging by the shore.

However, if you're someone who enjoys outdoor sea activities, this might not be the right place – there were no beach sports or water-based recreation offered during our stay.

Unfortunately, the biggest letdown was the restaurant experience. The staff at the café appeared disengaged and poorly trained in customer service. It felt more like a busy roadside eatery than a resort café – plates were taken away without asking, cutlery was handled roughly, and there was a lack of basic courtesy like smiling or greeting guests. Understandably, not all staff are locals, but basic service etiquette should be universal in the hospitality industry. If they’re not confident in handling guests, perhaps they should be assigned to back-of-house duties.

One particular issue was the coffee machine. One of the machines was already broken on the first day, and even after I informed the staff and requested a "Not in Service" sign, it was still left unattended on the second day – leaving other guests frustrated trying to use it.

Now, the most disappointing part of the stay: the breakfast buffet. The menu lacked variety, especially for a resort that brands itself as a 4-star hotel. The same pastries were served both days, the fruits and porridge were underwhelming, and some items like the red-colored, greasy sausages were unappetizing – even my kids were hesitant to eat them. There was no dedicated kids’ menu, which was surprising given the number of families around. It made us wonder if the kitchen was given a limited budget or if the chef lacked creativity.

That said, one person who deserves credit is the chef at the egg station. He handled everything from custom omelets to roti canai on his own, and he did it well. Kudos to him for managing despite being clearly stretched thin.

In conclusion, Holiday Villa Cherating is a good choice for families looking for a quiet beach getaway with friendly hotel staff and kid-friendly facilities. But the F&B department needs serious improvements – both in terms of staff training and food quality. The management should re-evaluate the café service and breakfast offerings, especially during peak seasons like...