The Datai on Langkawi is a jungle paradise with a fantastic beach, first-class service and luxurious suites and villas – ideal for an unforgettable vacation where pure relaxation is guaranteed.
This is hotel review #21 of a total of #30 reviews
Table of contents
Location
The Datai is located in the far north-western tip of the Malaysian island of Langkawi right in the middle of a dense jungle on the beautiful Datai Bay. In the very north of Malaysia, right by the border with Thailand, the island boasts dream beaches, emerald green water and deep green, endless jungle.
How to get there
Of course you can reach Langkawi International Airport by plane. There are flights to several international destinations, such as Singapore, Penang and, of course, Kuala Lumpur. However, there are also occasional flights to more distant international destinations such as Dubai.
Of course, the island can also be reached by ferry from Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah on Malaysia mainland.
How to get to the resort
We got to The Datai by cab coming from our previous hotel, which was Four Seasons Resort Langkawi. The drive took us around half an hour.
The tourist mode of transportation on Langkawi island is usually by car. I can´t remember seeing any other option. You can actually get anywhere by grab. However, as The Datai is built in a very remote stretch of the island, drivers may not want to make the long drive there to pick you up. In this situation, you would have to order a cab or organize transportation in advance. Of course, the hotel will also pick you up at the airport or ferry terminal for an extra charge.
As in all upscale hotels on the island, there first will be a check at the gate by the main road whether you are on the arrival list or not. Only once this has been verified you are allowed to pass.
Check-in
At the end of the long driveway, the car stops at a covered driveway where some staff members are waiting to greet you. On arrival, our suitcases were unloaded and, after a quick check to make sure all our luggage was in order, they were then taken to our room. We received a very warm welcome and after a ritual gong to welcome us, we were seated at the far end of the open lobby for check-in and could this way soak in the incredible views over the entire bay.
At our seat, we were first served tea with cookies and cold, fragrant towels. The incredibly friendly lady who checked us in asked whether we had any allergies and if we would like a reservation for one of the restaurants for dinner.
We were given detailed informations about the hotel and the restaurants, including a physical map. We also got green wristbands as a replacement of the room key. So you no longer have to worry about losing or misplacing your keycard.
To top it all off, we were asked if we wanted a glass of champagne. Of course we were super happy to accept that offer. So she came back with a freshly opened bottle of Rothschild and poured the glasses so full…. they nearly overflew! At this perfect moment she also informed us that we had been upgraded to a villa. What a start!
The Datai at a glance
As you can see on this map further down, The Datai is spread over a large plot of land. The main building with its two wings is located at the top of the slope in a central position with a magnificent view of the bay. In addition to the reception, the lobby lounge, dining room, pavilion, library and store, there is also the adult pool. Rooms and suites are located inside the wings.
The various types of Rainforest Villas are spread across the entire property. By the beach you will find the Beach Villas, Family Pool, Beach Club with bar, as well as the Water Sports Center, Gym and Nature Center.
The Butterfly Walk runs along the centre of the lower property. Here you can walk from the lobby all the way down to the beach surrounded by beautiful nature. The Gulai House is located a little further to the side of the hill.
Villa
We were able to book a preferred guest rate at The Datai through a travel agent. This rate included:
- breakfast for two
- early check-in
- late check-out (subject to availability)
- welcome gift
- upgrade (subject to availability)
As we really wanted a villa, we booked a King Top Floor room with balcony and luckily got upgraded to a Rainforest Villa just as planned. This villa type measures 123 square meters including the terrace.
The plan below is mirror-inverted, but otherwise correct. We got villa number 31.
Welcome
We were driven to the villa in a golf cart and accompanied by the nice lady who had checked us in. Once we had arrived she welcomed us to our “home away from home”, showed us around and explained everything. The suitcases were already there and she double checked that they were ours.
Our incredible welcome gift was already awaiting us at the villa. We received fruit, two welcome letters as well as a small bottle of Taittinger champagne. How very generous. Shortly after we moved in, the ice bucket was even proactively refilled for us by housekeeping. Great service, isn’t it!
