The Datai

5 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Accommodation

Location

Date of travel

Mar, 2009

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Wife

Reasons for trip

Other

Always a difficult question when asked to nominate one's favourite hotel. I would always prefer that the questioner would add a rider along the lines City, Holiday, Retreat or even Business.

Having said that and without any rider being asked I have decided that without any doubt, should I be asked the question, my answer would be a resounding 'The Datai, Langkawi'.

I first visited Langkawi in 1964 as a young sailor in the Royal Navy when ships regularly stopped at the islands of Pulau Tioman and Pulau Langkawi for the traditional naval Banyan – a recreational afternoon on a remote golden sand beach with organised sport, BBQ and of course, plenty of swimming.

Certainly the Langkawi I knew all those years ago bore little resemblance to the Langkawi as our Silk Air aircraft touched down at the island's airport. We arrived for a 14 day holiday having previously seen an article in a British Airways flight magazine.

The Datai is a welcoming and romantic retreat with a classy contemporary edge. Surrounded by lush Langkawi rainforest and drenched in glamour, the Datai is a standard-bearer for luxury hotels in Malaysia and has been developed with the ultimate respect to the environment and Malaysian cultural heritage.

This aerial photograph more than adequately shows its position with respect to both the rainforest and the shoreline of the Andaman Sea. This diverse setting creates the perfect getaway for nature lovers, marine and sea sports enthusiasts, as well as those seeking luxury solitude.

The Datai is some 30 minutes drive from Langkawi's International Airport and the hotel offers a more than excellent limousine transfer service. On arrival at the entrance to The Datai one is immediately taken by the architecture and the manner in which the hotel has been blended into the surrounding area…

The Datai Langkawi has a series of well-appointed rooms, villas and suites with size-able bedrooms, living areas, private verandahs and amazing views of the natural landscape. The Datai Langkawi features some 106 rooms, consisting of 54 deluxe rooms, 40 villas and 12 suites. All rooms have individually controlled air conditioning, ceiling fans, satellite TV, DVD player, hairdryers, international direct dial telephones and personal safes.

We chose a Villa Room for our first visit and were thought ourselves exceedingly lucky with its position. Indeed, through careful contact with the excellent General Manager we have now returned on four separate occasions and always to that same villa.

The Dining Room serves perfectly pitched Malaysian and Western cuisine, while the Pavilion is a beautiful, stilted restaurant amid the rainforest canopy that cooks up authentic Thai treats. For romantic alfresco dinners, opt for a beach barbecue or the different theme evenings at the Beach Club.

To give some measure of the fine dining, on my last visit I was served one of the finest Wagyu Beef steaks which I was reliably informed was flown in from Australia. Just superb.

The beach front looking out to both the Thailand and Malaysian coastlines…

The hotel employs its own naturalist and fully respects the environment in which it operates. Guests are given complimentary guided Tours of the forest surrounding the hotel by the resident naturist, one early morning and one at dusk. This gives guests who do take both tours an amazing contrast of rainforest life at two differing times of the day.

Richard Okill

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.