The Datai Langkawi

“Find a way to visit Paradise ”

We spent four days in paradise, and the golf package was absolutely worth it, despite the rental clubs being a bit worn. Aside from golf, we never left the resort and enjoyed every moment. The package included airport transfers, one dinner, and discounts on other meals and services. Everything abou… more

We spent four days in paradise, and the golf package was absolutely worth it, despite the rental clubs being a bit worn. Aside from golf, we never left the resort and enjoyed every moment. The package included airport transfers, one dinner, and discounts on other meals and services. Everything about our stay was exceptional. The staff was incredibly attentive and dedicated to meeting every guest's needs. Our room was spacious and comfortable, conveniently located near the lobby. Buggies were readily available to take us to the stunning beach, with virtually no wait. Breakfast was included, and the variety and quality of the spread were beyond anything we've ever experienced. We dined at all three on-site restaurants, and each meal was unique and delicious. The resort also offered complimentary morning and evening guided nature walks through the rainforest, demonstrating their commitment to preserving the environment. Five stars hardly do justice to the Datai!

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“Unparalleled Perfection”

Im writing this as we drive away with tears in my eyes. Words cannot describe this place. You have to experience it in person. The resort in itself is stunning, the rooms are so comfortable. We had the most basic room and it was amazing. We had monkeys running across our balcony and birds to watch … more

Im writing this as we drive away with tears in my eyes. Words cannot describe this place. You have to experience it in person. The resort in itself is stunning, the rooms are so comfortable. We had the most basic room and it was amazing. We had monkeys running across our balcony and birds to watch in the rainforest constantly. The conservation done by the resort is very apparent. They have a team of on site biologists that are a wealth of knowledge and provide great tours. Dev, the head biologist was so kind and informative. The staff are all attentive and so good with kids. We had our 16 month old with us and everyone was patient and tolerant. The beach is beautiful and so secluded with great lounge areas to spend the day there. The restaurants are great. We loved the Gulai house the best. The staff were over the top accommodating and lovely. From the time our luxury car picked us up to our last drive away from the Datai, it had been a trip we will never forget.

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“Definitely the Datai”

As with other reviews, it has to be said that the staff at the hotel are amazing. All are so friendly, really helpful, and an absolute credit to the resort. Far too many names to call out individuals, but we were treated so well by everybody, in the restaurants, around the pool, in the nature centr… more

