I chanced upon Merang Suria way back in 2007. Since then, I have been coming back every year except in 2008 when the resort was full.

You must be wondering why? It all depends on what you are looking for. If you dream of a holiday with plush 5 star settings, you won't find it here. If you are looking for 5 star restaurant food, you won't find it here. If you are looking for heaven-like landscaping within the hotel compounds, you won't find it here. And if you expect staff who speak flawless English, you won't find them here either...

So, what can you find? Merang Suria only provides you with rooms, decently clean with simple furnishing, But the beds are comfortable enough to allow you to slumber through the night and awake in the morning to the sound of chirping birds... To me, that is heaven. Back in my own city, we wake up to the sound of roaring vehicles which remind us that we have to beat the traffic to make sure we get our children and ourselves to school and work on time.

Bunga Padi Restaurant? I can never compare what we get in Merang Suria with Singapore's Carousel or Straits Kitchen. The food is not something you would die for but is definitely decent. I would however consider the Nasi Goreng Lembah Bidong as Merang Suria's signature dish - something my children and I will not leave Merang without. And if you are observant enough, you would realise that the kitchen is manned by staff not much older than our own children - teenagers and perhaps slightly older. Considering that one of the chefs is only 27 years old,.. I'd be proud to have children who can run a restaurant : ). But of course all these will only interest some people - like me.

What about the staff? Yes, perhaps they are not conversant in English. But thay make up for it in other ways. My husband found help whenever he needs it. My husband always found trouble remembering how to fix a hook onto the fishing line. Just ask for help and we don't only get the hooks fixed, we also get some staff kind enough to take us fishing... after they finish work of course. Which hotel staff would bother to bring you 'air nira' from the top of the coconut palm at home for a hotel guest? Which hotel staff would come back during the night he is not on duty just to bid farewell and bon voyage to a hotel guest? We found all these in Merang Suria, But then again, it depends on what you are looking for? People who serve you well or friends...

Landscaping in Merang Suria? Flawless - for people who look out for things that are natural... blue skies (u must come during the right season of course), blue sea, a beautiful beach... what other landscaping would a hotel need? I can often have the beach all to myself unlike the beaches back home that I have to share with 5 million others!

Things to do? Yes, you can get the staff to pack your day with canoeing, sight-seeing etc etc. But the best thing for me is to just sit on the granite benches/stools under the trees just outside my room and feel the sea breeze blowing; watch the leaves fluttering and falling and simply pass the time ssslllooowwlllyyyy.... After all, why should I rush and want to pack my day? I can do that when I get back to Singapore,

Merang Suria is heaven on earth for me. Would I want to recommend this hotel to anyone else? Yes, if what I see is what they too want to see : ).

The resort wasn't upto standards or at least those advertised. it's tough to find - almost impossible without a GPS. The staff do not understand much English. The rooms are just ok, not hotel-standard. The windows were about to fall off. The beach was drab. I saw a cockroach in the bathroom. The breakfast was bland. The fresh fruit section (just 2 fruits) had ants crawling all over it and it's as if the staff don't care. They saw it, but didn't bother to clear it. They don't refill the food unless we ask them to. They advertised wifi, but it was available only near the Internet room. The pool is only 1.3 deep and isn't the best. Just OK. The bathroom fixtures are loose and about to fall off.

PRO: The dine-in dinner was good.

In all I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone. It's bare.

I like the environment Merang Suria Resorts. The beach make me happy during we there and it is very beautiful beach, because I'm one of the person who love natural beauty. For me the resort have gave good service during we stay there.

We had read the reviews so we didn't expect much. But is was really nice. A nice swimming pool, room at groundfloor so we could sit outside, nice restaurant. The beds were good, softer than the other hotels we took in Malaysia.
Only they (the reception) called by phone at 9.30 pm to ask for feedback for the hotel. Little strange.