The Datai Langkawi

We loved the Rainforest villa, especially its private pool, spacious bathroom, and the forest sounds all around. A monkey might decide to join you in the pool, though! The minibar is included, but the selection is limited. Little shuttle buggies pick you up from the villa and take you to the beach or main building. The beach is beautiful, and there's a kid-friendly pool there too. Just note that breakfast at the beach is for villa guests, not guests staying in the main hotel. At the villa, we could also hear the hornbills flying over the treetops while we had lunch in the dining room. The architecture is striking, with the hotel built into the rainforest, and a secluded beach nearby. Even the arrival felt connected to nature, with a pond at reception and tiny frogs hopping around. We were impressed by the chef series, which brings in talents such as Alain Roux for special dining evenings. There are lots of activities, but the free ones have limited spaces, so I'd book before arriving. For a very different, immersive rainforest stay with a luxurious feel, this is a great fit. We drove ourselves and would recommend arriving in daylight. The uphill roads are very winding, and animals cross or walk along them at all hours.

The massage was a real highlight, and I liked the room's design, private pool, and views of nature. The hotel itself has a beautiful traditional rainforest style, set in a secluded spot with a stunning beach view. Breakfast was a very different story. There was no crowd management, finding a seat was difficult, and I ended up wandering around in the chaos. It wasn't the calm meal you'd expect at a five-star hotel. The room was also dusty, as though it hadn't been cleaned properly, which took away from the luxury I had expected. The hotel has plenty going for it in terms of setting and amenities, and management, especially ZUL, responded quickly. That swift response made a difference.

We left feeling humiliated and deeply disappointed, though the natural beauty wasn't the problem. We weren't allowed to walk toward the part of the shore used by The Datai Langkawi guests, while those guests regularly walked past the miserable mangrove patch set aside for us. It felt like wealth-based segregation, and the policy came across as arrogant and divisive. We had planned our visit to Teluk Datai beach carefully. Knowing access was restricted, we booked a beautiful room at Villa Huntan Datai, with breathtaking views, so we would be legitimate visitors to the area, not random tourists. We're paying guests at a nearby high-end property. But when we reached the beach, security said the whole safe, clean, usable shoreline was reserved exclusively for The Datai Langkawi guests. We were directed to a tiny muddy spot in the mangroves that floods at high tide, making it unpleasant and unsafe. The message was that we were second-class visitors. This doesn't make sense to us. There are only a couple of small private villas like ours nearby, with very few guests. Even 10-15 extra people sharing a small part of this huge beach wouldn't disturb the privacy or experience of The Datai's wealthy guests, especially when their beach was half-empty. Claims about protecting nature or guest confidentiality don't ring true. Why should we be considered less worthy of nature? Privacy could be respected without monopolizing the whole beach.

The service at The Datai was impeccable, especially at The Beach Club and Anya restaurants up front, and it really is a five-star resort. I do wish they could find a way for local people to access their own beach. It's a shame that many won't get to experience one of the island's best beaches at such an affordable price level. I think most of the advertisements are beautiful because the resort itself is so beautiful and can attract more customers.