Peninsular Malaysia: The East Coast - Singapore and Malaysia - page 266

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WHERE TO STAY
The Aryani Resort Finds Raja D ato' B ahrin S hah Raja Ahmad opened his
dream r esort her e in Terengganu. A celebrated ar chitect, he'd pr eviously designed the
State M useum (see belo w) and wished to translate the beautiful lines of Terengganu
aesthetics into a special r esort. The resulting Aryani is stunning — organic, stimulating,
unique, and, best of all, peaceful. I n a r ural 3.6-hectar e (9-acr e) spot b y the sea, the
rooms are private bungalows situated like a village. I nside, each is masterfully decorated
to suit both traditional style and modern comfor t. The Heritage Suite wins the priz e: a
100-year-old timber palace, r estored and r ebuilt on the site, it 's appointed with fine
antiques. The design of the outdoor pool is practically an optical illusion, and the spa
(for massage and beauty treatments) is in its own Malay house. The resort's rural location
has both a plus and a minus: O n the plus side, it 's secluded; on the minus side, it 's 45
minutes fr om K uala Terengganu and ther e's not much else ar ound. The r esort can

arrange boat trips for snorkeling, tours to town, and golfing.
Jalan Rhu Tapai-Merang, 21010 Setiu, Terengganu. & 09/653-2111. Fax [phone]. www.thearyani.
com. 20 units . RM600-RM650 ($174-$189/£108-£117) double; RM1,200 ($348/£216) modern suit e;
RM1,055 ($306/£190) Heritage Suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; outdoor infinity pool; spa
w/massage; nonmotorized watersports equipment rental; concierge; airport transfers. In room: A/C, TV
w/satellite programming, minibar.
Heritage Bay Club Marina and Resor t Situated on P ulau D uyong in the
middle of the Terengganu River, the club (kno wn locally as K elab Teluk Warisan) and
resort is the ne west and best hotel addr ess in to wn. The facility has been dev eloped to
cater to the yachting teams and officials who attend the annual M onsoon Cup held late
in the y ear. At other times, guests will basically hav e the r esort to themselv es. Chalets
reflect traditional M alay elegance with state-of-the-ar t communications and enter tain-
ment facilities. It's located on the southeastern side of the small island, with most r ooms
overlooking the river and the city center.
Pulau Duyong, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. & 09/627-7888. Fax [phone]. www.heritage
bayclub.com. 58 units. RM450 ($131/£81) double; from RM1,020 ($296/£184) suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Ameni-
ties: Restaurant; poolside lounge; swimming pool . In room: A/C, flatscreen TV w/satellite programming,
Wi-Fi, minibar, hair dryer, IDD phones.
Primula Parkroyal Beach Resor t Kuala Terengganu A top pick for accom-
modation in K uala Terengganu is the P rimula. The first r esort to open in this ar ea, it
commands the best section of beach the city has to offer and still is v ery close to the
downtown area. It has full resort facilities, which include two excellent restaurants. Make
sure y ou get a r oom facing the sea — the vie w is ex cellent. O ther facilities include an
outdoor pool with grassy lawn, watersports facilities, a lobby shop, and a kids' club. The
beach here is reasonable and a great family venue.
Jalan Persinggahan, P.O. Box 43, 20400, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia. & 09/623-
3722. Fax [phone]. www.primulaparkroyal.com 249 units. RM275 ($80/£50) double; RM570 ($165/
£103) suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; children's center; concierge; airport transfers; room
service; babysitting. In room: A/C, TV w/satellite programming and in-house movies, minibar, hair dryer.

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Tanjong Jara Resort Tanjong Jara exudes the most ex otic of M alay tradi-
tions to cr eate a r esort that tr uly r eflects the east coast. I ts ar chitectural character is
designed after 17th-centur y M alay sultans' palaces, with delicate woodcar vings, har d-
wood floors and timber accents, tiled r oofs, and other local building materials. G uest
rooms come in thr ee v arieties. S erambi r ooms, at gr ound lev el, ar e midsiz e double-
occupancy r ooms with big bathr ooms, two v anities, and a huge inviting tub . These