Andaman, Langkawi, Malaysia [Master Thread] [CLOSED DUE TO FIRE JAN 2021]
Mar 24, 2011, 8:09 am
#61
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Location: SEA(sia)
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While I cant be absolutely sure, I believe they have reviewed their food pricing. Had the same dish during my latest stay, the price was lower (well marginally) eventhough they have improved the dish.
Last edited by mario33; Mar 24, 2011 at 8:25 am
Mar 24, 2011, 8:20 am
#62
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SEA(sia)
Posts: 5,181
Nature Walk
The resort offers 'complimentary' morning & evening nature walks. Each session lasts for around 90 min, its fairly interesting & quite educational. The morning & evening sessions are very different & its worth going for both (if you can wake up early in the morning). Have fun spotting the flying lemurs .....
Mar 24, 2011, 1:03 pm
#63
Join Date: May 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC-E, SPG-Plat, GP-P, HH-G
Posts: 163
Thanks to all. After reading up on the SPG properties, I have booked a C+P stay for late June at the Andaman. I will post a review after. My family and I are truly looking for a quiet break this summer and it looks like Langkawi will be a perfect retreat.
Mar 25, 2011, 12:53 pm
#64
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,736
I stayed in December and it was very disappointing. On reflection it's a hotel with an identity crisis. They market it as a luxury collection but it def isn't!
It's a family resort. No luxury at all. It needs rebranding as it isn't being done any favours. Grotty room, tap fell off bath, mould etc.
Breakfast was fabulous - the best of our 3 week stay in Asia but buffet by the pool one night was unacceptably poor and the a la carte the next night mediocre.
Plus they told us they would comp us dinner as they couldn't fix the plumbing in one room and then charged us anyway- very shoddy all round.
Nice location though but please don't go thinking luxury as it isn't.
Anne Scott was nice but basically unless they stop marketing it as luxury they are on a loser. Reception staff were appallingly trained.
It's a family resort. No luxury at all. It needs rebranding as it isn't being done any favours. Grotty room, tap fell off bath, mould etc.
Breakfast was fabulous - the best of our 3 week stay in Asia but buffet by the pool one night was unacceptably poor and the a la carte the next night mediocre.
Plus they told us they would comp us dinner as they couldn't fix the plumbing in one room and then charged us anyway- very shoddy all round.
Nice location though but please don't go thinking luxury as it isn't.
Anne Scott was nice but basically unless they stop marketing it as luxury they are on a loser. Reception staff were appallingly trained.
Mar 25, 2011, 1:33 pm
#65
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
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Posts: 10,820
I stayed in December and it was very disappointing. On reflection it's a hotel with an identity crisis. They market it as a luxury collection but it def isn't!
It's a family resort. No luxury at all. It needs rebranding as it isn't being done any favours. Grotty room, tap fell off bath, mould etc.
Breakfast was fabulous - the best of our 3 week stay in Asia but buffet by the pool one night was unacceptably poor and the a la carte the next night mediocre.
Plus they told us they would comp us dinner as they couldn't fix the plumbing in one room and then charged us anyway- very shoddy all round.
Nice location though but please don't go thinking luxury as it isn't.
Anne Scott was nice but basically unless they stop marketing it as luxury they are on a loser. Reception staff were appallingly trained.
It's a family resort. No luxury at all. It needs rebranding as it isn't being done any favours. Grotty room, tap fell off bath, mould etc.
Breakfast was fabulous - the best of our 3 week stay in Asia but buffet by the pool one night was unacceptably poor and the a la carte the next night mediocre.
Plus they told us they would comp us dinner as they couldn't fix the plumbing in one room and then charged us anyway- very shoddy all round.
Nice location though but please don't go thinking luxury as it isn't.
Anne Scott was nice but basically unless they stop marketing it as luxury they are on a loser. Reception staff were appallingly trained.
Mar 25, 2011, 1:52 pm
#66
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 1,736
It's difficult. I have to say when I was looking rates with breakfast were under 500mr (although we went just before Christmas and it was more) and at that price it is good value. The rack is about 1790 which is high for what you get.
The beach is nice for langkawi but the beaches on tne island are not the best overall. We also went to a public one which had great sea life but the andaman one was clean and children were finding crabs etc
The jungle was interesting but we have stayed a lot in Borneo so probably not as wowed as would be on a 1st visit. We did see a red flying squirrel which was pretty good! We actually saw more monkeys at the 4 seasons than the andaman.
