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Sunday 10 July 2016

Hotel Review: AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

In May this year, I was invited to stay at AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, which is located about 45 minutes’ drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 90 minutes from Kuala Lumpur city centre. I have previously stayed at the resort back in 2013 (although it was under a different management and name at the time) but it was a rather brief stay whilst competing in a Tourism Selangor’s blogging competition. I was therefore rather looking forward to this stay because it’s going to be a more relaxing one, with the opportunity to try out the resort’s full facilities as well as experiencing AVANI’s hospitality for the first time at its 5* resort in Malaysia.

Below is my review of AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort following my overnight stay at the resort.


1. The Resort


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander


The AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort is a 5-star resort under the AVANI Hotels & Resorts group, an upscale brand with a “fuss free approach that leaves a great impression”. The resort has a mainland beachfront setting and a “palm structure” built on stilts that extends over shallow waters of Strait of Malacca and houses 315 water villas across 8 “fronds” and 1 “trunk”.


1a. The Reception


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

The lobby of the resort is located in a beachfront building that replicates a big hut. The reception area is quite spacious and there’s a lobby lounge called Bayu Lounge located on the left hand side of the building.


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Check-in process was smooth and I was assigned Villa 603, a Family Villa that is located on the “topmost right frond” of the palm tree structure. Resort guests are transported to their villa using a buggy service from the reception.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Ready for the ride to your villa?


1b. The Room/ Villa


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

The Family Villa that I stayed at was similar to the one that I had previously stayed in back in 2013. So it was kind of a walk down the memory lane for me. Needless to say, the villa, at 82 square meters, was very spacious. There is one en suite king-bed room with the bathroom having separate bathtub and shower areas and with its own balcony; one twin-bed room with its own bathroom (shower only, no bathtub) and its own balcony too; and a living room with sofas, coffee table, working table, TV (cable channels, movie channels however cost extra), coffee/tea-making facility and a minibar.

Each room has its own wardrobe but the king-bed room has a sofa, an electronic safe box, an iron/ironing board.


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

The main bedroom with a king-size bed

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

The second bedroom with a twin-bed

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

View from my balcony
AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander


A fruit platter and another plate with some local & western snacks and desserts were waiting for me in the living room when I arrived – these were very much welcome after the journey from Kuala Lumpur. The resort is quite generous as well with the complimentary bottled water – there were 8 bottles in the villa that is meant for 4 guests.

The mattress and bed are very comfortable, just as I remember it. There are plenty of pillows on the bed, which is just the way I love it. Linens and towels felt fluffy and luxurious. Each bathroom comes with a hairdryer as well. There are two sets of toiletries in each bathroom – I suppose a set per guest. Umbrellas are provided too in the villa, just in case it rains. It did rain when I was there but it was already past midnight.

Overall, the villa and the rooms are well furnished with a combined touch of modern and old days feel (especially the sofas in the living room – sorry, I forgot to take the photos here after seeing what was on the plates!).

Apart from Family Villas, the resort also has smaller rooms (Superior Room – 52 square meters) and bigger villas as well (Two-Bedroom Villa - 122 square meters, and Three Bedroom Royale Villa – 232 square meters) so the resort does offer plenty of options for guests, whether for a leisure stay or even for business travellers as they also do offer MICE facilities.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Tips: If possible, request for a villa that faces sunset. Otherwise, an early dinner at Perahu Restaurant by the beach at sunset could be a romantic idea too.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Sunset as seen from Villa 624 - a Three-Bedroom Royale Villa

1c. Breakfast


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Breakfast buffet is served in Bila Bila Restaurant, right at the “top” of the “trunk”, just next to the infinity pool. The selection is quite good and fairly balanced between local and standard international breakfast fares. One thing of note is that it also offers a selection of fruit smoothies, something which you don't see offered everyday even in 5-star hotels.


1d. Internet Access


Internet access is available for free via Wi-Fi throughout the resort. This is an improvement from 2013 when I could only get free Wi-Fi at the resort lobby only while access to internet at the villa was via land line. There are also 2 paid options for a faster Wi-Fi connection. I just used the free option and it worked just fine.



1e. Other Facilities



AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Infinity pool and the gym

The resort has plenty additional facilities, both free and payable ones. There is a small gym in one of the villas facing the infinity pool, if you fancy doing some working out. If you’d rather do your work out outdoor, you can always go for a jog or a ride on a bicycle along the “fronds” and “trunk” of the resort – completing this alone means you’d already cover 7.5 km. Bicycles are provided for free for use around the resort, by the way. (I sure had fun cycling around from my villa to the lobby and beyond, something I haven’t done in years!)

There is AVANISPA (charges apply, and advance appointment advised), where you can experience their signature massages and therapies, perfected by their well-trained masseurs. I tried their reflexology massage when I was not feeling well throughout my body. However, by the time the massage was finished some 30 minutes later, I felt totally refreshed and the fatigue was totally gone. I was told that their signature Malay massage is the most popular of all massages offered there. The prices are competitive for a 5-star resort. However, do be on the lookout for their special offers. At the time of my stay, they had a 40% discount offer for second person or treatment.


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander


There are also land and water sport activities which are complimentary to all in-house guests. These include yoga sessions, Zumba, bicycle tours, windsurfing, kayaking, stand-up paddle, beach volleyball, beach football, and ping pong, among others.


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander


If you want more extreme activities, there’s Extreme Park at the front of the resort that offers activities like go-kart, ATV, archery and paintball. Charges apply and you can opt for these activities a la carte. However, I do recommend their Combo Package, which costs just RM45 per person for 5 minutes of go-karting, a round of ATV ride, and some archery session (12 arrows) plus a paintball target practice (20 pellets).

