My
first visit to the Four Points by Sheraton in Desaru on November 18 was to
witness its official opening by the Johor Menteri Besar.
 |
| The reception counter in the front lobby of Four Points by Sheraton Desaru, Johor |
Cindy
was under the impression that I was also there for a stay experience but I had
to disappoint her because I had declined their invite to stay due to my family
commitments. I was, however, quick to assure her that I would certainly take up
the kind offer very soon.
After
years of hotel review experiences, I was aware that that the hotel team would
be stretched to the max in the run-up to the official opening day and would
continue to be challenged by much responsibilities when the hotel hosted her
first guests.
To
be fair, I knew that the hotel team would be in a much better position to
provide discerning guests (like me!) with a more meaningful stay experience when
they have settled into their roles and routines.
 |
| Boh products displayed in The Mesh Lounge |
Almost
a whole month had passed and it was mid-December 2021 before I arranged for a
stay experience at Four Points by Sheraton, from Sunday to Monday.
From
info garnered at the official opening, I made a note of some “things” unique to
the Four Points brand that I must not miss, during my brief stay.
And
I was pleased that the hotel’s Marketing Communications Manager, Maressa Esa, had
planned an itinerary to include my own experiences of all this.
 |
| A gracious welcome at the reception |
No,
I did not need the Concierge to help with my luggage but conveniently rolled my
bag towards the bank of elevators to go to my room.
Our
short walk on a corridor took us pass The Mesh Bar and Lounge which is linked
to The Mesh Restaurant to our left while the swimming pools were seen through
the glass walls on our right.
When
I met with the hotel GM at the hotel’s opening event, I remembered that he told
me that these were salt-induced swimming pools.
 |
| The salt-induced swimming pools |
And
when we paused to say, “Hello,” and a brief chat, I was pleasantly surprised
when Maverick mentioned that their hotel partners and property owner in the SKS
Group, were familiar with My Johor Stories because they read my stuff.
I
must confess that such a simple revelation that was both humbling and
heartening, buoyed me up even before I had reached my room.
After
leaving my luggage in the room, I was ready to get better acquainted with the
hotel with a tour of the facilities, led by Maressa.
 |
| A welcome gift presented in my room! |
I
soon realised that the overall décor in Four Points by Sheraton Desaru was inspired
by the local culture and heritage, and its location close to the coast.
The
seaside theme was consistent throughout the hotel where meeting rooms were
named Coral One and Two, and at the swimming pools, large floats provided were
in the shape of colourful giant lobsters and turtles.
The
Fitness Centre was open 24-hours to accommodate guests who wished to enjoy a workout
anytime during their stay and to play computer games, advance bookings were
encouraged for use of the Family Games Room.
 |
| A round table with a divan in the Double Room |
Each
room was not only provided with coffee and tea-making facilities but also
equipped with a table-top coffee-maker to make your own fresh brew.
The
tour ended in a familiar place – the foyer of the grand ballroom where the
official opening event was held.
I
was reminded of the fragrance of freshly brewed coffee (around here) on that
day and Maressa was pleased to show me their two-door, space-saving cupboard
that snugly stored walls of coffee cups along with a large coffee-maker
complete with milk dispenser.
 |
| Super-Single Twin Beds with a round table and two chairs in the Twin-bedded Room |
From
the attractive display of Boh products in the Lounge, I could tell that the
hotel had partnered with this local brand of quality tea and was more than
ready to enjoy a cuppa for afternoon tea.
Comfortably
seated in The Mesh Restaurant, I sipped a mild brew of Ginger tea, my choice
from the decaffeinated range of teas.
I
saw from the menu that the tagline for The Mesh Restaurant was, “A Simplified,
Not Simple, Experience” and took a moment to ponder on its profundity.
“This
is deep,” I thought to myself as I recalled the narration I heard from a
corporate video presented at the opening event that featured the Head Chef.
 |
| A serving of TSP Cheesecake |
It
was time for afternoon tea after all and a good reason to indulge in cake and
dessert specialties like Sai Mai Lo and TSP Cheesecake, popular choices
from the menu.
I
finally figured out that Sai Mai Lo was a Cantonese phrase for a pudding
made with sago pearls, and discovered that this version was made with sago
pearls topped with honey dew chips and honey dew mousse served in a pool of
coconut cream.
Intrigued
by an abbreviation in its name, I soon learnt that TSP Cheesecake was a cheesecake
inspired by Tau Sar Piah, a Chinese pastry made with mung beans, and
this cheesecake rested on a crust created with baked mung beans.
 |
| Assam Pedas Oxtail Soup with a stick of Kesom Garlic Bread |
Back
in my room to unpack, shower and rest before dinner, I spotted the message
printed on coasters on Best Brews ™, with an invitation to “Join us at the Bar
for Craft Beer on Tap.”
I
told myself that this was one invite that I aimed to accept later that evening.