Living room and bedroom
Just behind the entrance door you find yourself right in the middle of the main room. To the left in front of one window is the king-size bed with bedside tables on either side and a control panel for all lamps and the like hidden behind the headboard. Directly to the left of the entrance is a console for storage and on the opposite wall is a desk with a view of the jungle.
A low coffee table with two armchairs is placed in the middle of the room facing the door to the bathroom. The minibar is located to the right of this door. All soft drinks are refilled free of charge once per stay. You will also find everything you need to prepare coffee and tea here. The TV is installed to the left of the door.
Bathroom
The really spacious bathroom has identical washbasins installed on both sides with the bathtub installed in front of the window at the far end. Low drawer cabinets are installed on the right and left, which double as luggage racks. This is a great touch of detail, as you usually only find one place to store suitcases in the rooms. But where should the second suitcase be put?
Center room a low bench is placed. All care products are our own brands of very good quality.
On both sides of the door, built-in wardrobes can be found, which contain an iron and ironing board, slippers, a safe and bathrobes. The shower is installed to the left of the cupboard. The toilet is on the right.
Turndown
As befits a hotel in this price range, The Datai also offers turndown service. In this case, it is executed exceptionally good in my opinion. Bedside rugs, slippers and water are laid out by the bed. Magazines and TV remote control are placed by the bedside tables, curtains are loosened and bathrobes are placed on top of the bed. All shoes are neatly lined up next to the door. In addition, all the shutters are closed and a small bedtime treat is provided. That’s what I call service!
View
Opposite the entrance door, you can access the small terrace through the backdoor. The space is covered and really beautifully designed with two armchairs and a large, cozy daybed.
However, the view is facing the jungle of which I think that can be a great view. But in my opinion this really is the only disappointment of this villa – the view was of logs and dry red soil and unfortunately not at all lush and green as I expected it to be.
So please forgive me for forgetting to take a photo of the view itself – I guess I was just too disappointed.
Resort activities
Adult Pool
The Datai offers its Adult Pool just below the Lobby Lounge and in front of the Dining Room. As it is located at the top of the hill, you have a magnificent view over the entire Datai Bay. Guests aged 16 and over are welcome at this pool. The sun loungers are equipped with white cushions and umbrellas, which underlines the extremely elegant impression.
Family Pool
By the entrance to the beach you will find the family pool. Here you can choose between regular loungers and small four-poster beds. The pool is beautifully surrounded by greenery and you can spot the emerald green sea through the trees.
At the far end is a pool for small kids. They can splash around in the shade and enjoy the water just like the adults do.
Beach
The Datai is located at beautiful Datai Bay with its wonderful white dream beach. Only hotel guests can access this beach as other guests have to get there by boat.
The endless beach curves gently like a crescent moon and is embedded in tropical greenery. This is the perfect spot to get that real James Bond feeling.
Plenty of loungers in the shade under the beachside trees are provided and as soon as we had chosen our loungers, two cool bottles of water with glasses, ice cubes and cool towels were already waiting for us. Just perfect service.
Fitness Center
You will also find the gym right by the beach. The room is equipped with everything you need for a good workout. Unfortunately, the room was very busy every time we visited and we couldn’t take any pictures. But you can also take another look here.
Situated on the beach side in front of the fitness center is a large open space that is used for yoga classes, among other things.
Water sports
If you fancy water activities, The Datai provides you with all kinds of sports equipment. Canoes, SUPs and similar equipment can be hired free of charge, subject to availability. Larger and motorized activities can be rented for an extra charge.
Spa
The Spa at The Datai is located in the middle of the resort and the jungle. Here you will find all kinds of treatments – just as your heart desires. The 5 treatment villas are located alongside a small stream. These are spacious and beautifully designed. However, it should be mentioned that 4 out of the 5 villas are open to one side and therefore not air-conditioned. This may not be your cup of tea.
Tours
One of the principles of The Datai is to bring guests closer to the local flora and fauna. The hotel offers a wide variety of tours. We opted for a walk through the jungle to a path up in the treetops. Actually, the tour was very nice and educational – but it took place in the midday heat and so we were completely drenched in sweat after just a few steps. The tour guide was somehow strangely disillusioned or in a bad mood or something along those lines.
Nevertheless, I think the walk was worth doing something that wasn’t just pool, beach or sun loungers. We learned something and got some great views.
