Powered By TripAdvisorThe Most Enchanting Tropical Retreat in Beautiful Brunei
Powered By TripAdvisorBrunei Darussalam is located on the north coast of Borneo and is a unique kingdom rich in Malay culture, peace, and tranquility. The country's most exclusive hotel, The Empire Brunei, overlooks the South China Sea and is renowned for its warm Bruneian hospitality and extensive services. Surrounded by vast, unspoiled, tropical rainforests rich with wildlife, it is the ultimate sanctuary for relaxing in a beautiful and natural setting. The 522 rooms and suites are spread across multiple buildings with secluded private villas that are luxurious havens of spacious comfort. Within the private 180-hectare grounds, there are beaches, pools, lagoons, and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course with panoramic sea views. The resort also offers international restaurants, a children's club, cinemas, a spa, a wide range of sporting activities, and extensive function facilities. The Empire Brunei offers an unforgettable revitalizing and relaxing luxury stay. Guests of The Empire Brunei can:
- Stay in expansive and luxurious rooms, all with large balconies offering views over the gardens, lagoon, or swimming pools.
- Dine at one of over half a dozen restaurants serving local and international cuisine
- Swim in any one of the five pools on the property
- Play a round of golf at the resort's 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course
- Enjoy endless activities from the relaxation of a massage to an invigorating workout, to a round of golf or a movie at the cinema
From the moment you step inside the soaring lobby with its marble pillars, gold accents, and tiger's eye inlaid, gold-plated stair rails, you know you're in for an experience like no other.
The Empire Brunei's welcoming atmosphere, multiple room types, and ample event space for both weddings and business events make this resort hotel great for any type of traveler, from an intimate couple's escape to a family-friendly weeks-long reunion.
Hotel Amenities
Accommodations
With 522 rooms, 52 suites, and 16 standalone villas, The Empire Brunei has a room for everyone. Standard rooms run from Superior to Ocean and Deluxe and all feature high ceilings, plush carpets, gold-accented furniture, crystal lamps, balconies, and ocean views.
More amenity-rich rooms, such as Deluxe with Executive Lounge, the Executive Suite, and Ambassador Suite, offer additional complimentary access to the Executive Lounge, where beverages, garment pressing, breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapes, and one-hour usage of the Executive Lounge Boardroom are available. Marble bathrooms, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, and furniture adorned with precious lapis lazuli and malachite further the hotel's rich atmosphere.
Finally, there are the 16 free-standing, ultra-private Villas. These two-bedroom separate suites feature their own gardens, a large living and dining area with a pantry, and a host of other amazing amenities, such as a soaking tub, separate shower, and beautiful views from private balconies, all wrapped in a secluded area west of the resort proper.
Dining
The hotel’s restaurants, lounges, and cafés offer a wealth of choice and a depth of flavor to create a rich culinary scene, and all use halal ingredients.
Atrium Café – Buffet breakfast is offered at the light-filled Atrium Café.
Li Gong – A sophisticated fine dining experience featuring Dim sum and regional Chinese favorites.
Pantai – Pantai offers a la carte dining focusing on Asian cuisine, along with light lunches.
Lobby Lounge – In the heart of it all, the Lobby Lounge is the place to get afternoon high tea, light meals, pastries, and desserts.
Spaghettini – Classic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine are on the menu at this European-focused restaurant.
Zen – Zen serves travelers Japanese-focused foods including teppanyaki grilled dishes and other East Asian favorites.
Zest – This grab-and-go restaurant provides takeaway drinks, desserts, sandwiches, and salads for when you're on the go.
Activities at The Empire Brunei
With over 445 acres / 180 hectares of oasis-like property to explore and experience, there's no shortage of activities to help you while away the day. Within the resort itself, guests can enjoy sports of all kinds, including watersports such as kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and swimming, along with more traditional sports offerings such as tennis, badminton, cycling, and squash. Other activities tend toward entertainment, fitness, and relaxation — with the resort's state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor lap pool, commercial-grade cinema, and the hotel's spa, where you can treat yourself to the Spa Empire Signature massage, a fusion of Balinese, Taksu, and Swedish massage techniques that will leave you relaxed and rejuvenated.
And, for golf lovers, the 18-hole, par 71 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course offers 7,029 yards of fairways, greens, and distinct elevation changes. The course is located at The Empire Brunei Country Club, where guests can also experience the golf academy, practice facility, and pro shop.
The Empire Brunei is also happy to set you up on a tour of The Kingdom, with special excursions such as Brunei by Night, where you're invited to explore the city after dark, as well as eco-tours, such as Birdwatching in Ulu Temburong, and the Brunei Monkey tour to see the world-renowned, strange-looking proboscis monkeys.