At
the Mesh Restaurant for dinner, I took my time to study the all-day dining menu
and was pleased to read a considerate comment printed at the bottom of the page
that requested diners to let the restaurant know if they had any special
dietary needs, restrictions or allergies.
 |
| A serving of 24-Hour Slow Braised Short Ribs |
I
spotted the Star icon next to the Entrée item for Assam Pedas Oxtail Soup, served
with Kesom Garlic Bread and easily made my choice for the first course.
While
Assam Pedas was a dish with a rich, spicy gravy to savour with rice, this was
prepared as a soup with a distinct tomato base. It looked Red which gave the
false impression that it was spicy but it tasted mild and oh-so appetizing.
The
only way to properly nibble a piece of oxtail was to hold it in my hand and that
was exactly how I savoured it.
 |
| Chef Jiro with some of the popular dishes served at The Mesh restaurant |
The
beef short rib was brewed in a complex broth of herbs and spices like cinnamon,
cloves, star anise, fennel seeds, garlic and dang gui roots in the
tradition of Bak Kut Teh until the beef was full of flavour and
fall-off-the-bone tender.
I
was privately pleased with the generous portion as I enjoyed bite after bite of
the charred vegetables mixed with the puree of potatoes, as a perfect foil for
the tender beef.
To
strike a balance with the beef, we picked a fish dish made with Pistachio &
Almond Crusted fillets of Seabass, Parmesan Asparagus, Roasted Garlic Potatoes
served with a side of Garlic Lemon Butter.
 |
| A section of the dining hall at The Mesh |
In
addition to these recommended choices, Maressa picked a Lamb Pasta from among
her favourites in the menu.
We
were almost done with the meal when Chef Jiro came to join us for a chat, ready
to unwind for the day. It was a delight to discover that before he travelled
the world to earn his culinary experience, he grew up in Johor Baru where he
stayed with his grandparents in a residential area located close to the Dato
Jaafar Building.
 |
| Bartender Dennis serving up a refreshing mocktail colada |
“I
love to cook home-styled comfort food that are made with locally grown produce
and ingredients that will elevate my creations,” said Chef Jiro.
I
was pleased to learn that the chef was tending his own kitchen garden that
grows a range of herbs and vegetables and had already connected with the nearby
Desaru Fruit Farm* for the supply of fresh fruits and local produce.
“I
often experiment with cuisines, especially in blending Eastern and Western
flavours in various cooking methods, over the years while working in different
kitchens, to make a dish taste better,” he added.
 |
| A very agreeable taste of K & B Affogato Nitro |
“Passion
in cooking is vital,” declared the young chef who attributed his passion for
cooking to observing his grandparents prepare all the comfort food at home,
which developed his culinary interest and mastered the art of flavours at a
very young age.
When
Chef Jiro excused himself to return to the kitchen, we moved to the lounge and
bar to indulge in a nightcap.
Maressa
suggested that we looked at the menu choices listed under Coffee Culture
that were mixed with alcohol, and the wide Non-Alcoholic coffee range presented
under, Around The World.
With
a Bar menu filled with lists of choices for cocktails and mocktails, I took
some time to look at the fine-print which described the contents of each
exciting drink.
Finally,
we gave the task to bartender Dennis, who skillfully whipped up our picks of an
K & B Affogato Nitro and a mocktail colada, made with a refreshing mix of
pineapple and tangerine juices.
 |
| Looks like I have to make another date for the Best Brews experience! |
After
a good night’s rest, it was such a treat to linger over a leisurely buffet
breakfast and when I spotted the GM – dressed down in street clothes – I
invited him to join us and he graciously did because it was his day off.
On
this bright morning, I was ready to taste more coffee selections from their
Around The World menu and with some help (Choices! Choices!) we picked a
Premium Dalgona Twist and Expressino, plus a chocolatey choice of a Nitro Brew
Milo.
As
its names describe, the Premium Dalgona Twist was created with a shot of
Expresso in a creamy balance of Sugar and Milk while there was a distinct sweet
and nutty flavour of Nutella in the milky mix of the Expresso in the
Expressino.
 |
| Coffee indulgence [Clockwise] Nitro Brew Milo, Premium Dalgona Twist and Expressino |
As
I gently eased myself back into the busyness of city life, I was pleased that my
stay experience with Four Points by Sheraton at Desaru Utama confirmed my
observation that it would certainly complement the choices of accommodation available
to travellers at this popular holiday destination in Johor.
Four
Points by Sheraton Desaru is located at Jalan Kempas 2, Taman Desaru Utama, 81930
Bandar Penawar, Johor. For reservations, Tel: +607 832 8888.
For
more info, follow the hotel’s official page on Facebook or visit webpage:
marriot.com/JHBFP
*The
family at Desaru Fruit Farm is featured under Portraits in my book sequel, My
Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.
No comments:
Post a Comment