Having previously visited Rasa Ria way back in 1999, my expectations were fairly high – and all were met or exceeded. From the moment of arrival and check-in to check-out [two weeks later] we could not have been more pleased and impressed. Testament to Rasa Ria’s success would have to be its staff – from concierge/reception to F&B to security to the pool to housekeeping – every person we encountered at Rasa Ria was friendly, professional, kind, helpful and accommodating. They clearly take great pride in the hotel and their respective roles there, which is a huge factor in a guest’s subsequent level of enjoyment, relaxation and appreciation. Let’s break it down: Concierge/reception: Check-in and -out were efficient and executed expertly. On arrival, we were promptly shown to our room and left in peace to get on with the process of finally relaxing. I had several queries throughout our stay, reception was always attended and, either in person or by phone, every staff member was able to answer and act on any questions we had without hesitation. Special mention to Lorena, who greeted us with a smile every day and was extremely knowledgeable and able to answer any of our queries without hesitation. The room: We stayed in the Ocean Wing Junior Suite with sea view – certainly one of the most spacious I’ve stayed in. Often hotel rooms fall short on very minor details: lack of or inconvenient placement of power points, awkward positioning of furniture, lack of storage and wardrobe space. My only comment would be that, even just a few years old, the room was a little “tired” and I was surprised to find a fax connection(!), but few (I think only one) USB ports for charging devices. Also a ceiling fan for use in place of air-conditioning at night would be helpful. Each of these rooms has a huge terrace for lounging and relaxing, ours with a large outdoor bath/jacuzzi, which we didn’t use, and positioned in such a way as to offer complete privacy and a feeling of almost being the only guests at the hotel. The room being made up every day is regular and discreet, no element missed or overlooked, though the evening turn-down service was inconsistent, sometimes it would happen, others it wouldn’t – something that does frustrate me a little at high-end hotels. The bed was huge and comfortable and made for 14 nights of pure, restful bliss; the bathroom spacious, with great water pressure and nicely appointed. Loads of storage space in the room, especially helpful for a longer stay, meaning everything could be hung or put away, without having to clutter the room. The beach: In a word, huge. One of the widest and most expansive beaches I’ve experienced. The water is warm, safe to swim in, for the most part clean and no beach sellers. That said, barely anyone at the resort uses the beach other than a little activity at sunset, so we largely had the beach to ourselves despite high occupancy at the resort. There is a good 2km stretch that is flat and safe to walk but does become a bit more littered the further away from Rasa Ria, but by no means dirty. Top tip: the hotel is set quite a way back from the sea, so be sure to wear something on your feet – that 300m dash can get pretty scorching otherwise. The spa: I took advantage of a massage – expertly administered in very pleasant surroundings. The booking process was simple and the whole experience thoroughly enjoyable. The spa itself isn’t within the main hotel complex, but you can be dropped off and collected via the hotel’s shuttle service. The pool: The Ocean Wing pool is clean and luxurious, a perfect oasis for a dip on the way back from the beach. Ample sun loungers, expertly shaded with wide umbrellas, with views of either the pool, the beach or the grounds, there was never an instance of having to fight for them, and Rasa Ria guests seem not to be in the habit of that early morning “reserving” of prime beach real estate. Or perhaps the hotel actively discourages it? Thumbs up, either way. The lifeguards and pool bar staff are friendly and attentive, with plenty of drink and snack/light meal options. Food & beverage: Rasa Ria has several restaurants and bars, several of which we sampled. Half-board gave us access to the two buffets for dinner, and Ocean Wing occupancy supposedly meant we could have breakfast in the [quieter] Oceano Grill, which was closed/out of operation for more than half of our stay, which was disappointing given it was an added drawcard for booking the more expensive Ocean Wing. The Ocean Pool Bar offers a wide range of drinks and some extremely delicious snacks and lighter meals throughout the day. The Sampan Bar is the only bar positioned to enjoy the sunset with a cocktail at the end of the day. Most evenings there is local entertainment and live music, and one of our favourite parts of the day was to just continue winding down out of the heat of the day’s sun and soak up the atmosphere as it set. The pool bar and beach bar staff are fun, friendly and will cater for pretty much your every whim. No matter how many people came down to the beach for sunset, the highest level of service was usually maintained and there was room for everyone to enjoy the experience without any sense of overcrowding, even if the entire resort was there! We weren’t demanding customers but, even if we were, there would be zero margin for complaint. My only disappointment was that my favoured rosé was only available by the bottle, rather than the glass at this bar. The Coffee Terrace is where breakfast is served and, in the evenings, a buffet dinner. The all-important breakfast was great, each day offering huge variety along with the more static staples, both hot and cold. Breakfast is buffet-style, the coffee is good (often disappointing in high-end establishments) and, again, the staff are professional, friendly, accommodating and attentive, despite being extremely busy. The buffet dinner at Coffee Terrace is on a rotating basis – a different theme each evening it is offered – so there’s no fear of being bored by the same food being presented night after night. Again, the kitchen and serving staff are professional and engaging, happy to answer any questions you might have or accommodate any special requirements. And there is plenty on offer for vegetarians; whatever your dietary requirements, you’d only have yourself to blame for going hungry. The Tepit Laut restaurant offers a similar buffet and the same expert service, in an outdoor hawker-style setting. Oceano Grill offers an à la carte dining experience. Impressive, and with a very nice range and quality, and an even higher level of service to match the environment.
The Lobby Bar is similarly expertly staffed, the perfect location to retire for a “last drink” after a hefty buffet meal, with a slightly expanded, higher-end drinks & cocktail selection than the Pool or Sampan Bars. A few “treats” here and there were a nice touch. Small, but much appreciated, gestures that just add to a feeling of being made to feel valued and welcome. So, all in all, a stay at Rasa Ria is not cheap, but food and drink is reasonably priced, and I’d have to say still worth every penny. Beautifully staffed and run, it’s very difficult to find fault. My final and only other disappointment was that the canopy walk was also closed/unavailable throughout our stay, something else I had been looking forward to. We stayed over the very busy Lunar New Year Period, which saw the hotel at full occupancy. The staff, while not overwhelmed, were clearly under pressure for several days due to the demands and sheer volume of guests. This in no way reflects on the staff's capabilities or integrity, but the resort could consider engaging additional staffing resources over this period. That said, as undemanding customers, we appreciated the lengths to which the resort staff went to ensure we weren’t overlooked and that service in no way flagged. If service was at a 10 throughout our stay, it really only dipped to a 9 during this extremely busy and taxing period for them, and I commend the staff for remaining cheerful, efficient and resolute throughout. Despite being full/busy, other than at mealtimes, the hotel and grounds are expansive enough for it not to feel busy at all. I’ve mentioned that ALL Rasa Ria staff were exceptional throughout our stay, but special mention and thanks to: Alexson, Rohaizat, Elizabeth, Edleyson, Gary, Vian, Bibiana, Danny, Faye, Shane, Aiman, Isaac, Erwin, Ainol, Errol, Felson, Uzen, Iqa, Tarmizi, Fen, Kristina, Alice and Valerie who looked after us especially well throughout our entire stay, often entertained us and made a perfect experience even better. Special commendation to Suryana (Sue) and Alan in Oceano, and Lorena on Ocean Wing reception, who went out of their way to make us feel even more welcome, respected and extremely well looked after. But really, everyone at Rasa Ria deserves commendation, and we indeed left not just as guests, but as friends to many. If you’re considering staying at Rasa Ria, I would not hesitate to recommend it highly as an exceptionally well-oiled hotel experience. And splash out on the Ocean Wing for an even more refined experience. Thank you all at Rasa Ria. We will return.…