Golf course
The hotel also offers a highly renowned 18-hole golf course outside the actual hotel grounds. It is beautifully situated in the middle of the jungle and extends to the sea, offering unique golfing moments.
Special features
What’s really exciting is that The Datai shared the bay with The Andaman Resort until December 2022. The former hotel and its ruins are located at the far end of the bay just 10 minutes down the beach and was a competing 5-star hotel until it has been destroyed by two fires – today it is only for people who fancy lost places vibes.
Restaurants
The Gulai House
As we were staying only one night at The Datai we only ate The Gulai House during our stay. Dinner at this Indian restaurant was excellent. Easily one of the best garlic naan in the world is made here. The restaurant’s own tandoor oven certainly does the rest. The open-plan house is located in the middle of the jungle and conveys a total tropical flair.
The open kitchen is a real eye-opener and if you like, you can check out the catch of the day on display and choose from it what you want for dinner. The super friendly staff also do a great job. We had a really nice evening here with delicious food and great drinks. By the way, there is also an air-conditioned area for guests who find it too hot without.
The Pavillion
The restaurant, built on stilts to the side of the adult pool, serves Thai food with a fantastic view of lush greenery and the bay.
The Beach Club and Beach Bar
The beach restaurant offers a semi-buffet with an additional a la carte option for breakfast. At lunchtime there are more classic poolside snacks and in the evening an extended menu with an Italian twist is served with a view of the beach, sea and pool.
Breakfast
For breakfast we went to The Dining Room. According to the website, there is also a smaller breakfast at the Beach Club, but we were not aware of this during our stay. So either it wasn’t (yet) available at that time or we weren’t informed about it – which I honestly can’t imagine taking into credit the incredibly high standard of service offered at this hotel.
Once we got there we were warmly welcomed in the restaurant and shown to a table. You can choose from a small a lá carte menu or from the buffet. If you wish, you can also be shown the buffet.
For a start we wanted to pour ourselves a Kir Royal at the bar and were immediately offered help. Super attentive staff! Drinks are of course served at your seat, as are orders from the menu. There are two live cooking stations – one for eggs and the other for fresh juices.
As you by now might know us, Fabi obviously ordered the Egg Benedict and got a fantastic version with crispy chicken. For me, of course, there was the French toast, which was also absolutely delicious. Throughout breakfast, the service was extremely fast and incredibly friendly.
Check-out
For check-out, we and our luggage were driven from the villa to the lobby by golf cart. Everything was already prepared there and all the formalities were completed in no time at all. Of course, we were also helped with a cab again.
Cost
At The Datai we paid 3305 MYR for one night, which was equivalent to 678 euros in spring 2024.
Departure and onward journey
By cab we were heading for the next and last hotel on this Langkawi trip. The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi is located 30 minutes further south and is conveniently situated not far from the airport. Of course, we were again helped with our luggage and given a friendly farewell by some of the staff.
Conclusion
The Datai is fantastic! The location right in the middle of the jungle by a beautiful secluded bay is amazing. The service is superb and the villas and public areas are maintained to the highest standard. Not a scratch or speck of dust anywhere. All in all, one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. The only thing I found a pity was the view from the terrace in our villa. But that is really just my personal opinion and Fabi absolutely does not agree on that!
Hotel Homepage
Rating
We award The Datai 11 out of 10 possible points. We have only awarded 11 points twice on this blog so far and only for hotels where all expectations have been exceeded by far. The Datai thus joins the ranks of extraordinary hotels and currently forms a trio.
Go there?
Absolutely! The price is quite high, but we can definitely recommend The Datai as an experience.
Singles, couples and families alike can enjoy a relaxing vacation here. The resort is that extended – you rarely see a lot of other guests and can only come together in a group if you really want and plan to. Otherwise … Of course, this hotel is also more of a honeymoon destination, but this is least noticeable here.
Langkawi round trip
We stayed at this hotel in the middle of our Langkawi round trip. If you are also interested in reading more about the other three hotels, stay tuned and have a look for the St. Regis Langkawi, the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi and the Ritz-Carlton Langkawi on this blog. I promise it’s worth it!
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