In terms of entertainment, the resort holds their evening entertainment from 8 p.m. every night at Bila Bila Restaurant with a different theme every night.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

Have kids? Fret not, the resort has AVANIKIDS, a centre for children where there are both complimentary and chargeable activities. The former includes beach and pool activities, drawing, colouring, movies and games, among others; while the latter includes art & craft activities like batik painting (photo above), henna tattooing and sand art colouring.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort also offers several tour packages if you’d like to venture further out of the resort. I went on their Mangrove River Cruise using the resort’s boat and crew/guide, and explored the flora & faunas along Sepang River whilst watching eagles and airplanes flying above to/from the nearby Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

It was quite interesting and different despite the fact that I’ve been on 3 other mangrove cruise tours in different locations around Malaysia. Of note was when we some saw blue-coloured crabs and ikan belacak (mudskippers), picked up some lokan (a type of clam), and planted a mangrove tree each to help further conserve the area.



2. Where to Eat


Apart from Bila Bila Restaurant and Bayu Lounge which have been mentioned earlier, there are 6 other eateries at the resort, offering a variety of options to cater to different palates. They are Perahu Restaurant (seafood and western), Stimbot (Chinese), Hai Sang Lou (fine dining Cantonese and dim sum restaurant), Sepoi Sepoi (local cuisines), Buloh Bar (poolside bar) and Selat Bar (a beach bar with a game room – billiards and pool).


AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander


I had lunch at Sepoi Sepoi (literally 'gentle breeze' in Malay) and it was quite good. The restaurant’s signature dish/meal however is their big burger, which is definitely not meant to be eaten alone.

The restaurants and cafes at the resort however are not Halal-certified by JAKIM, the local halal certification authority, as all of them serve alcoholic drinks.



3. Getting Around

3a. How to Get There


The best way to get to the hotel is probably by taxi, whether from Kuala Lumpur or Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The resort doesn’t offer any shuttle service to the airport but they do have a daily shuttle service to Mitsui Outlet Park (near KLIA) and Sunway Pyramid, a shopping mall with a popular theme park, Sunway Lagoon, located in the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur.


3b. Interesting Places Nearby, if any


With all the onsite facilities and activities on offer, the resort is meant for some relaxing time away from the city. Its location however, means that guests would also have easy access to sample a Malaysian kampung environment and experience. The resort is also a popular option among F1 Grand Prix fans during F1 Grand Prix weekends at Sepang F1 Circuit.



4. Location





5. Further Information

Address:
No. 67, Jalan Pantai Bagan Lalang, 43950 Sg Pelek, Selangor, Malaysia
Telephone:
+60331823600
Email:
sepang@avanihotels.com
Others:
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Check in 3 p.m. / Check out 12 noon.



AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort, Selangor, Malaysia | Ramble and Wander

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A Thank You & Disclosure Note
I would like to thank the management of AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort and Izzati Ghafur of Kisah Tatie for the arrangement to stay at the resort. The sponsorship however has in no way affected my review of the resort.



For blog entries on Malaysia, click here.

20 comments:

Comments and feedback are always appreciated. So do leave one or two if you have the time. Thank you!

  1. Oh my! What absolutely super digs! I am really envious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have always wanted to stay in an over water bungalow! This resort is incredible, 5 start truly. One day hopefully I'll be able to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great place. I'd love to stay there for a few days, relaxing an d enjoying messages :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wouldn't mind staying here for a few days myself, haha! Totally loved the experience!
      :)

      Delete
  4. Sign me up for a visit. I would love to spend some time laying in a hammock and reading my book and I would be happy here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I brought a book with me but ended up doing some of the free activities around the resort, which turned out to be quite fun as well!
      :)

      Delete
  5. This looks perfect for a weekend away from Singapore! The rejuvenating massage sounds like a great way to recharge after a long work week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah-ha! I do believe it can be a perfect weekend getaway from Singapore! Just make sure you make the appointment with the spa well in advance because it can be quite crowded at weekends.

      Delete
  6. Wow! What a place! I have always wanted to stay in an over water bungalow - I'll chalk this one up to the one day list - and being in Indo it's a lot easier for me to get to than some of the other amazing resorts all over the world!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes! With it's location being less than an hour drive from KL International Airport, I think it's pretty accessible even for just a quick getaway from Indonesia. Give it a shot!

      Delete
  7. Wow how luxurious is this hotel! It reminds me of the hotels in Bora Bora and Maldives. Would definitely stay here when I visit Malaysia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the design tends to remind us of resorts in Bora Bora and Maldives but there are a few too in Malaysia. AVANI Sepang however appears to be the most popular one around here.

      Delete
  8. Oh I wish I could wiggle my nose and tap my toes and be here right this minute, especially chowing from the breakfast buffet and splashing about in the infinity pool. Looks incredible, not jealous at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I spent my 2nd afternoon there in the pool, watching the sunset. It was really beautiful! Was pretty sad to have to leave soon after.

      Delete
  9. This hotel looks absolutely gorgeous! I love how they take such good care of their guests, like having a buggy take you to your room. And great tip about asking for a room that faces the sunset!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The buggy service isn't just for travelling between the villa and the lobby, it also can be used to travel between villas, to the beach and restaurants. It's quite a fun ride actually but I still preferred cycling around. Much more fun, I think! :)

      Delete
  10. Wow!! That view looked incredible! The welcome platter was a nice way to greet guests as well. Love it when hotels do that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup! It's always a pleasure and a nice surprise when you find some fruit platter waiting in the room or delivered to the room soon after you checked in.

      Delete
  11. Plan to go there on next trip.

    Regards,
    Aliana
    Iklan Selangor

    ReplyDelete
 
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