Langkawi choices
Dec 8, 2017, 8:12 pm
#16
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
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Posts: 2,096
I have to say I don’t love the color palette, but I in no way think it’s as bad as you do.
Of course, keep in mind that we also got married at La Residence in Franschhoek with a design scheme that doesn’t appeal to us but which we enjoyed nonetheless because it’s so different from that which we normally enjoy.
Of course, keep in mind that we also got married at La Residence in Franschhoek with a design scheme that doesn’t appeal to us but which we enjoyed nonetheless because it’s so different from that which we normally enjoy.
The St Regis Langkawi (for the most part) doesn't look bad in any way - the rooms actually look quite nice. It's just that they might as well be on the 57th floor of an office-hotel building in Tokyo, New York, Hong Kong etc. Apart from the views, it might as well just be a city hotel - barely looks like a resort. They just look boring. Give me the Datai any day.
Dec 9, 2017, 3:33 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
You weren’t disappointed by the StR beach? I’ve heard nothing but complaints and disappointment with its beach—something about it being muddy water quite often. Is that not accurate or overblown? Please do tell! I’m a big StR, as most know...but I wouldn’t want to go to a seaside resort with an ugly beach or muddy unappealing water!
Dec 9, 2017, 6:01 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,439
Some discussion on Langkawi here - Langkawi's best resort: Four Seasons or Datai ? - we walked around the FS - it is built in Moroccan style which didn't seem right in Malaysia and felt totally soulless to us.
Dec 9, 2017, 8:19 am
#19
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As a scuba diver, the St Regis Langkawi is by far the best located of all the Langkawi luxury resorts for the best diving sites in the Pulau Payar Marine Park islands, just 30 km to the southeast of Langkawi. That is likely why we’d still opt for the StR.
Scuba Diving in Langkawi - Where to Dive in Langkawi
https://divezone.net/diving/langkawi-island
Scuba Diving in Langkawi - Where to Dive in Langkawi
https://divezone.net/diving/langkawi-island
Dec 10, 2017, 12:07 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
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But is it worth staying at a substandard (IMO) luxury resort to avoid perhaps a bit of a drive to the proper take off point for a good scuba trip? Not really asking for a reply - just a thought.
Anyway you can't leave from the resort directly to a boat to scuba dive, so......
Anyway you can't leave from the resort directly to a boat to scuba dive, so......
As a scuba diver, the St Regis Langkawi is by far the best located of all the Langkawi luxury resorts for the best diving sites in the Pulau Payar Marine Park islands, just 30 km to the southeast of Langkawi. That is likely why we’d still opt for the StR.
Scuba Diving in Langkawi - Where to Dive in Langkawi
https://divezone.net/diving/langkawi-island
Scuba Diving in Langkawi - Where to Dive in Langkawi
https://divezone.net/diving/langkawi-island
Dec 10, 2017, 4:44 am
#21
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But is it worth staying at a substandard (IMO) luxury resort to avoid perhaps a bit of a drive to the proper take off point for a good scuba trip? Not really asking for a reply - just a thought.
Anyway you can't leave from the resort directly to a boat to scuba dive, so......
Anyway you can't leave from the resort directly to a boat to scuba dive, so......
First, most dive boats leaving for Pulau Payar Marine Park depart from Kuah—which is a mere 10 min from the St Regis. The St Regis is overwhelmingly the closest luxury resort to the Kuah harbor. The Datai is a 1 hr drive from Kuah, and both the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton are over 30 min drive away.
Second, while you may prefer the Datai, Four Seasons, and perhaps even the Ritz Carlton, calling the St Regis a substandard luxury resort puts things into perspective for me. The St Regis looks to be hardly less of a luxury resort than any of those others mentioned. There’s a difference between preferring one hotel over another and referring to one as substandard. Especially without qualification. I must reject your assessment.
Third, I am not built to laze around a resort for more than a few days without having some sort of excursions and activities beyond the resort. If I’m going to a tropical resort location, I will want to scuba dive. If the diving is good, I’ll end up wanting to dive more. If I’m going to be in the tropics, picking a resort from which I can easily scuba dive is most certainly a big factor for me. But I still want to stay at a luxury resort.
