AC Hotel by Marriott Kuantan

For Bonvoy members hoping for a bigger room, I would not recommend this hotel. There were no room upgrades for Platinum or Titanium members and no drink discounts. For the rates, the stay wasn't worth it and didn't meet Marriott Bonvoy standards. We stayed at AC Kuantan Hotel for 3 days and 2 nights, our first time there, and found the experience disappointing. The hotel is small, with a tiny pool and a lounge that has only four tables. Our Prime Deluxe King room felt cramped, and the bed labelled King seemed more like a Queen. Anyone bigger-sized will likely find it too tight. The room was clean, to be fair, but the layout and space still felt uncomfortable. The bathroom was especially awkward. The shower area is only about 2 feet wide, with nowhere to put toiletries. There were no cotton buds, lotion, or hand soap. The only shampoo/body wash choices were fruity scents like melon and mamgosteen, which may not suit everyone. There's no dinner restaurant, so you'll need to walk out or take a Grab. The nearest food is about 400 metres away, across a main road, which is inconvenient.

The location is the main drawback, with little to no walkability, so you'll need to drive or use Grab to get anywhere interesting. A bridge behind the hotel leads across to the 888 Food Court, but it was broken during our stay. Parking is paid, though you can get your ticket verified at the counter for a complimentary exit. The staff were consistently friendly and attentive, and check-in was quick. Our room seemed recently renovated and was generally comfortable, but the exterior-facing window was quite dirty and needs a proper clean to match the refreshed interior. Breakfast is buffet style with plenty of dishes, although nothing stood out to us. AC Hotel in Kuantan was comfortable and convenient for driving.

The luggage service was prompt, with security bringing our bags up to the room. The rooms are fairly new and moderately sized, with a sofa couch and amenities like a fridge and safe. The shower pressure was quite low, especially from the rain shower, and the toilet had fewer amenities than other Marriott hotels. Mine had just one toothbrush and ear buds set, though it was supposed to have two, and nothing else. Getting luggage up is awkward too, since there's no lift from the basement carpark to the check-in counter on level 1. You'll have to carry heavy bags up. There's also a kerb between the toilet and bedroom that could trip someone. Breakfast buffet had limited variety and below-average food. The papaya was under ropes, the cold cheese and salami ham weren't fresh, and the sausages were dry and tasted frozen. The only good freshly made items were from the egg station and the roti canai, cooked to order.

Big thanks to Nazira, Sagir, Ashraf, and Ismail! The breakfast buffet staff made us feel so welcome and warm, with such great energy in the morning that it made us want to stay another night just to wake up and eat there again :) We were here for 3D2N over the Christmas break, and the hospitality and service were lovely throughout. Extra pillows and towels arrived promptly, and there were warm smiles as soon as we walked into the hotel. Cheers, thank you, and well done :)