Fairfield by Marriott Kuala Besut — Hotel in Terengganu

When we decided to go on a day snorkeling trip to the islands around Perhentian without actually staying on Perhentian Island itself, we had a few key requirements in mind: access to a private jetty for pick-up and drop-off by our chartered private boat, travel time to the snorkeling spots under an hour from where we were staying, and, most importantly, a modern and comfortable semi-luxurious place to rest. Fairfield by Marriott ticked all the boxes—effortlessly.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were instantly impressed by the modern facilities, the new buildings, and the clean, well-maintained surroundings. It is located right by the left side of the Besut river mouth, nestled beside a row of sleepy village wooden houses. The charm and serenity of the area evoked a sense of peace and tranquility; a quiet, sea breeze-filled atmosphere that made it perfect for unwinding and recharging.

At the front desk, Nan was kind enough to check us in before noon, understanding that we needed rest after our 9-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. Nan also went out of his way to coordinate with the head of security so we could use the hotel’s private jetty for our boat pick-up and drop-off, without interfering with their scheduled yacht transfers to the island. Thank you, Nan and the security team, if you are reading this, you truly made our experience unforgettable.

We booked two adjoining rooms, both well-equipped with modern amenities and ultra-comfortable 5-star bedding and mattresses that practically whisked us off to dreamland. The air-conditioning was whisper-quiet, with easy temperature control for a perfect night’s sleep.

The food at the hotel restaurant was more than sufficient, with a balanced mix of Western, Asian, and local flavors. The sandwiches were excellent, the fish and chips lived up to Marriott’s 5-star standards, and the mushroom soup was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious.

A special shout-out goes to Sue Yin, who kindly arranged for our snorkeling life vests to be dried by the hardworking laundry staff and returned to us the next day. That extra bit of thoughtfulness really stood out.

Would I recommend this hotel? A big, wholehearted Yes. This property gets a solid 5 out of 5 from me. I truly couldn’t find a single fault, a testament to their guest-centric service and a stay filled with lasting, sweet memories.

If you enjoy reading my reviews on places of interest, hotels, restaurants or even services, don’t forget to like and...

We stayed in this hotel for one night before we headed over to Marriott Perhentian. Chose this hotel as the jetty to the island is located here. We drove from KL to Kuala Besut and reached the hotel around 11pm. After such a long tiring drive, we were told upon check in that the water heater is faulty and that there will be no hot water for shower. Imagine my disappointment and sadness when I found out about this after such a long tiring drive. I really did not appreciate the fact that no one in the hotel bothered to email or message us on the app in advance regarding this situation. Rather, they just dropped the bomb upon check in leaving us with no alternatives. I would have appreciated if the team could have given us a heads up about this.||Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worst, the aircond in our room was not working. The room was stuffy and hot. When we informed the front desk, they were giving all kinds of excuses and gaslight us into thinking that some windows were open somewhere hence the aircond is not cold. Despite us reassuring them that all windows and doors are shut, they still insisted that nothing is wrong with the aircond. After about an hour or so, finally the maintenance guy is there which he then concluded that the aircond is not working. We then had to wait to change room past midnight after such a long day!||I really hope the team can look into how to improve their quality as this is not the standard for any Marriott Hotels be it a Fairfield branch. At a rate of RM300++/night in the middle of no where, with no hot water or working aircond, I feel like I deserved a refund. Could have gotten a better stay by staying in the cheaper hotels nearby.||Anyway, what a...

We only stayed for one night, as we arrived in Kota Bharu in the afternoon and wanted to continue to the Perenthian Islands (about an hour's drive from Kota Bharu). We received a very friendly welcome, with the receptionist Eh Chiau even helping to carry our luggage up to our room. ||Since it was alreay late and there didn't seem to be any great dining options in the area at first glance, we ate at the hotel restaurant. Both the burger and the Nasi Kampur were delicious, and the restaurant itself was also very pleasant.||The rooms are modern and nicely furnished and the bathrooms are finally well lit (which we couldn't really say about the last 5 hotels on our road trip through Malaysia). There is also a selection of chilled drinks and snacks (for a fee) at the front desk that you can take to your room (to the empty minibar).||Breakfast is not buffet style; you can choose from a variety of breakfast options. But there is something for everyone here too, from egg-based dishes to sweet pastries and a wellness breakfast with fruit and yoghurt.||The hotel doesn't have a pool, but it does have a free car park. For us, it was therefore the perfect, very pleasant and comfortable place to stay. In our last hotels (Mercure in Penang / Kinta Riverfront in Ipoh), most of the hotel staff seemed rather uninterested and unmotivated; no one asked us how our stay was or whether everything was okay when we checked out. Here, on the other hand, all the staff were very friendly and even when passing by in the hotel corridors, there was a smile and a ‘good morning’. Despite the shortness of our stay, it was a pleasant and refreshingly different experience we will remember. We can therefore highly recommend the...