We had a terrible reception at the hotel ( we are both spg gold). We were just given the key and pointed in direction of room ( wrong direction as it turned out). We were not told about any walks etc. We did go on the mangrove tours at another hotel and they were interesting.
The beach is nice for langkawi but the beaches on tne island are not the best overall. We also went to a public one which had great sea life but the andaman one was clean and children were finding crabs etc
The jungle was interesting but we have stayed a lot in Borneo so probably not as wowed as would be on a 1st visit. We did see a red flying squirrel which was pretty good! We actually saw more monkeys at the 4 seasons than the andaman.
We had a terrible reception at the hotel ( we are both spg gold). We were just given the key and pointed in direction of room ( wrong direction as it turned out). We were not told about any walks etc. We did go on the mangrove tours at another hotel and they were interesting.
Mar 27, 2011, 12:51 am
#67
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SEA(sia)
Posts: 5,181
Monkeys are a common sight throughout SE Asia, even in some city suburbs bordering wooded areas where its more of a menace than anything else. There are 2 types of monkeys found around The Andaman : the McKays which are the ones entering rooms (yes they know how to push the balcony door open), stealing from the fruit basket and minibar (again they know where the chocolate bars are kept) ; while the Dusky Leaf are the cute black ones with white ring round their eyes & feed mostly on tree leafs, which most guests adore.
You appeared to have been allocated an unrenovated room during peak/high season. AFAIK all / most "rooms" have been renovated by now. While the new rooms is not something to get excited over, the new bathrooms (with white marble floors & mosaic walls) are very decent (even if it feels a bit funky) and outshine the bathrooms found at many new Starwood hotels in Thailand eg Le Meridien Chiang Rai
You kept comparing The Andaman with the Four Seasons. As I have mentioned before, its unfair comparison since the typical rate at the FS is 2-3 times that at The Andaman. Honestly I find nothing wrong with the "Luxury Collection" branding here; its not St Regis & many LC properties are not in the true sense 'luxury' the best example of which is the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok with the most cheap & ugly bathroom of any hotel I have stayed at.
True, The Andaman has a few flaws; the main defect being the lack of a proper balcony in the rooms which is inexcusable for a resort of this nature (blame the stupid architect) & service is inconsistent (though finding decent service anywhere in Malaysia is often a challenge). However the setting, the wildlife, the beach & the view make up for these shortfalls. Among all the recent Starwood resorts in SE Asia, I do not believe any of them could match The Andaman (unless you are into funky Ws which I would never consider staying)
You appeared to have been allocated an unrenovated room during peak/high season. AFAIK all / most "rooms" have been renovated by now. While the new rooms is not something to get excited over, the new bathrooms (with white marble floors & mosaic walls) are very decent (even if it feels a bit funky) and outshine the bathrooms found at many new Starwood hotels in Thailand eg Le Meridien Chiang Rai
You kept comparing The Andaman with the Four Seasons. As I have mentioned before, its unfair comparison since the typical rate at the FS is 2-3 times that at The Andaman. Honestly I find nothing wrong with the "Luxury Collection" branding here; its not St Regis & many LC properties are not in the true sense 'luxury' the best example of which is the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok with the most cheap & ugly bathroom of any hotel I have stayed at.
True, The Andaman has a few flaws; the main defect being the lack of a proper balcony in the rooms which is inexcusable for a resort of this nature (blame the stupid architect) & service is inconsistent (though finding decent service anywhere in Malaysia is often a challenge). However the setting, the wildlife, the beach & the view make up for these shortfalls. Among all the recent Starwood resorts in SE Asia, I do not believe any of them could match The Andaman (unless you are into funky Ws which I would never consider staying)
Last edited by mario33; Mar 27, 2011 at 1:00 am
Mar 27, 2011, 1:07 pm
#69
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Thanks, B100, m33 and Soy. Good to get these perspectives, as the hotel is on our list of possible/likely places to visit.
