I’ve had a rich run of form in Asia recently with apartotels (apartment hotels) and to a large degree the Glory Beach Resort has kept this run flowing.
And much of it was right out of the blue, such as the impromptu fireworks display to mark the end of Chinese New Year. Ready for more shocks? When I started typing “Glory” into my browser lets just say that the next word suggested was not “beach”.
What the Apartotels?
An aparthotel is exactly what it sounds like—the comfort of a private apartment with the convenience of a hotel. Unlike an Airbnb, which is usually run by individual hosts, aparthotels are listed on sites like Trip.com and Booking.com, often managed professionally. You get a fully furnished apartment—kitchen, living space, the works—but without added perks like housekeeping, reception services, and of course breakfast.
They’re perfect for long stays, digital nomads, or just travelers who want more space without sacrificing convenience. And so far at least they have been pretty cheap.
The Glory Beach Resort
Located on the beachfront, I mean quite literally the beachfront this is predominantly a hotel from what I can see, but with residential blocks where some live, but most rent out. And it has a real Butlins like charm to it with pant falling from the walls and the rooms again feeling like a holiday camp. My room in particular looked a bit like an under the stairs Harry Potter type jive.
The facilities though are decent with there being a cafe that was mostly closed a small convenience store, as well as a great swimming pool. It is also quite literally on the beach, but lets just say Port Dickson is not Port Barton.
My apartment unfortunately had faulty wi-fi which the owners couldn’t be bothered to fix, but again an apartotel is not a hotel, so thems the rubs…
Eating around the Glory Beach Resort
Earlier on today I thought someone was making and selling satay by the beach! Imagine though my embarrassment when cash in hand and looking at the cook I realized it was a family BBQ for Chinese New Year, I hastily departed.
About 300 meters away through there is a main street that has a bunch of restaurants, half obviously closed for the holidays, but enough open to keep hunger at bay. I have covered these in my Street Food Port Dickson article. Theres also a 7-Eleven and yes it is shit.
Chinese New Year in Port Dickson
While China has become almost scared of fireworks or dare I say much more authoritarian about it, it seems that the memo did not reach the Chinese of Malaysia. On my way home I saw kids literally playing with fireworks and then set off a huge display. I was impressed, but little did I know that this would come back vengeance at midnight.
And that is when the skies lit up the eyes of Allah, or rather like when America visit Arab states. As far as the sky could see in every direction hours and hours of fireworks, a sound I truly love and even put up with at 5 am from my office.
In fact it took me back to 2007 my first CNY in China and how it looked like a bright war zone and thus to how disappointing new year in Shenzhen had been. Regardless though fireworks over Port Dickson from my veranda at the Glory Beach Resort was the icing on the cake before my journey further south was to continue.