This resort has been around in Malaysia for quite a number of years. Probably as far back as 2010 and was once recognized as one of the best resort not only in Port Dickson but in Malaysia. This resort is not to be mistaken as another resort of similar name, Avillion Admiral Cove Port Dickson which is located nearby and is managed by the same company. Avillion is also Malaysia's very first water chalet resort. Today it is rated as the Top 3 / 4 resort in Port Dickson by Tripadvisor due to increasing competition from newer water chalet resorts like Grand Lexis and the recently opened The Hibiscus.
Avillion PD
Over the years, the resort may look a bit tired and in need of more refurbishment works but I will have to say it still retained its own charm which its competitors may be lack of. I have been to Grand Lexis twice but I still think Avillion is still my preferred choice very much due to its all natural village like environment which just feels more authentic than the other competitors.
I brought my family to Avillion over a long weekend holiday in May 2015. I booked 2 premium water chalets which comes with free daily buffet breakfast as well as complimentary access to Avi Lounge for afternoon tea and evening cocktail. Each room cost me about RM900++/night but I think its still a good value if you spent enough time in the resort.
If you review the comments in Tripadvisor, you may find a couple of complaints on their car park, customer service at lobby, long que during breakfast and etc. Unfortunately, it is all true especially during peak periods but if you plan your time well enough, you can still have wonderful time just like I did. Watch a video of my trip below.
The Lobby
Source: Expatadventure
In the past, many have complained about the lack of service attendants to assist with the luggage and I kind of agree with that as well. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that things has improved now. Check in time is 3pm and during peak season do expect the que to check in is usually long and sometimes your room may not be ready yet. To avoid this problem, my family and I checked in slightly after 3pm to avoid the que and since the room is not ready yet, we headed straight for afternoon tea at the Avi Lounge.
Avi Lounge
This place is really a nice place to hang out with family, friends or loved ones to basically chill out and chit chat. If you are alone, well its still a good place to spent your time reading a book or something. Avi Louge is located in some sort of a glass house which offers a fantastic panoramic view of the ocean or to be more exact ....The Straits of Melaka. The Avi Spa is also located in the same building.
If you are staying in the premium water chalets, your access to Avi Lounge is complimentary for afternoon tea and evening cocktail. It is not a big place so I advise people to be there early or you may be disappointed if you can't find yourself a seat. A mini buffet spread of sandwiches, tarts and cakes will be served during each session. You will have a choice of coffee, tea, variety of juices and soft drinks for the afternoon tea. Alcoholic beverages and cocktails are added to the menu during evening cocktails. I usually go for only 1 session each day as the gap between afternoon tea and evening cocktail is not really that far apart. I prefer to go for the afternoon tea as it is just right time to catch a snack since I usually skip lunch after a heavy buffet breakfast. The food and drinks quality is not bad though I have to say the overall ambiance is the main attraction here.
The Premium Water Chalets
To me, its really a wonderful experience. So wonderful that I actually visited this place twice in a year. First was with Wifey and for the second time, I brought along my mum and dad as well. On both occasions, my objective was the same which is to find a place that allow me to have a break from my hectic city life and have some alone time with my loved ones. Most city folks feel that there is nothing much to do in Port Dickson but that is exactly the point!! You are not supposed to do anything in PD except to chill, relax and unwind.
View From Our Balcony. Sometimes you can see people fishing right from their own balcony
So whats so wonderful about Avillion? The answer is the Premium Water Chalets which are the chalets that are located furthest out to the sea and comes with an unobstructed sea view. I always enjoy watching the change from low tide to high tide as I listen to the the waves lapping beneath our chalet.
The chalets may not be as big or luxurious looking as the ones in Grand Lexis but it is comfortable enough. The chalet is fully equipped with a king sized poster bed and a pangkin bed which is located right beside the window. During the day, I really enjoy myself doing some reading at the backdrop of a wonderful seaview outside the window. At night, sometimes I just doze off on the pangkin bed while watching and listening to the ocean waves. Fantastic...wish that my daily life is like that :).
I did have some issues with the air conditioning which was not cold enough especially during the day. Nevertheless, it did not bother me too much. As for the free wifi system, it was a total let down as it barely works most of the time.
Evening view from our balcony.
Wifey reading on pangkin bed...
The bathroom on the other hand is quite big and luxuriously equipped with an open air shower, a bathtub and separate basins. The toiletries provided unfortunately were unable to deliver the premium feel which I am usually accustomed to when I am at other higher end holiday resorts.
The usual toiletries provided @ Avillion
The packaging looks too plain for a RM900+ room...
Petting Zoo
Located not far away from the main building is the petting zoo. It is one of the main attraction of the resort. There, you will find different breed of animals from cute bunnies to colourful peacocks living together harmoniously. Each morning around 10am, its feeding time at the petting zoo and guests are allowed to go into the usually confined area to feed the animals. Every time my family and I past by the petting zoo, we never failed to spent a couple of minutes observing what the animals are up to.
The Beach
I will really recommend a stroll on the beach during low tide which is usually early in the morning or late afternoon. I go there not only to catch some sea breeze and have some exercise, I also find it interesting to observe the abundance of little snails and crabs in their natural habitat. You can easily spot them along the beach during low tide. I was wondering where are the adult ones.. then can catch them and have them for dinner..lol.
The resort used to have two private beaches but one has been cordoned off to the public. Still, I find the fact that the resort has its own private beach is an added advantage. To be honest, I do like the water chalets offered by Grand Lexis but they do not have a private beach and I felt that this is a real downside.
That's me in the middle.
Little crabs and snails found along the beach.
Restaurant / Food Review
On our first night, we decided to have dinner at Crow's Nest located in the resort. It was pretty quiet on that day with only two tables filled with patrons. My family ordered local food (fried noodles), steak and lamb rack. I can only remember that the meal was quite pricy and I can agree that there are better options outside the hotel. Nevertheless, if you want to spent more time in the resort or if you want a more exclusive, comfortable and quiet place to have your dinner then this place is a pretty good option. Overall, food quality was just satisfactory and I felt that much can be improved. The teh tarik (which comes with chocholate chip cookies) was pretty good though.
Interior of Crow's Nest
Steak
Lamb rack
Teh Tarik & cookies
Buffet breakfast is usually served at Village Court which is located just beside the swimming pool. Breakfast is usually only included for the package for Premium Water Chalets. So if you have booked the normal water chalets, breakfast is usually not included and you will have to pay for it separately. Again, the buffet spread was just okay similar to those you normally find in a 4 star hotel. In terms of food quality, Grand Lexis wins with a better buffet spread. Although buffet breakfast is normally not included in the price for the normal chalets, the restaurant can get pretty packed during peak season. So if you want to dine comfortably and skip the que you may want to start your breakfast before 8am in the morning.
Facilities
The resort has two swimming pools. I liked the idea of having an adult only pool so that one can enjoy a peaceful session without the need to tolerate noisy kids.
Adult only Cochin Pool
Village Pool which is open for all hotel guests.
There is also a gym which was pretty small and equipped with basic equipment only. I recalled the treadmill was pretty old but was usable. As an added advantage, the resort also provides steam bath and sauna facilities.
Ratings
Overall, I feel that this resort is excellent especially for those who is looking for a relaxing break from the hectic city life. Like most holiday destination, you will tend to get more value if avoid peak period like school holidays or long weekends. Signing off with more pictures of the resort below.
