The Royale Chenang Resort

The staff were friendly and helpful, and at check-in they escorted us all the way to our room. The same staff member helped at checkout, as friendly as ever, and even took photos of us in front of the resort. Thank you! Our room was nice, with good air conditioning and enough space for two. The area outside each room was beautiful. The pool was spacious and nice, though the chlorine smell was strong enough to notice before we got in. We also had a sudden ant problem around the food we'd bought. Even covered, once opened it had lots of ants, which was unpleasant. The toilet looked good, but drains were slow at the sink, floor drain by the toilet and shower. Breakfast was okay and filling for the options. We didn't expect much since it's not a 5-star hotel. I especially liked the pandan chicken and IKEA-style meatballs. We couldn't try the bread because it had run out, and one male staff member in charge didn't seem friendly, so we felt hesitant to ask for more.

The pool didn't impress us: it's only thigh-deep, with just three sun loungers. Breakfast was disappointing too. Apart from warm dishes like rice and potatoes, there was only toast, three kinds of sweet cereal and filter coffee. No eggs, and the toast had only sweet spreads. Cappuccino and similar drinks cost extra. The rooms were noisy because the walls are thin, so we could hear a lot from the hallway and other rooms. The hotel felt worn and not very clean, especially the bathroom. Facilities were basic: regular TV with just four unfamiliar channels and no streaming options like Netflix. WiFi was available but so slow and unreliable it was basically unusable. It wasn't a terrible hotel, but based on our experience, we wouldn't recommend it.

The room is spacious and the bed comfortable, but the bathroom is disgusting and needs a deep clean and maintenance. There's no hot water for a shower. Breakfast is basically gone after 9:45am, with very little protein and mostly rice, spaghetti and bread. The coffee was alright. Staff are nice, but untrained and not very helpful. Not worth the price.

The hotel is well located, close to the beach and restaurants. It seems like it was once in nice condition, but poor maintenance and management have let the property go. Staff were reasonable and friendly enough, though they were almost always on their phones or vaping. I was travelling for three months and had appreciated honest reviews, so I wanted to share mine in case it helps. My first room smelled strongly of urine when I checked in. I told the front desk, and they moved me to another room without a bad odor. In the second room, noises from what may have been rodents in the walls made it very hard to sleep. I thought it might be a one-night issue and tried a second night, but it happened again. There could be a rodent infestation on one side of the hotel. There was also a line of ants in the bathroom, though that wasn't too big a deal for me. I have a bad back and don't like packing and moving luggage much, so I thought moving to the other side might help. I looked at another room, chose it and extended my stay. Maybe that was a mistake, but that's what I decided. The third room didn't have rodent noises, but the bathroom smelled of cigarette smoke. That was okay for me. The sink also leaked every day, but the bathroom floor has a drain, so that was okay for me too. If you dislike smoke smells or a leaking bathroom, this room isn't for you. I ate one meal at the hotel, lamb, and honestly couldn't stomach it because it wasn't cooked well and the taste was bad. When I went to discuss it with the waiter, nobody was there. At checkout, I said I didn't think I should pay since I couldn't eat it. They repeatedly said that because I ordered it, I had to pay even if I didn't eat it. I asked if they would pay for a meal they ordered but couldn't eat because the food was poor quality. They said yes, they'd pay because they ordered it. We argued outside, and although I disagreed, I ended up paying so I wouldn't miss my flight. I do think they had a point that I'd ordered it and hadn't complained sooner, but by then I was frustrated with the customer service and the accommodation. I paid for the meal.