Fourth, while some have complained about the muddy beaches at the St Regis, it turns out that similar complaints have been voiced for the Ritz Carlton and even the Four Seasons. In addition, seasonally there are jellyfish issues at the northern Langkawi beaches, including those for the Datai and Four Seasons, so those resorts also have issues at times. The St Regis beach is much less prone to any jellyfish issues. The Datai looks lovely....but doesn’t serve my interests for scuba diving in the slightest.
The St Regis clearly ticks all the boxes for me as a wonderful luxury resort option if I want to be on Langkawi as a scuba diver. And to enjoy the beaches without jellyfish. The fact that I am a fan of St Regis and have massive status with SPG is just icing on the cake.
Last edited by RichardInSF; Dec 10, 2017 at 9:58 am Reason: Edit out what can be construed as personal attacks
Dec 10, 2017, 7:01 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
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I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay. My opinion is based on a stay at the St Regis which led me (and others) to chose not to return even if free. I certainly hope your experience is different and the service/food issues have improved since my stay. Having just left the St Regis in Bangkok it is hard for me to believe the difference - but I do hope your experience is what you want.
I, too, have "massive status" with spg - but I don't think that matters. As is the case with all destinations seasonal variations affect diving, winds, etc. I merely stated my opinion and there really isn't a reason to insult me for asking a question!(that part has since been edited out! thanks for removing it)) Clearly each has different values and choices.
I, too, have "massive status" with spg - but I don't think that matters. As is the case with all destinations seasonal variations affect diving, winds, etc. I merely stated my opinion and there really isn't a reason to insult me for asking a question!(that part has since been edited out! thanks for removing it)) Clearly each has different values and choices.
Last edited by estnet; Dec 11, 2017 at 9:17 pm
Feb 2, 2018, 3:32 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 7,579
A little bit of a late response here, but I'm heading over to Langkawi at around the same time, also connecting through SIN. I've stayed at the FS about four times in Langkawi, and am trying to find a reason to try St Regis or Ritz instead, but just can't. The FS is an *amazing* hotel. That said, all the beaches on that island have some drawbacks - mud, trash, whatever, so you need to just manage your expectations. 
Feb 3, 2018, 1:08 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,265
...
Second, while you may prefer the Datai, Four Seasons, and perhaps even the Ritz Carlton, calling the St Regis a substandard luxury resort puts things into perspective for me. The St Regis looks to be hardly less of a luxury resort than any of those others mentioned. There’s a difference between preferring one hotel over another and referring to one as substandard. Especially without qualification. I must reject your assessment.
...
The St Regis clearly ticks all the boxes for me as a wonderful luxury resort option if I want to be on Langkawi as a scuba diver. And to enjoy the beaches without jellyfish. The fact that I am a fan of St Regis and have massive status with SPG is just icing on the cake.
. I tend to somewhat agree when comparing StR Langkawi versus the Datai. The StR may look as a wonderful luxury resort but in reality that was not the case overall. And I had already set my expectations very low because of so many bad reviews and start up issues. Plat recognition was also pretty poor, they are super stingy on upgrades.
I far preferred the Datai over the StR and chances are zero I would return to the StR. Our stay was not bad but nearly not good enough to qualify as a truly luxury experience. We were there just over a year ago so things might have changed.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...-thread-8.html
Feb 3, 2018, 8:05 am
#26
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@estnet called the StR Langkawi in particular a substandard luxury resort, not the StR as a whole. There's a difference .
I tend to somewhat agree when comparing StR Langkawi versus the Datai. The StR may look as a wonderful luxury resort but in reality that was not the case overall. And I had already set my expectations very low because of so many bad reviews and start up issues. Plat recognition was also pretty poor, they are super stingy on upgrades.
I far preferred the Datai over the StR and chances are zero I would return to the StR. Our stay was not bad but nearly not good enough to qualify as a truly luxury experience. We were there just over a year ago so things might have changed.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...-thread-8.html
.I tend to somewhat agree when comparing StR Langkawi versus the Datai. The StR may look as a wonderful luxury resort but in reality that was not the case overall. And I had already set my expectations very low because of so many bad reviews and start up issues. Plat recognition was also pretty poor, they are super stingy on upgrades.
