Why The Westin Decided To Open A Hotel In Johor, Malaysia

There are only three Westin Hotels in Malaysia. The first two, which opened much earlier, are in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. The latest addition to The Westin family, which opened its doors in April this year, is in Desaru Coast, Johor. 

You might think, why Johor? 

Johor happens to be the fourth highest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the2018 State of Socioeconomic Report. With the addition of the newly developed premium integrated destination resort, Desaru Coast, Johor is set to become a holiday and wedding destination among locals and foreigners. Desaru Coast features a water theme park, conference centre, and two championship golf courses.

Aware of the potential that the state holds, The Westin decided to make their mark here by building a five-star luxury resort, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort. One of the hotel’s specialities is their outdoor weddings. 

Read: Top 7 Beach Wedding Venues in Malaysia

Weddings At The Westin Desaru Coast Resort

Built along the Desaru Beach, the resort offers a stunning view of the vast South China Sea from one’s balcony. This also makes for a great backdrop for beach and garden weddings at the resort. 

The resort’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Indraneel Benadikar said: “The Westin Desaru Coast Resort is certainly one of the most picture-perfect destinations for an outdoor wedding in Malaysia. 

“For couples looking for a magical place to celebrate their special day, we have an unbeatable and compelling range of wedding packages to suit every requirement, and make dream weddings come true.”

The Westin Desaru Coast Resort has several wedding venue options:

• Beach: Up to 60 pax (dinner), 100 pax (ceremony)
• Lawn: Up to 150 pax
• Ballroom: Up to 800 pax 

Decorations
Imagine celebrating your nuptials outdoors, under the starry sky, with the sea breeze in your hair. Now, add in some tropical/ rustic-themed decorations, and you’ve got the perfect fairytale wedding. Be it an elegant or casual theme, or something totally unconventional, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort’s wedding planning team has it covered. 

Packages
The dinner reception package starts from RM1,688+ per table of ten, for a minimum of 20 tables. That’s a total of RM 33,760+. Some of the inclusions are:

• A Heavenly Spa by Westin™ gift certificate
• Dining vouchers
• Room upgrades

The wedding ceremony package starts from RM5,000+ for 30 guests. The inclusions are:

• Exclusive use of the beachfront or lawn as the solemnization venue. 
• A VIP parking lot for the couple at the entrance of the hotel. 
• Exclusive privilege for the couple’s photography session around hotel premises. 
• Wedding arch and chair decorations along the aisle. 
• Free flow of iced tea throughout the event. 
• Five platters of butler-pass-around canapés based on couple’s selection. 
• Usage of a basic portable sound system.

Food
What’s great about The Westin Desaru Coast Resort is that you can customise the menu for your wedding instead of sticking with the standard menu prepared by the hotel. Couples can choose from the resort’s International, Western, or Chinese cuisine. 

Bringing It All Together

97% of guests recommended The Westin Desaru Coast Resort. That says a lot about the kind of service one would get here. 

On top of that, one would only be spending approximately RM169 per person for a dinner reception here, provided you purchase a minimum of 20 tables. That’s a great deal which you won’t get often.