One&Only Desaru Coast carries a layered brand history that is worth knowing before you book. The resort is listed on Traveloka under the One&Only Desaru Coast name, later operated for a period as The Sirēya Desaru Coast, and has been run by Mandarin Oriental as Mandarin Oriental, Desaru Coast since 30 January 2026, following its entry into the Mandarin Oriental portfolio in June 2025. If you see the property under any of these three names elsewhere, it is the same beachfront estate on Persiaran Damai in Desaru Coast.
The architecture is the other headline. According to Mandarin Oriental, the resort was designed by the late Kerry Hill and his firm, Kerry Hill Architects, and it stands as the final completed project in the architect's portfolio. His tropical-modernist approach shows in the way low-rise suites sit within the landscape rather than on top of it. Traveloka's listing records the property as built in 2019.
The setting is unusually generous for the number of keys. The estate covers 128 acres of rainforest on the south-eastern shoreline of Johor and opens onto around 1.5 kilometres of beachfront facing the South China Sea. Traveloka lists 44 rooms and classifies the property as a five-star resort, which matches the operator's description of 44 suites plus a single four-bedroom villa. For travellers based in Singapore, that combination of scale, privacy and a relatively short cross-border journey is the main appeal.
Guests check in from 15:00 and check out by 11:00, and the front desk operates 24 hours a day according to the listing.
Accommodation here is suite-based rather than room-based. Mandarin Oriental describes every suite as starting from 105 square metres, each with its own private plunge pool, a courtyard and a veranda that faces either the rainforest or the sea. The categories published on the official site are listed below; because Traveloka's room feed for this property is not shown in the listing data, check the room selector on the booking page for the categories available on your dates, along with bed configuration and maximum occupancy.
The Rainforest Junior Suite is the category oriented towards the jungle side of the estate. Like every suite, it has a private plunge pool, a courtyard and a veranda, with the outlook framed by rainforest greenery rather than open sea. It suits couples who value seclusion and shade over a direct beach view.
The Ocean Junior Suite shares the same core layout of plunge pool, courtyard and veranda, but is oriented towards the South China Sea. It is the natural choice if a sea outlook is the priority while staying within the junior suite footprint.
As the name suggests, the Ocean Front Junior Suite is positioned along the beach side of the resort. Confirm the exact outlook and beach access on the room description when you book, as positioning can differ between individual suites in the same category.
The Rainforest Grand Pool Suite is the larger rainforest-side option on the official suite list. It is aimed at guests who want more space than a junior suite; refer to the booking page for its current size, bedding and occupancy details.
At the top of the ladder sits a single four-bedroom villa with its own pool. With only one on the estate, it is best suited to multi-generational families or groups celebrating together, and it is worth enquiring early for peak periods such as school holidays.
The listing notes that extra beds, extra-person arrangements and baby cots are requested at check-in or directly with the property, and that a maximum of one child under six years old is allowed per room, so families should plan the suite mix accordingly.
Traveloka's structured data for One&Only Desaru Coast is brief, listing a 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, free parking and the availability of airport transfers. The operator's own materials fill in the wider resort picture, and together they describe a property built around water, wellness and outdoor activity.
Wi-Fi is not specified in Traveloka's facility data for this property, so check the facilities tab on the listing or confirm with the resort if a reliable connection matters for your stay. Likewise, in-room amenities are not itemised in the listing feed; beyond the plunge pool, courtyard and veranda that the operator describes for every suite, refer to the room description at booking for per-suite features.
The resort's address is Persiaran Damai, Desaru Coast, Bandar Penawar, in the Kota Tinggi district of Johor, Malaysia (postcode 81930). Desaru Coast is a beach destination on the south-eastern coast of Johor, where the rainforest meets the South China Sea, and the resort occupies a quiet stretch of that coastline.
From Singapore, most guests travel by road, crossing into Johor and continuing east to the coast. Mandarin Oriental notes that the destination is accessible by road, air and sea, and that a ferry terminal at Desaru Coast connects the area with Singapore, which gives you a car-free alternative to the causeway crossings; check the current ferry schedule before travelling, as sailings can change.
Nearby on Desaru Coast you will also find The Els Club golf courses and the Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark, which Traveloka lists close to neighbouring Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, making it easy to add a day out to a resort stay.
Traveloka's listing counts one restaurant and one bar, while Mandarin Oriental describes five distinct dining destinations that blend global cuisines with local flavours, so expect a broader choice on site than the listing count alone suggests. The operator names the following outlets:
Room service is listed as available 24 hours, which is useful for late arrivals after a cross-border drive or for a private meal by your plunge pool. The listing also notes that children must be accompanied by their parents in the food and beverage outlets.
On certain festive dates, notably New Year's Eve, the listing has previously noted a mandatory gala dinner supplement payable to the resort, so check the policy section of the booking page if you are travelling over the year-end holidays. Outside the resort, Desaru Coast's other hotels and attractions offer additional places to eat, and you can browse things to do around Desaru Coast to plan an outing between meals.
The strongest reason to choose this resort is architectural. As the last completed work of Kerry Hill, it offers a rare chance to stay inside a building by an architect whose portfolio Mandarin Oriental describes as distinguished, and the low-density layout of 44 suites across 128 acres means the beach and grounds rarely feel crowded.
If you would like to weigh it against other coastal options before deciding, you can compare hotels and resorts on Traveloka by area, star rating and facilities.
Ready to plan the rest of the trip? Start from the Traveloka homepage to bundle your stay with transport and activities.
If you are comparing stays on Desaru Coast or planning a night in Johor Bahru on the way, these properties are also available on Traveloka. The first three are on Desaru Coast; the rest are in and around Johor Bahru.
As announced by Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Tourism Tax is imposed starting 1 January 2023 for all hotel guests that are non-Malaysian or non-permanent Residents of Malaysia. Please expect that hotel will collect the Tourism Tax from you during check-in at the hotel. The Tourism Tax rate is 10 RM per room per night.
Popular Facilities | |
Check-In / Check-Out Time | From 15:00 - to 11:00 |
Available rooms at One&Only Desaru Coast | 44 |
Number of floors in One&Only Desaru Coast | 1 |
Another facilities in One&Only Desaru Coast | 24-hour Receptionist |
