The Datai Langkawi

Recent Reviews: 3359

• User:Girloutnumbered

  Trip type: Couples

  Amazing location but didn’t quite live up to reputation

  15 Jun 2026

  The Datai is undeniably beautifully set. We enjoyed our stay and I have rated it as average vis a vis value for money when compared to other luxury resorts in SE Asia. Staff were by and large super friendly and helpful but elements of service were haphazard at best - breakfast in particular was a Russian roulette and one day we tried to get a coffee for over half an hour. The waiter was apologetic and said he ended up making it himself….hats off to him for the initiative but it wasn’t the greatest. There is a new barista counter so it would be great to see high quality coffee coming out of it. We arrived on a Thursday lunchtime. Later that day we were walking back to our room after an afternoon on the beach to see crowds of people at a manager’s cocktail party. A member of staff asked us if we were planning on attending - it looked like the entire resort was there but we never received an invitation. We actually asked the person who checked us in if this was an oversight to which he said it was selective invitation which to us seemed totally odd (and off putting tbh).Dinner was disappointing apart from at the Thai restaurant where staff seemed to have their act together.The beach area is very nice - on the days we were there we observed poolside staff setting out loungers on the beach with towels (so they appeared taken) at set up around 8:30/9am and most days those loungers did not get sat on a single time which was frustrating when looking for a lounger. We even asked one day and was told they were being used (when they clearly were not). It’s disappointing to see this happening especially at a property of this type.We had a couples massage which was nice enough. After the treatment we were told to sit in the relaxation area and have a refreshment and relax…in principle this sounds lovely but the therapists proceeded to clean the room and chat directly behind us whilst we relaxed - it was odd!Overall we had a nice stay but would have e come back - questionable…nothing was terrible but nothing was standout when you consider the cost of staying there. I had expected to receive a post stay questionnaire to provide constructive feedback but nothing was sent to me. Stephane Duvacher, General Manager at The Datai Langkawi, responded to this review Dear Girloutnumbered,Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback following your recent stay with us.We are pleased to know that you enjoyed our beautiful natural surroundings, beach, and the hospitality of our team. We also appreciate your comments regarding the dining experience, beach facilities, spa visit, and Management Cocktail gathering, which have been carefully noted and shared with the respective teams for review. Guest feedback is invaluable as we continually strive to enhance our experiences. Thank you once again, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future.Warm regards,Stephane Duvacher

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• User:jack06

  Trip type: Couples

  Just stunning.....

  12 Jun 2026

  This was our second stay at The Datai (our last visit was about 25 years ago). The Datai experience was everything i remembered and more. This time we stayed in a rainforest villa. The rooms are beautifully decorated with the largest her/her bathrooms, and an enormous tub for long soaks! Beautiful fruit platters in the room each day, showing the local seasonal fruit was lovely. We were visited by monkeys several times during our stay (as were our friends). What an experience.Breakfast was exceptional. Nothing like bubbles or a Bloody Mary to start the day. I wish I knew the name of our chef, but every morning he made me the most delicious fresh roti, to be enjoyed with dahl or curry. Everything you could ever want for breakfast. My favourite food station at breakfast!Snacks and drinks by the "adult" pool were lovely, as was the complimentary ice cream and cocktails shots!The beach club and bar was excellent for cocktails and a more casual lunch. We enjoyed the complimentary morning guided tour, and also the evening rainforest tour. "Ham" our guide for both, is an absolute legend and he is so passionate about the animals. We were also fortunate enough to see a cobra on our evening walk. Ham was thrilled, and was talking to the snake in the way I would talk to my dogs (what a beautiful creature you are..., you are a beautiful animal). His enthusiasm towards the animals was contagious! Thank you Ham!We arrived the evening of "cocktails and canapes with management" and that was a really delightful experience. Lovely to meet so many of the staff that we encouraged during our stay.The Spa, well what can I say... an absolutely sensational experience. Worth every penny. Such a beautiful indoor/outdoor villa for treatments. The monkeys were playing in the trees as we sat enjoying tea after our massage. An experience I will never forget.We also viewed the beachfront villas before we left and they look absolutely amazing! The butler "Ben" showed us around and explained all the details. I will definitely be staying in the Beach Villas next time.Of really special note.... on my second last day, I mentioned to the pastry chef that I loved the Parisian Tarts that were on the buffet during our first morning (that I did not see again). What an absolute treat when the next morning a plate of Parisian Tarts were delivered to our table during breakfast. It's this kind of personal touch that makes The Datai experience unforgettable.Thank you to all the staff for creating such a magical holiday for us! Stephane Duvacher, General Manager at The Datai Langkawi, responded to this review Dear jack06, Thank you for sharing such a heartfelt review. It was truly a pleasure to welcome you back to The Datai Langkawi after 25 years, and we are delighted to know that your experience exceeded your memories of more than two decades ago. Your kind words about our Rainforest Villa, nature walks, spa, and culinary offerings mean a great deal to us. We are especially pleased to hear that Ham @ Hamrish, Ben, our pastry team, and the rest of our colleagues helped to create memorable moments for you. We will be sure to share your generous compliments with them. It is heartwarming to know that the personalized gestures, from Parisian Tarts to witnessing the wildlife made your holiday extra special and magical. Thank you once again for taking the time to recognize our team. We look forward to welcoming you back to your future Beach Villa stay and creating even more cherished memories together. Warm regards,Stephane Duvacher

