Rooms with a whoo!
The largest hotel in the world is at a theme park resort with new coasters on the way
Where do you think the biggest hotel, as in number of rooms, is located? Maybe at the sprawling Walt Disney World? Or along Las Vegas’ glitzy Strip? Those are good guesses, but alas, neither is correct. As it turns out, the world’s largest hotel, with a staggering 7,351 rooms, is in Genting Highlands, Malaysia. The First World Hotel is part of Resorts World Genting, which also includes Genting SkyWorlds, a theme park that will be introducing two new coasters this year.
There are a number of buildings at the three-star property, including two colorful towers, and a variety of room configurations from standard up to a 430-square-foot World Club Room 2 suite. It’s relatively no-frills accommodations. But, for sticker-shocked folks who have booked stays in the West, get this: I discovered nightly rates at First World Hotel starting under $25 US dollars. That’s less than the cost of the daily parking or “resort fee” (grrr) at many U.S. hotels.
Resorts World Genting is located 6,000 feet above sea level in a mountainous rainforest. Its promotional materials invite guests to “wake up among the clouds.” Guests can view the rainforest below aboard a glass-floored gondola. There is plenty more to do at the resort, including two casinos and a 5,000-seat amphitheater that hosts concerts and events.
But the big draw is Genting SkyWorlds, a major theme park with lands themed to the California desert, New York City, San Francisco, and other locales real and imagined. Formerly known as Genting Theme Park, it opened in 1978 and was standing, but not operating from 2013 to 2021. It reopened in 2022 with two new roller coasters, the suspended Samba Gliders and the Ice Age-themed Acorn Adventure.
SkyWorlds ramping up with new coasters
Genting SkyWorlds draws on other movies and IPs and features Disney-esque dark rides such as the 3-D Invasion of the Planet of the Apes, the interactive Night at the Museum: Midnight Mayhem, and Independence Day: Defiance, a flying theater attraction. It is expanding its thrills with two new coasters planned for the 2024 season.
Mad Ramp Peak, a Synergy model from Dynamic Attractions, will be a motorbike racing coaster that will give passengers the ability to control the speeds of the vehicles. Borrowing concepts from Radiator Springs Racers and Test Track, two Disney attractions on which Dynamic worked, it will feature a dual-powered system that will incorporate linear synchronous motors that will work in tandem with onboard drives. The other new attraction, Andromeda Base, will be an SFX coaster that will combine indoor show scenes with a series of unique ride elements. It too, is being developed by Dynamic Attractions, a noted ride manufacturer that encountered financial headwinds, declared insolvency in 2023, and was subsequently sold. The company’s troubles have led to long delays of Genting SkyWorlds’ highly anticipated coasters.
It is a veritable bargain to enjoy all of this theme park goodness. As with First World Hotel’s room rates, admission to Genting SkyWorlds compares quite favorably with the eye-popping ticket prices at Western parks. Would you believe the cost of a one-day pass starts at a little over $21 US dollars? Believe it.
More fun in the sky
It’s even cheaper to visit the resort’s other gate, the 400,000-square-foot Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park. Among its attractions is Super Glider, a flying coaster from Zamperla, the Sky Towers drop tower ride, and Spin Crazy, a pendulum ride. For 2024, it will be debuting Bolt, a family coaster.
The resort also offers Ripley’s Adventureland, which includes an “Odditorium,” a dinosaur exhibit, the 4D Trick Art optical illusions museum, the Zombie Outbreak walk-through haunt, and the tricked-out Infinity Room. Among other attractions are a bowling center, a cinema with IMAX and D-Box theaters, the multimedia SkySymphony theatrical presentation, and Vision City, a huge arcade with carnival games. As you might expect, there are a ton of dining options as well as shopping options at the massive Resorts World Genting.
While the First World Hotel is insanely huge, it’s not the only place to stay at the resort. Among other on-property accommodations are the swanky Crockfords, Genting Grand, and Highlands Hotel along with the mid-range Resorts World Awana and Resort Hotel. There is also the family-friendly Genting SkyWorld Hotel, which is adjacent to the theme park. All told, Resorts World Genting has 10,500 rooms.
Have you been to Resorts World Genting and Genting SkyWorlds? Have you stayed at the First World Hotel? Can you believe the prices at the Malaysian resort?