Mar 27, 2011, 3:18 pm
#70
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,742
The GM is very engaged here. The property, both hard and soft, is not yet as perfect as she would like it to be. She visited with us for 15 minutes or so on our arrival, chatting about renovation plans that continue over the next 18 months amongst other topics. After our departure, I got an email from her, asking for feedback on our stay. I was specific about 2 items that should be improved. I received a response within the hour that she had already discussed the points with some staff and would discuss further at her morning management meeting. soy posted that during their stay, they did not get bottles of water. During our stay, every day, staff arrived with a tray of 8 bottles of water, ready to replenish any that had been used. I suspect that happened because soy spoke to the GM. She then put a system in place to address it. I am confident that the items I mentioned have now been attended to. I believe that this property is an already good property, on a steady course of improvement.
Apr 7, 2011, 11:04 pm
#71
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: *G, SPG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 132
Something came in through the mail a few minutes ago...
Dear Valued Partner,
Warm greetings from The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort, Langkawi.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and business partnership with our resort throughout the year.
We are delighted to inform you that we will soon be continuing refurbishment works to the guest bathrooms in our South Wing rooms.
The project will commence on 2 May 2011 and we expect to see it completed by 30 June 2011.
The refurbishment project will involve outfitting our South Wing bathrooms with new contemporary touches. The finished look will be fresh and stylish, offering an experience we believe our guests will appreciate.
Please find below more detailed information pertaining to the project:
Project Duration 2 May 2011 – 30 June 2011
Scope of Work
- New recessed lighting with dimmer control
- Replacement of existing walls and flooring with white crystal-honed marble and glass mosaic tiles
- New polished chrome faucets and other bathroom fixtures
- Installation of rainforest showers
Rooms Types Deluxe Rainforest
Location of Rooms South Wing
Areas affected Guest rooms only
Working Hours 9.00am – 5.30pm daily
Expected Noise Levels We have been assured noise will be confined within the rooms, however due to the layout of our hotel with open corridors, we do expect some noise to travel
Safety Measures Areas under construction will be cordoned off.
We would also like to assure you that during this time, we will upgrade all your bookings to our North Wing rooms.
Dear Valued Partner,
Warm greetings from The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort, Langkawi.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and business partnership with our resort throughout the year.
We are delighted to inform you that we will soon be continuing refurbishment works to the guest bathrooms in our South Wing rooms.
The project will commence on 2 May 2011 and we expect to see it completed by 30 June 2011.
The refurbishment project will involve outfitting our South Wing bathrooms with new contemporary touches. The finished look will be fresh and stylish, offering an experience we believe our guests will appreciate.
Please find below more detailed information pertaining to the project:
Project Duration 2 May 2011 – 30 June 2011
Scope of Work
- New recessed lighting with dimmer control
- Replacement of existing walls and flooring with white crystal-honed marble and glass mosaic tiles
- New polished chrome faucets and other bathroom fixtures
- Installation of rainforest showers
Rooms Types Deluxe Rainforest
Location of Rooms South Wing
Areas affected Guest rooms only
Working Hours 9.00am – 5.30pm daily
Expected Noise Levels We have been assured noise will be confined within the rooms, however due to the layout of our hotel with open corridors, we do expect some noise to travel
Safety Measures Areas under construction will be cordoned off.
We would also like to assure you that during this time, we will upgrade all your bookings to our North Wing rooms.
Apr 8, 2011, 6:38 am
#72
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Location: SEA(sia)
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And I thought they were done with the South Wing renovations at the end of last year where almost the entire wing was closed. Looks like they just refurbished the bedrooms then, and they are doing the bathrooms now 
Apr 18, 2011, 1:02 am
#73
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Guangzhou
Programs: SPG
Posts: 1,021
The property would like to add in their response to this thread.
“The project to renovate the South wing rooms did start last year. However, due to some issues (including with availability of materials), they only managed to complete a section of rooms and had to re-schedule the rest of the project into 2011.”
Best regards,
Christina Zhou | Social Media Specialist (AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
“The project to renovate the South wing rooms did start last year. However, due to some issues (including with availability of materials), they only managed to complete a section of rooms and had to re-schedule the rest of the project into 2011.”
Best regards,
Christina Zhou | Social Media Specialist (AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Nice to read you...
Apr 18, 2011, 3:55 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: South Korea
Posts: 1,168
I think my summary of this entire thread so far would be:
Great location with a beautiful beach, a lush jungle and monkeys whilst the property itself does not live up to the brand standards of a Luxury Collection property.
would anyone disagree?
Great location with a beautiful beach, a lush jungle and monkeys whilst the property itself does not live up to the brand standards of a Luxury Collection property.
would anyone disagree?