I far preferred the Datai over the StR and chances are zero I would return to the StR. Our stay was not bad but nearly not good enough to qualify as a truly luxury experience. We were there just over a year ago so things might have changed.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...-thread-8.html
I still appreciate that you and others prefer the other luxury resorts on Langkawi. Nothing wrong with that. I vastly prefer the Crillon and Peninsula in Paris to the FSGV. But that doesn’t mean the FSGV is substandard luxury, either.
Feb 7, 2018, 9:32 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: UK/TZ
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Went to Langkawi in Oct last year and stayed at the Ritz on points.. an unbelievable place with immaculate attention to detail.
As a Marriott Gold got upgraded from Rainforest Deluxe to Junior Suite and it is literally a full blown one bed apartment. It is quite a big resort and hence has buggies chauffering you around and on my way to the gym it has a good sized kids club with from what looked like it had plenty of activities for the young ones. The beach is very nice and they give complimentary kayaks etc to go in to the water
I haven't stayed anywhere else in Langkawi but I don't think I would after staying at the Ritz
As a Marriott Gold got upgraded from Rainforest Deluxe to Junior Suite and it is literally a full blown one bed apartment. It is quite a big resort and hence has buggies chauffering you around and on my way to the gym it has a good sized kids club with from what looked like it had plenty of activities for the young ones. The beach is very nice and they give complimentary kayaks etc to go in to the water
I haven't stayed anywhere else in Langkawi but I don't think I would after staying at the Ritz
Mar 20, 2018, 2:42 pm
#28
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Manchester
Programs: BA Executive Club, QR Privilege Club, HH Gold
Posts: 63
Not in the same league as aforementioned hotels, but I am going to Langkawi in 2 weeks and staying at Tanjung Rhu. Picked mainly for unbelievable VFM and best-rated beach on the island.
Will be coming from 3 nights in KL.
Will be coming from 3 nights in KL.
Mar 26, 2018, 2:49 pm
#29
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 80
Just came back from 6 days at the Andaman. Very nice stay, but I would not say it is a real luxury hotel in the FS, RC, StR category. (Standard) Rooms are a bit dated and smallish. Had to ask a few times to get stuff fixed. Service in restaurant is excellent, motivated staff and food is good (important as there are no alternatives nearby at the moment).
Reception staff is hit and miss. The guy checking us in was absolutely clueless about everything. Someone had also messed up our reservation, had booked a rate with breakfast. The breakfast got “lost” after the SPG BRG process, this took 10 minutes to sort out.
Good hotel for families, fantastic pool area, good beach. There was one big jellyfish one morning though, so not even the north is “safe”. Monkeys in the property which is a big hit. Kids club was a bit of a let down as the staff was a bit unmotivated.
All in all not comparable to the real luuxury options, but at a third of the price a real bargain and good value for money.
The real surprise though was “The Danna”. Absolutely exceptional hotel. Location is a bit weird, but the hotel itself makes up for it. Excellent restaurants, excellent bar. Exceptional service. Large beautiful rooms. Large pool, beach ok. The high ranking on Tripadvisor is well-deserved. This is a great hotel if you want to discover the island for a few days and have a car.
Reception staff is hit and miss. The guy checking us in was absolutely clueless about everything. Someone had also messed up our reservation, had booked a rate with breakfast. The breakfast got “lost” after the SPG BRG process, this took 10 minutes to sort out.
Good hotel for families, fantastic pool area, good beach. There was one big jellyfish one morning though, so not even the north is “safe”. Monkeys in the property which is a big hit. Kids club was a bit of a let down as the staff was a bit unmotivated.
All in all not comparable to the real luuxury options, but at a third of the price a real bargain and good value for money.
The real surprise though was “The Danna”. Absolutely exceptional hotel. Location is a bit weird, but the hotel itself makes up for it. Excellent restaurants, excellent bar. Exceptional service. Large beautiful rooms. Large pool, beach ok. The high ranking on Tripadvisor is well-deserved. This is a great hotel if you want to discover the island for a few days and have a car.
Jun 10, 2018, 9:58 am
#30
formerly vienna-resident
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Montepulciano, Tuscany
Posts: 1,062
The Datai will reopen this September after a complete renovation. Love the look of the Beach Villa!
Langkawi has been on our list for a long time and now I'm seriously considering this for November this year - it's a bit soon after the reopening though. Would you risk it?
Langkawi has been on our list for a long time and now I'm seriously considering this for November this year - it's a bit soon after the reopening though. Would you risk it?