For travelers seeking an authentic Bruneian experience, head outside the hotel for eco and historical activities.
Attractions:
Walking Distance
- Bukit Shahbander Recreational Park
- Jerudong Park Waterpark and Playground
- Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club
Driving Distance
- Brunei Maritime Museum
- Istana Nurul Iman Palace
- Mausoleum of Sultan Bolkiah
- Silver Jubilee Monument
- Malay Technology Museum
- Water Village
Location
Set on the northern coast of Borneo — the world's third-largest island and home to one of the oldest rain forests on the planet, The Empire Brunei offers guests the chance to experience the natural wonders of the island while also enjoying all the amenities of a five-star hotel stay. Guest should take note that the Kingdom of Brunei is a Muslim nation where laws prohibiting alcohol and cigarettes apply.
Address
Jerudong Highway, Bandar Seri Begawan, BruneiTransportation
- Airport
- Brunei International Airport is 13.7 mi / 22.1 km away from the hotel — about 25 minutes by car
Get directions with what3words
Reviews
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The Number 1 Hotel in Brunei!
Thu May 01 2025 21:22:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by josh65928
The number one hotel in Brunei! The best one I saw so far. Really remarkable views, very peaceful place and not much people. Perfect if you really like someone privacy. May actually the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen! The staff are super nice and will always be happy to assist you and show you around. A very good experience here and highly recommend this place!
Most overrated hotel ever!
Fri Jan 31 2025 21:13:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Bangpo
Expectations for The Empire Brunei were very high beforehand. The wording of the self-declaration on their website is: "Truly one of the finest golf, meeting and spa resorts in the Asia Pacific Region." Unfortunately, we did not find the service and quality of the hotel to be that good. We were bitterly disappointed! The service is extremely below average for a 5-star hotel. The management is clearly overwhelmed by the quality mentioned. Gold decorations are no help if basic points are not right. There is simply a lack of professionalism. Below are a few points that we noticed negatively. Check-in was difficult and our request for a high floor, which we had mentioned beforehand, was not met at first. We then had to change rooms with great effort. There is no internet connection at the pool or only an unusable one! There are far too few lounge chairs and almost no shade. The few parasols are old and broken. Pool toilets don't smell good, are unhygienic and water flows out. The floor is wet. The pool area near the beach is full of aggressive sand flies. You are not warned, although the problem has obviously been known for years. We have been to other hotels with the same problem, where they were proactively informed and offered free coconut oil. Breakfast was simple and didn't have much choice. Although there is a lot of space in the hotel, breakfast is served in a small area where the tables are close together. It feels very crowded. The bathroom has a bathtub. There are no bath salts or bubble bath. You have to sign papers over and over again. If you want beach towels, when you change rooms and even in the restaurant, even if you paid with a credit card. We left our room at 10 a.m., and by 3 p.m. it still hadn't been cleaned, even though we had specifically activated the room cleaning symbol. We had to call to get someone to clean. The choice of restaurants is very limited. The menus are small, the food was bad. We wanted to check the various menus at 4:45 p.m. Unfortunately, the restaurants were not open yet and the menus were not visible. So we couldn't make a reservation for dinner. If you want to enjoy a glass of wine with your meal, you will be disappointed. No alcohol is offered. This is better regulated in Dubai, for example. It should be mentioned that the staff were always very friendly and courteous. The Empire Brunei has a massive management problem and is therefore far from the top international level. Basically, there is a lack of passion for the customer and the will to offer the best for the guest. Definitely not a recommendation!
Best hotel I’ve stayed
Tue Jan 14 2025 08:16:41 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Richard W
I’ve traveled to over 140 countries, this is a big statement for me. The service was exceptional, the grounds, the room, location, everything was magnificent. The staff leave you feeling so welcome and comfortable I was truly astounded. The pools are endless. What a great find.
Best hotel in Brunei
Sun Nov 17 2024 22:11:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by jurajfox
This billion dollar hotel is worth a consideration despite being pricey. It has everything, pools, beach, country club. It's got a bit of a late 90s vibe but with gold and marble everywhere. Something not to miss in Brunei, as all the other hotels pale in comparison.
Great hotel, worth it once, but not sure if it’s worth the price
Sun Nov 17 2024 07:53:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Samantha K
Impressive hotel, excellent facilities, location and service. It feels a bit old, could be better if the prices for additional services wouldn’t be constantly reminded. Only one restaurant is open which for longer stays is not ideal. Despite the property is very well maintained, there are some areas that are a bit old and the beach has some sandflies
