ajca

I just spent the weekend at The Datai and had dinner at the Four Seasons.

The Datai is spectacular and I would go back there in a heartbeat. A Kerry Hill-designed resort in a secluded jungle cove... heaven... and the resort blends into the surroundings so perfectly you actually can't see it at all from the ocean. Service was earnest but not as polished as it could be, but nothing so much as to ruin a stay. Food was excellent.

As much as I love Bill Bensley's work, the Four Seasons did absolutely nothing for me and I wouldn't be excited about going back there. Coming from The Datai, the design of the resort seemed kind of pedestrian and overdeveloped and the beach not nearly as private. IMHO it could just as well be a Sheraton. The view of the concrete factory or whatever it is doesn't exactly scream tropical paradise.

I can't speak for the FS rooms or service levels for hotel guests but the staff I encountered seemed extraordinarily and unjustifiably snooty... when I arrived for dinner at 6:30pm on a Sunday night I asked them to hold on to our bags at the front desk while we had dinner. They looked skeptical and made a huge fuss about calling the grill restaurant first to make sure they had a table for us (of course it turned out to be completely empty). We turned up in a BMW from The Datai and the last tag on my bag was from the FS Jimbaran Bay so I'm not sure there was any cause for snootiness!

idaud

Thanks for the input Ajca - I've never really been able to clearly decide between the Datai and the Four Seasons. I hear good and bad about both but I suppose I was put off the Datai on hearing of ownership changes etc because the service is so important to me. Sounds like it's not a material factor based on your comments at least.

Now I'm booked at the Four Seasons I'm sticking with it (FS's do tend to be my default option tbh) but I'll definitely have to visit the Datai. Which restaurant would you all recommend I visit there? Is it the Thai that wins all the plaudits?

Also has anyone been to Langkawi in late August? I know to expect sporadic showers or maybe worse but is it also typical in August for it to be largely grey or can I expect a few hours of clearer skies and sunshine at least?

ajca

@idaud:

The food at the Datai Thai restaurant was really, really good - especially the lamb massaman curry which is out of this world. It has quite a nice treehouse feeling although some noisy kids running around didn't help.

The Gulai House Indian / Malay restaurant had a much nicer vibe and the food was very, very good.

So I suppose I'd suggest go for whichever style of cuisine takes your fancy at the time, but if you want something with a bit of romance then Gulai House probably a better bet. Not sure if that helps!

idaud

Thanks ajca - I'm only expecting the food at Four Seasons to be average so it's nice to have the option to dine at the Datai..plus I expect to be full from Singapore!

How far is the drive between the Datai and FS?

Musken

We stayed at the FS many years ago and back then, the food was very good, especially the Ikan Ikan restaurant and also the lunch options and pizzas in the restaurant close to the family pool. The Italian restaurant was good as well, but nothing extremely special. Same goes for snacks at the Rhu Bar. Great with so many options anyway. We left the FS to have dinners outside a couple of times. Gulai House was very good and had a nice atmosphere. We combined this dinner with some looking around and a drink at the Datai plus a walk at the beach. It was around 45 minutes to get there as far as I remember. Since you travel with kids, you might consider visiting the crocodille park on the way if it is still there. Not a must visit, but can be exciting for the kids. We also went to Bon Ton to have a meal which was nice and authentic with simple, tasty food. Finally we went twice to the Wonderland restaurant in the main town. No idea if it is still there, but we loved it. Extremely simple (plastic chairs and bring your own wine if you want), but very good food and a fun outing. This place was recommended by the concierge at FS who told us back then that some FS guests love it so much that they have food from there delivered to the FS several times during a stay. I have read that other FT-ers hate it, so it might not be for us. I remember the concierge had pictures from there so that we would be prepared for the simple place, so you might ask him/her.

Enjoy anyway - and if you enjoy like we did, you will not even think about a cement factory in the distance.

idaud

Thanks Musken. We definitely aren't afraid of a few plastic chairs and simple dining and more often than not prefer the food in such places to a lot of fine dining destinations. We have a week and so plenty of time to try out different options especially if we do excursions.

I do find it a little disconcerting that there don't seem to be too many fans of Langkawi on this forum especially since I value the opinions of many of the posters here. Something tells me that it's worth a trip though and so I'm looking forward to it.

The only other advice that would be useful is to find out what excursions are worth doing at the Four Seasons or elsewhere even. Anything that I shouldn't miss or conversely, should avoid?

quitecontrary

The two excursions really worth doing are the Cable Car and the mangrove tour. Possibly also a trip into Kuah. it is very easy to drive around the island.

In addition to the dining suggestions already given ( second Bon Ton - lovely setting and I think we also ate at Wonderland the first time we visited Langkawi ) - very close to the FS is the Scarborough Fish and Chip restaurant - we had a lovely lunch there. Totally incongruous but lovely little place run by a local chap of Indian extraction!

idaud

Scarborough fish and chips in the middle of verdant rainforest territory... No doubt a little piece of home (in case we miss it) albeit proper fish and chips in London isn't available in abundance anymore and so may be fitting that we travel thousands of miles and get a taste!

Was the Mangroves tour that you mentioned on a kayak? There's also the Geoforest Park, some kind of rainforest tour/excursion and also I've heard smething about a waterfall as a good picnic spot as well?