Nirwana Resort Hotel

I know, I know. There are hundreds of beautiful beaches in the Philippines. But why Bintan?

Why not?

Bintan Island is the nearest we can get to a real beach. Sentosa and East Cost is just too crowded and I can’t imagine myself having a dip. Bintan on the other hand provides a short getaway for us and is just an hour away from Singapore. It is very convenient and the beach is serene and majestic at the same time, especially as there are just few people swimming and roaming when we visited.

 

We visited a day before the SG50 holidays and stayed for three days and two nights. The crowd was starting to get bigger on our departure day. It is our third time in Bintan, second time in Nirwana Resort Hotel, and the first with Lia around. We were visiting after two years and it was nostalgic to see familiar spots, happy for the new things they added, and a bit disappointed that some things remained the same and weren’t improved.

We stayed in the west wing in one of their Premium Deluxe rooms. It was newly-renovated and as such, the bathroom was not equipped with a tub. The room was pretty basic. It has a huge Balinese headboard wall with the flimsy and now shabby LED reading lamps. There was just too much wood of different shades and even the lumbar pillows, throw and curtains were neutral. There's a feeling of a lack of accessories as the desk was devoid of a table lamp and the mini-fridge was empty. The overall look was just 50 Shades of Brown. The bathroom was equipped with modern fixtures and fittings.

We love their shutters though and the panoramic view from the window. From there, we have a glimpse of the beach, the coffee shop, the elephant ride and the trampoline (both were new attractions), the pool, the playground and the lawn. Another new addition was the Batik Painting Session at the main lobby. 

The sunrise was spectacular. I woke up just before dawn and was there before the other shutterbugs so I was able to get these shots. I left the beach that morning with a smile on my face.

Buffet breakfasts are always exciting. As a second-time guest, I have an expectation from them and have the tendency to compare experiences from our previous visit. Well, the service didn't turn out that great of an experience. The food was fine and the variety was good. But they can improve on staff service quality, by improving on cleanliness, and updating the tired and outdated decor and dying plants. I don't know if Nirwana is under a new management. If they are, I think they must work harder to maintain the resort.

The beach, fortunately, was cleaner this time around. There was no tar to stain our skin and swimwear. And it was just beautiful. There were a few couples taking selfies here and there, families building sandcastles, "someone" (heart) "someone" etchings on the sand, and guests picking shells and broken corals. All in all, it was perfect.

The poolside hasn't changed. And the fact that it is at the center of it all was great! No wonder, many chose to lounge here rather than the beach.

You see, it's the minute details that make the difference. It's in these little, special things that gives a hotel character and identity, and a cut above the rest. And this, they fail to deliver this time. I hope they can revive and restore what is good, change what needs improvement and again embody what their beautiful name stands for.

SG50 Holidays is over. Now we're back to the grind and looking forward to the next beach holiday!