We stayed at Casa Del Mar for part of our honeymoon in May 2009 and both agreed that it was the best overall stay in a hotel that we have ever had. We have both travelled all over the world, so this is quite an achievement! We were due to stay at Tanjung Rhu but due to the renovations taking place we moved at the last minute to Casa Del Mar and it turned out to be the best decision.
We had a Junior Suite and it was such a lovely room - large and with everything you would ever need. The rooms are perhaps not as plush or indeed sterile as some major hotel chains, but this all adds to the charm. The informality is what you treasure here, with the staff calling us by our names and seeming to truly value making our stay special. We found that they had such a fantastic sense of humour, it was like staying in someone's house as we were made to feel so welcome. I was a little worried before I went that it might be a bit 'shabby chic' but it really is very luxurious and feels plush, even though the welcome is so informal.
I also don't want to spoil the surprise but from the very second we arrived, we were spoilt rotten a dozen times a day. From the warm welcome and personal check in, to the charming surprises at turn down we enjoyed every moment of our stay.
The food in the restaurant is delicious (and we are foodies who have eaten at many top restaurants) but it is the setting right on the beach if you want it, that made our first meal here the most memorable of our lives.
We also enjoyed the Castaway Picnic, which costs about £120 per couple. It is really romantic and a very special treat if you want to spend some time together in beautiful surroundings. We were taken by the hotel's private boat to a remote beach where the staff had set up a mini marquee and beds for us. We both had Malay curry - with different levels of spice for the two of us, fruit, dessert, sandwiches and water. We took our own bottle of champagne bought in the duty free shop and had one of the best days of our honeymoon marooned together on a beautiful beach for the afternoon.
The resort of Pantai Cenang isn't much to write home about and that is probably the only slightly negative point. But even that is unfair - its not as developed as somewhere like Koh Samui's main resort and for us this was actually a positive - it doesn't feel polished and touristy but still retains a charm, albeit one directed at the tourist market. Casa Del Mar is situated right at the end of the beach so you are secluded if you want to stay in the bubble of luxury, or you have the choice to venture out to try one of the local cafes / restaurants or shop a bit. Our advice would be to head about 20 mins through the resort walking towards Pantai Tengah, just past the Lighthouse restaurant where there are a few good restaurants and bars.
In summary, we would recommend Casa Del Mar to everyone and it really is that place in the world that you can see yourself going back to even though you vow never to return to anywhere twice. I'd be sad not to see it again in my lifetime that's for sure.