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• User:Julia C

  Trip type: Couples

  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  08 Jun 2026

  Loved every minute of our stay at the Datai.Amazing food & staff. Fantastic room overlooking the adult pool & rainforest.Especially enjoyed the Ariel yoga with Shinny & flow yoga with Barbara Stephane Duvacher, General Manager at The Datai Langkawi, responded to this review Dear juliacY4205FR, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay, especially the yoga sessions with Shinny and Barbara. We look forward to welcoming you back to The Datai Langkawi soon. Warm regards,Stephane Duvacher

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• User:DavidPook

  Trip type: Couples

  Overpriced. Over-rated. Underwhelming

  16 May 2026

  Poor food lets the whole place down. Except for the Thai food in Pavilion, we had a poor to mediocre dining experience in Lobby, dining room and breakfast. It's just not worth this kind of money. Perhaps surviving off long-standing reputation. Nature lover into intermittent fasting. Go for it. Don't bother snorkeling as we did the sea is unclear most days (as told afterwards by their staff). Breakfast seating can be confusing and dealing with multiple wait-staff a nightmare. One even took away my just-brewed handcarried UK English Breakfast tea that i had just made whilst I was at the buffet. Poor. Stephane Duvacher, General Manager at The Datai Langkawi, responded to this review Dear DavidPook, Thank you for taking the time to share your candid feedback following your recent stay with us.I am truly sorry to learn that your experience did not meet your expectations, particularly in regard to the dining experiences across several of our outlets while, I am pleased to know that you enjoyed your visit to The Thai Pavilion. My sincere apologies for the confusion encountered during breakfast service, as well as for the unfortunate incident involving your tea. Small details matter greatly in shaping the overall guest experience, and I regret that these moments left you feeling frustrated and underwhelmed.I also appreciate your comments regarding the snorkeling experience and the natural sea conditions during your visit. While visibility can vary depending on weather and tidal conditions, I understand your disappointment that expectations were not better managed in advance.Guest feedback such as yours is invaluable to us, as it highlights areas where we must continue refining both our service delivery and overall guest communication. Your observations have been shared with the relevant teams for careful review and follow-up.Thank you once again for your feedback and for giving us the opportunity to reflect on your experience.Warm regards,Stephane Duvacher

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• User:fasteddo

  Trip type: Couples

  Disappointing

  15 May 2026

  It rained every day. Nothing the hotel can do about that. But there is very little to do if it's raining. Beach, pool, rainforest tours, golf, tennis - all cancelled or unappealing. Spa and gym ok, but there's a limit to how much time you can spend doing those things.A wealthy guy was hosting a 30th birthday party at the hotel for the first two days we were there. First night, the Thai restaurant was closed and the revellers partied by the pool into the early hours of the morning. We all got to listen to them having fun... On the second afternoon we were asked to move away from the pool area around 4pm so the birthday 'nightclub' sound and lighting system could be set up. By 5pm the party construction was in full swing and it was no longer possible to stay at the pool bar. I am sure the birthday party guests had a great time all night long, but the other hotel guests were relegated to second class citizens.At no point during those two days did hotel management apologise for the disturbance or lack of access to hotel facilities.Food at the pool restaurant was very poor, as was food at the pool bar.The Thai restaurant was lovely, as was the Malaysian restaurant - where the staff were amazing. Breakfast was wonderful.We had a pool villa in the forest - really nice and only a shame that the bad weather meant we couldn't make the most of it. One annoyance was the TV system, which is terrible (it rained so much we attempted to watch a couple of movies but gave up).Generally, all the staff are lovely and attentive and the setting is beautiful. But it's a long way to go and a lot of money for a mediocre experience and a seeming lack of care from the hotel manager.We checked out two days early - no one asked why.We provided feedback as requested (the usual post-stay survey email) but never had a response. Stephane Duvacher, General Manager at The Datai Langkawi, responded to this review Dear fasteddo, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your stay in The Datai Langkawi. From your review, I understand you may be referring to your visit during a private celebration hosted at the resort in November 2025. As per our standard for all private events, guest advisory letters outlining the event details and anticipated timings for noise and setup activities were sent to the guest rooms in advance. Nevertheless, we sincerely regret that the occasion impacted the tranquility of your experience.While the weather conditions during your stay were unfortunately beyond our control, we fully understand your disappointment that the heavy rain limited your ability to enjoy many of the outdoor experiences that are central to the Langkawi experience. At the same time, we regret that some of the alternative indoor experiences available at the resort; including cooking classes, wellness activities, and sustainability workshops at The Lab may not have been communicated as clearly as they could have been. These experiences, along with a range of daily activities, are available through the Datai App and are designed to offer meaningful ways for guests to enjoy the resort regardless of weather conditions.I was especially concerned to learn that your post-stay feedback did not receive a response, as this does not reflect the level of attentiveness we strive to uphold.I truly appreciate your kind words regarding our team members, your villa experience, breakfast offerings, as well as the team at The Thai Pavilion and The Gulai House. I will ensure your compliments are shared with them accordingly.Thank you once again for bringing these matters to my attention. Hope we may have the opportunity to restore your confidence in us in the future.Warm Regards, Stephane Duvacher

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