The Datai Langkawi

Lynn Perry

Visiting The Datai is a very special experience. From the minute you step into the hotel you are looked after. The rooms are super comfy and very well equipped and cleaned to the highest standards. There are several restaurants with the Beach Club offering lovely views in the evening as sun sets. During the day you can sit on the beach, lovely sandy beaches and you can walk along the bay. There are activities that you can do. We did the Bird watching tour, walk through the jungle and kayaking into the mangrove. During the day we had some lovely fresh fruit beautifully prepared on skewers and handed out down the beach, afternoon saw some ice cream and miniature cocktails in shot glasses. Please note that there are no shops or restaurants near-by to walk too but who needs that when you have wonderful wildlife and scenery to explore in the the hotel itself. I forgot to mention breakfast! Oh my what a feast with lots of variety offered. The best bit was the Salted caramel croissants.......very yummy. I had an absolutely fantastic holiday there. Thankyou Datai for such a memorable holiday for myself and my husband.

Alexander D

Been twice and never fails in delivering 5 star service. The experience of living in a jungle with incredible birds and monkeys. The villas with pools are amazing. There are two main pools. The reception/lobby bar areas are incredible for welcome drink. Truely a special place to holiday with incredible food and service.

Mo Mo

Breathtaking architecturally stunning hotel that is built into the rainforest with a beautiful secluded beach. As soon as you arrive, the welcome and reception is stunning with a beautiful pond with cutest tiny frogs jumping which was the beginning of the integration with nature here. The stunning hornbills flew across the treetops as we ate lunch in the dining room. We loved the Rainforest villa with it's own private pool and free but limited mini bar. The shuttle buggies come and collect you from your doorstep to the beach or up to the main building. The villa was absolutely stunning with sounds of the forest around with the largest luxurious bathroom and private pool (although you may have to share with a monkey on occasion!) The beach was gorgeous and there is another pool which is kid friendly there but the breakfast at the beach is for the villa guests and not for those staying in the main hotel. We were impressed the by the chef series attracting talents like Alain Roux for curated dining evenings and the plethora of activities although recommend booking the free ones before you arrive as spots are limited. If you want a totally different immersive luxurious rainforest experience, this is the place. We arrived by our own car and would recommend if you are doing the same to come in the daylight because the uphill roads are extremely windy and there are animals crossing and on the roads at all times of day.

Pedro Simko

Our stay at The Datai was truly wonderful from start to finish. We stayed in a beach villa that was beautifully appointed with everything we needed for a comfortable and relaxing experience. A particularly thoughtful touch was the curated book selection in the room, including a great book on Kerry Hill, the architect behind the property. From the moment we arrived, we felt warmly welcomed and genuinely cared for. Every day we had a lovely tea time arranged in our villa by Debra, complete with fresh fruit. A special mention goes to Danish, The Datai’s trainer, with whom I had three private strength sessions. He is knowledgeable, passionate about health and wellbeing, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Dining was very good - the fresh fish at the Beach Club was delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed the buffets at both Gulai, the Malaysian restaurant, and the Beach Club. The overall quality of the food was excellent, with chefs making a real effort to accommodate guests’ preferences. There are gluten and lactose-free options available, though somewhat limited. It would be wonderful to see more healthy choices introduced such as coconut yogurt at breakfast, as well as more fiber-rich options like ground flaxseeds or chia seeds, or even a dedicated healthy menu in every of the 4 restaurants. The service across the resort was excellent - kind, attentive, and genuinely hospitable. At the spa, the massages were very good, although the facial did not quite meet expectations. Looking ahead, it would be fantastic if the hotel considered adding wellness features such as an infrared sauna and a cold plunge. The natural surroundings are simply stunning. The 1.2 km beach is perfect for peaceful walks, and the flora and fauna are exceptional. The sustainability team and guided nature tours were a standout experience - so passionate and informative. Dev, the leader of the team, is truly inspiring. Thank you, Dev, for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with us. We were also touched by Kartik’s thoughtful gesture of sourcing wonderful teas for us after learning about our passion for tea. As a small suggestion, while the fruit basket in our villa was beautiful and regularly replenished, it would be even more aligned with the hotel’s sustainability ethos if all the fruit were local and in season. Guests visiting Malaysia would surely appreciate the opportunity to enjoy more local varieties. Thank you, The Datai, for such a special experience. We will most certainly be back.

Nicholas peck

I recently stayed at a five-star hotel and had a mix of experiences, though the negatives were striking enough to warrant serious consideration. 1. **Stellar Location**: The location is indeed magnificent, offering remarkable seclusion and a breathtaking view of the beach that feels exclusive and enchanting. 2. **Beautiful Design**: The hotel boasts a stunning, traditional rainforest-inspired design that adds a unique charm to the overall experience. 3. **Aesthetic Room Setup**: The room was aesthetically pleasing, especially with its private pool and picturesque vistas of nature that instantly instilled a sense of relaxation. 4. **Amazing Massage**: The massage I received was exceptional, truly a highlight of my stay. However, the experience was overwhelmingly marred by the management's glaring shortcomings: 1. **Management Blunders**: The management staff needs a complete overhaul—it's astounding to witness such inefficiency in a five-star establishment. Breakfast time became a chaotic and frustrating ordeal, with absolutely no crowd management in place. It felt like a free-for-all! Finding a seat was nearly impossible, and I was left wandering around in search of a spot among the chaos, which is far from the serene breakfast experience one would expect at such a prestigious hotel. 2. **Dusty Rooms**: To add insult to injury, the rooms were inexplicably dusty. It was as if they hadn't been properly cleaned in ages, which detracted significantly from the luxurious stay I had envisioned. Ultimately, while the hotel has potential due to its stunning environment and excellent amenities, the management's (ZUL) swift response made it exceptional.