As with other reviews, it has to be said that the staff at the hotel are amazing. All are so friendly, really helpful, and an absolute credit to the resort. Far too many names to call out individuals, but we were treated so well by everybody, in the restaurants, around the pool, in the nature centre and at the lobby. The food throughout has been fantastic. On the Half board package you obviously get breakfast; so much choice of fresh fruit, bakery and cooked items, and then in each of the 4 restaurants you get a starter, main, side and a dessert. Personal preference was the Dining Room and the Beach Club. The Dining Room has an exceptional a la carte menu as well as 2 set menus. One, a tasting menu, is chargeable and only available once a week. The other is available every day without supplement. The Beach Club in the evening has a great selection of fresh fish every day that you can select from the ice display. The Gulai House and the Pavillion also had incredible menus with a lot of choice, but with wooden tables seemed a bit more “rustic” instead of fine dining. In each restaurant there is an extensive wine list with bottles from about £30 upwards. In my view the hotel doesn’t make enough of its wine credentials. They have a lovely cellar and a sommelier team, but they’re not visible in the restaurants and the waiting staff bring the bottle to your table and top up your glass. In your room, there is fresh fruit, plenty of water, and the mini bar is topped up daily, including beer, Coke and Sprite, with no supplement. Most evenings, we enjoyed a cocktail in the Lobby Lounge overlooking the forest leading down the Andaman Sea; what a view! Cocktails were about £10 each. I’ve said that the hotel doesn’t make enough of it’s wine selection. We love wine; I’m a collector and have industry qualifications, so I pushed to have a wine tasting in the cellar. It was thoroughly enjoyable and good fun, but isn’t really advertised and in my mind, should be. Around the resort, be aware that there are a lot of steps and also some steep slopes that can be slippery when wet so walking on those after dark isn’t really recommended. Buggies are prompt to arrive when called at any time of the day and can whizz you between villa, restaurant, lobby etc. We loved the nature walks. The complimentary morning and evening ones were fun but also really informative with small group sizes and extremely knowledgeable guides who made sure you got to see a variety of plants and animals. The paid canopy walk was well worth it. We were lucky that it was just the two of us with a guide who was exceptionally knowledgeable and pointed out so many things that we would have missed; trees, birds, monitor lizards and snakes. The canopy walk was good fun and at that height we were lucky to spot toucans and dusky langur monkeys. Even around the hotel, there is plenty of wildlife spotting; grey monkeys can appear a bit aggressive and you must not feed them. We also spotted toucans, numerous butterflies, birds and of course the gorgeous black dusky langurs, who are content munching on their leaves while you photograph them from a distance. Unfortunately spotted a few guests who allowed their children to run and shout near to the animals and were getting a bit disrespectfully close. We took part in one of the cooking classes which was great fun. We went to the kitchen garden and were shown so many aromatic plants, before heading back to the Gulai House where we cooked a spiced salad, chicken and a fish curry. All good lighthearted fun with your own chefs hat, apron and a certificate of achievement! Definitely recommended. I noticed few people seemed to make an effort in dressing for dinner; personal preference but I think a top leading hotel should be a place where you bring out those fancy shoes and beautiful dresses! Just a few negatives - the dress code specifies no gym wear at breakfast but I saw several ladies with cycling shorts and crop tops. It also asks for videos and music not to be streamed in the restaurants and for you to step away from the table to take a call; again not always observed or enforced, which is a shame. Surely that’s just good manners and common courtesy that I would expect anywhere? Much is mentioned of the 2017 refurbishment but I observed that some parts of the rooms are looking tired with wood looking as if it has suffered through damp humid temperatures. The aircon was a bit noisy and the room often smelt musty. One of the reasons we chose the Datai was for the golf. I don’t play, but here’s my husbands review: It’s about a 7 minute drive from the hotel to the course and just ask the reception for a lift in one of their cars and they sort this really quickly. When you finish the guys at the club call the car back for you, all super efficient. We stayed for 14 nights and I pre-booked 10 rounds of golf and they did me a deal, 10 rounds for the price of 6, which was about £50 a round. I played in the afternoons as the course is almost empty then and I flew round on the buggy (my handicap is 10) and the course is lovely and 4 of the greens are right by the sea, the 5th, 7th, 16th & 17th. The course is great condition but the greens are bit ropey but fast. There are plenty of animals to see, I saw otters, the large black squirrel, monitor lizards and of course the monkeys. The Dusky Monkeys (Black ones) are great and friendly but the Grey Monkeys are not. Please do not take any food or cans of drink with you on the buggy as they will take it, they will not attack you but will search your buggy when unattended. The staff are great and really helpful and they realised that I played fast and always found me a spot to start on the course so I had an empty course in front of me, it was taking me about 1 hour 15 minutes to play each 9. As it was the rainy season I did get caught in a few showers so I had to stick to the cart paths but when the weather is warmer you can drive on the fairways. The bar is great for a post round beer and snacks and you can put everything on your room bill.

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“Unforgettable Birthday Getaway, a Perfect Blend of Luxury, Nature, World-Class Dining, & Stellar Hospitality”

We recently visited The Datai for my birthday, and the trip was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the stunning interiors that perfectly complement the lush jungle surroundings. The warm smiles, engaging conversations, and stellar service lasted througho… more

We recently visited The Datai for my birthday, and the trip was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the stunning interiors that perfectly complement the lush jungle surroundings. The warm smiles, engaging conversations, and stellar service lasted throughout our stay. There were a couple of minor mishaps—a check-in delay and some bathroom fixtures that needed attention—but the staff handled everything quickly and professionally. Just speak up, and they’ve got you covered. YOU MUST TRY ALL THEIR RESTAURANTS! Each one is an unforgettable experience with specialty food and drinks that are truly out of this world. A special mention goes to my birthday dinner, a degustation at The Dining Room. The 10 course meal with wine pairing, was almost life-changing. Huge thanks to Chef Chai! I also want to shout out the wonderful staff who gave us the room tour (I didn’t catch her name), as well as Wendy and the entire team for their warm hospitality, attentiveness and going out of their way to remember my birthday and give us a heartfelt farewell. The Datai is an exceptional experience everyone should try. I’ve already started recommending it to friends overseas to experience the true beauty of Malaysia.

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